Jane Brasier, Chair, Vice President of Business Development, Clark Nexsen

Jane Roycroft Brasier is a native of Durham and still lives in the neighborhood in which she grew up.  Both of her parents were from large families in Durham and go back several generations in Durham.  She attended Durham public schools and graduated from Jordan High School, then attended Duke as an undergrad and graduated with a degree in sociology. From there she went to UNC-Chapel Hill where she earned a master’s degree in public administration.  Her career has focused mostly on the architecture/engineering/construction industry in the Triangle area and she serves as Vice President of Business Development at Clark Nexsen, a nationally ranked architecture/engineering company with 10 offices in the southeast, (she is based in the Raleigh office). Jane has served on many non-profit boards including the Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties, Urban Land Institute – Triangle Chapter, Commercial Real Estate Women – Triangle Chapter and the Society for Marketing Professional Services – Triangle Chapter.  She is active with the NC Economic Developers Association and her downtown Durham church – Trinity United Methodist, and she is currently serving on the board of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce.  Jane is married to Chris Brasier, FAIA who is also employed with Clark Nexsen, leading the education market sector, and he teaches part time in the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke. Jane has two adult children who also have degrees from Duke.

 

Suzanne Jacobs, Vice Chair, Patient Support Systems & Digital Strategy Associate Director, United Therapeutics

Suzanne is not just a promoter of history. She is a creative problem solver who believes the recipe for success are tenacity and a belief we can move the needle to improve things. Partner with the right talent, and the mix is an unstoppable force. She thrives on learning and leaving things better than she found them, all while building relationships with the amazing people she’s encountered along the way. While not born in Durham, she got here as soon as she could and has been enjoying all Durham has to offer for more than 25 years. Durham quickly became home, and she is all in to preserve and promote the history of our great city. Connecting with the community is part of Suzanne’s DNA. She can’t wait to expand her circle as a member of the MoDH Board.

 

Mitchell Tuchman, Secretary, Attorney, Morningstar Law Group

Tuchman describes his professional background, relocation to Durham and motivation for serving on the museum board.  “Twenty-four years ago I moved to Durham to commence a new career, my third, as a copyright attorney.  In fact, the law firm that hired me offered an opportunity to work in any of several North Carolina cities, and I chose Durham because of its proximity to Washington, D.C., where I had attended law school and where my friends resided.  The offer permitted me to transfer back to D.C. after two years, but I never left.

“I love this city.  I love it as it is, but I am curious about what preceded my arrival.  People I have befriended here, wonderful though they are, make me think of those I never met.  Buildings I admire remind me of those that had been demolished before I could appreciate them.   Current events bring history to mind and make me wonder how I can become a son of Durham today.

“Because of my years as head of publications at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and before that as senior editor at the UCLA Oral History Program, because I had served on the documentary selection committee for the Los Angeles film festival and am today an intellectual property attorney, I imagined that my experiences might have value for the Museum of Durham History.  Being a part of the museum was and continues to be a rewarding commitment.

“Joining the museum board was a gateway event for me.  I now serve on the boards of the Durham Literacy Center and Preservation Durham as well.  I have learned if you want to know your city, serve.”

 

Mig Murphy Sistrom, CPA, Treasurer, Owner: Mig Murphy Sistrom, CPA, PC

Mig Murphy Sistrom owns a specialty accounting firm with provides consulting, accounting, and planning services exclusively to nonprofits on a variety of issues, including accounting systems design, cost allocation, budgeting, internal control and fraud prevention, policies and procedures manuals, and IRS and other compliance issues. Her firm also provides bookkeeping and other accounting support services. Mig has authored several articles on nonprofit financial topics and has taught courses on these subjects through Duke University’s Nonprofit Management Program and other organizations. She is active in the N.C. Association of CPAs and has served on the boards of directors of several North Carolina nonprofits.

