Meet the Team: Mackendy Blanc – Program Director of Public Allies at Eagle Rock

Mackendy Blanc, Eagle Rock’s Program Director of Public Allies, was drawn to our school by its progressive curriculum that he says enables fellows to “oscillate between in-classroom instruction and real-world experience” through our Professional Development Center.

The Director of Public Allies at Eagle Rock position allows Mackendy to level the playing field for young professionals by creating an environment where they can take a leap of faith, find their voice, and develop and hone their skills based on passion and ability. Mackendy calls that a jumpstart for their professional journey.

Before coming to work at Eagle Rock, Mackendy launched Katalyst Konbit — a training ground for Haiti’s next-generation of entrepreneurs. Under Mackendy’s leadership, Katalyst Konbit has become a go-to organization for aspiring entrepreneurs on the Pearl of the Antilles to catalyze their entrepreneurial journey while learning how to innovate at scale.

We asked this purpose-driven leader, who now leads the successful Public Allies program here at Eagle Rock, to share a bit about his career — and his personal life. Here’s what he had to say:

Eagle Rock: Where did you go to college and what year did you graduate?

Mackendy Blanc: I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree from the Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York. I am currently a Bachelor of Science in Social Entrepreneurship candidate (August 2021) at the Watson Institute at Lynn University in Boulder, Colo.

ER: Where did you grow up and what did you want to be when you were a kid?

Mackendy: I was born in Haiti and moved to the United States when I was 12 years old. So, I live in a doorway between two cultures and identity. As a little kid in Haiti, I aspired to be a veterinarian because I love animals and thought they were the most underrepresented in societies. Boy, was I wrong. I still have a deep love and appreciation for animals to this day.

ER: When you’re not working, what do you like to do in your spare time?

Mackendy: When I’m not working, you can find me in nature being a goofball with my friends or animals. If not in the outdoors, you will find me learning new skills and sharpening my knowledge with things that may or may not be useful. For example, did you know that in the English language, the letter “a” does not appear anywhere in numbers spelled out from 1 to 999?

ER: What reality TV should you be on and why would you win or be kicked off?

Mackendy: I wouldn’t last long on “Naked and Afraid,” mainly because I’m petrified of the dark. However, in that show I might win because I can create many variations of makeshift flashlights once my flashlight stops working.

ER: What’s one thing not many people know about you?

Mackendy: I have had several interesting near-death experiences, from almost  being trampled by a horse in Argentina’s countryside to nearly dying from electrical shock as a young child in Haiti. That might explain my goal of living life to its fullest and looking at the positive side of things.

ER: What superpower do you have — or would you like to have — and how do or would you use it?

Mackendy: My superpower is to brighten up a room through positive energy. So far, I have used my power for good and will continue to do so until the end of time. I believe there is enough malice and sadness in the world, and there is nothing wrong with me spreading a little bit of love and positive energy to people I have encountered in my life.