Meet our Board of Directors

Co-Founder and Executive Director, BLKHLTH

Matthew McCurdy (he/him) is passionate about applying social science theory, health equity frameworks, and design to develop creative solutions that improve health outcomes for Black people. Matthew has experience working with federal programs to create strategies, track performance, and evaluate programs to drive continuous improvement. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Georgia State University and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Behavioral Science and Health Education from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.

Founder, President and CEO, CommunityBuild Ventures, LLC

Natasha’s life mission is to contribute her gifts as a facilitator, racial equity practitioner, strategist, collaborator, and philanthropist to the collective work of dismantling structural and institutional racism. In 2011, she founded CommunityBuild Ventures, a pro-Black, solutions-focused firm committed to eliminating racial disparities by developing power, impactful racial equity-centered leaders and organizations.

Financial Advisor and Growth & Development Director, Northwestern Mutual

After growing up in Watkinsville, GA, Marcus earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Morehouse College. As a licensed financial advisor, he aims to continue building his firm with a focus on empowering people to make great financial decisions so that they can balance living well and saving for the future. In his spare time, Marcus enjoys attending sporting events, going to the beach, and experiencing the Athens dining scene. His greatest passion includes spending quality time with his wife, Camaryn, son MJ (1), and daughter Kennedy (5).

Co-Founder and Director of Operations, BLKHLTH

Mercilla is a dedicated public health professional with a passion for designing and implementing innovative public health programs to improve health outcomes for Black communities. She has experience managing public health programs in academic settings to increase the number of minority students in public health. As well as administering training programs for healthcare providers to improve health outcomes in marginalized communities. Mercilla graduated from Hampton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and obtained a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.

Co-Founder and Director of Policy and Research, BLKHLTH

Khadijah is passionate about increasing access to and quality of health and social services to ALL Black people. Khadijah is currently a PhD student at Georgia State School of Public Health where she is studying the impact of racism on the health of Black Americans and community-engaged approaches to health justice. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University and a Master of Public Health degree from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. Originally from Virginia, Khadijah currently resides in Atlanta and enjoys attempting new vegan recipes, listening to podcasts, and cuddling with her two cats, Pinot and Noir.

Manager, Sustainability – Housing Affordability, Bloomberg Associates

Namon has dedicated his career to promoting the equitable and sustainable development of cities. His work on policy and planning initiatives spans multiple cities across North America, Latin America and Sub-Saharan and Northern Africa. At Bloomberg Associates, Namon leads client engagements related to housing affordability, working at the intersection of urban planning, sustainability, and economic development. Namon has a Master of Urban Planning from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, where he was a Thoyer Fellow and a Master of Architecture from Hampton University.

Vice President & Director of the Center on Equity Research, NORC at the University of Chicago

Ashani Johnson-Turbes, PhD is the Vice President & Director of the Center on Equity Research, a multi-disciplinary Center in The Bridge at NORC at the University of Chicago. She is an experienced and award-winning social scientist with over 20 years conducting communication, social marketing, public health, and public policy research, including rigorous measurement of communication messages, materials, and campaigns to promote equity. Ashani blends her academic background in political science, political behavior, and public policy with years of work in public health, health communication, and evaluation.

EVP, Health Equity & Multicultural Strategy, M Booth Health

Tayla Mahmud is the EVP, Health Equity & Multicultural Strategy at M Booth Health. In this role, she guides the agency’s work by helping brands and businesses define their commitment to health equity, engage diverse communities, and shape communications around policies and programs that address health disparities. Obsessed with human behavior, compelling storytelling and inspired creative, Tayla has two decades of experience in health marketing and communications. Her passion for helping patients, building purposeful brands, and delivering results is exemplified by the many accomplishments over her career. Tayla is also a writer and speaker on the importance of addressing inequities in healthcare, communications, and business. Her work has been featured in Fortune, TheGrio, NewsOne, MM&M and PR Week. Tayla holds a Master’s Degree in Communications from Rutgers University and a dual Bachelors of Arts in Communications and Media Arts & Design from James Madison University.

Behavioral Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Brittany Marshall is a Behavioral Scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Research and Leadership at The George Washington University. Broadly, Brittany's practice and research interests include HIV prevention, health equity, program evaluation, and implementation science. Brittany holds a Bachelors of Science in Health Education from the University of Florida, a Masters of Public Health from the University of South Florida, and a Doctorate of Public Health from the University of North Texas Health Science Center.

Co-Founder and Director of Creative Operations, BLKHLTH

Paulah is a Detroit native with a passion for advancing the health of Black people both at home and abroad. She has spent her public health career working in global spaces, including training healthcare workers in Kenya, Nigeria, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and managing a national HIV program in South Africa. Paulah especially enjoys the creative aspects related to curriculum development and social media strategy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Health and African Studies from the University of Michigan and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. In her free time, she creates digital illustrations and tries new foods from around the world.

Director, Health Communications, Tanaq Support Services

Charles Williams is a leader with 25 years of experience specializing in public health, health communication, project management, and business development. Charles has a deep understanding of how to use industry best practices and behavior change theories and frameworks to effectively develop health communication messages, materials, and campaigns. Additionally, he has a keen knowledge and understanding of addressing health disparities and health equity analyzing social determinants of health and other environmental factors impacting minority or “at risk” communities.