Mig holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University, and is a graduate of Leadership America North Carolina. Prior to opening her own firm, she served as Director of Finance and Administration for a nonprofit organization with an annual budget of over $10 million. Previously, she was an audit manager at a large local CPA firm, where she provided accounting, consulting, audit, and tax services to nonprofit organizations. She began her professional career as a staff auditor at Price Waterhouse LLP.   She holds a Masters of Accounting and a B.S. degree with Highest Honors in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Bettina Umstead, Immediate Past Chair, Board of Education Chair, Durham Public Schools

Bettina studied Middle Grades Education with a concentration in Language Arts & Social Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Upon graduation, she received her teaching license and chose to work full-time for Student U, a college access program in Durham. She began as the Middle School Program Director, coordinating Student U’s Middle School Summer Academy, a year-round tutoring program as well as serving as an advocate for students & families. Bettina was promoted to the position of Chief Program Officer and oversaw all student programs for 550 students & families ranging from 6th grade to college graduates. She supervised full-time staff members, served on the Leadership Team of the organization, developed community partnerships, and provided strategic vision for all of the Student U programs. After 10 years, Bettina transitioned from working at Student U to begin exploring her interest in racial equity and public education.

In 2016, Bettina was appointed to the Durham Public Schools Board of Education representing District 2 by a unanimous vote to complete Sendolo Dinamiah’s term. She won re-election in 2018 and currently serves as the Chair.

 

Bob Ashley, Editor, Durham Herald-Sun (retired)

Bob Ashley retired in June 2017 as editor of The Herald-Sun, where he oversaw news and editorial operations at the daily newspaper in Durham. He had returned to that post, from which he retired in January 2011, in June of 2012. In the interim, he was executive director of Preservation Durham, the non-profit historic preservation organization. He first joined The Herald-Sun as editor in January 2005.

Before coming to the Herald-Sun, he was editor for nearly 11 years of the Messenger-Inquirer in Owensboro, Ky. He previously was editor of the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pa.

His journalism career started when he worked part-time for the weekly Mount Airy (N.C.) Times, in his hometown. After college, he began work as a reporter for The Raleigh Times, advanced to city editor, and then moved to The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer. There, his jobs included assistant metropolitan editor, deputy features editor, deputy metro editor, features editor and assistant managing editor. He left the Observer for the Centre Daily Times; both were Knight Ridder newspapers.

He is a 1970 graduate of Duke University with a B.A. in history, and was managing editor of the Duke Chronicle. He has served on a number of industry and community boards, including the N. C. Press Association, Preservation Durham, Durham’s Partnership for Children, the Volunteer Center of Durham, Pennsylvania Society of Newspaper Editors, the State College Symphony Orchestra, Healthy Horizons (in Owensboro), the Professional Advisory Committee for the Western Kentucky University Department of Journalism, and the Greater Owensboro Alliance for Education and Workforce Development. He is an elder in the Presbyterian Church.

 

Dr. Jeffrey P. Baker, Director of the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities, & History of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine

Jeffrey P. Baker M.D. Ph.D. is director of the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine in Duke University School of Medicine. A professor of Pediatrics and the Practice of History, he served for over 30 years as a general pediatrician in Duke Children’s Primary Care with a focus on children with autism and special needs. Dr. Baker also completed a Ph.D. in the history of medicine at Duke in 1992 and has written numerous historical articles related to pediatrics, vaccination controversies, and autism.

Most recently, Dr. Baker’s research interests have centered upon the history of racism in medical centers and their communities. He co-led an interdisciplinary Bass Connections project in 2018-19, Documenting Durham’s Health History: Understanding the Roots of Health Disparities. He has spoken to many audiences on the importance of understanding Duke Health within the historical context of Durham and North Carolina, and introduces health professional students and trainees to their community via walks with local partners.

As director of the Trent Center’s History of Medicine program since 2006, Dr Baker has taught history to undergraduates, residents, and medical students. He has held many other leadership positions at Duke, including directing the Duke autism clinic, the Duke Health Center at Southpoint, and the AB Duke Scholarship Program. In 2019, Dr Baker was awarded the Excellence in Professionalism Award by Duke School of Medicine. In 2025, he received the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award for his work introducing Duke medical staff and trainees to the history of their community.

