Leadership
Metega Leon - Founder & President
Metega Leon’s story is one of resilience, purpose, and an unshakable belief in the transformative power of education — values instilled in him by the man who shaped everything he would become. When Metega was just three years old, he lost both of his parents. It was his grandfather, Gustave Leon, who stepped forward to raise him in the countryside of Aux Cayes, Haiti. In those formative years surrounded by the simplicity and richness of rural Haitian life, Gustave Leon poured into his grandson something far more valuable than material wealth — a profound respect for the value of life and an enduring love of education. The Gustave Leon Foundation stands today as a living tribute to that legacy.
Metega’s journey is a testament to what determination and hard work can achieve. After completing high school he worked his way forward while simultaneously attending university — serving as a substitute teacher for high school students at Lycée Pétionville in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Teaching while studying, he earned his degree in Accounting — a foundation of discipline and analytical thinking that would serve him well in every chapter to come.
In 2009 Metega made the courageous decision to immigrate to Boston, Massachusetts, carrying with him the values of his grandfather and the determination of a man who had never been afraid of hard work. He continued his education in the United States and in 2014 became a Registered Nurse — a career he has pursued with genuine passion across a variety of clinical settings, always leading with compassion and a commitment to excellent patient care.
Metega’s entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to community upliftment led him to found Tri-Hearts Skills Center LLC in Malden, Massachusetts — a nursing assistant and Home Health Aide training program dedicated to equipping community members with the skills and certifications needed to build meaningful careers in healthcare. Through this work Metega has given countless individuals a pathway into a profession that changes lives — both the lives of those who receive care and the lives of those who give it.
And Co-Owner of Tri-Hearts Community Living, an independent living community in Springfield, Massachusetts providing dignified and supportive housing for seniors
As the Founder and President of the Gustave Leon Foundation, Metega Leon carries forward the spirit of the grandfather who believed in him when he had nothing but potential. His mission is simple and profound — to honor that legacy by investing in education, uplifting communities, and ensuring that others have access to the opportunities that make a life of purpose possible.
Hertha Lazarre — Vice President & Treasurer
Hertha Lazarre is a dedicated healthcare professional, serial entrepreneur, and passionate humanitarian whose life’s work reflects an unwavering commitment to serving others — from the bedside to the boardroom, and from Springfield, Massachusetts to the shores of Haiti. A Registered Nurse since 2007, Hertha has built an extraordinary career spanning nearly two decades of clinical excellence and healthcare leadership. Throughout her nursing journey she has held a diverse range of leadership positions including Supervisor, Unit Manager, Assistant Director of Nursing, Director of Nursing, and MDS Coordinator — demonstrating not only her clinical expertise but her deep dedication to delivering quality care at every level of an organization.
Hertha’s entrepreneurial spirit has driven her to build multiple businesses in service of her community. She is the founder and operator of Tri-Hearts Community Living, an independent living community in Springfield, Massachusetts providing dignified and supportive housing for seniors. She is also the founder of Tri-Hearts Staffing LLC, a nursing staffing agency connecting skilled healthcare professionals with facilities in need, and previously operated Top Line Transportation LLC, a non-emergent wheelchair transportation company dedicated to ensuring that individuals with mobility needs could access the care and services they deserved. Each venture reflects the same core belief — that every person, regardless of their circumstances, deserves access to quality care, reliable support, and a life lived with dignity.
Perhaps most inspiring is Hertha’s philanthropic work through the Tri-Hearts Foundation, under which she has been personally funding the education of over a dozen children in Haiti for more than three years — giving young lives access to schooling and a future they may not have otherwise had. She is currently working to formally legalize the Tri-Hearts Foundation in the United States, a milestone that will allow this life-changing work to grow and reach even more children in need.
As Vice President and Treasurer of the Gustave Leon Foundation, Hertha brings the same professionalism, vision, and profound heart for people that has defined her entire journey. She is honored to serve alongside a team united by a shared mission — to uplift communities, create lasting change, and leave the world better than they found it.