Haiti Team
Denis joined our organization in 2018 and hit the ground running. He first met the Founder, through a God ordained encounter at a local hospital in Milot, Haiti. They had a lunch and not long after, Denis started advising the organization from an HR/Development standpoint. He spent countless hours advising on how to best build the team re; organization chart and filling gaps in employment, management, and legal affairs. He quickly fell in love with the mission and kids. He has made a tremendous impact on the staff and kids on better practices operations as well as evangelism and empowerment. His responsibilities include; staff management across all three facilities, budget creation, staff/child development, and evangelism/leadership development with both staff/kids. Denis graduated with an Accounting Science degree at UNASMOH (Universite Americaine des Scienses Modernes d’Haiti) in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. He resides in Milot, Haiti with his wife and young son and does street evangelism in his spare time.
Wilner (Nene) serves as our Director of Administration/Education. He provides insight to the leadership team on strategic initiatives. He manages the legalization and administrative paperwork as it applies to our partnerships with the local government (IBESR) and law enforcement. He leads our education program throughout all 3 centers. He is passionate about his role in education and the importance of education in his community. In addition, he is also excited and involved in our agriculture and gardening efforts, which is part of our workforce development program. Wilner graduated from “Faculte D’agronomie et de Medicine Veterinaire” with dual degrees in agriculture and psychology. He is married and has 4 daughters.
Smitty leads our Christian studies program. His weekly Bible studies at the safehouse are split by age to address the different positive messages each demographic needs to hear. Younger kids are taught forgiveness, sharing, and honesty, while teens learn how to live in Jesus’ image while navigating the trauma of an adolescence on the streets. As a youth pastor, Smitty has a special heart for the spiritual growth of children. He loves working with street kids because it creates a space for God to enter their lives and help change their situations.
Board of Directors
Linsey got her start in International aid working for an orphanage in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. As Program Director, she focused on creating and implementing programs within the orphanage. In addition, she developed multiple projects within the “street” community. It wasn’t long before she realized how much time and effort were required to impact these street children that she fell in love with. Linsey founded Streethearts in October, 2012. The model she created focuses on 7 areas necessary for children to cultivate and maintain a healthy heart – Faith (Christian Studies), Nutrition/Clean Water, Health & Hygeine, Safety/Discipline, Sports & Recreation, Education, and Workforce Development. Prior to her work in Cap-Haitien, Haiti she served as the Vice President of Marketing for Back on my Feet, a nonprofit combating homelessness through running, and worked for MOI, Inc. a commercial real estate company in Washington, DC. As Manager of Marketing & Business Development, she was responsible for generating new business relationships, launching re-branding efforts, and executing large-scale corporate events. Linsey is a graduate of East Carolina University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication. To read the full founder’s story, click the button below. Linsey lives in Haiti full-time.
Emily first traveled to Haiti in 2010 during a short-term mission trip. During that trip, she met Linsey and was immediately connected to the work she was doing with street kids. Shortly after, Streethearts was founded in 2012 and Emily’s passion towards working in Haiti grew as she started as an intern, then Volunteer Coordinator, and finally Director of Organizational Development since 2017. During her time with Streethearts she has led staff development conferences with the Streethearts leadership team, helped revamp the group trip experience through the Impact Adventure program, and most importantly become an “older sister” to the 140+ boys that are now in Streethearts’ care.
She has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and Nonprofit Studies from James Madison University and a Masters in Organizational Sciences from The George Washington University. Emily currently works for The Clearing as a government consultant but continues to travel to Haiti quarterly to re-engage with the Haitian staff and kids.
As Managing Principal and Head of the INTEC Group DC office, a nationally ranked Architectural and Commercial Interior Design practice, Ms. Pelczynski brings nearly 30 years of workplace design experience for Fortune 100 and entrepreneurial clients. Susan has participated on several boards including the Virginia Tech College of Architecture and Design Advisory Board, as Board Chair, and is currently serving as Secretary of the Board for StreetHearts. Susan first became involved with Streethearts after hearing Linsey Jorgenson share her Founder’s Story. Susan supported the initial drive to collect donated tennis shoes for the boys to jog. She marshalled her friends and resources to help stuff the car, to get more school and clothing supplies to Haiti. And eventually facilitated a virtual fundraiser to raise $15,000 for a Christmas campaign, feeding thousands of people during the holiday week. Susan continues to be an active connector in support of the program.
Austin graduated from Illinois State University in 2014 with a degree in Organizational Leadership and minor in Economics. He went on to work at Allstate Insurance from 2014-2019 when he then decided to moved to Haiti to volunteer full time. Austin married his Haitian wife, Natalie, in 2021 and they moved back to America at the beginning of 2023! Austin still works for Allstate insurance and Natalie is settling in to her new life in America. Austin has been coming to Haiti since 2012 and has been and will continue stay invested in the program.