 

Michelle Benham, Senior Director for Communications, Duke Community Affairs

Michelle Benham an accomplished leader, award-winning multimedia producer, and communications expert with over two decades of storytelling experience in the public and private sectors, including government, higher ed, and nonprofits. She is adept at amplifying diverse voices and co-creating partnership opportunities to advance community collaboration.

Prior to joining DCA, Michelle led the marketing and communications team at Durham-based national nonprofit Forward Cities. She also served as marketing director at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, an internationally renowned program of the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Previously, she created award-winning content and campaigns at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Discovery Learning Alliance, and Discovery Communications.

Michelle is a Goodmon Fellow through Leadership Triangle and participated in the 2023 Regional cohort. She is an alumna of the esteemed Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program and was a founding board member of the Conservation Leadership in the Caribbean fellowship, a capacity-building, networking, and leadership development program for emerging climate science and wildlife conservation leaders in the wider Caribbean region.

 

Rick Brown, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Investors Trust

Rick is a SVP and Managing Director at Investors Trust Company based in Chapel Hill and provides investment, trust and a full range of wealth planning advisory services to high net worth clients and families. Rick has more than 35 years of experience in banking and finance, most recently as private client manager in the Private Bank at Bank of America in Raleigh, North Carolina, and previously as a commercial banker and municipal banker with Bank of America.

Originally from the Midwest, Rick earned a B.A. in economics and business administration from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

Rick is a member of the Durham & Orange County Estate Planning Council and has a longstanding history of serving local non-profits in the Triangle. Most notably, he is the founding board president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Durham and Orange County (which became BBBS of the Triangle), a founding board member of the Emily Krzyzewski Family Life Center, and he spent over 20 years serving in leadership roles for Habitat for Humanity of Durham, along with a host of other organizations.

Rick lives in Cary with his wife, Lisa, and enjoys staying active through exercise and sports, including walking, tennis, and golf.

 

Marjorie Yarbrough Burton, CPA, Community Volunteer

A Durham native, Marjorie Burton is a graduate of Charles E. Jordan High School and the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill.  Upon earning her B.S. in Business Administration, Marjorie began a successful career as a Certified Public Accountant focusing on corporate auditing and income tax preparation. She is currently the financial counselor to several small businesses.

Marjorie is deeply committed to her community, having served and supported many organizations. She was born at Watts Hospital in Durham as the fourth of six children. She married her high school sweetheart, Dr. Claude Burton, a Dermatologist/Internist at Duke University Medical Center. Marjorie’s ties to Durham run through the generations. Each of Marjorie and Claude’s fathers established thriving businesses in the Durham area.

 

Michelle Burton, Durham County Commissioner *County appointed liaison to MoDH board*

 

Renee Clark, Director of Annual Giving, Southern Environmental Law Center

Renee Clark, native of Durham, NC has spent her entire professional career in client service industries. She began as a public accountant for one of the big four accounting firms before she transitioned to pursue her passion in higher education.

She currently serves as the inaugural director of annual giving at the Southern Environmental Law Center. Prior she was senior director of annual giving and membership strategy at the National Geographic Society and the assistant dean for development and alumni relations at George Mason University’s Law School. Keeping with her passion for higher education, she also served as the director of annual giving for two school foundations at the University of Virginia.

She currently serves on the board for the No Woman, No Girl Initiative, whose mission is to ensure “no woman or girl will go without access to everyday essentials to survive a crisis or transition”. Renee joined the board of trustees of A.T. Still University in the summer of 2024, which has kept her connected to higher education.

She is former chair of the NCCU University College Advisory Board and member of the NCCU Director of Athletics Advisory Council. Additionally, she was a founding co-chair of the NCCU 40 Under 40 Program. Her gifts have allowed her to co-direct the Instruments of Praise Dance Ministry for almost two decades.

As a native of Durham, Renee was educated in the Durham Public Schools system (attending Y.E. Smith Elementary, Neal Middle, and Hillside High). Renee earned her Master of Accountancy at the University of Virginia and a Bachelors of Accounting from North Carolina Central University. She continues to live by the words of Brother Cornel West, “You cannot lead them unless you love them and you cannot save them unless you serve them.”

