OUR TEAM
Francois Laroche, Founding Member As a native of Haiti with maternal and paternal family farms, Francois has had a high level of interaction with agricultural practices in Haiti. He has experience in project and personnel management, budget development, project implementation, and contract management. Francois is a graduate of the University of Florida, earning a B.S. and M.S. in Agronomy. As a senior scientist with the South Florida Water Management District, he has earned extensive experience in environmental management practices. Francois regularly travels to Haiti to oversee and advance CREOLE’s mission.
Brian Graffenberger, Board Co-Chair & Founding Member
Brian grew up in Haiti and has been an established farmer in Oregon for the past 35 years. As something of a Haitian national himself, he speaks fluent Creole, has a deep passion for the country, and has been a regular visitor over the years. Brian is a graduate of Oregon State University with a B.S. in Agricultural Economics.
Jeanne Bernick, Board Member
Jeanne Bernick is the Global Growth Leader for the business advisory and accounting firm Pinion (formerly K·Coe Isom). Pinion’s focus is on financial, tax, and business advisory for food and agriculture, with specialties in sustainability, farm programs, and estate planning. Jeanne leads growth strategy for the firm and helps match the needs of commercial ag producers globally with Pinion’s talent and tools. Her passion is facilitating relationships to create healthy, growing farm and food operations that are sustainable for generations to come. She offers a depth of industry insights and works alongside producers to zero-in on solutions to keep family businesses thriving.
Prior to joining Pinion, Jeanne was the editor of Top Producer magazine and spent 20 years with Farm Journal Media, developing long-standing relationships with large commercial ag producers and their families. Jeanne helped establish a national women’s business conference that provides a community for women to find resources and network with like-minded business owners.
Jeanne is involved in many agribusiness organizations and currently sits on the boards of the University of Nebraska Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program and other sustainability and ag-focused advisory alliances.
Brad Green, Board Treasurer
Dr. Brad Greene is the CEO and managing partner of sixeight, a Knoxville-based private equity firm specializing in growth equity. He embraces the fundamental belief that good businesses can significantly impact the communities and societies they serve. Brad has spent his career leading business transformation in organizations across sectors such as healthcare, automotive, medical equipment, and even international disaster relief. Designing and building the systems, processes, and culture to sustain aggressive growth is the hallmark of Brad’s work, and is the business foundation upon which sixeight is built. He received his doctorate in Industrial Engineering from the University of Tennessee in 2001.
Jeff Musich, Board Secretary
Jeff joined the Creole Inc. Haiti Board in 2023. Jeff is a semi-retired environmental engineer with a career supporting water pollution control, safe drinking water, climate change impacts, and environmental protection initiatives throughout the US and internationally during a 35-year career. He has served on numerous non-profit Boards in various capacities, including 12 years as Development Chair for Konbit Sante, a US-based Haitian medical support NGO serving northern Haiti. His work in Haiti has included building water and sanitation systems, solar power systems, design and construction of rural health clinics, and cholera protection facilities. Jeff has made many trips to Haiti as a volunteer.
Jeff is a lifelong environmentalist and former owner of an organic farm in rural Maine raising goats, sheep, and vegetables. He is a certified master gardener presently working as a volunteer on a local community-owned farm.
Jeff enjoys sailing, sea kayaking, hiking, birding, gardening, and cooking from his home base in Edgecomb, Maine.
Dave Wilkinson, Board Chair. Dave grew up in a farming family in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, and was just seventeen years old the first time he visited Haiti. He has remained connected to Haiti and his roots in agriculture ever since.
Dave lives in Spokane, WA with his wife Kristy where he combines three decades of pastoral work with his training as a therapist to provide spiritual direction for individuals from all over the Pacific Northwest and US. He is on staff with SoulFormation.org which provides formational experiences for people who lead by influence or position. Dave holds a Master’s of Education from Whitworth University.
Dave loves to mountain bike and snowboard and takes full advantage of the amazing local hills. He has served in various capacities with CREOLE, Inc. for over ten years and believes that Haiti Can feed itself!
Angela Brown Gilliam serves as the Creole, Inc. Haiti Executive Director. After management positions in international and Haiti-specific development organizations, she is thrilled to be serving in the Haitian community where she grew up alongside Francois and Brian. Her track record of strong programmatic leadership, board development, and expertise in facilitating sustainable growth networks will allow Creole, Inc. Haiti to meet its full potential impact.