a288: For Immediate Release (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Martine Caze <MCaze@nchr.org>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Haitian coalition announces dina paul parks as acting director

New York, January 8, 2002  -- The National Coalition for Haitian Rights
(NCHR) is very pleased to announce Dina Paul Parks, formerly Policy
Associate, as its Acting Director effective January 1, 2002.  Ms. Paul Parks
has been at the Coalition since July of 2000 and will head the organization
through a leadership transition to be completed when Executive Director,
Jocelyn McCalla, steps down on March 31, 2002.

"I am incredibly excited about and truly honored by this opportunity," said
Ms. Paul Parks.  "NCHR is an amazing organization with an impressive track
record of accomplishments for Haitian refugees and immigrants in the United
States.  My goal is to use this transition to assist the organization in
orienting itself to its next challenge:  fostering the growth and success of
the Haitian-American community."

Ms. Paul Parks came to NCHR from the Ms. Foundation for Women, where for two
years she worked as Foundation and Corporate Relations Officer, managing the
Foundation's relationships with institutional donors and administering its
grants management efforts.  Prior to her work at the Ms. Foundation, she was
an Associate for three years at the Management Assistance Group (MAG), a
Washington, DC-based nonprofit management consulting firm, where she
assisted progressive, social-change organizations in diagnosing and
resolving management and organizational development challenges.

"Dina brings a timely and potent mix of organizational and development
skills to this position, as well as a keen understanding of the type of
social activism that has been so vital to NCHR's success," said Mr. McCalla.
"Her appreciation of both the Haitian and American cultures is key for an
organization like NCHR that must navigate both worlds in order to be
effective.  I feel confident that together we will ensure a smooth and
successful transition."

_______________________________

Dina Paul Parks
Acting Director
National Coalition for Haitian Rights
275 Seventh Avenue, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10001
ph:  212-337-0005, x11
fx:  212-741-8749
email:  dpparks@nchr.org
www.nchr.org