 

Chelsea Cook, City Council Member *City appointed liaison to MoDH board*

 

Geoff Durham, President and CEO of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce

Geoff has served as the President and CEO of the Durham Chamber of Commerce since 2016, where he has championed economic growth and community partnerships across the region. His commitment to promoting Durham’s unique assets and his vision for a thriving, inclusive community have made him a well-respected leader in the region. By joining the Museum of Durham History’s board, Geoff brings the business community’s perspective to the Museum’s strategic initiatives and will help to broaden corporate support for the Museum’s public programs and exhibitions.

“Durham’s history is an essential part of what makes this place special. I am honored to join the Museum of Durham History’s board and look forward to helping expand its reach in the business community. I believe that a strong cultural foundation is key to the vitality of our society and workforce, and I am excited to help connect our businesses with the Museum’s mission.”

 

Ruth Dzau, Community Volunteer

Ruth Dzau spent decades in civic leadership in communities such as Boston and Palo Alto, where she lived before moving to Durham eleven years ago. She jumped right into Durham life as a volunteer with several nonprofits, including The Center for Child and Family Health, Triangle Community Foundation, Made in Durham, Durham Rotary, N.C. New Schools and the N.C. Symphony.  In December 2014, she received the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award for her civic and social activities.

Dzau believes that to be a good citizen, one must understand a community’s current needs as well as its history. She realized that a major aspect of Durham was missing a decade ago: a cohesive understanding of not only the events and trends of Durham’s history but also the individuals whose stories are an integral part of Durham’s evolution.  She considers the opportunity to serve on the Museum of Durham History board, at this pivotal time in its development, a gift.

Dzau and her husband Victor, who heads the National Academy of Medicine in Washington, D.C., enjoy spending time with family here and in her native Northeast. Traveling, history and art are her personal passions.

 

Cynthia Gardiner, Community Volunteer

Cindy headed communications with Durham Public Schools for more than 20 years, then spent 11 years in corporate communications with GTE in Durham, followed by national positions in speech-writing and executive communications with the newly created Verizon. Returning to North Carolina, she managed employee communications for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC for six years. In retirement, she taught at NCCU and was an independent communications consultant, grants writer, editor and founding co-director of the Museum of Durham History.

She helped organize the Durham County Schools Scholarship Foundation and has been an active volunteer with the Durham Literacy Center, the Durham Day Care Council and the Museum of Life and Science.

Cindy earned a BA in history from Vanderbilt University and a master’s in English and education from Duke University and is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America. She was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor Jim Hunt and the Huntley Lifetime Achievement Award by the Raleigh PR Society. She is past president of the North Carolina Chapter of PRSA and of the NC School Public Relations Association.

Painting, gardening, cooking and travel keep her busy these days along with fun times with her two children and their families, all enthusiastic Durhamites.

 

Jane Goodridge, Community Volunteer 

Jane was a founding board member of the Museum of Durham History and has been active with its myriad activities since its beginning. After moving to Durham in 1996, she served on the boards of Preservation Durham, Friends of the Durham Library and Threshold Inc. Presently, she is part of the Operations Team of Books Among Friends, the on-line bookstore of the Friends of the Durham Library. Jane lived in Farmington, CT, and Belle Mead, NJ, before moving to Durham.  She was active in historic houses and historic preservation in both places. In Farmington, she served as Chair of the Board of the Stanley-Whitman House, an 18th century house museum, and oversaw an extensive investigation and restoration of the house, working with some of the foremost experts in the field. In New Jersey, she served on the board of Rockingham, the site of George Washington’s final Revolutionary War headquarters. She also served on the Board of Education in Farmington, CT, for ten years.  Jane grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, and later graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in history.

