Meet Our Board & Advisors

Jessica moved 2.5 years ago to Mount Pleasant from Chicago. In Chicago she had a real estate career before shifting career gears and opened a retail store in her hometown. Her parents had always taught her to give back and showed her throughout her youth to be thankful for what we have. As an adult and mom, she took this seriously and served on many local boards in her community. She and her husband served on their local hospital junior advisory board that ran yearly fundraisers, primarily focusing on children and adding resources to the hospital. She spent years on her local junior women’s club and co-chaired fundraisers that brought in over 100k. Once her children were in preschool, she devoted her time to their preschool board and ran events and fundraisers to help improve the school. This past summer, Jessica began asking questions about children in the school system that may need the extra recourses and how they are getting them. She was blown away at the lack of resources available and knew she had to do something. Her experiences from volunteering in Chicago positioned her perfectly to form Young Children’s Charities.

Jessica Young, President

A graduate of Miami University, Ryan has held executive positions at AT&T, EMC, Integrated Data Storage and AVANT Communications. He loves spending time outside, extreme sports, and personal development. Ryan is the CEO and founder of Acliviti. That vision has provided Acliviti the opportunity to work with some of the largest Fortune 500 brands in the world, as well as placing Acliviti on the Inc 5000 fastest growing companies in America in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023. While living in Chicago, he served on his local hospitals junior advisory board, ran a marathon for American Heart Association and repelled down a building to raise money for American Lung Association. Ryan includes charity work in his culture at work and since changing to a remote work place, his company has supported Raise the Woof, Wine to Water and Art for Social Equality. When his team has been onsite in Chicago, they’ve been supporting Blessings in a Backpack, a Chicago based company feeding kids in need.

Ryan Young, Vice President

Jaime Ginney is physician assistant who also obtained a master of public health with a focus on preventative care.  She has had a passion for using her medical skills to help give back to the less fortunate for the past 20 years. Jaime
> was involved with the Heart to Heart mission where she worked with a cardiac team to provide philanthropic cardiac surgery in Santiago, Dominican Republic.  She was involved with the Madonna House of Northern Kentucky, educating single young mothers on the basic health needs of their newborns.  Jaime volunteered as a clinical provider at Shepherd’s Hope Health Center in Orlando Florida, and currently works with ICNA Relief Shifa Clinic that allows indigent patients access to health care in Charleston SC.  She has 3 children within the CCSD school system and is thrilled to be a part of this organization to help give back to our community.

Jaime Ginney, Treasurer

After growing up in Manhattan Beach, California, Melissa attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington where she played volleyball and was a member of the Seton organization, providing charitable service to the greater Spokane community. After graduation, Melissa moved to Seattle where she began her career as a regional marketing manager at Starwood Hotels & Resorts. In 2011, she became a mom and shifted her focus to her family and helping others. During this time, Melissa served on a number of school boards and Parent Teacher Organizations, while also volunteering with various non-profit organizations and charities that supported young mothers and children in need. In 2020, Melissa moved with her husband and three daughters to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and is thrilled to call the Palmetto State her family's new home. Melissa is very excited to be back in the nonprofit world and eager to help Young Children's Charities in its mission to affect positive change and bridge the gap of need for families in the Mount Pleasant community. 

Kristin Cappel, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach

Kristin is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who specializes in Hormone Health. Her passion is helping women over 35 find hormone balance through simple food and lifestyle changes. Prior to coaching, Kristin spent over 20 years as an Assistant Portfolio Manager for a high net worth wealth management team. Kristin has a heart for philanthropy and before moving to Charleston spent time cooking meals for the families staying at Ronald McDonald House as well as visiting children in the Comer and Lurie’s Children’s Hospitals of Chicago. Kristin has also spent time knitting prayer shawls for Boxes of Hope for patients undergoing cancer treatment. She currently creates online nutrition courses and along with her husband, Brian, is raising their three boys who all attend school in CCSD. Kristin is grateful and excited for the opportunity to give back to her community through the Young Children’s Charities.

Advisors

Laura Taylor, Advisor- Founder of Your Nonprofit Assistant, LLC.

Prior to founding YNA, Laura was the Assistant Vice President for a national full-service fundraising firm.  She served as the primary project liaison for the firm’s large team of consultants who served nonprofits, churches, independent schools and universities across the country.  She also led all business development and marketing initiatives for the firm. She has sat on the board of multiple nonprofits, both locally and nationally. Laura resides in Mount Pleasant with her husband and two girls.

Patrick Townes, Advisor- Founder of Townes Law Firm