Our staff

Beverly C. Dusso, Executive Director/President, was hired to lead Harriet Tubman Women's Shelter in 1989. During her tenure annual operations have increased from $700K to $7M, a new facility was built, and the focus of the agency was broadened from crisis intervention to include prevention. Beyond intervention programs, services include: transitional family support; jobs, education and training partnerships; housing at Tubman and on the community agenda; educational and emotional assessments for children and youth both in residence and in community; and introducing key counseling programs for men, women, and children. Key Community Education and prevention work began in 1993 with media staff and a new focus on volunteers. In 2000, Ms. Dusso initiated discussions to consolidate the Metro's two largest domestic violence service and education agencies, and instituted a new culture and service methodology within the organization. Finally, bringing the work and methodology to a statewide and national level substantially focused on public prevention education. Formerly, Ms. Dusso led other non-profit ballet companies in Miami, Houston, and the Twin Cities. In all cases, capital projects were involved. She holds a Bachelors degree in music from the University of Kentucky, and a Masters from the Bolls Center for Arts Administration, Graduate School of Business, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Resmaa Menakem, M.S.W., Director of Counseling Programs, has more than 14 years experience working with families and individuals facing complex life situations, particularly with people of color.  He currently serves as director of counseling programs at Tubman Family Alliance in Minneapolis.  Menakem helped develop and implement the Holistic Counseling Program, a nationally recognized, innovative program that addresses the intrapersonal process used to heal men and women who behave abusively.  He developed Tubman’s curriculum that addresses core structural issues including violence, racism, and oppression and manages a staff that facilitate the curriculum with clients.  He has previous experience at many social service organizations and is a founding member of the Stay Alive Project, a multi-agency collaborative focused on ending violence among male youth of African descent.  Menakem has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin—La Crosse. 

Randy Schubring, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, is responsible for all public information and education initiatives. His primary tasks include promoting the services of the agency, the message of family violence prevention and managing the agency's government affairs initiatives. Mr. Schubring has 18 years of experience in public relations and government affairs. Past experience includes work as the communications manager for public policy at Allina Health System, communication director for a professional trade association, and as an editor for a community newspaper. He is currently a contributing columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press. Most recently Mr. Schubring served as the political director for former mayor Sharon Sayles Belton. He has a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Journalism from the University of Minnesota.

Jen Polzin, Director of Strategic Initiatives, joined Tubman Family Alliance (then Family Violence Network) in 1992. She has served in a variety of capacities working with clients, volunteers, community members and staff. Her current responsibilities include leading interdepartmental program activities, strategic planning, and serving through community collaborations and outreach activities.

Ms. Polzin also taught in the Department of Human Relations at St. Cloud State University as an adjunct faculty member for eight years. Her undergraduate degree is in Speech Communications and she earned her Master's of Arts in Organizational Leadership from the College of St. Catherine in 2003, where her graduate thesis focused on using therapeutic humor with clients and one another in non-profit organizations.