Our Team

Akua (A-qwee-a) graduated with a degree in web design and development from the University of Hartford. Beyond the digital realm, she finds tranquility and inspiration in the world of plants and gardening. After participating in Levo’s' training sessions over the summer, Akua developed a keen interest in implementing water-based agriculture. When not at Levo you can find her looking for her next escape room or hanging out with her dog Kingsley.

Marcy recently retired from a career in Manufacturing Finance.  In her new found free time, she gravitated towards volunteering first at CT Foodshare, then with Levo International.  Levo allowed her to combine a passion for growing plants and the desire to help bring food to those in need.  As Operations Lead at Levo, she is responsible for seedling and material inventory management among other responsibilities, using her skills acquired in previous Finance and Plant Grower positions.  In her free time, Marcy still volunteers with CT Foodshare and enjoys hiking and biking with friends and spending time with family.

Dunerose is a trained agronomist and a member of the Sylvain community. She joined Levo in 2018 as an agronomist and has trained hundreds of people in Haiti in the use of simplified hydroponics. Dunerose coordinates community relations, the distribution of growing systems in our Bokit initiative and contributes to all our training and research efforts in country.

 Layla Torres joined Levo during the Summer of 2023. Her passion to alleviate food insecurity and give back to the community helps her feel driven to fight for change. Being one of the youngest members working with Levo, she is in her final year of highschool. Layla is ready to branch out into the world and continue to help her community thrive- whether by harvesting produce, watering the seedlings, aiding volunteers, and much more!

Dianisi Torres is a Program manager and educator for Levo. Dianisi is responsible for the Spanish education, training, and outreach for the Latino community. Dianisi also assist in the international trainings. 

Dianisi is a dedicated educator and community advocate from Caguas, Puerto Rico. With a Master’s degree in Education Curriculum and Instruction, focusing on Bilingual Bicultural Education from the University of Connecticut.

Dianisi Torres has spent over 15 years as a Nutrition Educator at UConn's College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR). As graduated UCONN Master Gardener, Dianisi also educate groups about community gardening and physical activity benefits. Through these diverse roles, Dianisi Torres continues to make a significant impact on the lives of individuals and families in Connecticut.

Kiara Opoku became a staff member in 2021 as Levo’s marketing intern. Since then she has also served as the company’s finance coordinator and most recently as Levo’'s marketing coordinator. Kiara's responsibilities include managing the organization's social media channels, creating engaging content to raise awareness about the company's efforts, and developing marketing materials to support fundraising efforts. She also works with other team members to develop innovative ideas and initiatives to advance Levo International's mission. Kiara is a current student at the University of Hartford in Barney’s 3+1 Program allowing her to pursue her bachelors and masters degree.

Christian has led the Levo team since its founding in 2016 after his Eagle Project to Haiti. Self-taught in hydroponics, Christian coordinates the organizational development of Levo, focusing primarily on personnel development and community building.

Hi there! My name is Alia, and I’m Levo’s Engagement Manager. I joined Levo in February of 2024 as their Community Engagement Coordinator not really knowing what to expect. Initially, I wanted to learn how to grow plants to establish a community garden space of my own. However, Levo quickly became more than just a means to an end for me. Here, I’ve been challenged to grow in various ways, and through this journey, I’ve discovered my voice, gained confidence, developed both hard and soft skills, and formed some beautiful relationships with our incredible community.

Now, as Engagement Manager, my passion is to welcome everyone to share in the same space that has welcomed me with open arms and has left a mark on my heart. In my free time, I enjoy going on walks, cooking, hiking outdoors and catching the sunrise. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to meeting you! 

Gil Augustin joined Levo operations as an intern in 2019.  After earning his degree in Agronomy from Universite Polyvalente D’Haiti, Gil joined Levo full-time as our Program Manager in Haiti.  In that capacity Gil coordinates all “on-the-ground” activities in Haiti, including research, training, and farm operations.

 Layla Torres joined Levo during the Summer of 2023. Her passion to alleviate food insecurity and give back to the community helps her feel driven to fight for change. Being one of the youngest members working with Levo, she is in her final year of highschool. Layla is ready to branch out into the world and continue to help her community thrive- whether by harvesting produce, watering the seedlings, aiding volunteers, and much more!

Nate has been coordinating science and research activities for Levo since joining Christian on his first trip to Haiti. He has been focused on research and development both domestically and internationally to improve crop health and production. He is a graduate of John Carroll University, where he studied biology and Spanish under a social justice scholarship. Nate has lived and conducted research in both Haiti and Spain, is a Fulbright Scholar and is currently completing a PhD in plant pathology at The Ohio State University.

Khyarah Manice is an undergraduate student at the University of Hartford majoring in Politics and Government. Khyarah started as a Levo intern in January 2024 and loved learning more about hydroponics, how they can help various communities, and what organizations can help. During her time at Levo Khyarah has been a key point of contact in the planning of Levo's Puerto Rico trip and our mission to help the people of Yabucoa. Currently, as Levo's operations assistant Khyarah helps to assist with payroll.

A native of St. Lucia, Ron has lived in Hartford for 1 and a half years.  Before coming to the U.S., Ron worked for Ministry of Agriculture within the Government, the St. Lucian equivalent of the Department of Agriculture, where he trained farmers.  Ron joined Levo as a grower and quickly demonstrated his deep knowledge and strategic value to the Levo mission.  Ron oversees all our farming activities in the Greater Hartford area.

Max Alphonse is a lifelong community and social work activist, volunteering with non-profit organizations from childhood.  He studied biology to build the skills and knowledge needed to contribute towards the many environmental and sustainability challenges around the world.  Having just completed his B.S. at Central Connecticut State University, Max has joined Levo’s science team and will also be contributing to farm operations and education initiatives.  When not building up community with Levo, Max is almost always reading books.

Bill Heiden is an entrepreneur, a social justice advocate and a political historian. He has developed a strategy for companies large and small across a range of industries including for a variety of non-profit organizations. Bill accompanied Christian on the inaugural visit to Haiti, helped to found Levo, and has served as its Executive Director since 2017. Bill helps to lead all aspects of Levo’s work and is the primary coordinator of Haiti operations from the U.S. side.  When he is not working on food security problems, Bill teaches politics and American studies at the University of Hartford.