Savas Labs

Chris Russo

Chief Executive Officer

Chris made his first foray into the web when he was 11 years old, creating a site on geocities.com (young people won’t know what this is). He moved to the Triangle from Boston, MA in 2010 and shortly after that started a bicycle-powered organics recycling service he coined Tilthy Rich Compost, get it? Rooted in his passions for the environment and justice (a skosh above his affinity to write in the third person), bicycles are an inextricable element of Chris’s professional and personal life. Whether it be a 4-month ride across the U.S.A in 2008, biking from Boston to the White House to protest the Keystone XL Pipeline, leading a 100,000+ member bicycle/hospitality focused global nonprofit through a challenging transition, or simply riding into the Savas Labs office in downtown Durham each day, you’re likely to find Chris on or near a bike. Wave to him; he’s friendly. Chris constantly schemes on how to use his resources best to be a force for positive change. He’d love (and needs) your help!

Ben Eckerson

Chief Operating Officer

With more than 15 years of industry experience, Ben is a creative catalyst whose innate curiosity and enthusiasm inspires team members and clients alike to produce the most imaginative and powerful work possible. At Savas, Ben leads business development, marketing, and operational efforts. Prior to joining Savas, Ben spent six years at Viget leading digital engagements for NBC Sports, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Conservation International, Adult Swim, and Duke University.

Claudine Dusablon

Director, People & Experience

Originally from San Francisco, Claudine comes to us with 17 years experience in human resources—leading efforts in talent acquisition, employee relations, comp and benefits, compliance, and performance management. Her career in human resources include stints at McKinney and at VF Outdoor Americas as a corporate recruiter for The North Face, JanSport, Eagle Creek, and lucy activewear brands. Prior to landing in HR, Claudine spent 7 years in advertising—mostly in media planning and account management for ad agencies in Honolulu, HI and Fayetteville, NC. Claudine loves to read and is a big sports fan, wannabe foodie, and mama to two humans, two dogs and a cat.

Marc Herschberger

Growth Director

Marc comes to us with nearly a decade of experience within the digital agency world - having helped to build industry-leading services, high performing teams, and scalable systems that drove double-digit growth year over year. His passion for solving problems is only rivaled by his love to help those around him, making his focus on growth here at Savas a perfect intersection of his talents.