JASMYN, a nonprofit that supports Jacksonville-area LGBTQ+ youth, tapped Pennsylvania’s Ashley Coleman as its new CEO.
Coleman has about 10 years of leadership experience in advocacy, community health and youth empowerment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning and/or queer community.
“Ashley brings a powerful combination of experience, vision and heart,” board chairwoman Issis Alvarez said. “Her leadership reflects the values that have guided JASMYN for decades, and her commitment to youth-centered advocacy will help us move forward as an organization. We are confident she is the right leader for this next chapter.”
Coleman has a “deep respect” for the legacy of JASMYN’s first and longtime CEO Cindy Watson, who retired in December 2023, the nonprofit said. Watson was succeeded by Francisco Castro, who departed by mutual agreement after about six months, and then former board member and nonprofit consultant Tina Wirth as interim leader.
“Every young person deserves safety, dignity and the opportunity to thrive,” Coleman said. “I am committed to strengthening the systems of support that uplift LGBTQ+ youth and working alongside the amazing team at JASMYN and this community to build a future rooted in care, connection and possibility.”
Most recently, she led the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center in Allentown and previously held leadership roles at two Philadelphia organizations — Galaei, which serves the Latinx community, and the Mazzoni Center, an LGBTQ+ health and wellness center.
JASMYN was founded in 1992 as a Jacksonville support group for gay and lesbian youth. Three years later, Watson became the board chairwoman of the volunteer-run organization that is now a fully-staffed nonprofit supporting LGBTQIA+ teens and young adults aged 13 to 29 in greater Jacksonville.
For more information go to jasmyn.org.
bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Meet JASMYN’s new CEO for Jacksonville’s LGBTQ+ nonprofit
Reporting by Beth Reese Cravey, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
