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Kennon Feaster-Eytchison is a certified leader in diversity and inclusion, passionately committed to fostering an inclusive workplace environment. He spearheads the development of D&I strategies that drive innovation and build a strong sense of community.

Ken’s credentials include a Diversity & Inclusion Certification from Cornell, a Certificate in Gender and Sexuality; Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of Pittsburgh, and completion of the Diversity First ERG Academy via the National Diversity Council. He is currently the Office Administrator for the Presbytery of New Harmony, in Florence.

"Serving as the Director of Pee Dee Equality enables me to extend this mission beyond the corporate world. It allows me to contribute to a non-profit dedicated to fostering an inclusive atmosphere for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies in South Carolina’s Pee Dee region. This role is a natural extension of my professional and personal commitment to diversity and inclusion, and it brings me immense satisfaction to support and uplift this vibrant community."

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Originally from Oklahoma, Erica pursued her graduate studies in history in Texas and Florida. Since 2013, she has been a dedicated history professor, teaching in both Georgia and South Carolina. Erica is passionate about staying active, enjoying activities such as weightlifting, kickboxing, pickleball, and hiking. Her 3-year-old Shiba Inu, Bruno, is a constant source of joy.

 "As an ally, serving on the Pee Dee Equality Board is deeply important to me. It allows me to create supportive spaces for my LGBTQ+ students to thrive. Since joining the organization and the board, I have formed many wonderful friendships that bring immense joy to my life."

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A native of Illinois, Lance Weldy has lived in Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Michigan, and Germany before moving to Florence, SC, in 2008. He teaches college classes about literature and culture on a wide range of topics, including the queer community. He is currently the faculty sponsor for the Gender Sexuality Alliance student organization at his school.

“As a former fundamentalist, I never imagined I would one day be serving on the Pee Dee Equality Board, but I'm so glad I am. It feels great to be living authentically as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. I hope that I can help make South Carolina’s Pee Dee region inclusive and welcoming to all.”

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With a deep-rooted commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, Susan has been an active advocate since discovering her identity at 18 during college. Falling in love for the first time marked the beginning of a lifelong journey of support and activism.

As a newly graduated master’s social worker, Susan provided counseling to individuals with AIDS and their families, offering crucial support during challenging times. With a career spanning several decades, she has specialized as a trauma therapist and currently serve as a supervisor in an addictions clinic.

" I live with my wife, and our adult son and am dedicated to fostering a sense of community and healing within the LGBTQ+ population. I believe in the power of community to heal and am passionate about helping LGBTQ+ individuals build strong, supportive networks."

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Rev. Jennifer Hope Kottler (Jen) has a long history of advocacy and activism with and for the LGBTQIA+ community. As a non-profit Christian lobbyist in Illinois, she worked with Equality Illinois to pass the most inclusive human rights protections in the US. Jen has been in Florence since 2018 and began serving the John Calvin Presbyterian Church (JCPC) in 2020. She loves her church and is grateful that it extends welcome and affirms everyone as beloved of God. In addition to her service with Pee Dee Equality, she serves on the board of the Presbyterian Agency for Developmental Disabilities (PADD) and is involved with other community clergy in Helping Florence Flourish.

Before becoming the pastor at JCPC, she worked as a life and leadership coach, yoga teacher, retreat leader and consultant. Ordained in the 2003, Jen has served Protestant Christian congregations in Illinois and New York in addition to North and South Carolina. Her previous work includes serving as the Deputy Director of Protestants for the Common Good (Chicago IL), and Director of Policy and Advocacy at Sojourners in Washington, DC.

Jen is also an experienced yoga teacher (RYT-200) and loves teaching mindful movement and meditation classes. She is married to Rev. Gavin Meek, Executive Presbyter and Stated Clerk in New Harmony Presbytery (PCUSA) and enjoys swimming; walking her dog, Beau; yoga; entertaining family and friends; and traveling with Gavin. 

“One of the most rewarding parts of my ministry here is sharing with others in Florence that our church is space where all are welcome, all are affirmed and all are encouraged to serve and be a part of a Christian community that is constantly working to be more faithful and loving followers of Jesus.”

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A native of the Pee Dee, Lauren was born and raised in Florence. She received her BA in Mass Communications from Francis Marion University in 2000. She took a 10-year vacation from Florence, during which time she received her Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Greenville Technical College in Greenville, SC in 2013. On returning to Florence in late 2014, she began working in the operating rooms at McLeod Health in Florence. In 2021, she began a new role as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner for Durant Children’s Center. In 2022, she helped to start the Forensic Nurse Examiners Department at McLeod Health. The only formal program of its kind in the Pee Dee, this group of nurses care for patients that have experienced various types of physical trauma such sexual assault/abuse, domestic violence, non- domestic violence and human trafficking. This type of nursing allows Lauren to come in contact with and provide trauma-informed care for patients of all ages, ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations.

