Our Team

Members of the Haddon Township Equity Initiative have partnered with a team of local LGBTQIA+ community members and allies to lead the planning efforts, forming the HT Pride Steering Committee.

Isis Williams

she/her/hers

President, HTEI

Isis is a cofounder of the Haddon Township Equity Initiative and has served as the Board President since its inception. Isis found her life forever changed in 2020, and vowed to do her part to make her corner of this world better for all those who reside in it.

Isis believes in the power of community and connection to make long standing change. That as individuals, we have a personal obligation to uphold an environment where all can flourish and meet their full potential, while feeling supported in doing so. An accountant by trade and the Executive Director for a Minority owned Philadelphia based CPA firm, Isis believes that representation matters and is a critical component in change that will result in equitable access, diversity of thought leadership and empowerment  of individuals historically marginalized in our society.  

Isis is a resident of Haddon Township and serves on the Haddon Township School District Equity Committee in addition to leading the Haddon Township Parent Equity Group.  She has dedicated over 20 years to philanthropy and civic service, including her current roles as a Board member for the Haddon Township Board of Education, C.O.L.L.A.B., and the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union.

In 2022, Isis was honored for her leadership with HTEI and the inaugural Haddon Township Pride Parade + Events and was a recipient of the 2022 Camden County Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Medal.

Becky Reiser

she/her/hers

Vice President, HTEI

Becky is a contemporary artist who works and lives in Haddon Township, NJ, with her husband and their three children. In between earning her BFA from Pennsylvania State University and her MFA from Syracuse University – both with a concentration in Sculpture – Becky worked as the Director of the Public Art Academy’s Artist-in-Residence Program at the Pajama Factory in Williamsport, PA.

Her work crosses disciplines – often introducing sound, performance and video to compose space and activate objects (found or constructed) – as she pushes her viewers to examine the desire that connects objects and people. Becky’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at galleries such as KHB Weissensee, Berlin, Germany; 25CPW Gallery, New York, NY; Brooklyn Artists Gym, Brooklyn, NY; and SUArt Galleries, Syracuse, NY.

As cofounder and Vice President of the Haddon Township Equity Initiative, Becky has begun the push for real equitable change across her community – focusing on relationship building, connectivity, and collaboration to create more inclusive spaces where everyone has equal opportunity to thrive. Becky was a guest on The Kinswomen Podcast, Episode 24, Be Like Becky, and a recent visiting artist at Penn State’s School of Visual and Performing Arts where she gave a lecture titled, An Intersection of Art, Activism, and Motherhood.

Carrie Cole

she/her/hers

Secretary, HTEI

Carrie is a lifelong resident of Haddon Township, co-founder of HTEI, and currently serves as the Board Secretary.

Carrie spent a decade working at PHH Mortgage in Marketing & Communications, returning to school in 2011 as part of the first cohort of Rowan University's Urban Teacher Residency Program. Through this program, Carrie earned a M Ed in Teacher Leadership and fulfilled her dream of teaching in Camden. She has spent the last 12 years serving students and families in Camden both as a teacher and school leader. Carrie currently works as the Senior Manager of Special Projects for the Camden City School District.  

Carrie is proud to work alongside the other members of the Haddon Township Equity Initiative to recognize, understand, honor, and celebrate the beauty of diverse people, ideas, and lifestyles within our community.

Bryan O'Donnell

he/they

Treasurer, HTEI

Bryan serves as the Treasurer of the Haddon Township Equity Initiative, striving to build a community that values and respects all people, regardless of their background or identity. As a resident of Haddon Township, Bryan acknowledges the Lenape people as the rightful owners of the land. They are a strong advocate for anti-racism and anti-discrimination policies and practices that center the experiences of historically marginalized individuals and communities.

As a learning strategist at PwC, Bryan brings valuable expertise in environmental social governance, sustainability, and technology risk and assurance to their role. Bryan also serves as the President of Torch Leadership Academy, a non-profit organization that runs a leadership program at Stockton University focused on servant leadership development in high school students and young professionals.

Bryan believes that true progress and positive change require an unwavering commitment to equity and justice for all people. Through their work with the Haddon Township Equity Initiative, Bryan is dedicated to building a community that is inclusive, diverse, and equitable for everyone.

