Meet the AFFA Leadership Team

Chase has been featured in the media, on various podcasts and included in a web series sharing his story and experiences as a trans man. He has served on various nonprofit boards and committees specific to his work in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as relating more broadly to his work in diversity, equity and inclusion. 

An Illinois native and South Carolina resident since 2006, Chase holds a B.A. in religion from Belmont University as well as an M.A. in counseling from Webster University.  Chase is a Furman University Diversity Leaders Initiative Riley Fellow, class of 2018; and a Liberty Fellow, Class of 2023. He and his wife, Colleen, live in the Charleston, South Carolina area with their two children.

Being passionate about equity and social justice, Ashley ran for Mayor of North Charleston in 2019 where she championed better LGBTQ+ representation, city-level hate crime legislation, inclusive city development, and policies that would uplift and support the city’s underprivileged and vulnerable populations. She was the first woman and first out LGBTQ+ candidate in the history of the seat. In 2022, Ashley was a candidate for Charleston County School District Board of Trustees, where she was endorsed by the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and advocated for inclusion and equitable student outcomes.

Ashley resides in Park Circle with her wife, Jess, who owns a small business in the area. Jess and Ashley are parents to three amazing children, Emmeline, Archer, and Leighton, and in their free time, the family enjoys outings around the neighborhood and in the Charleston area’s many parks.

Prior to moving to Charleston, and joining Garden & Gun in November 2013, Bryant held positions at Condé Nast, Meredith Corporation, and Hearst, working with publications such as Bon Appétit, Harper’s Bazaar, Martha Stewart Living, and Vanity Fair.

She has been working as the CFO of a tech services company that she and her husband started over 20 years ago.  She recently retired as CFO, but is still actively involved in the company as an owner.  Before her tech career, she worked for the Department of Defense where she managed a team of financial analysts.  She has her Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina and her BA in Political Science from Adelphi University in NY.

Catherine is an active member of the Democratic Party here in Charleston.  She is passionate about social issues – particularly involving women and the LGBT community.  She is an adventurous traveller and is always in the middle of planning her next family trip.  She has been a beekeeper for the past 6 years and is an active member of the Charleston beekeeping community.  Catherine and her husband Mike have three sons – Michael (23), Nick (21) and Joey (14).  

Ronald is a strong believer in the power of community. He is committed to using his voice and platform to speak out against discrimination and violence against LGBTQ people. Ronald is also a strong advocate for LGBTQ youth. He believes that all LGBTQ youth deserve to have access to safe and supportive spaces.

As a gay man, Ronald is passionate about AFFA’s mission to achieve, nurture, and defend equality and full acceptance for LGBTQ people. He believes that everyone deserves to feel safe and supported, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Ronald is committed to making a difference in the lives of LGBTQ people.

In his free time, Ronald enjoys exploring new vegan dishes and spending time with his dog and cat.

Bailey graduated from Strayer University with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. She enjoys spending time with her wife Keimani and kids Destiny and Bradley.

After graduating with a BA in Mass Communications/Advertising in 2004, Jonah moved to Atlanta to begin his professional career at OMD Worldwide, a global advertising agency, as a Broadcast Media Buyer/Negotiator. In 2009, Jonah’s professional journey led him to Chicago to continue his work at OMD as a Digital Strategist on the National McDonald’s account. In 2013, Jonah landed at Vevo, a digital music video platform, which paved his way to New York City as Vevo’s Senior Director of Account Management. 

In 2018, Jonah decided to make a huge career change, giving up his advertising career in NYC to move home to South Carolina in pursuit of his dream of working in the healthcare field. While in Spartanburg, Jonah become involved in the Upstate’s LGBTQ+ community, volunteering for Upstate Pride SC and Pride Link. In 2019, Jonah joined the Upstate Pride SC Board of Directors and served as their Pride Director, introducing the Upstate to it’s first-ever 10-day Upstate Pride Week. 

Jonah moved to Charleston, SC in 2020 to complete his career transition at MUSC’s College of Nursing. While studying at MUSC (during a global pandemic), Jonah developed a passion for mental health. He also served as President of the MUSC Student Alliance for Equality (SAFE) and volunteered with SHAPE (Sexual Health Awareness Prevention Education) Tri-County, where he continues to serve as a member of their Community & Outreach workgroup. Jonah graduated with a BSN in May 2021 and is now a Psychiatric/Mental Health Registered Nurse at MUSC’s Institute of Psychiatry (IOP). Meanwhile, he is pursuing a DNP in Psych-Mental Health at MUSC, with a goal to provide valuable mental health services within the LGBTQ+ community as a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. 

In his spare time, Jonah loves spending time with his rescue dog, Barnaby, exploring and enjoying Charleston with his partner, Ray, and keeping in touch with his family and friends in the Upstate and across the country. 

Kenneth first became involved in lgbtqia advocacy while serving as publicity chair for BGLSA (now IRIS) at USC Columbia. Since then, he has served as a board member for the Gay and Lesbian Business Guild (2008-2011), SC Pride (2008-2013), CHS Pride (2022-2024), and as Vice President for CSOL’s Alliance for Equality and volunteered with various other associations.

Having come out during a time when lgbtqia people had very few safe places to go out and be themselves, Kenneth is a staunch supporter of queer spaces and queer nightlife. As a member of the AFFA Board, he hopes to continue to be a positive example for the community, while raising awareness of issues that affect us.

Perk founded and runs, Fruits Roll Up, a community group dedicated to organizing monthly skate meetups that offer a space for queer, bipoc, fem, and all marginalized groups to safely skate. She lives in Park Circle with her wife Olivia and their three cats – Bowie, Indy, and Mow Mow.