our team
Decades of combined experience in economic development, community engagement, and strategic innovation.
Founding Principal/Managing Director
Dr. Lascelle A. Sweetland
Dr. Lascelle A. Sweetland is a globally recognized entrepreneur, educator, and strategic advisor who has spent over 30 years transforming how businesses, institutions, and communities access opportunity and achieve sustainable growth.
As Founder and Managing Director of Laspainc, Dr. Sweetland has built a reputation for strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems at the local, national, and international level—expanding access to capital, delivering high-impact technical assistance, and positioning small businesses to compete and win in both public and private sector markets.
A trusted advisor to colleges and universities, Dr. Sweetland guides institutions through the complexities of academic program expansion, market positioning, enrollment sustainability, and the implementation of federally funded initiatives—helping leadership teams make bold, data-informed decisions with confidence.
A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Sweetland holds an Ed.D. in Leadership and Management from St. Thomas University, an MBA in Energy Finance from Texas Southern University, and an MS in Environmental Policy from Purdue University Global. His academic credentials are matched by real-world impact—having taught entrepreneurship, marketing, and business strategy across South Florida and internationally in Barranquilla, Colombia; Barcelona, Spain; and Lima, Peru.
Key Expertise: Entrepreneurship | Economic Development | Community Building | Workforce Development | Program Management | International Business | Operationally Feasibility |
Data-driven and Measurable
Managing Partner
Dr. Claire A. Rene
Dr. Claire Rene, Ed.D., MBA is an educator and curriculum strategist with over 15 years of experience in higher education instruction, program development, and leadership training. She holds a Doctor of Education and MBA from Nova Southeastern University and a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design from Walden University.
Her doctoral research examined the impact of Emotional Intelligence training on staff and student leaders in collegiate settings, producing a replicable, evidence-based leadership development model. Dr. Rene has developed structured leadership frameworks, curriculum maps, facilitator guides, and evaluation instruments grounded in the ADDIE instructional design model. She is certified in the EQi 2.0 Emotional Intelligence Assessment and has facilitated workshops and executive training sessions focused on leadership development, academic success, and organizational effectiveness.
Key Expertise:
Assessments | Emotional Intellegence | Program Director | Instructor
Managing Partner
Fredrick Carter
Frederick Carter brings over 30 years of experience in communications, knowledge management, organizational learning and technology, and international development to the Laspainc team. His transition into international development further broadened his expertise, allowing him to apply his communications and organizational skills on a global scale.
As the former Managing Principal of a public relations firm in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, Mr. Carter has led strategic communications initiatives and managed complex client relationships before transitioning into international development. He maintains an extensive network of professional contacts throughout the Washington, D.C. area in public relations and organizational development.
Mr. Carter holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Howard University.
Key Expertise:
Government Administration | Grants Development | Project Management
Managing Partner
Dr. David Doriscar, Ed.D., MBA
Dr. David Doriscar, Ed.D., MBA is a strategic higher education consultant with more than 15 years of experience in academic program assessment, institutional growth strategy, and financial sustainability planning. He advises colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations on growth strategy, financial modeling, and expansion feasibility—supporting leadership teams and governing boards with data-informed decision-making.
Dr. Doriscar specializes in market viability analyses using BLS labor projections and demographic modeling, pro forma financial modeling, and competitive landscape assessments to support program positioning and institutional differentiation. He has led program redesign and growth initiatives within graduate and doctoral education, presenting strategic recommendations to executive leadership and faculty governance bodies.
His work integrates enrollment forecasting, workforce-aligned curriculum planning, and board-level reporting—ensuring expansion initiatives are academically sound, financially viable, and operationally sustainable.
Key Expertise:
Comprehensive Feasibility Studies | Planning & Development | Align Workforce Demand | Sensitivity Analyses
Managing Partner
Jerry Haynes
Jerry Haynes is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of comprehensive experience spanning Planning & Development, Administrative Services, Human Resources, Information Technology & Communications, and Public Affairs & Marketing. Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Haynes has developed a broad and versatile skill set that enables him to lead complex organizational initiatives and deliver results across multiple functional areas.
Mr. Haynes brings deep expertise in county government operations, where he has overseen critical functions including departmental budget management, land acquisition, and open space planning and development. His experience with capital improvement programs reflects a strong command of public sector infrastructure planning, resource allocation, and long-term community development strategy. He has demonstrated a consistent ability to align administrative operations with organizational goals while managing competing priorities in dynamic government environments.
Jerry holds Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Management and Operations from Marymount College of Kansas.
Key Expertise:
Government Administration | Planning & Development | Human Resources | Program Director
Managing Partner
Samantha Lee-Phaeton
Born in Paris, Samantha-Lee brings the European vision to the firm. With a Master's degree in Communication options management and brand strategy from l'Université de Lyon. Marketing strategy, branding, content, digital, planning, project management, economic and management.
Samantha-Lee has worked in the marketing department of L'Oréal, where she understood the importance of a coherent marketing positioning. Working with the top luxury brands in Europe with specialization in marketing communication consultantancy. Based in London for its advanced communication technical resources where she established HOBN a marketing agency with expanded creative resources.
Key Expertise:
Marketing Strategy | Branding | Communications.