HVLI, North America: board of directors

About Alexandre Havard – Founder

Alexandre Havard is the founder of HVLI and serves as Vice-Chairman of the Board. Born in France, Mr. Havard is a graduate of one of France’s leading law schools, and worked as a lawyer throughout Europe. In 2007 Alexandre Havard founded the Havard Virtuous Leadership Institute (HVLI).  Since 2007 he has been living and working in Paris, Helsinki, and Moscow, and regularly travels to the United States. He oversees the HVLI network and offers the Virtuous Leadership seminars to business executives, educators, public officials, and MBA students and consults with some of the largest international corporations around the world. Alexandre Havard is the author of Virtuous Leadership: An Agenda for Personal Excellence, which was published in New York by Scepter Publishers in 2007. The book is in its fourth printing in English, it has been translated into 13 other languages, including Chinese, Russian, French, Polish and Spanish.

About Charles Lee Thomas

C. Lee Thomas serves as  Chairman of the Board for HVLI, North America. He has more than 24 years of experience in the healthcare industry as co-founder and owner of two successful companies:  Thomas Associates, a sales organization that represented a leading global medical device manufacturer, and; Thomas Medical Sales & Service, a full-service medical equipment rental company within the hospital market. In 2007, Mr. Thomas completed the sale of Thomas Medical to the 3rd largest U.S. provider of specialty bed and therapeutic surface rentals. In 2010, Mr. Thomas founded Medsales Advisors, Inc., a company that assists corporations in gaining market access to several preeminent university healthcare systems, and provides strategic guidance to medical device manufacturers.  Current clients include Stryker, one of the world’s largest medical technology companies. Mr. Thomas is a graduate of Loyola University in Maryland, and holds a degree in Business Administration.

About Bert Kalisch

Bert Kalisch, member of HVLI Board, is the president and Chief Executive Officer for the American Public Gas Association (APGA). Since assuming his role in 2004, Bert focused APGA’s resources on building its advocacy efforts in Congress and at the federal regulatory agencies, significantly growing membership, and enhancing communications.Prior to joining APGA in 1999, Bert worked on energy policy issuesincluding market transparency, gas supply, pipeline safety, energy efficiency, and other matters relating to the natural gas industry.Before entering the energy industry, Bert practiced law in Northern Virginia. He received a law degree from George Mason University, a Master of Science in Business Administration from Boston University, and baccalaureate degrees in General Science andEnvironmental Studies from Coe College.

About Philip L. Brach

Phil Brach, member of HVLI Board, is the Chief of Staff for Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R- Nebraska). Phil began his career working for Mobil Oil in various marketing management positions.  After receiving an MBA from Notre Dame, Phil started The SQAD Company – a marketing services firm for the petroleum industry.  In 1999 Phil sold his interest in The SQAD Company and since then has devoted himself to educational non-profits.  He severed as the Executive Director for the Midtown Educational Foundation, a supplemental educational organization working with Chicago’s inner city youth.  Recently, Phil served as the Vice President for St. John’s College High School in Washington DC.  In addition to serving on several local and national non-profit boards, Phil is an Adjunct lecturer in business management at the Catholic University of America.

About Rob Bogart

Rob Bogart, member of the HVLI Board, is the head of human resources for Mission Essential Personnel (MEP), the U.S. government’s leading provider of translators, interpreters and cultural advisors. In this role, Mr. Bogart sits on the leadership team reporting to Chief Executive Officer.Prior to joining MEP, Mr. Bogart was the Vice President of Human Resources for American Capital, a private equity firm in Bethesda. Prior to joining American Capital, Mr. Bogart served as a Presidential appointee in the U.S. Government as the Director of the White House Faith-based and Community Initiative at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Bogart is from Buffalo, NY and is a graduate of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University and has an MBA from the University Of Chicago.

About Irene Lagan

Irene Lagan, member of the HVLI Board, is the General Manager of Washington DC’s WMET 1160 AM, part of the Guadalupe Radio Network. As general manager of a new radio station, Irene oversees development, marketing, programming and community relations. Prior to joining Guadalupe Radio Network, Irene worked in the English Language section of Vatican Radio in Rome, where she also completed theological studies in Rome. Irene has also served as a managing director of an international non-profit focusing on economic development among people who were vulnerable to exploitation. She holds a Masters degree in philosophy and is currently completing a graduate program in psychology.

About Hank Whittier

Hank Whittier, member of the HVLI Board, is a senior Director of Operations for CSC, a tier one, Fortune 500 Information Technology, (IT), company. He has focused his energies on policy development, consulting, design, and leadership and management IT framework strategies that help Federal Government and private sector organizations. Current clients include the Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, and Department of Defense. Before joining CSC in 1993, Hank was a career Army officer, serving in Viet Nam, Berlin, Germany, and Desert Storm.  He holds a BA degree in Philosophy from St. Lawrence University, has done post- graduate work in Business Administration at Cornell and Harvard Universities, and holds Masters degrees in Public Administration, International Relations and Operations Research

• Andrew Abela, Ph.D.- Professor and Chairman of the Department of Business & Economics Catholic University of America- Washington D.C.
• David Bolgiano - Author and Soldier (Retired Lieutenant Colonel) – Wilmington, Delaware
• Bill Christensen: CEO of Financial Direct, Inc.-Baltimore, Maryland
• Marco Clark: President & CEO of Bishop McNamara High School- Forestville, Maryland
• Donnie Downs: President & CEO of Plan B Technologies, Inc.- Bowie, Maryland
• Frank A Orban, III: International Attorney, deKieffer & Horgan- Washington D.C.
• Zoe Saint Paul:  Writer, Consultant and Entrepreneur- Baltimore, Maryland
• Anthony T. Salvia: Consultant & free lance writer- New York, City
• James Schultz, Sr.: Businessman and Entrepreneur- Baltimore, Maryland
• Edward Speed: President & CEO Texas Dow Employees Credit Union- Lake Jackson, Texas