Philip ‘Pip’ Haxby-Thompson

he/him/his

Board Member, HTEI

Pip co-runs JFKLiving with his husband Jeremiah - an LGBTQ+ owned real estate team, located right in the heart of Haddon Township. They love promoting the neighborhood and local businesses; and continue to fight for fair housing practices throughout the area and the U.S. 

Originally from the U.K., Pip has a background in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is also a trained sommelier. His involvement with the inaugural Pride celebrations in Haddon Township was one of the most rewarding things he has ever done, and he is thrilled to join the Haddon Township Equity Initiative. 

Brendan Slavin

he/him/his

Board Member, HTEI

Small business owner of Brendan's Bare Feat Ceramics, born and raised in Haddon Township class of 2003. After graduating, lived up and down the east coast from Savannah to NYC before making it back in town with his boyfriend Caleb.

Growing up in town, he always felt comfortable with being who he was but learned quickly after graduating that there are a lot of people in our community that have not been so lucky. He is grateful to be part of HTEI and couldn’t be more proud of our town for supporting such an amazing event like PRIDE and the work that HTEI has done to support the community.


2024 HT Pride Steering Committee Members

Ashley Affrunti

(she/her)

Ashley has lived in Haddon Twp with her husband, daughter and two fur babies for the last 9 years. She is a preschool teacher, Girl Scout leader and the new Service Coordinator for HTEI.


Ashley is passionate about human rights and community outreach. This is her 4th year volunteering for HT Pride and she hopes her work allows members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Haddon Twp (and beyond!) feel seen, heard and celebrated. 

Betsy Cassel

(she/her)

Raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Betsy Cassel made her way to Philadelphia in pursuit of higher education during the early 2000s. There, she ventured into entrepreneurship, founding Scout, a beloved vintage boutique nestled in the vibrant Old City neighborhood. Amidst building her business, Betsy met Joshua, her life partner, and together they embraced parenthood, welcoming two children into their lives. In 2019, they made the pivotal decision to relocate their family to Haddon Township. In her professional endeavors, Betsy leverages her creative flair and entrepreneurial background to design inclusive and forward-thinking curriculum for homeschooling families. As an educator at the Center for Enrichment in Voorhees, New Jersey, she passionately fosters learning environments that inspire critical thinking and exploration. Beyond her role in education, Betsy plays an active part in the South Jersey Homeschool Association, serving both as the Director of Events and as a board member, dedicating much of her time as an advocate for educational diversity and inclusivity. Through her dedicated leadership, she orchestrates meaningful community events and initiatives, nurturing a supportive environment for homeschooling families across the region 

Carol Sue Decinque

(she/her)

Carol Sue DeCinque has been a Haddon Township resident for 24 years. She has 3 children with her husband Tom. Carol Sue also works in HT as a Behavorial aide. She enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, the outdoors and is also part of a Dragon Boat team. 


She loves Haddon Township and the opportunities HT continuously offers for learning and growth across all populations. 

This is her third year participating in the HTEI Pride events. She identifies as an ally and loves to volunteer time to help others and help this community become a safer place for her family and friends. 

She is proud to be a part of the growth that this community shows in coming together to support everyone.

LauraBeth McAllister

(she/her)

LauraBeth is a pediatric nurse with a Master of Public Health. She aims to help cultivate an inclusive and welcoming community and lives in town with her husband and rescue dog. 


J Di Pilla

(she/her/hers)

J is your friendly neighborhood queer mom. Knowing at a very young age that she was a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, J has a gift for seeing people as people. 


With a bachelors degree in Communications and a masters degree in Instructional Design, J has a career as a Digital Learning Specialist at Chubb Insurance. In addition to her involvement with HT Pride, she also serves on the Chubb Pride Business Round Table Workplace Committee and previously ran a youth LGBTQIA+ support group with her husband. She looks forward to raising her daughter in a community full of pride!


Creating change and encouraging other humans to accept and love themselves fully as individuals is her daily mission. As the band The Police sing, “be yourself. Not matter what they say.”

