June 2025 Dear Friends -- On behalf of the Board of Directors of Beyond Borders, I want to share how deeply grateful I am—and how hopeful I feel—about this new chapter in our shared journey. As many of you know, our co-founder and longtime director, David Diggs, will soon be stepping aside from day-to-day leadership. Since 1993, David has guided Beyond Borders with extraordinary vision, compassion, and faithfulness to our mission. His impact on Haiti, on our organization, and on each of us who’ve had the privilege to work alongside him is immeasurable. We are forever grateful. I also want to express my joy that Coleen Hedglin has agreed to return to Beyond Borders to serve as Co-Executive Director alongside Smith Maximé. I’ve known Coleen for many years and have seen firsthand the depth of her integrity and her unwavering commitment to justice and dignity in Haiti. Coleen brings more than a decade and a half of experience living and working in Haiti. Her work has strengthened the protection of children, advanced community-led care systems, and secured vital funding from foundations and international donors. A fluent Creole speaker and seasoned program strategist, Coleen is a trusted and respected leader with deep relationships in the communities we serve. Equally, I want to say how thrilled I was when, last October, we named Smith Maximé Co-Executive Director. Smith brings an extraordinary combination of lived experience, moral clarity, and strategic vision to this role. A lawyer and human rights champion, Smith’s journey began during the 1991 coup in Haiti when he and fellow high school students launched a clandestine radio station to speak truth during repression. That courage continues to define him today. His leadership is principled, inspiring, and profoundly rooted in a belief in the dignity of all people. As a former foundation program officer, I traveled to Haiti many times to visit communities where Beyond Borders works. Those visits left a lasting...