Home » Louisville-based Women’s Global Cancer Alliance adds Canada’s Ambassador to Haiti to its board

Louisville-based Women’s Global Cancer Alliance adds Canada’s Ambassador to Haiti to its board

Paula Caldwell St-Ogne and Dr. Robert Hilgers.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Canada’s Director General Pan-Africa and Ambassador to the Republic of Haiti Paula Caldwell St-Ogne is joining the council board of directors of the Women’s Global Cancer Alliance, a Louisville-based nonprofit.

“WGCA’s focus in our first 10 years has been impacting cancer in Haiti, where 90 percent of the population have no access to cancer treatment or screening services and thousands of women suffered needlessly from preventable cervical cancer,” said Dr. Robert Hilgers, WGCA’s founder and medical director.

“WGCA has funded and built a clinic in Gonaives, Haiti and screened more than 2,000 women for cervical cancer,” Hilgers said. “Ambassador Caldwell spent part of her childhood in Port-au-Prince, where her father worked for Royal Bank of Canada, and has a deep understanding of the Haitian culture and compassion for Haitian people. She will be a tremendous resource for WGCA in our next 10 years of building relationships, serving more people and saving more lives.”

“As Canada’s Ambassador to the Republic of Haiti, one of my priorities is to continue engaging with the private sector to contribute to the sustainable and long-term development of Haiti,” Ambassador Caldwell said. “WGCA has achieved great success with its clinic in Gonaives and I look forward to this opportunity to improve health standards and impact cancer among the people of Haiti.”

Ambassador Caldwell began her mandate in Haiti in October 2014. In September 2017 she was also named director general Pan-Africa, Global Affairs Canada.

Her career in Canadian public service began in 1989 and she held environmentally focused positions before becoming director general of national programs at Environment Canada.

In 2005, she joined International Trade Canada, serving as senior trade commissioner at the consulate general of Canada in São Paulo, Brazil, and then as minister counsellor at the Embassy of the Canada in Mexico City. From 2010-14, she was consul general of Canada in Dallas.

Ambassador Caldwell received a master of business administration from the University of Cumbria, UK. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry/environment from Queens University, Ontario.