Yana Kusayeva, MPA
President and Executive Director
Yana Kusayeva has served as the founding President and Executive Director of Dialogue Beyond Borders since 2009. She was raised in Uzbekistan and immigrated to the United States when she was 13 years old. Yana graduated magna cum laude from Adelphi University’s Honors College with a B.A. in International Studies and concentrations in Spanish and Political Science. With her previous experience working for international human rights organizations, she later spent three years serving as Assistant Director of Adelphi’s Levermore Global Scholars program. Yana currently works at a social policy research organization and holds a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy from NYU Wagner. She has completed graduate coursework in the fields of education and international relations and is fluent in Russian and proficient in Spanish.
Ross Jandrew, M.S.Ed.
Vice President and Deputy Director
Ross Jandrew has served on the Board of Directors since he co-founded the organization in 2009 and oversees the development and implementation of DBB’s Human Rights curriculum. He earned his BA, summa cum laude, majoring in English and Media Studies from Adelphi University and holds a Masters degree in Education from the City University of New York. Ross is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Levermore Global Scholars Program at Adelphi University. He teaches the Leadership Initiative Seminar, designed to develop the skills required to implement initiatives around local and global causes. He was a 2008 Teach for America Corps member and continues to teach English Language Arts as a tenured faculty member within the NYC Department of Education. For the 2011-2012 school year, Ross earned Principal's Recognition of Dedicated Faculty and in the 2012-2013 school year, he was designated the Instructional Lead Teacher. Ross recently completed the Teacher Leadership Program and holds certification to facilitate Teacher Teams in NYC public schools.
Ryan Myrie, M.S., M.S.ED
Secretary
Ryan Myrie has served as Dialogue Beyond Borders as Secretary since 2009. Growing up in Altamonte Springs, Florida, Ryan first came to Brooklyn in 2000, where she fell in love with its rich culture and charm. A lover of learning, Ryan completed both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Biology at Adelphi University in Garden City, Long Island. In 2011, Ryan became a teaching resident with the Urban Teacher Residency, and has since completed her Masters in Education from Hunter College. Ryan currently teaches Living Environment at an International High School in Brooklyn where she uses her knowledge in the field and passion for teaching to help first generation students develop a love for Science.
Elizabeth Dovell
Elizabeth Dovell began her work with Dialogue Beyond Borders as a Human Rights Education Program Assistant in January 2011 and later joined DBB’s Board of Directors. Elizabeth graduated with a B.A. in International Relations from SUNY New Paltz. After participating in the Pathways for Mutual Respect, co-sponsored by the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, she has incorporated her interests in the Middle East, human rights, and conflict resolution into DBB’s curricula. Elizabeth’s work experience includes internships with the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, World Policy Institute, and the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect. She also worked as a freelance writer for the Council on Foreign Relations, and moved to work for a congressional campaign. Elizabeth has since relocated to Washington, D.C. to continue her work in politics. She is proficient in French and speaks conversational Arabic.