About Us

Let’s Go! Gulf Coast

Let’s Go! Gulf Coast, formerly The Mississippi Gulf Coast Youth Health Coalition, was founded in 2013, with an initial focus on combating childhood obesity. Our main program, Let’s Go! Gulf Coast, is adapted from a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program. We proudly enlist the Gulf Coast Community Foundation as our fiscal sponsor.

We are a public/private partnership with a mission of working to address priority health issues of youth on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. All of our programs focus on promoting healthy lifestyles and are designed to engage participants across the lifespan through diverse and varied platforms, in order to create the greatest and most sustainable impact possible for our youth and communities. Since 2013, we have successfully served thousands of individuals across the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We also maintain an open-door policy for program observation and cooperative learning.

Let’s Go! Gulf Coast currently operates within Jackson, Harrison, and Hancock Counties and we utilize an inclusive, multi-setting approach to combat childhood obesity which allows the programs to serve people of all genders, age, races, ethnicities, physical ability, and socioeconomic status.

Director

Amanda Ray

Amanda Ray is a compassionate and highly driven community-focused professional with a long-standing commitment to strengthening relationships, expanding outreach, and creating meaningful impact across the Gulf Coast. With more than a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, community development, marketing, and public relations, she has built a reputation for fostering collaboration, elevating organizations, and delivering successful events and campaigns that enrich the communities she serves. She currently serves as the Director of Events for the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, where she leads major Chamber events, oversees communications, and cultivates strong partnerships with members, government officials, and community organizations.

Her previous roles include serving as Community Relations & Development Director for the Bacot Foundation of South Mississippi, co-hosting Spotlight Gulf Coast on WXXV25, and directing membership, marketing, and wellness programs at the Mississippi Gulf Coast YMCA. Amanda’s background also includes years of experience in health & wellness, fitness training, and social services leadership in both Alabama and Florida.

Active in civic and community engagement, Amanda is a member of the Duchess Club of Ocean Springs and the Rotary Club of Pascagoula. She serves on the boards of the Ocean Springs Education Foundation (OSEF), DREAM Program, and a 2023 Leadership Jackson County Graduate.

Known for her passion for community impact, relationship building, and service, Amanda continues to use her skills to strengthen organizations and enhance the quality of life across the Gulf Coast.

Data Specialist

Kelsey Keel, PhD, MPH

Dr. Keel received her Bachelor of Science degree from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York in Biology, with minors in Chemistry and International Studies. She went on to receive her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana. She later returned and earned her PhD in Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Dr. Keel is proud to have served as Executive Director of Let’s Go! Gulf Coast for over 11 years and looks forward to the continued progress and evolution moving forward! She is now an Assistant Professor of Preclinical Sciences and Research Support Specialist at William Carey University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Keel is dedicated to the success of Let’s Go! Gulf Coast and now serves in a part-time position to assist with the Let’s Go! EXPLORE Gulf Coast app, data collection and analysis, grant writing, and program reporting.

Having studied and worked in various public health sectors from New York, Botswana, Louisiana, and finally to Mississippi, she learned first-hand how important a role community plays in our health. She has loved watching how the organization’s work has been steadily impacting our local MS Gulf Coast communities. Hearing the stories, accomplishments, and even setbacks, of those utilizing the 5-2-1-0 message have been so inspiring and such a motivator to continue the work of Let’s Go! Gulf Coast. Partnering with individuals and organizations across the MG Gulf Coast, that are also tirelessly committed to combating childhood obesity, has consistently demonstrated a strong sense of community and compassion. This keeps Dr. Keel focused on making our communities where we live, learn, work, and play the absolute best they can be!

