J. Chong,
Board Member • She/Her/Hers • Asheville, NC
J Chong is a Chef who has worked at Katie Button Restaurants and is the founder of J. Chong Eats, a fast-growing and popular catering company. Her involvement in CSE’s work and projects supporting LGBTQ youth led to her board role. Prior to moving to Asheville, she has lived in Mississippi and Louisiana.
Ashley Arrington,
Board Secretary • She/Her/Hers • Asheville, NC
Ashley works for the NC Department of Health and Human Services and lives in Asheville, NC. She was part of the team that founded Blue Ridge Pride in 2008 in an effort to unify the ever-growing diversity of the Western North Carolina communities.
Yolany Gonell
Board Co-Chair • She/Her/Hers • Whitman, MA
Yolany Gonell is the Assistant Vice President, Student Success, Equity and Diversity at Bridgewater State University. She has spent her career in higher education providing services and support that emphasize student-centered learning and diversity education. Yolany was a lead LGBTQ+ community organizer during the years she lived in Western NC.
Kris Hermanns,
Vice Chair • Seattle, WA
Kris currently directs a consulting firm in Seattle, WA, and previously served as the CEO of the Pride Foundation and Executive Advisor of the Seattle Foundation. Kris has nearly two decades’ experience and expertise as a program manager, fundraiser, and non-profit administrator.
Reese Huffman,
Board Member • Asheville, NC
Reese is a social justice advocate who is passionate about furthering education and conversations on poverty, mass incarceration, affordable housing, housing policies, and equitable access, with a particular interest in how those issues affect marginalized populations. Reese is currently a real estate agent in Asheville, NC.
Martin Moore,
Board Co-Chair and Treasurer • He/Him/His • Asheville, NC
Martin is an attorney working in private practice and serves as a Buncombe County Commissioner. Previously, he served in the Buncombe County Public Defender’s Office. He brings to the CSE team a strong passion for criminal justice reform, equity issues, and engagement in local social justice and community service projects.
NOTE: CSE is in the process of recruiting 1-3 new Board Members who are expected to join in 2025.
