Meet our team!
Kay Angel's work is made possible by a dedicated team of leaders who bring deep commitment, diverse experience, and unwavering passion to our mission. From our founder who first envisioned this work to our board members who provide governance and guidance, each person plays a crucial role in empowering Jacmel's youth and building brighter futures. Together, we form a family united by our belief in the power of community, education, and opportunity.
Gala Calisto
President & Executive Director
Gala Calisto's journey with Kay Angel began in 2006 when she joined as one of the organization's first team members, helping turn a vision into reality. In 2007, she filed the paperwork that established Kay Angel's 501(c)(3) status and served as Executive Assistant for the US foundation for over four years, learning every aspect of the organization from the ground up.
When Kay Angel's beloved director Lia van de Donk passed away unexpectedly in 2012, Gala made a life-changing decision: she left everything in Los Angeles to move to Haiti full-time and step into leadership. For nearly 15 years, she has served as President and Executive Director, leading Kay Angel's operations in Jacmel and raising the children in her care as her own family.
A first-generation American of Ecuadorian and French heritage, Gala has immersed herself deeply in Haitian culture, raising her children to be proud of their Haitian identity while sharing elements of her own cultural background. Her goal has always been simple but profound: to recreate the safety and warmth of her own childhood for the young people in Kay Angel's care, even as the country around them faces instability.
Under Gala's leadership, Kay Angel has weathered natural disasters, political upheaval, the COVID-19 pandemic, and countless other challenges. Through it all, her unwavering commitment has been to keep the family together. Today, the children she's raised don't call themselves orphans—they call themselves brothers and sisters, a testament to the family she's built.
Gala's vision for Kay Angel extends beyond residential care to community-based programming that empowers all of Jacmel's youth. She leads with the same values that brought her to Haiti: fierce dedication, cultural respect, and an unshakeable belief in the power of family and community to transform lives.
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Reginald Turnier
Vice President
Reginald Turnier is a writer, musician, and peace activist deeply committed to Haiti's cultural preservation and sustainable development. For over 20 years, he has lived in southeastern Haiti full-time, stewarding his family's ancestral lands and working closely with local communities to promote sustainable development practices.
Reginald brings extensive nonprofit governance experience to Kay Angel's board, having served on the boards of several organizations supporting Haiti's most vulnerable populations. Following the 2010 earthquake, he served as Administrative Director for an emergency birthing clinic operated by the international midwifery organization Bumi Sehat, demonstrating his commitment to crisis response and community health.
A champion of Haitian cultural heritage, Reginald is Co-Founder and Logistics Coordinator of the Haitian Machete Fencing Project and served as a consultant on the award-winning documentary Papa Machete. He is co-author of the book Haitian Machete Fencing: The Avril Family Method.
His deep roots in Haiti, commitment to community-based development, and dedication to preserving Haitian culture align perfectly with Kay Angel's mission of empowering youth in Jacmel.
Levenson JEAN-LOUIS
Secretary
Dr. Levenson JEAN-LOUIS is originally from Jacmel and brings exceptional legal expertise and a deep commitment to advancing education to the Kay Angel Board of Directors.
A professor, researcher, and lawyer trained in France, he holds a PhD in Law and Development Finance from the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis. Levenson divides his time between Haiti and Europe and maintains strong ties with both communities.
Currently Vice-Rector for Research at the Université Publique du Sud-Est in Jacmel, Levenson also teaches law at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His academic focus on public international law and economic development, human rights, and international humanitarian law aligns perfectly with Kay Angel's mission to empower vulnerable youth.
Levenson first joined Kay Angel as a legal consultant, providing crucial advice on legal issues and helping to protect the organization through Haiti's complex regulatory landscape. His belief in Kay Angel's vision for expanded community programming led him to join the board of directors in 2025.
Beyond his work with Kay Angel, Levenson is President of the association 100 Millions d'Enfants, an association that runs the CASSEA (Centre d'Apprentissage de Soutien Scolaire et d'Education Artistique) school and programs, such as soccer and taekwondo, for youth in one of Jacmel's most disadvantaged neighborhoods, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to access to education for all. He understands that sports and extracurricular activities are as essential as academic education in helping young people reach their full potential.
Levenson's legal expertise, educational expertise, and deep roots in Jacmel make him an invaluable advocate for the Kay Angel community and the young people he serves.
Melinda Marcelin
Treasurer
Melinda embodies Kay Angel's full-circle vision. She came to live at Kay Angel in 2007 as a young child and today serves as Treasurer on our board, bringing the unique perspective of someone who grew up in the family she now helps lead.
Currently in her third year of university studies, Melinda is pursuing a double major in social work and education. Her dream is to continue working with vulnerable youth and women in Haiti, carrying forward the same values and standards that shaped her own upbringing. She hopes to study abroad in France one day and bring that knowledge back to strengthen her work in Haiti.
Melinda has become an integral part of Kay Angel's operations, serving not only as a board member but also completing her social work internships through the organization. She leads the foster home and collaborates closely with the transition home team, often stepping in as alternate director when Gala travels. Her intimate knowledge of Kay Angel's history, combined with her professional training and leadership abilities, positions her perfectly to help guide the organization's future.
Melinda's journey from Kay Angel child to board member and program leader is a testament to the power of investing in young people's futures. She is living proof that when given love, support, and opportunity, Haiti's youth can become the leaders their communities need.
Claude Verna
Board Member
Claude brings deep knowledge of Haiti and decades of business experience to Kay Angel's board. A Haitian native who grew up in Port-au-Prince and now calls Jacmel home, Claude built and ran several successful businesses before retiring to the province he now serves.
Drawing on his experience in both the US military and Haitian business sectors, Claude has been invaluable in helping Kay Angel navigate Haiti's complex cultural, political, and administrative landscape. He provides crucial guidance on everything from business practices and paperwork to understanding political trends and security situations. When challenges arise in the country, Claude's historical perspective and wisdom help Kay Angel make informed decisions to keep the family safe.
For over four years, Claude has served Kay Angel with the dedication of a protective uncle, committed to both the organization's mission and the wellbeing of the family Gala has built. His belief in Kay Angel's work and his understanding of how to operate effectively in Haiti make him an essential voice on the board.
