EVITARUS - Rodrego A. Byerly and Shakari Byerly - MPSDS Professional Development - November 15, 2023

ABOUT EVITARUS—OUR MISSION, TEAM & COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY
EVITARUS is a full-service public opinion research firm that delivers actionable data and strategic
advice to foundations, public agencies, universities and research institutes, non-profits, campaigns,
businesses, and other policy stakeholders.

Our mission is to illuminate, elevate, and amplify the voices of everyday people, providing
communities with a voice in decision making on issues that impact their quality of life.

EVITARUS is committed to actualizing diversity and equity in our team and work. Our diverse
team of researchers, as indicated by racial and ethnic identity, gender, generation, and national
origin, is led by Shakari Byerly, Managing Partner, who has more than 20 years of experience in
policy and public opinion research.
Our diversity is also built with intent and focus—our ethno-racial identities include African
American, Haitian, Armenian, Latino, Jewish, Chinese, Indian, Filipino, and White. 53% of our
staff identifies as women, while 47% identify as men. Importantly, each professional has lived
experience, which informs and couples with our expertise in conducting qualitative and
quantitative research.

We have deep expertise conducting local, statewide, and national research on issues that are
top of mind for community members across the country, including:
▪ Economic security (jobs, cost of living, and inflation);
▪ Inequality—expanding economic opportunity and closing the wealth gap;
▪ Voting and election integrity;
▪ Racism and discrimination;
▪ Mental health;
▪ Housing affordability;
▪ Community safety and violence prevention;
▪ Climate;
▪ Health, and health care;
▪ Racial equity;
▪ Education; and
▪ Homelessness, among other issues.

SHAKARI BYERLY

Shakari Byerly is Managing Partner of EVITARUS. Ms. Byerly has more than 20 years of experience designing and conducting survey and focus group research. Ms. Byerly has served as a pollster for political candidate, ballot measure, and independent expenditure campaigns, and a host of cities, counties, special districts, local school districts, community college districts, colleges and universities, non-profits, and foundations across the country.

Ms. Byerly has conducted research for Senator Kamala Harris in her Primary bid for the U.S. Presidency, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, the late Boston Mayor Tom Menino, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, a host of members of State Legislatures, and the Democratic Party, among others.

Her research has encompassed homelessness, voter mobilization and turnout, health, racial equity, ballot measure campaigns, community safety, housing, criminal justice reform, conservation and climate action, anti-racism, transportation, and political reform.

Prior to EVITARUS, Ms. Byerly was a Senior Vice President at FM3, a national opinion research and strategy firm. In addition, Ms. Byerly has served as a Policy Consultant to members of the California State Legislature and the Manager of the California Governance Project at the Center for Governmental Studies (CGS).

Ms. Byerly earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from UCLA’s Political Science Department where she is Ph.D. candidate, a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, and a Bachelor’s degree, Cum Laude, in Government from Dartmouth College where she was an Andrew Mellon Fellow.

Ms. Byerly is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), the American Political Science Association (APSA), and the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS). Ms. Byerly’s scholarly work has appeared in the Journal of Urban Affairs and the Congressional Black Caucus’ Journal of the Center for Policy Analysis and Research.

RODREGO A. BYERLY
Rodrego Byerly is the Founder, President, and CEO of EVITARUS. Mr. Byerly has more than 20 years of research, and
strategy experience, and charts the firm’s strategic course.

He also provides oversight of research implementation and operations and has executed research on behalf of local, state, and national campaigns, as well as research pertaining to resident attitudes toward a range of policy issues—including housing and development, civic engagement, volunteerism, racial equity, mental health, marketing and public awareness, climate, community safety, homelessness, health, criminal justice reform, 
education, and transportation.

Mr. Byerly led a three-phase study of nearly 1,000 Oaklanders on behalf of West Oakland Health Services, in partnership with Asian Health Services, that is focused on violence as a public health concern. The research was designed to gain insight into the perceptions of Black Oaklanders about violence in the city, the strengths and challenges faced by Black residents, and how these factors intersect with anti-Black racism and anti-Asian hate.

He also co-led the design and implementation of Listening to Black Californians, the three-phase study of over 3,500 Black Californians designed to understand their experiences of racism and health care. The research was supported by and conducted on behalf of the California Health Care Foundation.

Mr. Byerly has also overseen research conducted for United Way, East Bay Asian Youth Center, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), African American Civic Engagement Project (AACEP), Coalition to Repeal Three Strikes, The Mervyn M. Dymally African American Political & Economic Institute at California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). Other clients have included University of Michigan, California Healthcare Foundation, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Department of Public Health, Annenberg Foundation, City of Oakland, and the City and County of Los Angeles.

Mr. Byerly is a member of the California Volunteers Commission. He earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration at Columbia University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Government at Dartmouth College.