 Warren
Redman-Gress, AFFA Executive Director
Warren was named the first Executive Director of AFFA
in October of 2001. He is one of the founders of AFFA
and has served on the board since its inception. Warren
holds a BA in History and a Masters in Divinity. He and his partner moved to South Carolina and
established RGA Logistics – US Customs Brokers. He
worked for 5 years as part-time administrator of a small
Episcopal Church; and concurrently, as program director
of a LGBT youth group in Charleston. He and his partner
of 23 years, Jim Redman-Gress, have one son, Cristopher.
Warren is currently a member of ACLU, NAACP, GLAAD,
Family Pride Coalition, NGLTF, HRC, National Notary
Assoc., Charleston Chamber of Commerce and Custom
Brokers Association. He has served on the boards of
Incest Survivors in New York and We Are Family here in
Charleston.
ALLIANCE FOR FULL ACCEPTANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 Sue
Weller, AFFA Board President
Sue Weller was born in Vietnam and was quickly
shipped to the US to be raised in Red Bank, NJ. She
relocated to the Charleston area Jan.2005 to seek fame
and fortune. She holds a B.A. in Fine Arts from
Montclair State University, NJ and a Masters in Non
Profit Management from Pratt Institute, NYC. Sue’s civic
involvement in the GLBT community include serving as
president of her college GLBT group, volunteering on the
HELPLINE for GAAMC (Gay Activist Alliance of Morris
County), cycling in the 2000 Boston/NYC AIDS Ride, and
producing a lesbian art show for Leslie Lohman Gay Art
Foundation in NYC.
 Jason
Guerra, AFFA Board Vice President
Jason is a native of Abingdon VA but landed in
Charleston in 1995 while serving in the United States
Air Force. In 1996 he was discharged under the "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue" policy. He spent the next
four years in Washington DC and two years in
Philadelphia before returning to Charleston in 2003. In
2008 he left his retail career of twelve years to return
to school full time. He plans on completing his degree
in Business Administration at the College of Charleston
in 2011, with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. Jason
looks forward to attending law school after that. He is
currently employed by Patrick Properties and is a member
of HRC, SLDN, GLAAD and the Leadership Charleston Class
of 2009. Jason enjoys house projects, bowling, working
out, cooking, wine and hitting the water on the boat or
Sea-Doo.
Jim Redman-Gress, AFFA Board Treasurer
Jim is responsible for “why don’t we do a
billboard?”!! Originally from Miller Place, NY, he has
lived in Charleston for 12 years. He’s the partner of
Warren Redman-Gress and the father of Cristopher
Redman-Gress. He has a BA in Marine Transportation
Economics from SUNY Maritime College and is President of
RGA Logistics, a U.S. Customs Broker firm. He lists his
honors received as: “Warren”! He is a member of LLDEF,
SCGLBG, SLDN, GLAAD, Family Pride Coalition, NGLTF, HRC,
Charleston Chamber of Commerce, Charleston Customs
Brokers Association and has served on the board of We
Are Family.
Barbara Hunt, AFFA Secretary
Barbara Ruth Hunt is a James Island girl, who grew up
and resides there. She goes by Barb or Barbaru as her
family and most friends call her. She attended Winthrop
College majoring in Physical Education. She has worked
as a Sr. Materials Planning Analyst and Systems Support
Administrator for the past 20 years. Barb lives
with Allison, her partner of 20 years, and their five
loveable dogs. Barb enjoys boating, mountain biking,
photography, and playing on the Three Dollar Bills
(Charleston’s only GLBT kickball team). For
relaxation, she enjoys gardening, reading, and swimming.
 Meredith
Earnest, AFFA Board
Meredith Earnest comes from the Center of the Universe
known as Marion, IN.
The
College of Charleston Women’s Basketball Team
brought her to the Charleston Area in 1997. She
graduated from the College of Charleston in 2000 with a Bachelor of
Arts in Media Communications and a minor in Spanish.
Meredith has worked for Millennium Financial Services
located in Daniel Island
for six years as a Commercial and Residential Mortgage
Consultant. She is active in the Cougar Club with
focused support in the Women’s Basketball Team.
She is also involved with other local organizations of
business and personal interest. Meredith enjoys
her life and resides in North Charleston in the
Park Circle Community.
Jan Gilbert, AFFA Board
Jan Gilbert is a native of the Charleston area.
She holds a BA in theatre and a BS in psychology from
the College of Charleston. Jan is a member of
Coastal Conservation League and a volunteer for Pet
Helpers. She is also active in the local theatre
community, working with companies such as Charleston
Stage and Footlight Players and also studies voice with
June Bonner. She is extremely excited to be
involved in this wonderful organization!
