Meet The Team
Executive Director & Co-Founder -
Kristian R. Balgobin, MSPH
Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, and raised in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Kristian hopes to advance health outcomes for the Caribbean diaspora through the preservation of arts and culture. As we age, cultural practices shift, certain foods are no longer accessible, and generations of wellness practices are forgotten. Kristian's goal is to preserve what we can in this lifetime.
Kristian Balgobin is a community-oriented non-profit strategist with a passion for social justice. His previous roles include Development Consultant, Project Manager, Office Manager, Grant Writer, Retreat Facilitator, Interim Executive Director, and Neighborhood Clean-Up Crew, to name a few. Kristian has served as Executive Director of the Alumni Association for the College of Medicine of the State University of New York Downstate. Most recently, he served as a faculty researcher on the Global Disease Epidemiology and Control team at the International Vaccine Access Center - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Kristian holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Science in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. In addition to his degrees, he has two professional certificates from Johns Hopkins University - a certificate in Health Disparities and Health Inequality and a certificate in Health Communication. Kristian also has a certificate in Professional Fundraising from Boston University.
In addition to academia and behavioral science, he is also a multidisciplinary artist. With a preference for acrylic painting, sculpture, and digital art, Kristian's work highlights social determinants of health in intersection with the black imagination. Connecting African spirituality and West Indian culture with a contemporary lens, Kristian hopes his work will provide a vibrant perspective of when science and spirit meet.
With this specific personal, educational, and professional background, it is now time to begin this endeavor. Throughout his journey, he has often contemplated what his gift to his community should be and that gift is the Caribbean Preservation Alliance. As a collective, we must organize to ensure our countries and cultures survive communal priorities, climate change, and differing political agendas. How does cultural identity permeate through generations when assimilation is often necessary for economic stability?
The Caribbean Preservation Alliance will serve as a resource for community members to engage with who we are in addition to crop over, carnival, and seasoned food.
I look forward to leading you all on this journey as we preserve all the things we love and improve all the things we don't.
Join our team today!
Board of Directors 2024-2025
President & Co-Founder -
Gabrielle Hutchins, Ph.D.
Dr. Gabrielle Hutchins, esteemed president of the Caribbean Preservation Alliance, passionately endeavors to forge meaningful connections within the African diasporic communities by spearheading efforts to preserve history, arts, and culture. With an unwavering dedication to her mission, Dr. Hutchins strives to safeguard the rich heritage and narratives that define the Caribbean and its people while fostering unity, understanding, and appreciation across diverse cultures and backgrounds. Through her visionary leadership, the Caribbean Preservation Alliance serves as a beacon, empowering communities to embrace their shared roots and celebrate the profound contributions of the African diaspora to global society.
Hutchins is a distinguished Archivist at the National Archives in Washington, DC, and a prominent figure in African-American, Caribbean, and Latin-American history. With over ten years of professional experience in archival science, museum curation, and public history, she has made significant contributions to the Preservation and dissemination of cultural heritage.
Originally hailing from Chicago, IL, Dr. Hutchins grew up in Palm Bay, Florida. Her passion for history and its connections to the African diaspora led her to become a scholar and advocate for preserving underrepresented narratives. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Caribbean and Latin American history from Howard University, which she earned in 2015. During her doctoral studies, Dr. Hutchins's research focuses on West Indian migrant farm workers in the United States, shedding light on their experiences and contributions.
Dr. Hutchins' academic journey began at Florida A&M University, where she obtained Political Science and History degrees. These educational foundations, coupled with her expertise in archival science, laid the groundwork for her impactful career in public history and records management.
In addition to her work at the National Archives, Dr. Hutchins is also the founder and CEO of Ital Preservation, a consultancy specializing in public history and records management. Ital Preservation aims to bridge the gaps within African diasporic communities by fostering connections through history and Preservation. Dr. Hutchins firmly believes that understanding and acknowledging our shared heritage can create stronger bonds and empower marginalized communities.
Furthermore, Dr. Hutchins serves as the founder and executive director of Fly Yaya, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting mothers' mental health and wellness through travel. Fly Yaya seeks to promote self-care and holistic well-being among this vital demographic by providing opportunities for mothers to explore and unwind.
Dr. Gabrielle Hutchins' philosophies are rooted in the belief that the African diaspora can find common ground and unity through history, Preservation, and bridging gaps within communities. Through her various roles and initiatives, Dr. Hutchins continues to inspire and advocate for recognizing and celebrating diverse cultural narratives.
Vice-President & Co-Founder -
Danny Pierre-Louis, MSOP
Danny Pierre-Louis is a dynamic Human Resources, Corporate Training, and Sales leader. As a Human Resource Manager for Foot Locker Inc., Danny has gained an in-depth knowledge of the recruitment process and what it takes to land that dream job. To support, train and develop migrant workers looking to do just that, Danny launched Complete Connections Consulting here in Oslo four years ago. Complete Connections Consulting is designed to connect and coach executives in the greater Oslo areas. CCC works for everyone by providing professional and innovative LinkedIn training, resume and cover letter writing services to job seekers.
Danny has held numerous workshops focused on teaching skilled migrant workers in the Oslo area how to leverage LinkedIn to connect with business professionals in their field, share ideas, and create future career opportunities. His informative and easy-to-follow workshops guide professionals smoothly through the process of showcasing their talents and transferable skills to attract the right opportunities via LinkedIn.
