.png)
Elsie Saint Louis has devoted her career to serving others, guided by her faith and a deep commitment to every person’s dignity. Born in Gonaïves, Haiti, she brings a personal understanding of the immigrant experience to her work, helping individuals and families find support, opportunity, and a sense of belonging.
Since June 2004, Ms. Saint Louis has served as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Haitian Americans United for Progress, Inc. (HAUP), a community-based organization founded in 1975. Prior to assuming its leadership, she served on HAUP’s Board of Directors and as Director of Planning and Development.
Under her leadership, HAUP has continued to grow as a trusted resource for immigrants, refugees, and families throughout the New York Tri-State area. The organization’s services encompass immigration assistance, education, youth and family support, maternal and infant health, and access to essential community resources. Ms. Saint Louis has also led efforts to secure significant state and city support for HAUP’s capital initiatives and to strengthen the organization’s long-term future.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Saint Louis helped guide HAUP’s response to urgent community needs, providing cash assistance, food support, health education, and connections to testing and vaccination services. Her commitment remains rooted in meeting people where they are and ensuring that those facing hardship do not have to navigate it alone.
In 2010, she founded Love and Serve Haiti (LASH), an initiative dedicated to supporting vulnerable communities while nurturing a love for Haiti and its people. Its work has included educational support for children in Sarazin and Masson, opportunities for community entrepreneurship, and service trips that connect participants with the country and the people they seek to serve. Her writings on the response to Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake were featured in The New York Times.
Her Catholic faith remains an enduring source of strength and purpose. She served for many years as Music Director and on the Parish Council at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church and remains actively engaged with the Haitian Apostolate at St. Jerome Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn. Through her community advocacy and collaboration with faith leaders, she works to bring reassurance, practical support, and hope to immigrant families.
Ms. Saint Louis’s professional experience also includes executive positions with the New York State Insurance Reciprocal, Catholic Medical Center, the Archdiocese of New York, and CK Partners on Wall Street. A 2010 Haitian-Jewish Leadership Fellow, she was also appointed to Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio’s transition team in 2013.
She holds degrees in Business Administration and Management and is the proud mother of Tasha Elsie Saint Louis.
Across her professional, spiritual, and personal life, Ms. Saint Louis’s purpose remains constant: to serve with love, stand beside those in need, and help others recognize their own strength and possibilities.