our board
members
Katie Blomquist
Founder & Executive Director
Katie grew up in Los Angeles, California, studied sociology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and then began a five year career in marketing while living in Chicago, IL before realizing she felt a desire to go into a career aimed at making a difference in people’s lives. She then received her Masters in Elementary Education at Roosevelt University. At a time when the Chicago Public School system closed eighty schools, Katie decided to move to Charleston, SC where she has been teaching in Title-1 schools for six years. In 2016, Katie began a GoFundMe raising over $80,000 and bought all 650 students in her school a new bike, lock, and helmet. Because of the tremendous success of that campaign and her passion for the title 1 community, Katie made the difficult decision to leave teaching and further this work on a much larger scale but creating Going Places where she can impact hundreds of thousands of kids. Katie also has launched, Katie Blomquist, LLC, where she is a professional speaker who gives motivational talks, hosts seminars and intensive workshops on how to start and grow a successful nonprofit so that she can help others with their dreams of bettering the community as well.
Jarett Hodson
Board Member
Jarrett Hodson has lived in the Charleston, SC area since graduating from The Citadel, The Military College of SC, in 2005.
Since The Citadel he has held various leadership positions in banking, finance and business.
Jarrett has been an active supporter in many local and national non-profit organizations- including being a founding Board Member of the Stray Dog Society in 2006 and the Veteran’s Benefits Foundation in 2009.
He founded Because You Served in 2015 and still serves as an advisor. In 2018 he founded SweetGrass Capital and is currently the company Principal.
In 2019 he sponsored the Beautiful Gate Center’s Gala and hosted a fundraiser for Going Places which generated over $30,000.
He looks forward to bringing his background to the Going Places team to establish new business and individual relationships to accomplish the mission of providing every child a bike!
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Zach & Emma Giglio
Board Members
Giglio Communications and Marketing (GCM) is run by Zach and Emma Giglio, who have had the fortunate experience of traveling and living around the world and have seen the positive impacts that human connections have made on their lives and the lives of the people around them. Now, Zach and Emma, with more than 15 years of combined experience, work to facilitate those human connections for organizations through their expertise in communications and marketing.
Zach worked for the largest public relations agency in the world in Washington D.C. and South Africa, for a boutique public affairs firm in Washington D.C and as an independent contractor. Emma started her social media and digital marketing business to serve main street businesses to offer high-quality, agency-level services and expertise at a reasonable cost.
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Steven Huskey
Board Members
Steven Huskey is a financial advisor and planner with Consolidated Planning, and his own company, Huskey Financial - Consulting & Wealth Management. He caters to physicians, NPs and RNs with expertise in financial plans that empower the future our medical heroes deserve. He started working with nonprofits during his corporate banking years at Wells Fargo with the American Heart Association, Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, and Gavalas Kolanko Education Foundation as a volunteer. Once he left banking, he needed an outlet to give back to his community and started fundraising and championing Pattison's Academy that helps children with special needs be able to attend a charter school. He is excited to be serving as Treasurer of Going Places and get them closer to their goals of giving joy to deserving children.
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Elizabeth Nicholson
Board Members
Elizabeth is a civil litigation attorney with Rosen Hagood LLC in downtown Charleston, SC. She graduated from College of Charleston and the Charleston School of Law. She loves riding bikes around Hampton Park in downtown Charleston with her husband, Rory, and step-kids, Clara and John.
In recent years, Elizabeth has held leadership positions with several SC non-profits, including Make-a-Wish SC and Special Olympics SC. She also enjoys coaching Rec league basketball and volunteering at 180Place and Charleston Moves. Elizabeth has a passion for providing opportunities to underprivileged children and communities, and she is honored to be a part of Going Places’ wonderful mission of spreading joy!
Dwight Heyward
Board Members
As a brand manager, marketing specialist, and event coordinator with over 10 years of experience; Dwight Heyward brings a wealth of knowledge, beneficial relationships, and creative ideas to the Going Places organization.
This 36 year old, father of 2 boys, and Charleston, SC native started his career in hospitality as a promoter of bars and restaurants in the downtown Charleston area. Despite limited formal training in sales & marketing, Dwight exceeded these humble beginnings by working with various Fortune 500 companies in the spirits and beverage industries.
Since moving back to Charleston, Dwight currently manages Trophy Inc. This multi-faced agency he created with a vision that would provide corporate level branding and marketing services for Small businesses, Non-profits, and Entrepreneurs. He also serves on the Young Executives board at the Harbour Club Westedge, Charleston’s oldest social & business private club.
Jared Kensky
Board Members
Jared was born and raised outside of Annapolis, Maryland and attended college at the College of Charleston, receiving a degree in Corporate Communications. He is the co-founder of Blue Steel Promotions, hosting large-scale events and parties. Jared also is the co-founder of "Gift Back Local," gift boxes filled with items from local small businesses, each customized to support local nonprofits.
Jared looks forward to bringing his experience in event planning, social media marketing, and building relationships with sponsors to help Going Places achieve the goal of bringing Joy to disadvantaged kids.
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