Kassy Alia Ray

About Kassy Alia Ray

On September 30, 2015, my life was turned upside down when my husband, Greg, a police officer, was shot and killed in the line of duty. Driven to create healing between police and the communities they serve, I began leaning into courageous conversations in order to understand the root cause of distrust, fear and division. That learning, coupled with my own process of finding peace in my heart for the person who killed Greg led me to launch Serve & Connect. We envision a future where police and community members work together to address the root causes of crime in order to promote safety and thriving for everyone. Since 2016, we have worked with over 85 police agencies and over 200 community organizations, reaching thousands of community members annually. Our work has been recognized in national media outlets and was the recipient of the 2023 FBI Director Community Service Leadership Award. I believe that we can solve some of our greatest social challenges if we can find a way to lean into one another and work together. I believe that what impacts one of us impacts us all, and that healing is possible. I push back on the us vs them narrative, promoting a message of unity and collaboration. I speak to audiences nationally including police, public safety, businesses, nonprofits, government, and more. I blend my professional expertise in community psychology and implementation science with my personal experiences, including finding healing and hope in the wake of loss to inspire change. I believe that the processes that contribute to personal healing and societal healing are connected and speak to both from an academic as well as inspirational perspective. Key topics include: Courageous Leadership Bold Optimism Co-Production of Safety Healing and Hope Moving forward in the face of grief and tragedy Unlocking the potential inside all of us to make change At the end of the day, my why are my boys - for them to know that bad things can happen, but that doesn’t mean the world is bad; to feel safe to trust and love; and to know they can make a difference by choosing kindness. This spirit is embedded into everything I do and how I do it.

Experience

1. Chief Executive Officer

   Serve & Connect

   Mar 2018 — Present · Columbia, SC

   Serve & Connect is a nonprofit organization that creates transformative partnerships between police and citizens to ignite improvements in community resilience and well-being. Learn more at serveandconnect.net