Marissa Chastain moved to Athens 15 years ago to pursue her undergraduate degree in Art Education. As so many others who experience Athens, she fell in love with the vibrant town and knew it was meant to be her home.

Marissa enjoys working with local businesses in her role as Director of Membership & Marketing with the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. She has previously served as Vice President of the Athens Pride Board for two years.

Marissa loves serving the Athens community and is committed to creating safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Marissa@AthensPride.com

Cameron served as our 2022 President, having served two terms previously as Vice President. His leadership, in conjunction with the support of the board, oversaw the merging of Athens Pride and Athens Pride and Queer Collective, the first-ever Athens Pride Parade, the proclamation of Pride Month by the ACC Government, the progress pride flag raised above city hall, and the installation of Athens Rainbow Crosswalk Intersection.

In addition to his work on advancing the rights and support for LGBTQIA2S+ people, he is actively involved in advocacy around homicide victims’ families rights through his local podcast, Classic City Crime.

He is employed with Cox Media Group/Athens Radio, where he is an account manager and media consultant. In his rare spare time, he enjoys long naps with his cats, Mildred and Judith!

Cameron@AthensPride.com

Kiersten has lived on the outskirts of Athens for over a decade and has always been an active member of the community! She and her wife decided to join the board together so that they could volunteer for the LGBTQIA+ community that has always embraced them, expanded their networking of friends, and helped spread love and acceptance to those who are in need. She loves interacting and socializing with people from all walks of life and enjoys getting to hear their stories. She hopes to bring some comedic joy into the lives of everyone she meets!

Kiersten@AthensPride.com

Kenny is a life-long Athens resident. You may also know Kenny by his drag persona, Karmella Macchiato. Kenny has been a drag performer in Athens for seven years and is the host and co-director for The Kourtesans - an Athens-based drag troupe. In addition to working with APQC, Kenny and The Kourtesans have also helped raise money and awareness for other non-profit organizations, such as Project Safe, Trans Housing Atlanta Project, and Boybutante AIDS Foundation, Inc. You can catch Kenny performing every month in Athens! He’s the pretty, blonde one!

Kenny@AthensPride.com

Jarrett Martin has served Athens Pride and Queer Collective in multiple capacities including President and Vice President. He is a REALTOR with Corcoran Classic Living and heavily supports APQC by helping us create genuine sponsorship connections in our communities to affect change!

Jarrett@athenspride.com

Ross was born and raised in Elberton, Georgia. Due to his close proximity to Athens, he spent several years here in his adolescent and adult life. After moving away for many years, he came back to realize that there was a community he did not know existed, aka, a gay community and APQC. Now that he’s back, he wants the kids in Athens and surrounding areas to know that there is a place for them and that they are not alone.

Ross@AthensPride.com

“I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and came to Athens in 1988 to attend UGA, where I graduated with a degree in English. Before I officially called Athens my home, I moved around to Colorado, Winston Salem, and Knoxville, but between every move, I always landed back in Athens. When we returned here 8 years ago, I decided that this was our forever home and community. Athens is my place, and my people. I am a realtor; I live in Five Points with my husband, and my two sons currently attend the University of Georgia. Outside of work, I love hiking, biking, gardening, cooking, and spending time with my friends and family. I am excited and honored to get to be a part of the Athens Pride board and believe we will have the opportunity participate in and help shape meaningful growth and opportunities in our community. “

Melissa@AthensPride.com

Trent Farr moved from L.A. to Athens on day one of the pandemic so you may not recognize him without a mask. He works remotely as a Creative Director and Copywriter in the entertainment marketing industry, contributing to launch campaigns for major film and television properties. He is also a Creative Director for Most Likely To, a marketing agency in San Francisco, where he creates advertising campaigns for purpose-driven clients and civic efforts. In addition to his work with Athens Pride, he also serves as a Trustee for Children’s Community School, a progressive elementary school in L.A. Trent is an avid traveler and has lived in such far-flung locales as Alaska, Hawaii, England, and Sweden.

Trent@AthensPride.com

Leandro is a film and TV writer/director and an Assistant Professor for the Masters of Fine Arts in Film, TV and Digital Media at UGA. Originally from Brazil, Leandro moved to the US to pursue his MFA in Film & TV Production at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, in Los Angeles. In 2018, he relocated to Athens, GA and since this time he’s focused on supporting the diverse voices of his UGA students.

leandro@athenspride.com

sarah@athenspride.com

Vito grew up in Coastal Georgia before moving to Athens to attend the University of Georgia, where she earned a double major in Psychology and Sociology. Like many others, she fell in love with the Classic City and has now called Athens her home since 2009.

In her spare time, Vito enjoys hiking with her partner Haley and their two fur babies, Ramsey and Idgie. She also enjoys gardening and kayaking in the summer. She is currently the Volunteer Impact Coordinator at the Athens Area Humane Society and is loving her new role.

Being in the 2022 LEAD Athens class gave her the determination to be more involved in the community and Athens Pride and Queer Collective seemed like the perfect fit! She hopes this will allow her to learn more and to better advocate for inclusion for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Vito@athenspride.cm

lashon@athenspride.com

Hi! My name is Bert Ballard-Myer (She/Her) I am retired from working in construction at AT&T for 33 years. I have been an out and active member of my church for over 20 years. I have experience in working with children, fundraising, and community outreach. I am so excited to be a member of the APQC board. I envision Athens to be a safe, inclusive, and positive place for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

bert@athenspride.com

russel@athenspride.com

Cody Nichelson came to Athens in 2010 to attend college at the University of Georgia. Within a few short months, he knew Athens was home. Fast-forward to today, Cody and his husband, Ben, have firmly planted roots in the Classic City. They now live in Athens’ Newtown neighborhood and are co-founders of Fully Financial, a local financial planning firm.

After graduating top of his class from UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Cody started his career at a marketing communications agency, where he ultimately led the agency’s Athens office and contributed to campaigns for national, regional, and local clients.

Following seven-plus years at the agency, Cody entered the fee-only financial planning industry, drawn to the possibility of helping improve financial literacy and economic prosperity for more people and families in the Athens community.

In addition to his work with Athens Pride and Queer Collective, Cody serves as president of the board of directors for Athens Area Habitat for Humanity, as a member of the Athens Kiwanis Club, and as an advisor to the Georgia Key Club board of directors. Cody is also an alumni of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce’s LEAD Athens program and was named one of Athens’ Top 10 Under 40 in 2023.

Cody is a big sports fan — especially college football — and enjoys rooting for his favorite teams: the Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Braves, and Atlanta Falcons. He also likes to visit local coffee shops (in Athens and when traveling), take long walks around Athens, and spend time with his family, including his three rescue dogs — Finn, Delilah, and Chance.

cody@athenspride.com