TheJourneyVolume1 - Book - Page 44
#NextGenUNDP
Elsie Laurence-Chounoune
Coun tr y o f O r igin :
UNDP Co u n t r y O f f ic e :
Date o f Ap po in tm e n t :
HAITI
E Q UATO R I A L G U I N E A
JULY 2019
“WE NEED TO BE INNOVATIVE AND
OFFER SERVICES THAT ARE WITHIN
OUR STRENGTHS.”
I
was born to a military man, who was very strict and
had strong ethics, and a licensed practical nurse. My
siblings and I were raised to believe in knowledge and
hard work to reach our dreams. We were taught that
everything was possible, as long as we put in the necessary
efforts. We were a tight knit family, mainly raised by our
mother, as our father was often sent to work for months
at a time to remote places in Haiti. My mother, therefore,
was often the one who would support us all on her own.
This environment has not only shaped my character
but also my choices in life. I decided since childhood that
I would be a strong woman just like my mother. I did not
want to be a housewife, and I was also very interested in
pursuing a career where I would travel like my father,
particularly to help people. My dream was to become
President of my country.
EDUCATION AND FUTURE AMBITIONS
I have a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from
New Jersey City University, a Master’s degree in Public
Administration from New York University, and a PhD in
Public Policy from Walden University. Prior to that, I had
obtained a two-year professional degree in management
in Haiti, which allowed me to get a job as an assistant
with UNDP while attending university in New Jersey.
Thereafter, I made the decision to move to public
administration and public policy, to get better prepared
for working in the field. I knew that to be satisfied with my
career, I would need to work outside New York. I believed
that the real work of international development needed
to take place in the field. I had seen my father leaving the
comfort of the capital and the closeness of his family to go
to places where he did not have access to the most basic
services. I was willing to do the same to help others, while
getting more experience in the international world. This
in turn would get me closer to my political ambitions of
transforming Haiti. My long-term goal is to make Haiti
the “Pearl of the Antilles,” as it used to be.
EARLY BEGINNING AND CHALLENGES
I have faced several challenges in my journey, to get to
where I am today. First and foremost, moving to the
United States from Haiti was not easy. Once I moved to
the United States, I had to support myself as a student. I
was lucky enough to find a job in UNDP, which allowed
me to work, while going to school. Thereafter, for the next
11 years, I managed to work and go to school full-time,
to position myself for a professional role within the UN
System.
I realized, however, that it was not easy to move within
the ranks from being a General Service (GS) staff to
becoming an International Professional (IP). Therefore,
I decided to join a peacekeeping mission in Angola as I
wanted to fulfil my desire to work in a challenging setting.
This was one of the best career moves I have ever made.
In Angola, I understood what it was like to work in the
field, outside of the well-isolated New York bubble. At the
same time, I realized that it was difficult to have a personal
life while working in the field. As an example, my spouse
and I have not lived together for the past sixteen years.
But it was a choice I made, and I decided to keep going.
Fighter has always been my “middle name.” So, I fought
to become a professional.
DEFINING MOMENT
I was eventually coached and mentored by the then
Director of the Bureau of Management, who facilitated my
first assignment to the Central African Republic.
My assignment to the Central African Republic was the
defining moment in my life. I was young, with significantly ›
Seeing how people and
things change for the best is
something that continues to inspire
me. Being able to be a part of it, is
even more thrilling.”
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