Lakou Staff

Thomas Keenan is an attorney specializing in construction law and compliance matters. A graduate of Georgetown University and Notre Dame Law School, Thomas previously clerked for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and practiced at a litigation firm in Washington, D.C. He looks forward to supporting Lakou's mission with his construction and legal background.

Darryl V. Auguste is a trial supervisor at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Delinquency Division. Previously, he worked as a Staff Attorney at the Office of the Chief Judge at George N. Leighton Courthouse.

Darryl received his Juris Doctorate with honors from University of Illinois-Chicago Law School [formerly The John Marshall Law School]. He also received his bachelor’s degree in history, minor in Criminal Justice, from University of Illinois-Chicago graduating with honors. Darryl is an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago Law School teaching legal writing and argument and is also a supervising professor for the UIC-Law’s externship program. He is the former President and current Vice-President of the Haitian American Lawyer’s Association [HALA]. He is the financial chair of the Coalition of Haitian American Organizations in the Chicagoland area. Darryl was recently named the 2023 Hot-List Attorney from the Lawyers of Color. He is the trustee of Grace Haitian Alliance Church in the Southside of Chicago. Most importantly, Darryl is a husband of nine years and a father of two wonderful children.

Bill is a practicing architect based in Chicago with 35 years experience, and founder of William Murphy Architect, Ltd. in 1993. Project types include residential, educational & religious facilities, and range from new construction to adaptive reuse. Bill believes that each step of the architectural process involves collaboration, between client, architect, and builder. This interaction is also at the heart of the Haitian tradition of Lakou.

Mike holds a distinct place in the Chicago design community, having founded the creative agency, 50,000feet, in 2001 after climbing up the ranks over a 10-year career at VSA Partners. With a deep understanding of design thinking, Mike has produced numerous campaigns that reside in collective memory, not only for artful expression, but also for delivering results. Mike graduated cum laude from Northern Illinois University with a degree in Visual Communication, and his work has been widely recognized by design publications.

Jack Scapin is a Project Executive for a commercial general contractor in the Chicagoland Region. Jack specializes in ground up construction and renovation for various segments. Prior to becoming a general contractor, Jack worked with his father in the family sewer and water business and has been in construction for over 20 years. Jack studied in West Lafayette, earning a Management degree from Purdue University that provides the foundation for his approach to business and relationships. Jack is an Eagle Scout and looks forward to providing leadership and construction insight to assist Lakou in rising to new heights.

Coby spent most of his early life in Fort Myers, Florida where he graduated from Cypress Lake High School in 2005. By 2012, Coby was back in Haiti where he met his wife, Stefania. Together with their children, they were neighbors with Founding Directors Randy and LaNae and heard Lakou’s vision to teach Haitians skills to build a beautiful Haiti. Passionate to serve Haiti and its people, Coby enjoys the opportunity to work in Les Cayes and to help make a difference. 

​

“God has blessed me with the right position in Lakou. I enjoy using my skills to support Lakou in accomplishing our mission and learning new things and passing it on to others to help Haiti continue to develop.”

Todd Baum is President of Sun Valley Masonry Inc., a nationally recognized masonry and concrete contractor. Todd grew up in the family business working for Sun Valley as a laborer throughout his high school years. After graduating from high school, he became an apprentice bricklayer under some of the best mechanics in Arizona. In 1992 he became a journeyman and ran work under the tutelage of his father, Robert “Ducky” Baum.  Todd was fortunate to work with his father for many decades as Robert had a strong sense of succession planning. Todd is a compassionate, hard-working, and effective leader and has built a strong foundation for Sun Valley.

Katy Paige is a civil servant that spends her days doing numbers for lawyers who prosecute financial crimes.  She grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and currently resides outside Chicago.  She loves her husband, 4th grade daughter, and two cockapoos. In her free time, Katy enjoys open water swimming and teaching free swim lessons.  She looks forward to applying skills learned in business school to help Lakou.

Tim Schneider is a retired entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience as an electrical contractor, specializing in energy efficiency and solar energy. As co-founder of Earthlight Technologies, he helped grow a family-run business serving multiple states, now led by the next generation.

Tim is also deeply committed to service, having spent the past decade supporting the development of solar energy systems for homes, schools, and orphanages in Haiti.

He brings to the board extensive industry expertise, entrepreneurial leadership, and a passion for sustainable impact.

Michelle is defined by her global perspective and strong service orientation. 

With an extensive career spanning the marketing, communications, and fundraising industries, Michelle brings a strong strategic perspective, a keen eye for finance, and a skill for improving process and infrastructure.  After over 30 years working in both the public and nonprofit sectors, Michelle opened her own ceramic studio in 2022, and is now a full time ceramic artist and instructor.  She continues to lend her strategic planning and fundraising expertise as both a board member and volunteer to several local, national, and international organizations. Her most recent international board position was with the Habitat for Humanity Mexico Regional Committee.

“I love solving problems, asking hard questions, and passionately working to improve our world by supporting the communities and organizations that provide solutions to social issues and positively impact social change. I’ve been a supporter of Lakou since its inception, and I’m excited to now serve the organization as a board member.”

Michelle has lived in Edinburgh, New York, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and Mexico City, and now resides in Evanston, IL.  In her free time, you can find Michelle in the water, or spending time travelling or exploring the outdoors with her husband Steve and their rescued German Shepherd Dog Ceilidh.

Melissa is a Marketing and Brand professional who has led the strategy, planning, creation, and delivery of information to various audiences through multiple communication channels. With over six years of experience in marketing and branding, she has developed and executed campaigns that support the company's brand and business goals, as well as the employer brand and employee engagement.

​

She is passionate about creating and promoting content that educates, inspires, and empowers diverse communities. She has presented at national conferences on topics related to race and ethnicity in higher education, and is fluent in Haitian Creole and French.

Randy has worked for 35 years in construction, both residential and commercial. He is a journeyman in masonry, carpentry, and concrete. He owned his own business for 15 years, and he has worked in commercial construction in Haiti for 7 years.

​

“I love every aspect of construction, estimate to finish, but mostly I love that I now have the opportunity to teach all of what I have learned. I had no idea how important it was to me to pass something on, especially to those who’ve been on the outside - at least for the moment.”

LaNae has many years of experience in sales, mentoring, and tutoring individuals with special needs. As a mother of 6 and grandmother of 5, she has enjoyed opening her home to many people, sharing meals, creating a sense of community, and providing a place to gather. Living in the spirit of Lakou, LaNae works providing community outreach in Les Cayes.

​

“Working within the Haitian communities has given me the opportunity to cultivate my life story to love and walk alongside the people of Haiti.”