Collaborators

Our interdisciplinary background helps us design creative solutions to complex problems.

Please click the photos below to learn more about the unique skills and projects of each collaborator.

Board of Directors

Beverly Scurry

Beverly is a health educator who works to improve community health and is using a racial equity lens to do it. After more than nine years in the public health arena, Beverly knows what it takes to move the needle on health – acknowledgment of structural and institutional inequities based on race, buy-in from stakeholders, and working collaboratively while building trust, finding common ground, and staying committed to the community. Beverly began her public health career working as the Healthy Carolinians Coordinator in Rockingham County from 2010-2017. She has been working as the Board of Health Strategic Plan Manager in Orange County since 2017, where she co-leads the Racial Equity Commission, coordinates the Health Equity Council using state funding, is involved in learning communities such as racial affinity caucusing and equity focused bookclub, and participates on the county’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Team.

Yvette Garcia Missri

Yvette is a litigation counsel on CRL’s federal policy team. Based in Durham, Yvette is part of the litigation unit, employing litigation strategies to combat abusive lending practices. Prior to joining CRL, Yvette served as an Administrator for the Orange County Department on Aging, and as a gender-based violence trial attorney in MA and Washington, D.C., including the Office of the Attorney General for D.C. Yvette received her J.D. from Boston College Law School, her MPH from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, and her B.A. in Philosophy from the George Washington University. Outside of work, she enjoys peaceful mornings on her back porch, long walks with her dog, and spending time with her husband and two daughters.

Mark Dessauer

Mark thrives on seeing change happen, specifically when organizations use communications effectively to change lives and our communities. While Mark’s experience ranges from developing the national conversation on community responses to childhood obesity to leading a monthly walk and bike to school, he is passionate about working with partnerships, grantees and organizations to use strategic communications to increase their impact. Mark is a Vice President at Spitfire Strategies. Previously, he worked on community change as a funder and grantee for 15 years. Mark is currently building learning and capacity building tools and training for organizations and providing strategic communication for clients.