Ginny Deerin has run a multi-million dollar non-profit organization and been a small business owner. She worked with Mayor Joe Riley, led community efforts in Charleston, and she’s a mother and grandmother. All of this has prepared her for her next role: Mayor. Ginny has called the Charleston area home for nearly 40 years. Her mother, Lucy Lewis, grew up in Charleston attending Memminger Elementary School and Ashley Hall. Ginny graduated from the University of South Carolina and built her life here. She first became involved in city politics working on Joe Riley’s first mayoral race forty years ago. In 2011, she served as his campaign manager in his final election. In 1996, Ginny founded and ran WINGS for Kids in Charleston to help elementary school children develop social and emotional skills. WINGS started as a summer program for kids - it was so successful that public schools brought WINGS in as an afterschool program. WINGS has grown from one program in Charleston to 10 programs in 3 states. It became a multimillion-dollar operation with hundreds of employees and diverse revenue streams. There are more than 2,000 WINGS kids in Charleston alone. Under Ginny’s leadership, WINGS was recognized as one of the best-managed nonprofits in South Carolina. Ginny is currently president of Lewis Walton, LLC, providing management, fundraising and leadership consulting services. She co-founded Project XX SC; a non-profit advocacy organization encouraging women to seek elected and appointed office. Ginny was a leader in fundraising for the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina and for the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina. Working with Mayor Riley and as a leader in her own right, Ginny has rolled up her sleeves to strengthen our city. No task is too small or too big to tackle when it comes to making Charleston greater.