Sean Morris, currently serves as the President of The Cherry Fund. He was raised in eastern Maine, where his early years were marked by a strong commitment to volunteerism. In his hometown, he dedicated his time to supporting the community by volunteering at the library, hospital, and various fundraising initiatives. In 1995, Sean’s journey took him to Liberty University, and in 1999, he relocated to Washington, DC.
Since his arrival in the nation’s capital, Sean has been an active and engaged member of the volunteer community. By day, he excels in his career as an IT Manager with Ntiva. Beyond his professional pursuits, Sean has also made a significant impact on the nightlife scene of the city, earning recognition as a prominent club DJ. His contributions culminated in the co-founding of The Flashy Group, a widely acclaimed nightlife promotion team. Outside of his professional and philanthropic pursuits, Sean is an avid traveler who believes that experiencing different cultures and perspectives enriches one’s understanding of the world. He shares his life’s journey with his loving husband, Mario, and their chiweenie, Ella.
Notably, Sean’s involvement with The Cherry Fund predates his presidency. Over the past decade, he has played various essential roles within the organization, contributing his wealth of experience in event planning and management. His passion for philanthropy has been a driving force behind his dedication to The Cherry Fund’s mission, making him a respected and trusted leader within the organization. As President of The Cherry Fund, Sean Morris combines his professional acumen, philanthropic passion, and extensive event management experience to steer the organization towards new heights of success. His leadership promises to continue shaping The Cherry Fund’s legacy of supporting vital causes and making a positive impact on the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.
Through the 90s and early 2000s Corey grew up in Jacksonville Florida, a city with firm southern values and not the most hospitable place you be a young gay man. As such it wasn’t until the late 2000s he came out to his closest friends and after a tremendous amount of support he soon told his family and the rest of his friends group. Soon after he would attend his first pride as an out gay man where his life would change forever. His first pride as an out gay man truly opened his eyes to how unique, beautiful, and quite fashionable his community truly was. From that point forward he was determined to become a true member of his community and do everything in his power to protect it and as such he got involved in his local pride organization and equality Florida.
When Corey arrived in DC mid 2016 he was determined to make an even more fabulous life than the one he had left behind. He soon found his first groups of gay friends and demanded that they bring him to all the biggest gay events. As such he found his way to DC High Heel Race and soon followed up with Capital Prides Holiday HeatWave party, where he promptly found every member of capital prides board and demanded that they let him get involved.
Just over a year after he joined Capital pride in the beginning of 2018 he was presented with the opportunity to volunteer with Cherry. After his first year volunteering with Cherry he knew this was the place to be. Cherry combines his two most favorite things, giving back to his community and throwing a fabulous party. After only his first year of volunteering with cherry he was asked to take on a bigger role and server as a Co-Chair for a cherry board member in the beginning 2019 to which he eagerly accepted. In January of 2020, Corey was elected to the Board of the Cherry Fund where he has continued to serve his amazing community and support the fight against HIV/AIDS as well as a proponent and benefactor for mental health in the LGBTQIA+ Community.
Karl grew in Northern Baltimore County most of his life. He officially came out at 27 and remembers telling his mom, “He wanted to help the gay community”. In this late 20‘s early 30’s, Karl decided to do his first AIDS ride to DC. He enjoyed being part of an event that helped so many people. Over the course of a few years, he participated in 3 AIDS rides including one in Alaska. Later in his 30’s he decided to start his own family. Once he had some free time, he began to look for other opportunities to help the gay community.In 2016 he and his daughter started to volunteer for the Cherry fund. He enjoyed the experience so much he kept coming back every year. In 2020, he was asked to sit on the board as treasurer. He eagerly accepted. Karl is looking forward to an amazing 25th anniversary of Cherry and he knows you will too!
In the late seventies and early eighties Alan lived in and around New York City. It was the heyday of the gay community, but it was also the beginning of the AIDS crisis. He watched as thousands died, and figured if God let him make it through, he would dedicate his remaining years to helping others.
When Alan arrived in the D.C. area in late 2010 he thought that the best way to meet people was to volunteer, get to know others, and build a relationship of trust. He started with Burgundy Crescent Volunteers, which included work for The Point Foundation, Casey Trees, Food & Friends, and the DC Central Kitchen. Alan also worked with the DC Center HIV Working Group at a time when HIV was on the rise, especially among younger people. That led to his work with the Cherry Fund.
Alan then began volunteering for the 17th Street Festival and Capital Pride. In addition, he works with the annual Miss Adams Morgan Pageant, the 17th Street High Heel Race, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and is a member of the Heritage of Pride, the organization that puts on New York City Pride as well as a member of the Operations Team for the Stonewell 50 NYC Pride March.
When he returned to New York 2017 as a volunteer for NYC Pride he recalled the city he had come to six months before Stonewall occurred in 1969. Having lived through the AIDS crisis, Alan was finally able to march down Fifth Avenue proudly remembering all those he knew and those he never knew who are no longer with us. When he arrived in New York City he was a scared young gay kid from late sixties. He has no reason to be scared any more. In January of 2019, Alan was elected to the Board of the Cherry Fund where he has continued to be an advocate in the fight against HIV/AIDS as well as a proponent and benefactor for mental health in the LGBTQ+ Community.
He was born and raised in North Carolina and graduated high-school in 1989. He was nominated most likely to succeed in his class and graduated college in NC in 1993 after majoring in architecture and minoring in interior design. He owns his own general contracting company in Washington DC since 1996 and love’s the challenge this provides him as his full-time career. He joined CHERRY in 2006 and became President in 2011. His mother is his inspiration, for the values she instilled in him throughout his childhood and into his adult life. What inspires him is his time assisting a variety of charitable organizations and his commitment to the community, family and those he calls friends. What inspires him with the CHERRY organization is his commitment to aid those living with HIV and it’s unique attachment to the music industry. The emotional attachment to this cause is for those I’ve lost in my life to the HIV disease who were less fortunate. In addition to those, he’s lost from mental health. He developed a strong sense of devotion and appreciation to the non-profit world for after his years of devotion to diabetes, cancer, HIV and mental health fun-raising seeking to improve the quality of life for those less fortunate.
Michael Greene: I grew up in Birmingham Alabama and then attended Auburn University where I received a BS in International Business with a concentration in Marketing. Growing up in Alabama was tough to be gay. I was consistently ridiculed. I couldn’t wait to leave. The day I graduated I moved to Atlanta where I could start the first openly gay chapter of my life. I began volunteering for GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), where I was a host committee member for 2 years. I wanted to make a difference in a place where I could be accepted as me and create a place for others to feel welcome.
I’ve been volunteering since I was about 5-6 years old, when I tagged along with my mom to help deliver meals on wheels. As a member of the Boy Scouts, we visited people in nursing homes, volunteered A Candy Stripers at hospitals, and helped my own elderly neighbors, whose grass I cut. I worked with my church youth group throughout middle school and high school where we served as camp counselors for underprivileged kids’ camps, built houses for habitat for humanity, and picked up trash on highways and parks.
Once I moved to DC in 2012, I ended up hearing about the Cherry fund for the first time. I started attending the events and the parties. After a few years, as I was searching for a place in the volunteer world. I wanted to be involved with Cherry since their vision was much like mine. I started out as a part time volunteer with Cherry for a few years and then was nominated on to the board three years ago where I continue to serve. I continue to serve on the Cherry board and support the community Cherry serves.
