Founded as Heroes in Blue in the wake of the tragic death of Forest Acres Police Department Officer Gregory Alia, Serve & Connect bridges the gap between law enforcement and the greater-Midlands community. With a focus on creating community empowerment, trust and impact, hear from Founder & CEO Kassy Alia Ray about how she developed the nonprofit, its brand, and brand recognition through community partnerships and street-level needs. Kassy is also adept at controlling her story and messaging, both personally and professionally.
About Kassy:
Kassy Alia Ray is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Serve & Connect. She founded Serve & Connect in memory of her late husband, Officer Gregory Alia who was killed in the line of duty on September 30, 2015. Under her leadership, Serve & Connect has grown from a hashtag to a movement for change, touching countless lives and receiving national attention for its impact.
Kassy has received several awards in recognition of her service to community, including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Citizen of the Year (2016), Central Carolina Community Foundation’s Individual Philanthropist of the Year (2017), the Post and Courier’s Golden Pen Award (2017), City of Columbia Police Department’s Outstanding Citizen (2018), The State Newspaper’s “Top 20 under 40” (2018), Columbia Business Monthly’s Top 35 under 35 (2018), and Midlands Fatherhood Coalition’s Hero of the Year (2018). Kassy earned her Master’s in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of South Carolina and is working to complete her doctorate. She is the proud mom to son, Salvatore, and in October 2018 married Mitch Ray.
When: Tuesday, February 12, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Where: SC Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame, 5400 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212 (adjacent to the SC Criminal Justice Academy)
Dress Code: Business attire
Registration Deadline: Monday, February 11, 2019