Melanie Reiser

(she/her/hers)

Melanie is a communications and fundraising professional with more than two decades of experience advancing equity in the education sector. She serves as Chief Advancement Officer of Freire Schools, a network of public charter schools in Philadelphia and Wilmington. Melanie develops robust communications and public affairs strategies and leads all aspects of fund development, including annual appeals, major and planned giving, and capital efforts. She has extensive experience in public charter school operations and compliance, project management, new school development, grant writing, and public advocacy. Melanie believes that “school choice” is not a new concept, but a privilege historically enjoyed exclusively by those with means. She believes in and fights for public charter schools because they extend that right to families from traditionally underserved communities.


Melanie also believes that game nights are good for the soul, and so has organized Pride Quizzo as part of Haddon Township Pride’s Pride and Progress Night for the past three years. When she’s not dreaming up Pride Quizzo questions, you can find Melanie spending time with her three amazing siblings or walking her dog Whitman in Collingswood where she lives. 

Laura Williams

(she/her/hers)

Laura is a resident of Haddon Township and lives with her husband and three children. For the past 19 years, Laura has worked at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in various nursing roles, most recently as a Nursing Professional Development Specialist. During the school year, Laura is also a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing. Laura is passionate about education, volunteering, and community outreach - especially bystander CPR. Her and her husband have volunteered internationally through various organizations combining their love of travel and healthcare.


Laura is proud to say that she is a volunteer with HTEI because she firmly believes in the mission and vision of the group. The positive impact that HTEI has made in the community is palpable and she is honored to be part of the team that is making equitable change.

2024 HT Pride Sponsorship Committee Members

Ryland Di Pilla

JoAnne Alyse Maiatico

Tara Martinek

Dawn Stillwell

Julie Wasserbach

2022 HT Pride Planning Committee Members

Alicia Gilbert - Education & Advocacy

Alyssa Washington - Partnerships & Businesses

Amanda McDevitt - Events

April Jackson - Events, Outreach

Ashley Affrunti - Volunteers

Brendan Slavin - Partnerships & Businesses

Brent Satterly - Education & Advocacy

Carol Decinque - Outreach, Volunteers

Charmaine Young - Programming & Entertainment

Cheryl Divito - Programming & Entertainment

Cheryl Smith - Events

Christian Malatesta - Events

Constance Verner - Volunteers

Cristina Aicher - Partnerships & Businesses

Dan Bove - Events

Dana Zelechoski - Volunteers

Dawn Stillwell - Partnerships & Businesses

Debbe Barnett - Volunteers, Education & Advocacy

Elizabeth Cassel - Volunteers

Emily Gazzara - Outreach

Isaac Israel - Education & Advocacy

J Dipilla - Events

Jeffrey Peirce - Events, Volunteers, Partnerships & Businesses

Jen Reiser - Events, Programming & Entertainment

Jennifer Gravishgravish - Education & Advocacy

Jenny Ragghianti - Programming & Entertainment, Education & Advocacy

Jim Cleary - Volunteers

Jim Greway - Volunteers

Julie Wasserbach - Outreach, Partnerships & Businesses

Kate Carr - Volunteers

Kate Koch - Events

Kelli-Rose Simmons - Education & Advocacy

Kelly Dougherty - Events

Kristin Ortiz - Outreach

Laura Williams - Volunteers

Laurabeth McAllister - Volunteers, Education & Advocacy

Lauren Hargrove - Events, Education & Advocacy

Lisa Braack - Partnerships & Businesses

Lisa Godfrey - Events, Outreach, Volunteers, Education & Advocacy

Lois Allen - Volunteers

Martin Irrera - Partnerships & Businesses

Maureen Deninno - Volunteers

Melanie Reiser - Programming & Entertainment

Michael Mcneely - Events

Michele Loughlin - Programming & Entertainment

Molly Fleming - Programming & Entertainment

Nicole Glazebrook - Education & Advocacy

Nicole Lipman - Events

Noah Roberts - Outreach, Volunteers

Paige Wolf - Outreach

Rachel Mccuen - Volunteers

Richard Klineburger - Events

Ricque Porter - Events

River Kayy - Events, Partnerships & Businesses

Rylan Earle-Lott - Partnerships & Businesses

Scott Hutchinson - Events, Volunteers, Partnerships & Businesses

Seana Sapunarich - Outreach

Steve Giannino - Outreach

Sydney Ivey - Volunteers, Education & Advocacy

Tara Martinak - Partnerships & Businesses

Theresa Tentilucci - Events, Volunteers

Tom McAllister - Volunteers, Education & Advocacy