 

Jerry Guerrier, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED APCPA– Vice Chancellor of Facilities Management, North Carolina Central University

Jerry U. Guerrier has over 35 years of management, architectural design, project development, and construction administration experience prior to joining North Carolina Central University in December 2024. His professional career encompasses serving as a leader for firms located in New York and North Carolina, ultimately culminating as president and shareholder in a North Carolina-based architectural firm. From 2003 through 2019, Jerry had coordination and management oversight as Director (WTCC) and Assistant Director (UNC) leader facilitating and influencing the outcomes of State and County Capital Improvement Programs on behalf of the University and Community College Systems in North Carolina. This engagement resulted in approximately $2.3 billion of formal and informal project development for all design and construction delivery systems.

 

Dr. Jim C. Harper, II, Professor of History and Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies, North Carolina Central University

Driven by his desire to teach and inspire, Mount Olive, North Carolina native, Jim C. Harper, II, has spent over two decades sharing the knowledge needed to grow and succeed through lessons of the past. After his service in the United States Marine Corps, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree from North Carolina Central University and Ph.D. from Howard University. He has been employed at North Carolina Central University for over 20 years and is the recipient of multiple teaching awards including the University of North Carolina System’s Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award. He was selected as the Colonel Charles Young Trailblazer Award recipient which recognizes distinguished individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and commitment to the community, leadership, and youth. Currently he serves as a Professor of History and Associate Dean for the School of Graduate Studies at North Carolina Central University.

Dr. Harper’s research interests include African American and African education and independence movements in the 20th century. A co-authored manuscript entitled With Faith In God and Heart and Mind: A History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity was recently published with the University of North Carolina Press (January 2025). He has published one book, Western Educated Elites in Kenya, 1900-1963: The African American Factor and served as lead editor of Topics in the African Diaspora. He has published several peer-reviewed journal articles, and book chapters. He has also completed several Public History community engaged research projects including a Durham Beginnings, Digital Mapping Project, and a Durham Memories Oral History Project as well as two documentaries: Centennial History of the Beta Phi Chapter and 90 Year History of the Mighty Sixth District, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

 

Emily Faber Herndon, VP of Marketing & Business Development, C.T. Wilson Construction Co., Inc.

Emily joined CT Wilson Construction in 2013 after meeting Charlie Wilson in her Professional Practice class at NC State University, where she earned her degree in architecture. She began her construction career as a general laborer, gaining firsthand insight into the pace, sequencing, and complexity of commercial construction projects of varying scales and delivery methods.

She later received training in quality control and project management before transitioning in 2019 into CT Wilson’s first full-time marketing role. In 2025, she was promoted to Vice President of Marketing & Business Development.

In her role, Emily leads the company’s entire marketing program, including brand promotion and preservation, market research, development and implementation of the marketing plan and budget, oversight of technical staff and deliverables, coordination of marketing consultants, and analysis of the effectiveness of marketing initiatives. She supports lead generation and business development efforts, maintains an active presence in the community, and fosters external partnerships.

Emily also oversees company event planning and internal communications, and she collaborates with the leadership team to strengthen internal processes, elevate company culture, and support the strategic growth of both employees and the organization.

 

Dan Jewell, Principal/Regional Director of RDU Office, Thomas & Hutton

Coulter Jewell Thames, PA is a multidisciplinary firm offering Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering and Surveying services.  In 2022 CJT became the Durham/Raleigh office of Thomas & Hutton, offering the same and expanded services with a footprint all over the southeast.  Dan has served as Regional Director since that merger.

A native of Gary, Indiana, Dan received a degree in Landscape Architecture from Purdue University in 1981, worked the first part of his professional career in Houston, and he and the family relocated to Chapel Hill in 1985 for a better quality of life. 40 years later, he is still convinced that was the right move.

The firm’s work has been a broad mix of public and private sector projects.  This work has entailed parks, schools, residential communities, greenway trails, libraries, fire stations, office buildings and various site facilities.

Dan has served twice on the Board of the HBA of Durham Orange and Chatham Counties, as State Chapter President for the North Carolina Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Downtown Durham Inc, and currently sits on the Boards of Durham Central Park and Durham Area Designers, as well as various Durham and Chapel Hill related Chamber related committees and advisory commissions. He most recently served as a subcommittee chair of the Durham Housing Initiative Task Force.