Stephanie DHaiti
Stephanie D’Haiti is a nonprofit health program manager and public health advocate with more than 11 years of experience advancing healthcare access and equity across Long Island. She currently serves as Healthcare Access Manager at the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island, where she leads strategic initiatives that connect individuals and families to critical health insurance services, including Medicaid, Medicare, and New York State health programs. Known for her leadership and systems-level thinking, Stephanie combines deep technical expertise with a commitment to addressing public health disparities and improving outcomes for underserved communities.
Throughout her career, Stephanie has progressed through a series of impactful roles within the organization, from AmeriCorps VISTA to outreach, program coordination, and eligibility leadership. She now oversees a high-performing team dedicated to simplifying complex healthcare systems and resolving barriers related to coverage, billing, and care access. Beyond service delivery, she is actively engaged in regional and statewide advocacy efforts, working with coalitions to influence policy, strengthen safety-net systems, and amplify the voices of vulnerable populations.
In addition to her professional work, Stephanie is a trained full-spectrum doula and a passionate advocate for maternal health equity and reproductive justice. Her work is deeply rooted in personal experience, which continues to shape her commitment to compassionate, culturally responsive care. A graduate of Stony Brook University and a Leadership Fellow through The New York Community Trust in partnership with Baruch College, she also mentors emerging public health leaders. Stephanie is dedicated to building healthier communities through advocacy, leadership, and a steadfast belief in access for all.
• Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership
• Grant writing
• Baruch College
• Stony Brook University
• Citation
• Health Leads
• End Medical Debt Coalition
• Alternative Spring Break Outreach at Stony Brook University
• Mary Brennan Inn
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my ability to be resilient and to schedule joy first. This work requires heart, and things are changing every day in the healthcare system, which impacts our communities deeply. I'm an empath, so seeing people go through struggles keeps me up at night. But I've learned that you cannot pour from an empty cup - you need to pour from an overflowing pitcher so you always have enough for yourself. Early on, I learned that scheduling joy first means protecting the things that make you feel like yourself - whether that's rest, exercise, movement, time with people you love, or simply moments that bring you peace and joy. This philosophy is embedded in my leadership. I lead with empathy, and I always inspire and encourage my team to take care of themselves and pour into themselves. Joy is part of the work and at the center of the work in my leadership. You need that overflowing pitcher to keep up with everything - clients coming in with different problems, your own personal issues, the world's issues - everything impacts your psyche, your mindset, your mental health. It took me years to build this resilience, but now when I climb one mountain, I know there's another one coming, and I'm ready.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be authentic and be yourself. Put yourself first, because when you first start, you want to earn more and build your career, and sometimes you leave that piece behind - you lose yourself in the work. You have to take a step back sometimes and ask yourself: what am I giving myself? Yes, I'm building my career and doing all these things, but am I internally fine? Am I okay? You have to have that balance. I have friends who pour themselves into the work and have health issues because they don't make time to just be. I get it - you want to earn, you want to make money, you want to do all these things - but you only have one you. You have to be able to fill up yourself and pour into yourself as much as you can, so you can really pour into that work that you love. My advice is yes, go after everything, put 100% of yourself into it, but don't forget who you are while you're doing this great work. Make time for joy. Don't lose yourself in building your career - maintain that balance, because that's how you last in this field.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge right now is that so much is changing in the healthcare system - policies are changing constantly, and that's impacting our communities. Every day brings new changes, and our communities feel every impact. This creates knowledge fatigue for my team, who have to learn and relearn on a consistent basis just to keep up. The constant policy shifts make it difficult to provide stable, consistent support to the populations we serve. At the same time, being part of advocacy coalitions gives us the opportunity to be a voice for our clients, to amplify their needs, and to bring those concerns back to our political leaders so we can push for better policies and do better for communities. The work requires resilience because you're constantly adapting to new challenges while trying to uplift marginalized communities who don't have access to proper or affordable care.