Joanna first visited Haiti in 2017 when she participated in a cultural immersion trip with the student organization, Zips 4 Haiti. After returning from the trip, Joanna became heavily involved in the student organization and was asked to lead the following two trips. In 2019, Joanna was joined by 18 fellow classmates in Cap Haitien to spend the week with Streethearts as part of the Enpak Adventure Trip. Following those trips, Joanna’s focus turned towards the small business operations. She spent 2 weeks in Haiti training the first Taco Truck Team! Since then Joanna has continued her involvement with Streethearts and serves as our board secretary. Joanna currently resides in Lafayette, Indiana and works at Purdue University in the Academic Success Center.
Justin Shetterly has over fifteen years of accounting, auditing, and financial consulting experience, world wide. He earned his B.A. in Business Administration and Accounting from WVU as well as an International Business Certification from his studies in Italy. He lives in Vienna, VA with his wife and thoroughly enjoys serving others, traveling, and the outdoors.
Justin first volunteered down in Haiti in 2008 and quickly fell in love with the country and its people. He was blessed in 2012 to have had the opportunity to serve as Field Director for another organization located in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and has had a relationship with Streethearts since its inception. Justin is looking forward to serving by adding oversight, advising on financial management , and participating in hands-on service when visiting in-country.
Advisory Board
Hans earned a B.A. in Accounting from Lynn University and followed up with a Masters of International Business from NOVA Southeastern and a Masters of Science in Finance from FIU. He began his career working for a Caribbean import/export company. He then was employed in Miami at an Engineering firm as Project Administrator and was essential Expedition document control software and Primavera Scheduling software expert. He customizes reports for Expedition using Sybase Infomaker software and has provided financial and risk management services as well.
Laurence Desvignes has a Bachelor degree in agronomy and development, a Master degree in agriculture and a Master Degree in International Relations and European Politics. She has 20 years’ experience in 20 war-affected countries where she worked both in development and emergency situations. She worked with various NGOs as an agronomist initially and with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as a coordinator, then general manager of mine action programs worldwide. In 2005 she arrived in Haiti as the regional office manager for ICRC in northern Haiti. In 2008-2009, she was the assistant manager for a private import company as well as its director of operations for a tourism project in Labadie. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January 2010, she was recruited again by the ICRC. From October 2010 to October 2011, she ran the MSF office (Doctors without Borders) in the North for the emergency response to the cholera epidemic. Currently, she is the Program Manager of OXFAM for the North and North-East departments and also serves as the President and founder of MANUSODANY, Association for Haiti, a French NGO registered in Haiti.
Volunteers
Jennifer is a certified French and ESL teacher and holds a Masters of Arts in Teaching a Second Language. She has been teaching French to elementary school students for 21 years. She currently works at Glenwood Elementary in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She loves working with children and has always had a special connection with them. She has been to the northwestern region of Haiti several times in the past two years on mission trips. Most recently she hosted a summer camp in Cap-Haitian, where she and five colleagues were paired with Haitian teachers to provide a variety of math, science and language arts enrichment experiences to one hundred students in the Cap-Haitien area, which included boys from Streethearts. We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer to Cap-Haitien, Haiti where she will be working with our children in an effort to further their education.
Sarah is a senior associate attorney at the law firm of Alston & Bird LLP, where she practices corporate law with a focus on finance. Sarah received her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Political Science from East Carolina University. Sarah lives and works in midtown Atlanta and enjoys traveling and doing anything outdoors.
Kerry has spent the past 15 years building relationships across the DC, MD and VA markets, as the CEO Meet Market Inc. With broad business development experience spanning commercial real estate, technology and the pharmaceutical sectors, she has developed a client portfolio ranging from Non-Profits to Fortune 500 companies. Kerry’s success is based on unwavering client and strategic partner advocacy and her conviction that the clients she represents offer their respective industry’s best and brightest. Kerry is THRILLED to be part of the StreetHearts’ Team and looking forward to supporting this incredible organization.
Lauren is a gifted artist and true creative soul. She has been blessed with the ability to flourish her God-gifted creative talents into a career as a graphic designer for over 15 years. When not pursuing her passion for design, Lauren spends her free time exploring new music, and cheering on her alma mater, the East Carolina Pirates. It was during her time at ECU that Lauren met Linsey and was instantly impressed by her infectious sense of humor, outgoing personality, determination, and spirit. With a piece of her still left in North Carolina, Lauren dreams of lazy days on the beach in the Outer Banks with her rescue pit bull, Rizzo. Lauren continues to be inspired by Linsey and her hard-working team at Streethearts who keep the lives of many capable, inspiring young men at the forefront of their own.
I have 5 grown children (all redheads) and 9 grandchildren. I am since retired but served as an educator (mostly high school and college) for 36 years. In 2013, the Lord led me to retire early to focus on international mission work. Haiti was my first trip and then I took off around the world, but always return to Haiti. I continue to be blessed by each adventure. I adore these boys and the Founder. I’ve had the joy of loving them, praying with them, and challenging them for Jesus. My prayer and dream continue to be that each of our Streethearts family members grows deeper and deeper in their love for beautiful Jesus!