Donte Peeples appointed Mattapan liaison; Roudnie Celestin named liaison to Haitian community

Mayor Kim Janey today announced the appointment of Donte Peeples as the Mattapan liaison and Roudnie Célestin as the liaison to the Haitian community for the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS). They will work to encourage, facilitate and maximize citizen input and participation through service requests, neighborhood meetings, mailings, and emergency responses. 

"I am excited to have Donte as our new Mattapan liaison,” said Mayor Kim Janey. “He brings a passion for civic engagement that is so necessary in being a successful neighborhood liaison. I have no doubt that he will be an excellent addition to the Office of Neighborhood Services and serve the Mattapan community well.”

As the Mattapan liaison, Donte will distribute information and facilitate the delivery of services to the neighborhood in collaboration with City departments. Donte discovered his passion for public service early on while attending the St. Stephen's Episcopal Church afterschool and summer camp programs. He was later employed as a mentor and worked to provide safe and fun activities for the City’s youth. 

“I am honored to be a part of the Office of Neighborhood Services working as the Mattapan liaison,” said Donte. “My family has been longtime residents of Mattapan and it is exciting to be able to collaborate with residents and business owners along with the City to address the needs of the community.”

Former Mattapan liaison, Roudnie Célestin, has transitioned to the role of liaison to the Hatian community. In this role, Roudnie will aim to improve the engagement of Haitian residents with the City and ensure the delivery of services to this population. 

“I am beyond pleased that Roudnie will serve as the liaison dedicated to the Haitian community. It is so important that we support our underserved and underrepresented communities and connect them with City resources and services,” said Mayor Janey. “Roudnie has extensive experience serving this community and I expect that she will continue to do an excellent job expanding on this work.”

Roudnie has been with the Office of Neighborhood Services for three and a half years and previously served as the Mattapan liaison. She brings to her new role experience in community outreach and resolving resident issues. Roudnie was born and raised in Pétion-Ville, Haiti. She moved to the United States in 2003 due to political unrest. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Ethics, Social, and Political Philosophy and Philosophy of Law from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

”What a great time to fully dedicate myself to the Haitian community! I am very excited,” said Roudnie. “In the dawn of immigration policy change after a historic win for the Biden-Harris administration, I cannot wait to see a weight lifted for many of the constituents I serve. My most immediate focus is ensuring vaccination equity in the Haitian community and keeping them connected to resources. Mwen la pou ou!”

The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) encourages, facilitates and maximizes citizen input and participation through service requests, neighborhood meetings, mailings, and emergency responses. To report non-emergency issues to the City, residents are encouraged to connect with BOS:311 by dialing 3-1-1 or by downloading the free BOS:311 app on iOS or Android platforms.