EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

G. Robert Watts, MS, MPH

G. Robert Watts is the Executive Director of Care for the Homeless. Mr. Watts, widely known as Bobby, has more than 25 years of experience in direct service, administration, management, development, and implementation of health and social service programs with and for homeless, mentally ill, HIV-positive, and substance-abusing populations.  Under his leadership, Care for the Homeless has added major new programs and grown rapidly.  Recognized as an expert in homeless health care, he is currently the President of the Board of Directors of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, which strengthens and represents homeless health care providers across the country.  He is a member of the NYS Medicaid Redesign Team’s Affordable Housing Workgroup, and a Board member of the NonProfit Coordinating Committee of New York, which is comprised of more than 1500 nonprofit organizations.  He is also the Treasurer of Black Agency Executives. Bobby holds a Master in Public Health in health administration and a Master of Science in epidemiology, both from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and the additional credential of Certified in Public Health.

ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Debbian Fletcher-Blake, FNP

Ms. Fletcher-Blake has served in public and community health for over fifteen years, with experience as a primary care provider within the homeless health team of the Institute for Family Health, including serving as Medical Director for six years.  Ms. Fletcher-Blake is a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner in New York State, a certified HIV/AIDS Specialist (American AIDS Society), and holds American Nurses Credentialing Center certification.  Ms. Fletcher-Blake holds a Master of Science, Family Nurse Practitioner degree from Pace University School of Nursing.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Dawne Bell, MPA, CFRE

Dawne Bell, MPA, CFRE joined Care for the Homeless in 2013 as Director of Development where she works closely with the organization’s volunteer and staff leadership to increase its fundraising goals and broaden its philanthropic support for critical services in New York City. A native Midwesterner, Ms. Bell has over 10 years of experience as a professional fundraiser for nonprofit organizations. She previously served as the Executive Director of the Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation and led the development departments at Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless and the YWCA of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ms. Bell serves on numerous boards and is a frequent speaker to nonprofit organizations, facilitating training workshops on fundraising and board engagement.

CHIEF ADMINSTRATIVE OFFICER

Terrence M. Brennan

Terrence M. Brennan oversees Administration, Information Technology, and Operations. Terry joined Care for the Homeless in January, 2011 after 12 years as Vice President of Operations & Administration for The Bowery Mission in NYC, where he secured the largest gift in the Mission’s 130-year-history. Prior to his service with The Bowery Mission, he spent 22 years in the newspaper business as a writer, editor and publisher. The Mercury of Pottstown, PA won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing during his tenure as Editor. Terry is also a published author, his first novel The Sacred Cipher published in 2009.

DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES

Lizanne Fontaine, JD, RN

Lizanne Fontaine is the Director of Health Services at Care for the Homeless, overseeing the work of its directly employed and contracted medical teams at all sites, as well as the work of the agency’s Health Education team.  A registered nurse, she has worked in community health programs since 2001.  Prior to her nursing career, Ms. Fontaine practiced law, specializing in the field of intellectual property law.  She holds degrees from Dartmouth College (B.A.), and New York University (J.D. and B.S.N.).

DIRECTOR OF POLICY & ADVOCACY

Jeff Foreman, JD, MGA, MA, MS

Jeff Foreman comes to CFH with an extensive background in state and local government, business and law, as an organizer and advocate and in academia. He has graduate degrees from Penn State (MA, American Studies), Temple University (MS, Ed.), University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute (MGA) and Widener University School of Law (JD), where he was valedictorian. Jeff was a Toll Fellow at the Council of State Governments, an Education Fellow at the Educational Policy Leadership Center, and is a certified Mediator. He serves on the Policy Committees of Homeless Services United, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, New York Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies, and the Coordinating Committee of United to End Homelessness. Jeff is active in his community, serves as Secretary of the Friends of Hunters Point Library and previously served on the Board of his neighbordhood organization in Queens.

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Meybol Geramita

Meybol Rivero Geramita joined the Care for the Homeless family in mid-2011 as Director of Human Resources. Meybol’s extensive career in HR was based in international banking; her last position was as Vice President in Citibank’s Latin America Division. She brings a new perspective in the area of Human Resources to our nonprofit organization. Meybol is a graduate of CUNY (Queens College in Flushing, Queens) with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. In January 2012, Meybol received The New School’s Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CTE) and in her “spare” time she teaches English to an immigrant population in Elmhurst, Queens.

INTERIM MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Marissa Toussant, MD

Marissa A. Toussaint, M.D., is the Interim Medical Director at Care for the Homeless.  She received her undergraduate degree, in chemical engineering, from Howard University, her medical degree from Temple University, and a master’s in public health from Columbia University, where she focused upon reproductive and family health.    Dr. Toussaint, is board certified in family health and has been a staff physician at The Floating Hospital, the Community Healthcare Network, and Planned Parenthood of New York City.