CCAA Staff Biographies

CCAA Staff

Sally Yearwood
Deputy Executive Director/Acting Executive Director

Sally Yearwood returned to Caribbean Central American Action in 2008 to serve as Deputy Executive Director after working with the organization for six years between 1989 and 1995.

She spent 13 years in Haiti where most recently she worked as the Trade and Investment Advisor for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). During her time in Haiti she also managed a European Union-funded project for the Caribbean Export Development Agency, worked as a private consultant, and was the Country Representative for the U.S. Department of Commerce.

She has a BA in International Relations and an MA in International Development.

Gwendolyn Rodriguez
Senior Program Director

Gwendolyn Rodriguez is a graduate from Seton Hall University where she completed her BA in Political Science and Spanish. Born in New Jersey, she has always been in touch with her Dominican heritage. She previously volunteered with Caritas Mao-Montecristi in the Dominican Republic where she aided in research and community outreach. Prior to joining CCAA, she completed a program with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, through which she interned for the US Trade Advocacy Center at the Inter-American Development Bank. Her areas of interest include economic development, energy security and regional integration.

Kelli Huntsman
Program Director

Kelli Huntsman is a recent graduate from the University of Michigan, where she earned her BA in Political Science and Spanish. Her studies focused on international law and diplomacy and she was given the opportunity to study abroad in Spain, where she examined the political history of Spain during the Franco years. While at Michigan, she also volunteered with the local Central American and Mexican immigrant communities through educational and local outreach programs. Her interests include international policy and development.

Gilles Sassine
Program Director

Gilles Sassine recently moved to Washington after six months in Brazil. Prior to that, he spent eight years in Haiti where he worked in the textiles, tobacco, cosmetics, and plastic industries, with a focus on company reengineering and improvement. He also started a renewable energy company.

He has participated in, lead, or developed a large number of organizations, including small rural community groups, youth groups, and industrial and business associations. He currently serves as Vice President of the Fédération Nationale de la Jeunesse pour le Développement.

He has a MBA in Management of Global Information Technology and Marketing for Information Technology, and a BA in Finance.

He speaks English, French, Creole, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Anton E. Edmunds
Senior Consultant

Anton Edmunds is the Senior Consultant to Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA). Anton served as the Executive Director and CEO for CCAA during 2008/2009. Anton has worked throughout the region for over 20 years and has experience in strategic planning, political/economic risk analysis, corporate communications, government affairs and business development. He is the President and CEO of The Edmunds Group International, LLC.

He served as Chief of Party for CCAA’s successful US $3,000,000 maritime security initiative in Haiti. There he developed an alliance that included shipping agencies, port and terminal operators, chamber organizations and the government to achieve compliance of that country’s three main port facilities. Prior to this initiative, he led an ISPS compliance program for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. Anton also manages other regional initiatives in energy, logistics and disaster mitigation. Before joining Caribbean Central American Action, Anton served as a consultant for private sector clients with business interests in the Caribbean.

From 1995-1997 he was the senior manager of business development for St. Lucia. Based in New York, he directed investment missions in hospitality development, information processing and agribusiness and acted as team lead for activities in North America, the Americas and the Far East. Prior to that, Anton worked with the Eastern Caribbean Investment Promotion Service (ECIPS), a business development organization based in Washington, D.C. Here he developed and managed marketing and investment campaigns for regional governments and private sector clients in the Caribbean and North America.

He possesses a Bachelor’s degree from The Catholic University of America and a Masters Degree from the American University.