Since its launch in 2017, Complete Connection Consulting has delivered LinkedIn training for companies and organizations such as Synergy Today, Uber, Karrierehuset, the University of Bergen, and Diversify. Originally from New York, Danny is experienced in the difficulties of finding opportunities in a new country where an individual's professional connections may be limited. He is committed to sharing his knowledge and experiences to help those career professionals better integrate into a new international setting.
Danny prides himself on the knowledge, skills, and support his training provides international professionals to leverage the platform as a lead generation tool for themselves and their businesses.
Treasurer & Co-Founder -
Ejiro C. Gbaje, MPH
Ejiro Gbaje takes immense pride in her Guyanese and Nigerian heritage. She was born and raised in the vibrant neighborhood of Flatbush, Brooklyn—a neighborhood renowned for hosting the largest Caribbean population outside of the Caribbean itself. Ejiro considers it a privilege to have grown up surrounded by the rich diversity encompassing Caribbean culture, spanning from cuisine, ethnicities, accents, dialects, music, customs, and so much more.
Her educational journey led her to earn a B.S. in Biology and Society from Cornell University, followed by an M.P.H. in Biostatistics from New York University. Over the past four years, Ejiro has been making an impact as a Biostatistician, contributing her expertise to various industries such as anesthesiology, public health, COVID-19 research, and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, for the past decade, she has dedicated her time to tutoring mathematics, assisting students of all ages in conquering K-12 math, standardized exams like the SAT and GRE, and even graduate-level statistics. Ejiro's passion lies in making mathematics more accessible to individuals of all ages, ensuring that it doesn’t pose a barrier in their educational and professional pursuits. She strongly believes in exposing people – both young and old – to the vast array of career opportunities available worldwide.
Outside of her professional commitments, Ejiro finds joy in playing the piano, indulging in music, and dancing to the rhythms of Salsa, Afro, and Dancehall, and catching flights and new exciting adventures through travel. Ejiro is thrilled to be part of an organization that aims to highlight, equip, and empower the incredible Caribbean community.
Historian & Co-Founder -
Lindsay C. Tropnas, Esq.
Lindsay C. Tropnas is first generation Haitian American. Ms. Tropnas is originally from Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Jacksonville, FL in 2009 and attended Jacksonville University where she obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration, concentrating in Marketing, with a minor in Psychology and Spanish.
Influenced by her passion for helping people, Ms. Tropnas attended law school at Florida Coastal School of Law, graduating in 2016. Since graduating, Ms. Tropnas has focused her practice on civil litigation with a strong emphasis in insurance defense, including personal injury, premises liability, construction defect, first-party property, governmental contracts, commercial litigation, maritime and logistics and transportation
At the beginning of her practice, Ms. Tropnas handled complex litigation matters, including maritime law, commercial litigation, and logistics and transportation with Rumrell, McLeod & Brock, PLLC for about two years in Jacksonville, FL. At Chartwell Law, in the Deerfield Beach Office, Ms. Tropnas handled insurance defense matters, including premises liability, personal injury, construction defect and subrogation. Ms. Tropnas has also worked as an Associate General Counsel for Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company, where she handled hundreds of homeowner’s claims. Ms. Tropnas currently works for the law firm, Vernis & Bowling in the Miami office. Her practice mainly consists of First Party Property and General Liability Litigation. Ms. Tropnas has extensive experience in state and federal court, including appealing federal related matters and state related matters.
Outside of the office, Ms. Tropnas assists with volunteer work, contracts, mentoring high school and law school students and attends speaking engagements. Ms. Tropnas also volunteers with political campaigns during election season.
On her free time, Ms. Tropnas loves to cook, travel and is a health enthusiast, who enjoys kickboxing, and is an active member in her church.
Secretary & Co-Founder -
Chelsea M. Gill
Chelsea is a project manager with 7+ years of experience managing projects across various industries. She is an East Coast girl with a bit of Caribbean flair. Hailing from Brooklyn NY, with Grenadian roots, Chelsea lives at the intersection of culture, communication and tech. She is a high empathy helper that finds joy in helping people translate their God-given ideas into actionable steps.
Chelsea obtained her B.S in Information Management + Technology, with a minor in Public Communications from Syracuse University. She also holds her PMP (Project Management Professional) and CSM (Certified Scrum Master) certifications.
Advisory Board Member & Co-Founder -
Jonna German, MA
Jonna German currently serves as Senior Assistant Director of Admission at the University of Southern California (USC) and manages the first year and transfer recruitment and matriculation process for prospective students.
In addition to her primary responsibilities, Jonna also serves as a liaison to the USC Athletics Department and as a member of the Office of Admission’s Multicultural Recruitment Committee. As a lifelong Los Angeles resident, Jonna has led initiatives in her office to build stronger relationships with Community-Based Organizations locally and domestically in an effort to create opportunities for college access.
Jonna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of San Francisco and a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Loyola Marymount University
Editor-In-Chief: Digital and Social Content -
Ashley F. Williams, MA
Ashley F. Williams is a Jamaican born writer and editor based in Brooklyn, NY. In the last eight years she has gathered a wealth of experience in communications and social media management in both the nonprofit sector and academia. Currently Ashley works in the healthtech space as a copywriter at a leading provider enablement platform.
In addition to her work as a copywriter, Ashley serves as a freelance writer and editor for GROWN magazine.There she explores topics like beauty, self care and wellness as they relate to Black women.
Ashley earned a Bachelor's degree in Health & Exercise Science from Syracuse University and a Master’s degree in Publishing from Pace University.