Cathy Godshall, AFFA Board
Cathy was born in Baltimore MD, but grew up in
Columbia SC. Cathy has a BA in government and
international studies/political science from USC, an MAT
in History from the Citadel and an MA in History
(Southern Cultural from the Citadel/University of
Charleston.
Cathy has taught at-risk youth, high school and college
level students, and has worked the Tri-county Literacy
Program. Cathy is currently a corporate trainer, and is
on the staff of Crisis Ministries.
 Mike
Schwarzott, AFFA Board
Mike was born in Medina, NY, and raised in
Lyndonville, NY a small town on the shores of Lake
Ontario, graduating in 1974. After graduation he
attended college for one semester then joined the US
Navy. He was stationed in Charleston in the mid 70’s
where he fell in love with the city. After being caught
with another sailor he was discharged for being gay and
he returned to NY where he was employed in 1977 by the
Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Batavia, NY. Mike
tried to fit into society and married for 9 years,
having a daughter and son from the marriage. After the
marriage ended with divorce, in 1989 he was promoted and
transferred to the Charleston VA Medical Center as a
Food Service Supervisor, and in 2006 receiving a
promotion to Manager Food Production. Since returning to
Charleston in 1989, he became active in 1994 in the GLBT
community, and has been an activist, jumping in with
both feet and never looking back. He has been active in
LGLA, AFFA, HRC, MCC, Open Door Christian Church, The
Progressive Network, SCEC, founding member and VP of the
SC Stonewall Democrats chapter. He was also the
chairperson of bringing the Aids memorial Quilt to
Charleston, Charleston remembers-Display of the AIDS
Memorial Quilt, as part of Piccolo Spoleto Festival in
1997 Before moving to Charleston he was the president of
the local union, AFGE-AFL-CIO at the Batavia, NY VA
Hospital for 6 years. Human rights and equality is in
his blood and a large part of who he is. He is a
grandfather to six grandsons and one granddaughter.
Susie Prueter, AFFA Past President
Susie was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, but
her family moved when she was young and she calls Little
Rock, Arkansas, home. She has been in Charleston for
five years. Before arriving in Charleston to work in the
Production Office with Spoleto Festival, USA, she worked
as a Company Manager for Broadway shows and touring
companies. Susie has a BA in Speech and Theatre from
Louisiana Tech University and a MFA in Arts
Administration from the University of Alabama. She is
currently a member of the Center for Women, Association
of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers (ATPAM), and
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
She has served as a labor negotiator and has done
training and development for ATPAM. She’s won academic
scholarships and honors, athletic honors and leadership
awards.
ALLIANCE FOR FULL ACCEPTANCE LEADERSHIP GROUP
Barbara Tuttle, Leadership
Group
Barbara Tuttle grew up in Clemson, SC, graduated from
Clemson University, and her blood continues to run
orange. She has lived in Charleston for the past
24 years and cannot imagine living away from the coast.
After working as a recreational therapist in the mental
health field and with senior citizens for some years,
she made the switch to the business world. She has been
a manager with The Sportsman’s Shop, a local sporting
goods store, since 1997. She and her partner of 22
years, Teresa, attended the very first business meeting
of AFFA and have been members ever since. Although they
have no children of their own, they have been active
participants of the AFFA Parenting Group and serve as
unofficial aunts to several of the children. Barbara is
an avid reader and also loves to travel to places she
has read about.
Rebecca Epstein, Leadership Group
Rebecca is a Charleston native and earned her
undergraduate degree from the University of South
Carolina. While at USC, she played soccer for the Lady
Gamecocks. She is currently in her third year at
Charleston School of Law and has absolutely no idea what
type of law she is going to practice after graduation.
She is one of the founders of Charleston Law's Alliance
for Equality, and is currently involved in getting the
Young Professionals Gay-Straight Alliance up and running
in Charleston. Rebecca enjoys cooking, playing soccer,
interior design, music and playing with her dog Karma.
Tiffany Jonas, Leadership Group
Aio Design founder Tiffany Jonas graduated magna cum
laude from the Missouri School of Journalism, a top
three journalism school, with a degree in advertising.
She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and
has taken coursework toward an MBA. She is a member of
Mensa, an organization for those who have tested in the
top 2% of the population on a standardized intelligence
test, and has been the two-time recipient of an 11-state
award for design, honored at the Chicago Book and Media
Show. The New York Times called one of her book designs
"well-produced and elegant." She is one of the
Charleston Regional Business Journal's 2008
Forty Under 40, an honor recognizing individuals who
have achieved professional success while contributing to
the Charleston community.