Board of Directors

alan sudduth, chair

The many years I’ve spent working alongside other Mississippi Gulf Coast volunteers and the time I’ve served as Chevron’s Corporate Affairs Manager for Mississippi have motivated me to find ways to better my community and my state. I’m fortunate to have a community, a company, and a career all focused on enhancing the lives of those around us. I cannot think of a better way to carry out that mission than by participating in Let’s Go! Gulf Coast. This organization not only pursues a mission fundamental to the success of our state’s outlook from a health perspective but also achieves tangible results in improving the quality of life for our future Mississippi workers, parents, and leaders.

Danielle Emery, Vice Chair

As the Director of Operations for the Salvation Army Kroc Center, I love “doing the most good!” I have been serving on the Board for Let’s Go! Gulf Coast since 2016 and have loved being able to better serve my community and help combat childhood obesity. I have lived on the Gulf Coast for 41 years. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we love to travel.

dr. danielle fastring, treasurer

Danielle Fastring is the Director of Student Research and an Associate Professor of Pre-Clinical Sciences at William Carey University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. Formerly, she was an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi in the School of Nursing and Health Professions where she taught graduate courses in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Environmental Health, and SAS programming. She received her PhD in Epidemiology from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. She was a Fellow in the Maternal Child Health Epidemiology Doctoral Training Program sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). She is also the Chair of the Gulf Coast Healthy Communities Collaborative and the Southern Regional Representative to the Executive Board of the Mississippi Public Health Association.

She has been a board member for Let’s Go! Gulf Coast since its inception in 2013, and during that time has seen the positive impact that education provided by the organization through the 5-2-1-0 initiative has on the lives of children living in South Mississippi. The program emphasizes making healthy nutritional decisions, teaches fun ways to incorporate exercise daily, and promotes reducing screen time. Learning these things at a young age helps children to develop healthy habits that will benefit them throughout their lives.

Kelly devine, Secretary

As Outreach and Events Manager for Singing River Health System, I am dedicated to finding ways to help this amazing coastal community grow and thrive. As a young professional, I am keenly aware that change is a seed best planted in our youth, who are then encouraged to grow it into fruition. Being a part of organizations like Let’s Go! Gulf Coast grants me the opportunity to work with other like-minded individuals in advocating for healthy lifestyles, balanced nutrition and increased physical activity for children. I also serve on the boards of the Gulfport Arts Center and the Biloxi Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and serve on the Advisory Council for Back Bay Mission. I round out my community involvement by serving on committees for a number of other local organizations such as the Rotary Club of Gulfport and Coast Young Professionals.

Tiffany Alsbury

Bio to come!

Lisa Birmingham

Lisa Birmingham serves as the Director of Grants and Scholarships for the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, where she has proudly worked since 2005. Let’s Go! Gulf is a Fund of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Lisa serves as a valuable liaison between the two organizations. At the Foundation, Lisa is responsible for grant administration, scholarship administration, accounts payable, and various other office duties. She has always had a passion for volunteerism and has spent her career working with various non-profits and schools. Lisa has always called the Mississippi Gulf Coast home.

Brandon Ellis

My name is Brandon Ellis, and I am a dedicated advocate for Let's Go! Gulf Coast. My family has deep roots in Jackson County, spanning eight generations. I attended the University of Mississippi, where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, and I hold a Master’s in Business Administration from Columbia Southern University. Currently, I serve as the Compliance Team Leader at Plant Daniel for Mississippi Power Company, overseeing environmental and laboratory functional areas.

I am actively involved in environmental community efforts such as Renew Our Rivers and Jackson County Hazardous Household Waste Collection Day. Additionally, I sit on the Environmental Stewardship Council for Mississippi Power, called ConServe. I am married to Meagan Ellis, and we have two children, Jaxon (10) and Adaline (2). I am always looking for new ways to get involved in the community, and the mission of Let's Go Gulf Coast hits home for me, especially as a father of young children.

Through my involvement with Let's Go Gulf Coast, I am committed to combating childhood obesity and fostering healthier habits among the youth in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. My dedication to community service and wellness drives my efforts to make a lasting difference for the next generation.

Kimberly jones