Originally trained in urban planning and interior design at Florida State University, M. Hermantin’s professional orientation would draw her into a career assisting and advocating for temporary shelter, permanent housing, and other relief for disaster victims in Haiti. Over almost two-decades, Ms Hermantin has engaged in research-intervention work for Direct Relief, Cross International, Food for the Poor, and the Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development (INURED). She has performed internal monitoring and evaluation work to improve relief projects providing food and housing to disaster victims as well as medical support to hospitals and clinics in Haiti.
Her research interests focus on the interplay between policy and praxis, she has extensive experience engaging policymakers, elected officials, private sector representatives, religious and community leaders in order to examine convergences and divergences in policy, government leadership and community-based practices in Haiti.