She has served in corporate leadership roles in
both marketing and human resources. She is a member of
the eMarketing Association and of the American Marketing
Association and its Charleston chapter, where she has
served on the SPARK! Awards Committee. She is also a
member of the Charleston Center for Women and of the
Alliance for Full Acceptance, where she serves on the
leadership committee. While she specializes in designing
online and offline marketing materials for business
clients, having worked with companies in nearly every
industry, her work has also been published in Charleston
Magazine, Charleston Home, the Charleston Regional
Business Journal, M.D. News, and House Calls magazine.
She currently contributes columns on the topic of
marketing in each issue of Toolbox, the magazine of the
Charleston Trident Home Builders Association, and the
e-publication
Small Business Charleston, and regularly speaks on
the topic of marketing design and advertising for the
Kauffman Foundation’s Charleston FastTrac
entrepreneurship program.
Michael Routzahn, Leadership Group
Michael is a native of Middletown, MD. Five years
ago Charleston captivated Michael, and he made the move
to its shoreline. He received a BA in psychology from
the College of Charleston, and was inducted into the Phi
Theta Kappa International Honors Society. Quickly after
graduating college, Michael joined Linda Ketner’s
Congressional campaign where he held the position of
finance assistant. Combining his love for psychology and
creativity, he later Joined Mosaic, his partner’s
business, as an coordinator and designer. He is
currently a member of the Human Rights Campaign,
Fetch-a-Cure and the Surfrider Foundation. Michael is an
outdoor and nautical enthusiast.
C. Douglas Warner, Leadership Group
Doug Warner is a graduate of Presbyterian College
with a BS degree in business administration and a
master’s of business administration from The Citadel.
He began his development career in the Charleston
region in 1989 as Manager of Economic Development for
the Trident Economic Development Authority.
He has served as the Executive Director for the
SC World Trade Center-Charleston, Deputy Director for
the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau,
Executive Director for the Roper Foundation, Business
Development Director for Hill Construction Corporation
prior to starting his own development company.
Doug served in the United States Army Reserves and was
deployed to the Persian Gulf during the first Gulf War.
He was selected to represent the United States
Army as the Army Jr. Officer to NATO for 1993. He was
the Reserve Officer’s Association National Jr. Officer
of the Year Finalist in 1992, 1995 & 1996.
He was also the S. C. Reserve Officer’s
Association, Jr. Officer of the Year for 1992 and 1996.
He currently serves on the Medical University of South
Carolina’s Children’s Hospital Board and is chair of the
Development Committee.
A active member of Grace Episcopal Church,
Presbyterian College Board of Trustees & Alumni
Association Board, S. C. State Ports Authority Advisory
Board Member, Charitable Society of Charleston-Founding
Member, Past President and Treasure, Log Cabin
Republican National Board of Trustees.
Doug is also a South Carolina licensed Auctioneer and
has raised more than $8 million during the past several
years for non-profits organization throughout the
Southeastern United States.
He holds a SC Auctioneers license and provides
this service pro-bono
to the benefit of non-profit organizations.
Elaine Jackson, Leadership Group
Born and raised in Lawrenceville, GA, Elaine
graduated from the University of Georgia in 1983 with an
A.B. in Criminal Justice. Elaine worked as a legal
assistant for SunTrust Banks in Atlanta for eleven
years.
Elaine has called Charleston "home" since 1995 and
attended the Medical Univ. of SC to obtain a Master of
Rehabilitation Sciences in Physical Therapy in 2001.
Elaine currently lives on James Island, with her partner
Susie Prueter, and her cat, Cinnamon. Elaine enjoys
hiking, photography, cooking and paddling her canoe
through the tidal creeks and rivers of the Lowcountry.
Johnna Murray, Leadership Group
Johnna grew up in
Murrells Inlet, SC
and shortly thereafter left to achieve a B.S. in Public
Relations at Columbia College
and subsequently, a Masters Degree in Business
Communications from Winthrop University.
Johnna has worked in the nonprofit and government
arena for approximately 15 years managing grants
development, special events and volunteer coordination.
Currently, she works with
Charleston
County government in the
Grants Administration Department assisting in special
projects ranging from workforce development to community
development and managing the Grants Development
Division.
She is particularly interested in strengthening the
community by providing technical assistance and capacity
building tools to grass root organizations.
She is a steadfast believer in the
Chinese Proverb: Give a (wo)man
a fish and you feed him/her for a day. Teach a (wo)man
to fish and you feed him/her for a lifetime.
Finally, Johnna is alumnae of Leadership
Charleston 2007 and the Nonprofit Leadership Institute
located at Francis Marion University.
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