Building Haiti's Future Leaders Through Innovation and Opportunity

Dr. Steve M. Antoine is an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas, and serves on the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine. He specializes in the management of complex cardiovascular disease, advanced heart failure therapies, remote heart failure monitoring, hemodynamics, mechanical circulatory support devices, heart transplantation, and pulmonary hypertension. Dr. Antoine is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular nuclear medicine, echocardiography, advanced heart failure, and heart transplant. He has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed publications in the field of advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology. Born in the United States to Haitian immigrant parents and raised in Haiti, Dr. Antoine developed a deep personal understanding of both the extraordinary potential of Haitian youth and the systemic barriers that too often limit their opportunities. He completed his medical degree at the American University of the Caribbean in 2013, where he tutored physiology, an experience that ignited his passion for cardiovascular physiology and heart failure. He completed his internal medicine residency at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, earning multiple teaching awards including Resident Teacher of the Year. Following residency, he served as a hospitalist before pursuing his cardiovascular disease fellowship at the University of Florida in Jacksonville, where he was nominated for Fellow of the Year and received research grants for his work on Patent Foramen Ovale Shunting in Heart Failure Patients research that earned first prize as an abstract at the Inova Advanced Heart Failure Symposium in 2019. He completed his advanced heart failure fellowship at the University of Florida in Gainesville in 2021 before joining the DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston. A member of the medical team that performed the Houston VA’s first ever heart transplant, Dr. Antoine is an actively practicing proceduralist who performs cardiac interventions weekly, combining the diagnostic expertise of an advanced heart failure specialist with hands-on clinical skills that few cardiologists exercise at his level. His academic work spans advanced heart failure, remote patient monitoring, artificial intelligence applications in medicine, and cardiovascular device therapies. Dr. Antoine is the co-founder and president of Haiti Bright Futures, a nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying and developing the next generation of Haitian civic leaders through merit-based scholarship competition, civic innovation programming, and structured diaspora mentorship. Built on the conviction that Haiti possesses exceptional talent that deserves exceptional opportunity, Haiti Bright Futures reflects a vision that extends beyond scholarships alone; one focused on building a long-term ecosystem where Haitian youth become future leaders, innovators, professionals, and changemakers within their communities. It is also his most personal commitment: to the country and the people who shaped him. Dr. Antoine is fluent in English, French, and Haitian Creole.

Marsha Antoine is a dedicated ICU physician who fled Haiti with her family at 14 due to political turmoil, finding solace in the United States. Despite the challenges of relocation, her parents' emphasis on education propelled her towards a career in medicine, influenced by family and personal interests. Marsha co-founded Haiti Bright Futures, to support her desire to give back to her homeland. Though her high school years at the Institution Sainte Rose de Lima were cut short by her move to the states, it is a significant influence on Marsha's passion for her profession and her community, both in the U.S. and in Haiti.

Wesna Poteau, a Haiti native, completed her High School education at Lycée du Cent Cinquantenaire and pursued higher education at the Episcopal University of Haiti, where she studied accounting. Currently working at the General Administration of Customs in Port-au-Prince, she is a testament to the success achievable through dedication and hard work. Despite her remarkable professional achievements, including balancing her career with being a wife and mother, Wesna remains committed to making a difference. As the foundation's treasurer, Wesna brings her expertise and passion to empower the next generation of Haitian students.

Jean Gedeon Charles was born and raised in Haiti, where he also attended Institution Saint Louis de Gonzague for high school. He then pursued his medical education, a debt he feels he owes to his homeland. Moving to the US at 28, he was struck by the disparity between the wealth and opportunities available in both countries. Driven by a deep sense of responsibility, he joined the board for Haiti Bright Futures with the hope of uniting the Haitian diaspora to contribute to the development of Haiti. Despite the challenges he faced, including financial struggles as a doctor in Haiti, his commitment to his country and its people remains unwavering. Jean Gedeon Charles is a passionate advocate for the potential of the Haitian diaspora to bring about positive change in Haiti.