Our Team
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Daunasia Yancey
Daunasia Yancey is the founder of The Rest Rail. She is a Black queer femme leader who has been organizing for justice since childhood—starting the first Gay-Straight Alliance in a Massachusetts public middle school. She founded the Boston chapter of the Black Lives Matter Grassroots Network in 2014, leading mass mobilizations and policy advocacy for Black communities. Daunasia also traveled to Rio de Janeiro to spotlight anti-Black state violence ahead of the Olympic Games. Today, she serves as Deputy Director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA2S+ Advancement in Boston, working to empower, protect, and uplift LGBTQIA2S+ residents citywide.
Co-Founder & Chief Financial Officer
Diana Nichols
Diana Nichols is the Finance Director of The Rest Rail, where she directs the organization’s fiscal strategy and long-term scaling initiatives. A seasoned Fortune 50 corporate finance leader, Diana holds a Masters in Economics and an MBA in Finance & Entrepreneurship from Georgia Tech. Diana is an entrepreneur and organizer at heart, having successfully co-founded Vroom Vroom Escape Room, where she honed her ability to scale innovative, experience-based operations. She views finance as a tool for empowerment and uses her dual perspective as a corporate finance expert and small business founder to navigate the complexities of organizational growth and financial sustainability.
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Advisory Board Member
Dara Shakhanava
Dara Shakhanava is a marketing specialist and creative strategist with over seven years of experience building brands, launching businesses, and growing communities. She has led grand opening campaigns for minority-owned businesses including The Pearl Boston, Apex Rooftop Bar & Lounge, Dani's Queer Bar, Marky's Caviar Boston, and MD Esthetics Woburn, developing everything from brand identity and websites to social media, press strategy, and event marketing. Beyond client work, Dara has collaborated to co-produce Boston's first public Queer Immigrant Panel. As a queer Belarusian immigrant herself, she brings personal investment and professional precision to work that centers people who are often overlooked. She joined The Rest Rail's advisory board because she knows firsthand that rest is not a reward, it is what makes the work possible.
Advisory Board Member
Dr. Dana Nichols
Dr. Dana Nichols brings over 20 years of systemic leadership and educational expertise to her role as an advisor for The Rest Rail. Currently the Assistant Superintendent for Harvey School District 152, Dana specializes in large-scale curriculum design, innovative program initiatives, and complex grant management. With a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and a Chief School Business Official license, Dana’s research on school board governance provides a unique roadmap for organizational effectiveness. She can leverage this deep understanding of institutional behavior and capacity building to drive strategic growth. An active real estate investor and multi-property owner, Dana blends her professional rigor with a personal passion for property development and community investment.
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Advisory Board Member
Dori Bowling
With a career spanning two decades in the mental health field, Dori Bowling brings an unparalleled depth of clinical and supervisory experience to The Rest Rail. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a Master’s from Loyola University, Dori currently serves as the Vice President of Quality Assurance for Pathlight Behavioral Health. In this executive capacity, she ensures the highest levels of clinical integrity and safety across complex behavioral health systems. Dori’s advisory approach is rooted in Self Psychology, focusing on self-esteem regulation and systemic support. Having led transitional living programs and domestic violence advocacy initiatives, she understands the vital importance of creating "judgment-free zones" within institutional frameworks. Her mission at The Rest Rail is to leverage her leadership in quality assurance to ensure every program is not only clinically sound but inherently Rider-centered, meeting individuals exactly where they are in their journey toward rest and healing.
Advisory Board Member
Charnette Robinson
Charnette Robinson is a distinguished leader in public safety and systemic reform, bringing decades of executive experience to The Rest Rail’s advisory board. A retired Commander with the Metropolitan Police Department (District of Columbia), Charnette has managed high-stakes operations across the Office of Homeland Security, the Youth Investigations Division, and the School Safety and Security Division. As the current Vice Chair for the Mount Rainier Police Review and Advisory Board, Charnette is a leading voice in community-led oversight and organizational transparency. Her work is deeply rooted in youth advocacy, specifically in creating diversionary pipelines that steer young people away from the criminal justice system toward educational and employment opportunities. With an M.A. in Executive Leadership from Johns Hopkins University and FEMA/CERT certifications, Charnette provides The Rest Rail with unmatched expertise in crisis response, strategic community partnerships, and social equity.
