Mennonite Weekly Review

AKRON, Pa. — Mennonite Central Committee Haiti alumna Susanne Bradley Brown will lead MCC’s long-term response to the Haiti earthquake.

Brown, a pediatrician and health care legislation analyst from Albuquerque, N.M., will be responsible for strategic planning and implementation of MCC Haiti’s disaster response plans as MCC’s new Haiti disaster coordinator. During her three-year term, she and MCC partners, workers, local staff, churches and others will work with Haitians who are rebuilding their lives.

“There are lots of opinions to be heard, inside and outside of Haiti, as we work at the wisest and best response to the earthquake,” said Daryl Yoder-Bontrager, area director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Sue will be able to help pull those opinions together and lead the MCC Haiti team as it continues to formulate and carry out a strong MCC recovery program.”

As a doctor, Brown has worked in Haiti with MCC, starting from 1974 to 1978 as director of Hospital Grand Riviere du Nord. From 1986 to 1988 she was a physician at Hospital Mombin Crochu.

Throughout her career as a physician and university professor, Brown has worked with health care organizations that represent people who are homeless, Native American women, children of incarcerated parents and people with mental illness.

Brown, a member of Albuquerque Mennonite Church, is employed as a health care and social services policy analyst for the New Mexico Senate.

Brown was interested in leading MCC’s disaster response in Haiti because she wanted to be part of a team that could develop a creative response to the crisis, as well as the ongoing chronic problems Haiti faces.

Although health care, nutrition and potable water are issues, the disaster response also could include small business development, healing of emotional trauma, construction projects or a range of other ideas.

Brown will join MCC’s assessment team in Haiti, beginning Feb. 22, as the team assesses the situation and makes recommendations about MCC’s midterm and long-term disaster response plan. Her assignment will begin in early April.