When our public school communities thrive, all of Durham can thrive. The WHOLE Schools Movement is for our whole community.

WHOLE Schools is a community-led effort. Our innovative whole-schools approach involves public school communities, community-rooted partner organizations, and people with lived experiences.

Meet the Team

  • Taylor Outler

    Program and Partnerships Manager

    Taylor leads the Community Mental Health Education Series and oversees all aspects of the WHOLE Schools initiatives. Taylor is a current second year candidate at UNC-Chapel Hill for a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Health Equity, Social Justice, and Human Rights. Taylor is an experienced non-profit worker with emphasis in mental health, equity, and accessibility to resources. She has expertise in public speaking, large and small programming for events (including service projects, conferences, festivals, staff events, and more), project management, and community outreach/advocacy.

  • Brianna Tuscani

    Senior Manger of Wellness Services

    As a recent Durham Public Schools educator, certified Integrative Health Coach & Registered Yoga Teacher, Brianna Tuscani comes alongside our community as we seek to be and become all that we were meant to be, fully supported, seen and empowered all the way of life's ups and downs. As an Afro-Latina, Brianna knows how important centering culturally sustaining, restorative, trauma-informed/ healing-centered practices in and out of the classroom, in both personal lives and in professional livelihoods which uphold the lives we engage with all year long.

    Joining the WHOLE Schools Team here in Durham, she supports local educators, students and community members with integrative wellbeing and equity at the center, in the most immediate, relevant and engaging ways possible. Brianna has a Master of Arts in Teaching from Duke University and is in the process of becoming a Board-certified integrative health coach through the NBHWC.

  • Nneka Anagor

    Communications Coordinator

    Nneka is a DPS Alum who received her diploma and Associates through Middle College High School at Durham Tech. She's a senior at NCCU and is looking forward to completing her undergraduate and going into grad school to get her masters. She hopes to change the world by creating a safe space for adolescents to come where there is an abundance of resources to contribute to their mental health in a positive way.

WHOLE Schools Movement Leadership

  • Movement Leadership

    VISION & STRATEGY

    Overseeing the implementation of the initiative’s vision and strategy, recommends funding allocations to the DPS Foundation Board and makes final decisions for implementation based on Council’s and partners’ recommendations.

    Debra Clark Jones, Associate Vice President for Community Health, Duke University Health System

    Dr. LaVerne Mattocks-Perry, Senior Executive Director, Student Support Services, Durham Public Schools

    Erika Wilkins, Executive Director, DPS Foundation

  • Campaign Co-Chairs

    FUNDS & SUPPORT

    Raising $3.5 million and building community support for WHOLE Schools.

    Zack Hawkins, DPSF Board Co-Chair; NC State Representative; Director of Development, Student Affairs, UNC-Chapel Hill; DPS Parent

    Diana McNeill, MD, Physician, Duke University; Associate Dean, Duke AHEAD; National Steering Group, Collaborative for Renewal and Healing in Medicine; Parent of DPS graduates

    Bettina Umstead, DPS Board of Education Chair; Associate and Equity Leadership, Coach, The Equity Collaborative

  • Advisory Council

    DEFINITION & RECOMMENDATIONS

    Recommending strategies and advising throughout implementation.

    Council Co-Chairs

    Dr. Richard Chung, Director of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Duke Health, DPSF Board Member, current DPS Parent

    Tianna Judd, Durham Tech student, Youth Consultant for the City of Durham Office on Youth

    Members:

    Dawn X. Henderson, Village of Wisdom, Director of Participatory Research & Power Building

    Ann Oshel, Alliance Health, Community Health & Well-Being

    Jess Bousquette, Durham County Public Health, Adverse Childhood Experience and Resilience Coordinator

    Ashley Bennetone, Character Strong, School Support Specialist, former DPS Employee and current DPS Parent