a1519: NCHR Press Release: Haitian Coalition Chooses New Executive Director (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Martine Caze <MCaze@nchr.org>

National Coalition for Haitian Rights
275 Seventh Avenue, 17th floor, New York, NY 10001



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:	Martine Caze
Phone:	212-337-0005
Email:	mcaze@nchr.org



Haitian Rights Coalition Names Dina Paul Parks
Executive Director
Appointment to Take Effect on April 1, 2002

New York, March 29, 2002 -- The National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR)
announced today that Dina Paul Parks would become its next Executive
Director, replacing Jocelyn McCalla who steps down on March 31st.  The
appointment becomes effective April 1, 2002.

Ms. Paul Parks was elevated to Acting Director earlier this year, when Mr.
McCalla announced that he would be stepping down at the end of this month to
pursue other interests from Africa where he has resided for the past year.
Mr. McCalla has been Executive Director since 1988 and developed NCHR into
the leading Haitian human rights and immigration policy organization in the
US, with offices in New York and Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

"NCHR has had enormous success in the human rights and immigration arenas
over the past two decades,"  said Mr. Eddy Bayardelle, the Chair of NCHR's
Board of Directors.  "Now it is time for the organization to expand its
focus and direct its policy and advocacy expertise to foster the growth and
success of Haitian-American communities across the country.  As a young,
extraordinarily talented Haitian-American who was born in Haiti and mostly
raised in the United States, Ms. Paul Parks has a key understanding and true
appreciation of what this dual role entails.  The board was unanimous in its
decision and could not be any more delighted."

Mr. Calla added:  "I am extremely pleased with the Board's decision to
charge Dina with developing and implementing NCHR's expanded objectives and
leading the organization to the next level.  She is quite dynamic and
possesses the skills needed to grow the organization much beyond its present
accomplishments."

Ms. Paul Parks joined the NCHR in July 2000 as its Policy Associate. In that
capacity, she has helped develop policy analysis and recommendations on
immigration, human rights and Haitian community development.  She has also
cultivated relationships with leaders from around the country in order to
begin developing a network capable of unified, concrete and effective action
on issues of importance to the Haitian community.

Ms. Paul Parks came to NCHR from the Ms. Foundation for Women, where for two
years she worked as Foundation and Corporate Relations Officer, managing the
Foundation's relationships with institutional donors and administering its
grants management efforts.  In that capacity, she helped raise over $10
million for the Foundation's work in girls' and women's health and safety
and economic development.

Prior to her work at the Ms. Foundation, Ms. Paul Parks was an Associate for
three years at the Management Assistance Group (MAG), a Washington, DC-based
nonprofit management consulting firm, where she assisted progressive,
social-change organizations in diagnosing and resolving management and
organizational development challenges.

Ms. Paul Parks is a member of the board of the New York City Coalition
Against Hunger and is a founding board member of The League, an umbrella
organization designed to foster combined development and social activism
efforts of the eight black alumni organizations of the Ivy League.  She is
also a director of the Associated African-Americans of Harvard Alumni
(AAAHA).  Ms. Paul Parks is a 1994 graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe
Colleges.  She is married to Kirk A. Parks and has a 15-month-old daughter,
Noelle.

Ms. Paul Parks can be reached at (212) 337-0005 or via email at
dpparks@nchr.org.





# # #

The National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR) is non-profit,
non-governmental organization that weeks to promote and protect the rights
of Haitian refugees and Haitian-Americans under U.S. and international law,
and to advance respect for human rights, the rule of law and support for
civil and democratic society in Haiti.


Martine Caze
Office Administrator
The National Coalition for Haitian Rights
275 Seventh Avenue, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10001
(212) 337-0005 Ext:10
(212) 741-8749 Fax