Our U.S. Team
Haiti Awake Board Members and Coordinators
Becky Graves
Executive Director
Wife to Rick and mom to Justin, Jared, and Ethan, Becky's first trip to Haiti was in March of 2012 with her family. Since then she's traveled to Haiti over 60 times and worked with many short-term teams made up of team members from across the United States.
Steeve Derard and Becky met on that first trip, and over the next year became close personal friends. Through daily conversations, a mutual love for Haiti, and shared vision for development, Haiti Awake was born.
Becky is thankful for the privilege of loving and learning cross-culturally and finds great satisfaction in the mutually-beneficial relationships growing between Haitians and Americans.
She truly believes these words from Craig Greenfield:
Local people are at the heart of what God is doing in any particular place.
Our role is to come alongside them, and strengthen their hand. As outsiders we are called to amplify their voices, lighten their load, equip and support them. For they are the true change-makers.
Not us.
Kaitlyn Stephens
Member at Large
Kaitlyn went on her first missions trip to Haiti in June 2016 alongside Haiti Awake. She fell in love with the people and the country almost immediately. Since then, Kaitlyn has traveled back and forth to Haiti over 15 times, working to establish long-term relationships within the community. She has a passion for creating education and job opportunities for her friends in Haiti.
Kaitlyn is the marketing manager for Apiture.
Kaitlyn, her husband, Whitty and their daughters Lainey and Layla reside in Wilmington, NC and enjoy serving their local community.
Alexandria Augi
Treasurer
Alexandria first visited Haiti on a Haiti Awake mission trip with members from her church, Moores Creek Baptist, in the spring of 2018. As soon as she exited the Port au Prince Airport, Alexandria sensed something special about Haiti and felt the trip would be life-changing. Following the mission trip, she had the opportunity that same summer to intern at Haiti Awake. While there, she realized God was placing Haiti on her heart beyond the short term.
Alexandria is an UNCW alumni having studied mathematics and works for IQVIA as a Senior Site Solutions Analyst. In the summer of 2011, she created the Purple Carpet Event: Hope in LIFE (a non-profit day event for children with life-threatening illnesses to celebrate their life and to be loved by people in their communities while also hearing the gospel message of the unwavering love of Jesus Christ). Along with a strong leadership team, she co-organized this event for six years. She prayerfully decided to transition from the leadership team after this year’s event knowing God was calling her to a new ministry, yet not knowing what the ministry would be. It became apparent in the summer of 2018 that God was opening a door for Alexandria within the Haiti Awake ministry. She cherishes her time serving on the board and continues to travel to Haiti as often as possible.
Bradley Alsip
Secretary
Bradley first became involved with Haiti Awake during a mission trip with the Bridge Church in 2018. He quickly fell in love with the people, country, and the Haitian culture. Bradley has been fortunate to spend more time in Haiti since then, and has been able to see the Haiti Awake principles of relationships, gospel, and hope grow.
Bradley works as a physician assistant in dermatology in Wilmington, NC. He is an active member of the Bridge Church and enjoys spending time with family, friends, and his Labrador named Chatham.
Coordinators
Kynda Colson
Ministry Partnership Coordinator
Kynda found Haiti Awake amid the COVID pandemic of 2020. She was seeking a worthwhile ministry with which to build a relationship and become involved. Kynda knew that child/community sponsorship was what she desired and, by God’s hand, came across Haiti Awake. After researching the website and social media, she reached out in support of the community child sponsorship program.
Kynda now sponsors four children in the community served by Haiti Awake.
Desiring to expand her involvement, she offered to volunteer her time as well. She accepted the Ministry Partnership Coordinator position in July 2021.
Kynda lives on her family’s centennial farm in Southern Illinois where she gardens and raises chickens. She is a speech-language pathologist and works at an alternative school in the rural community.
Staci Ellsworth
Medical Coordinator
Staci first traveled to Haiti on a trip with The Bridge Church in 2019. She was very out of her comfort zone but ended up loving every minute there! She particularly loved taking selfies with the kids, listening to them sing songs, and playing board games with them. She also was able to bring medical supplies on her trip and learned that there was a need in this area with Haiti Awake. Shortly after returning from Haiti, Staci happily accepted an offer to volunteer as Haiti Awake's Medical Coordinator!
Staci is a registered nurse with experience in ICU, medical/surgical, and ER nursing. She most recently has been working for Life Line Pregnancy Center in Wilmington, NC, which is a ministry that helps women who are struggling with unplanned pregnancies.
She enjoys spending time with her husband and their two dogs, as well as attending fun social events with her church community group.