She holds Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner certifications in both the pediatric population (SANE-P) as well as in the adolescent/adult population (SANE-A) through the International Association of Forensic Nurses. When not directly caring for patients,

Lauren helps educate various agencies and publics, throughout the Pee Dee, on trauma-informed care as well as the innerworkings of violence against various demographics and communities. She has been a presenter at various regional and national conferences on topics of interest pertaining to various aspects of violence and sexuality.

When not working in her fields of nursing, Lauren enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also enjoys traveling, exercising, all things music, spending time outside (when weather permits), driving the backroads instead of the interstate, reading, watching/listening to crime documentaries & podcasts, attempting to cook/bake…and spoiling her godchildren.

“Being an ally and part of the Pee Dee Equality family has given me an avenue in which to help in cultivating safe spaces for our neighbors to exist as well as the opportunity to use my voice on behalf of individuals that either don’t have one, are afraid to use theirs, or need a little bit of amplification. I’ve listened to my dearest friends recount their experiences, growing up here in the Pee Dee, having to hide their true selves in order to survive, essentially. I’ve watched them dim their light on return visits, so as not to stand out as much. As a SANE nurse, I am well-versed in the statistics of higher rates of violence committed against members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I am also witness to the basic right of healthcare, in all of its forms, that should be available to them.

Caring for these patients has afforded me glimpses and insights into their everyday struggles and, along with the love for my LGBTQIA+ friends, has further anchored my belief that no one should have to beg, hide or dim their light just to exist. If I’m not using my voice on their behalf, what’s the point in having one?”

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Cindy is an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and proud to be a board member of Pee Dee Equality. She was especially thrilled to help plan the first Pride Event in the Pee Dee! Cindy enjoys connecting with people of all ages through her work at HopeHealth as the Manager of Volunteer Programs

🌈 #PrideInFlorence #LGBTQAdvocate #CommunityLove

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Jo Angela Edwins, a native of Aiken County, has lived in Florence for over 20 years and is the first poet laureate of the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. She is a Trustees Research Scholar and the Pee Dee Federal Savings Bank Professor of English at Francis Marion University, where she teaches creative writing, American literature, general literature, and composition. She is a past VIce Chair and member of the SC Humanities Board of Directors, past board member of the Poetry Society of South Carolina, and current board member and Fellowship Chair for the South Carolina Academy of Authors. Author of the poetry collection A Dangerous Heaven and the poetry chapbooks Play and Bitten, she has received poetry awards from WInning Writers, Poetry Super Highway, the Jasper Project, and the South Carolina Academy of Authors. She is co-director of the Pee Dee Fiction and Poetry Festival, held annually at Francis Marion University.

"Being an ally and a board member for Pee Dee Equality gives me opportunities to stand up for LGBTQ+ equality in our community at a time in our culture when human rights require more support than ever before in my lifetime. Over my many years of teaching, I've regularly worked with students who have felt marginalized for far too many reasons, including their sexuality, and I see the effects of prejudice and discrimination on their lives every semester. It is our duty as citizens to stand up for what is right and to ensure that no one in America feels disdained or disempowered because of who they are."

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Aesha Smith is from Florence, SC. She graduated from West Florence High School and went on to attend Lander University, where she majored in Business Administration with a focus on Healthcare Administration. During her time at Lander, she was an active member of the Black Student Union and gained valuable hands-on experience through her internship at Wesley Commons, a long-term care facility in Greenwood, SC. Aesha proudly graduated on May 1st, 2024, and soon after,  began her healthcare career at MUSC as a Case Management Assistant. This role not only deepened he knowledge of the healthcare field but also taught her a lot about herself. It was there she celebrated her 22nd birthday and embraced new challenges that shaped her professional growth. Currently she is the Community engagement coordinator for Amedisys home hospice in Florence and it has been a wonderful experience thus far.  Outside of work, she is a huge movie buff and have a passion for photography, which she enjoys as a creative hobby on the side. 

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, having an organization like Pee Dee Equality in my hometown of Florence means the world to me. Growing up here, I didn’t see many resources or spaces dedicated to supporting and uplifting LGBTQ+ individuals, whether young or old. Florence doesn’t have a long history of organizations like this, nor has there always been widespread support readily available for our community. That’s why Pee Dee Equality is so important—it provides a safe haven for those who need it most, a place where people can find acceptance, understanding, and a sense of belonging. I believe it’s crucial to embrace and uplift those who may feel alone or misunderstood, and I am honored to be a part of such an amazing organization filled with incredible individuals. I look forward to seeing all the positive changes Pee Dee Equality will bring to our community and the entire Pee Dee region.

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McKena recently moved to Florence with her husband in August 2024 to begin a new position as a postdoctoral researcher at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center with Clemson University. She is passionate about food security and climate resilient agriculture and is currently working with biologists and computational scientists to develop better data management strategies for plant breeders.

McKena moved to Florence from Michigan, where she recently got her PhD and was very active in her graduate school network. She was eager to serve the community in Pee Dee and work with like minded individuals to create more accessible spaces for LGBTQ+.