Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Languages
Timeline
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EDWIDGE LAFLEUR

Waltham,MA

Summary

A dynamic, highly motivated, personable and results driven professional with extensive business acumen. Former CEO and founder of a staffing agency for over 8 years, executing Human Resources activities including HR start up and business reorganization. History of leading HR recruiting functions for over 100+ companies and managing a portfolio of over 10,000+ job seekers.


Over 20 years of experience managing international programs, focusing on entrepreneurial, and economic development in the private and non-profit sector, delivering innovative strategies to promote accountability and awareness around diversity, inclusion and cultural sensitivity.

Overview

20
20
years of professional experience

Work History

Technical Assistance Specialist

Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation
Dorchester, Massachusetts
05.2021 - Current
  • I established the development, delivery, and evaluation of all components of the Small Business Technical Assistance and Entrepreneurship training programs at Dorchester Bay, providing one on one technical assistance and educational training programs to over 400+ small business owners and entrepreneurs.
  • I Influence clients and prospective loan applicants’ decisions by building and maintaining effective long-term technical assistance and training relationships.
  • I manage the delivery of entrepreneurship and business planning programs to minority, and low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs and small business owners.
  • I develop operational plans, guidelines, and performance standards for the work in the Small Business Program to enable the meeting of goals and objectives, loan delivery targets, and expansion of the customer base.
  • I perform as subject matter expert on business and socioeconomic programs.
  • I provide advocacy and outreach for our target small businesses in our six communities including Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, and Roslindale.
  • I contribute to sound management through strategic input to Dorchester Bay’s Economic Development department on planning, resource allocation and infrastructure building, through strategic advice to the Director of Economic Development and by implementing processes, systems, controls, and performance measurement procedures into the Small Business Development Program.

Eastern Massachusetts Center Director

Center for Women & Enterprise, CWE
Boston, MA
01.2013 - 10.2020
  • Between 2013 and 2020, turnaround of the Women’s Business Center (WBC), funded by the U.S Small Business Administration (SBA)
  • Accomplishments include:
  • Overseeing and delivery of a large array of competitive and innovative entrepreneurship and business planning programs to about 10,000+ women, minority, and low-income entrepreneurs.
  • Helping entrepreneurs create and nurture over 5,000 jobs while generating over $42 million in wages.
  • Providing counseling and guidance to entrepreneurs - from business ideation to dissolution - that resulted in the creation of about 150+ new businesses.
  • Cultivating strategic program and funding partnerships resulting in 65% client growth.
  • Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, pivoted to a virtual delivery model offering COVID related workshops, programs while helping clients navigate the various loan offerings under the Cares Act resulting in a 50% increase in clients’ participation.
  • Developing, cultivating, and leveraging strategic partnerships with external agencies (both private and public), community partners, and collaborators.
  • Overseeing budget, managing program contracts to enable meeting programmatic and revenue goals.
  • Developing grant proposals and managing a portfolio of an aggregate 20+ grants per year.
  • Preparing monthly briefings relative to the Center’s activities.

Program Manager

Harvard Medical International
Boston, MA
01.2006 - 01.2013
  • Managed and oversaw a group of 10 governance councils of the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), working closely with Council chairs and members, and ensuring completion of action items. Guidance and oversight from the governance councils contributed to the creation of the first state of the art, comprehensive healthcare city in the Middle East, which offers top notch healthcare services and a large array of resources ranging from hospitality to consultancies and retail outlets.
  • Managed and coordinated over 100+ international continuing education, fellowship and observership programs liaising with area hospitals.
  • Served as primary official contact, planning events during fellows/observers’ tenure, handling housing and logistical arrangements, monitoring all related activities and providing follow-up upon program completion.
  • Coordinated with program leadership to ensure programs are properly resourced and operationally sound.
  • Developed and tracked budgets, prepared monthly financial reports.
  • Prepared monthly briefings relative to project activities.
  • Drafted final project reports.

Program Manager

Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
01.2005 - 01.2006
  • Coordinated a portfolio of seminars and conferences for the Dubai Initiative Program of the Kennedy School of Government, handling all logistical aspects including travel arrangements, accommodations, transportation, registration, etc.
  • Developed and managed budget.
  • Prepared monthly financial reports.
  • Drafted grant requests, managed award payments; monitored submission of grantees’ progress and final reports.
  • Maintained data base for contracts and projects.
  • Developed and maintained systems and procedures.
  • Managed a group of 4 support staff and interns.

Communication/Campaign Director

Action Aid
01.2001 - 01.2004
  • Managed a portfolio of 15 humanitarian projects based in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, overseeing budget and program activities.
  • Oversees a $1 million annual budget.
  • Working closely with local organizations (both grassroots and official), and community collaborators, handled pre-award evaluations and assessment of potential partners.
  • Developed grant proposals seeking funding for development projects, raising $500,000+ during tenure.
  • Drafted position papers/publications on a wide range of economic development and humanitarian related issues such as: poverty eradication, globalization, international development, governance, decentralization, etc.
  • Participated in international conferences, promoting Action Aid’s mission, vision and goals.
  • Ensured the timely and appropriate close-out of sub-contracts awarded to partner organizations and assisted in the close-out of program operations in country.
  • Reported monthly on overall programs performance to leadership and appropriate partners.

Education

Degree - Development Economics/International Relations

University of Miami
Miami, Florida
12.1985

Skills

  • Customer Satisfaction
  • Issue and Resolution Tracking
  • Data Gathering
  • Operational Planning

Languages

French
Native or Bilingual
Haitian Creole
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Full Professional

Timeline

Technical Assistance Specialist

Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation
05.2021 - Current

Eastern Massachusetts Center Director

Center for Women & Enterprise, CWE
01.2013 - 10.2020

Program Manager

Harvard Medical International
01.2006 - 01.2013

Program Manager

Harvard University
01.2005 - 01.2006

Communication/Campaign Director

Action Aid
01.2001 - 01.2004

Degree - Development Economics/International Relations

University of Miami

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