Leadership
Leading with Purpose
Board of Directors
Chair: Peter Boushy
Peter describes himself as “an imperfect follower of Jesus Christ and His teachings.” Since reconnecting with his faith during the last two decades, Peter tries to put it into action whenever he can. Having practised criminal law for close to 30 years, most of Peter’s clients are marginalized individuals who need help in the courts. Interestingly, Peter’s family was on the receiving end of Christian missionary work when his father’s family – in the small Lebanese village of Kfarmishki – received aid from American Baptists to build a local church and a school. The prayerful spreading of the love of Christ led to Peter’s grandfather – the trail-blazing Fudlo Boushy – to become a Baptist Minister. (He then founded the first Baptist church in the Middle East!)
Peter’s mother, Suhaila Boushy (nee Farkouh), and her family, were Christian Palestinian refugees from the Holy Land, prior to the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Many of Peter’s extended family, on his mother’s side, still live in Israel. And one of Peter’s cousins – George Deek – was recently appointed as the first-ever Christian ambassador for the State of Israel.
Peter is married to a great Irish Canadian, Leona (nee Byrne), and they have two boys, Declan and Eamon, who, God willing, will help their parents spread the love of Christ to the beautiful children of Haiti, just as Christ’s love was spread to their great-grandfather’s village in Lebanon almost a century ago.
Jim Turnbull
Jim Turnbull was a litigation lawyer for 32 years, primarily practicing in Hamilton with Mackesy Smye LLP. In 2005, he was appointed as a Judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice where he served until his retirement in May 2021. He now conducts a private practice in mediation and arbitration. He was a member of the first group of people from Hamilton who went to Haiti in August, 1989. Because of the needs they saw in Haiti, that group started Joy and Hope of Haiti. Jim and his wife Joan have remained actively involved since that time. Jim has travelled to Haiti on Joy and Hope project trips over sixty times.
Joan Turnbull
After visiting Haiti in 1990 for the first time, Joan has been back at least once a year almost every year since. “My passion is to change Haiti by having Haitians discover Jesus and be transformed,” Joan says with delight. Joan is adored by the Haitians who appreciate her steadfast love and heartfelt prayers. Responding to the plight of many who live in Haiti and trying to reconcile that to the spirit that resides in all of us, Joan says she “looks at the light, not the lamp shade.” A retired nurse, Joan is married to Joy and Hope founder, Jim. They have two adult children.
Helen Welsh
Helen has traveled to Haiti to see our projects, and meet our Haitian partners first hand. About her experiences, she enthuses, “It is very gratifying to work with such a great team, and to experience the generosity of our community.” Helen is a computer programmer with over 30 years’ experience in Corporate Finance. Helen is indispensable to the gala and exclaims, “Auction Night is a blast!” So grateful for all her blessings, Helen is just as glad to give back. Helen is married with two adult children.
David Landry
A high school French & Geography teacher for Thames Valley District School Board in London, Ontario with over 10 years of teaching experience. David is passionate about ensuring that learning is connected to the real world. David, having witnessed this on many accounts during his travels to countries around the globe, believes that both education and faith in Christ Jesus changes lives. With respect to global education, David has had the privilege of teaching French language courses in France & Switzerland during his summers as well as having led service projects to Rabat, Morocco and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. These opportunities have provided him with a greater appreciation for the profound needs of developing countries, in particular support for children and education. David has had a heart for Haïti and Haïtian people for many years and looks forward to combining his French language skills and his servant’s heart to partner with them to influence a new generation of Haïtians as they continue to rebuild their country. Anchante!
Mike Jacks
Mike had the opportunity to travel to Haiti with Joy & Hope when he was 16, in the very early years of our work there. In 2021, thirty years later, he was excited for the opportunity to join the Board to help sustain and grow the work in Haiti. Mike is married with 5 children, and brings his experience as business person and teacher to Joy & Hope.
Jenessa Miglietta
Jenessa Miglietta joined the Joy and Hope of Haiti board in 2022. In her professional life, Jenessa is a Vice President Special projects with CRH. CRH, a Fortune 500 company, is the leading provider of building materials solutions that build, connect, and improve our world. With a focus on strategic growth and development, Jenessa has led over $1B in business acquisitions and divestitures, guided operational and commercial strategy processes for companies under the CRH umbrella in both the United States and Canada, founded a Women’s Employee Resource Group, and now leads the CRH Americas Sustainability Steering Committee. Jenessa earned her Honors in Business Administration and MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University. She and her husband live in Kilworth, Ontario.
Jeff Stirling
Jeff brings over 20 years of Marketing and Communications experience to Joy and Hope of Haiti. As a father of four and the husband of an elementary school teacher, he understands the importance of high-quality, Christ-centred education to empower children to not just survive but enable them to grow and become positive contributors to society.
It is Jeff’s desire to use the knowledge and skills he has gained throughout his career to help Joy and Hope to have an even larger impact on the children, and nation of Haiti.
Key Staff
Cal Schultz
As our single staff person, Cal wears a lot of hats. Not only does he ensure that our projects comply with our charitable objects, he often directs and supervises the work we do. As our “boots on the ground,” Cal is often in Haiti and leads teams when we’re doing work in the mission field. Between trips, he manages our work from abroad. No easy task!
Cal first went to Haiti in 2006 and fell in love with the children of that beautiful country. Responding to God’s call, in 2010, Cal sold his insurance business, moving from the private sector into Christian charitable international development work. To Joy and Hope of Haiti, Cal has gifted his learning and experience in poverty intervention and best practices that he gained in countries including Bangladesh, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa.
Cal strongly believes that what Haiti needs most is for the Haitians themselves to be enabled to take more and more responsibility for their lives, their community, and their nation. In an effort to be efficient and effective, Cal has completed the Not-for-Profit Charitable Organization leadership certification at Mohawk College in Hamilton. He is also certified with international organizations.
Mark Schultz
Mark has volunteered as Treasurer for Joy and Hope of Haiti since 2017. Mark has over 30 years’ experience in corporate finance, financial reporting, business planning and strategy. He is CFO for Southpaw Technology Inc. (Southpaw). Prior to Southpaw, Mark held Senior Finance positions in Software and Investment Banking. Mark obtained an MBA from the University of Western Ontario, as well as a combined Honours Commerce and Economics degree from McMaster University.
"Well guys, what are we going to do? That was the question that galvanized me and seven other men who first traveled to Haiti in 1989 and were both appalled and inspired by what we saw. That single question gave rise to The Joy and Hope of Haiti.
Today, it’s the faces of the little uniformed children laughing and playing in their schoolyards that pull me back to Haiti time and time again. Where before they had sadness, today they have joy in their lives because they’re fortunate enough to go to school and get an education. And, due to overwhelming poverty, where before they were hopeless, today they have hope because they’re learning to read, write and do math so they can one day find gainful employment or maybe even start their own business.
Constructing and then maintaining Christian schools is an absolute necessity in what would otherwise be considered “a God-forsaken” country such as this. First, the schools encourage hard-working pastors who are doing incredible ministry to counteract the centuries of voodoo culture. The physical presence of a school building demonstrates a tangible, practical outreach of the church into the community
If Haiti is ever going to change, change must start with the children. A new generation needs a new way of thinking, acting and caring if Haiti is ever going to overcome the corruption and degradation that has made it a fourth-world country. This was – and will always be – the message of Jesus. This was – and always will be – the message of The Joy and Hope of Haiti."
Jim Turnbull