Staff

Joan Brannon is KFTC’s Executive Directors. Joan first joined KFTC’s staff team in 2021 as Organizing Co-Director. With over three decades of experience working to advance racial, economic and social justice, her work is integral to advancing KFTC’s Organizational Change Initiative. Joan is passionate about community building, addressing and healing racial trauma and using art to create social change. Joan is a native Kentuckian who believes deep listening, story sharing and radical acceptance are key strategies to bridging community divides. Joan’s activist/organizing background includes healing drum facilitation and documentary filmmaking. She founded DrummingWorks and has held leadership positions in non-profit and arts organizations, including the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center, West Louisville Women’s Collaborative, ArtsPower and the Kentucky Foundation for Women.

Corey grew up in eastern Kentucky and always said she would move out of state – but fell in love with Louisville and Kentucky organizing. She is a graduate of the University of Louisville with a bachelor’s in history and French. She is passionate about building a better, progressive South, and believes that Kentucky will be a leader in this process. In her (minimal) spare time, Corey is a complete book nerd and can be found reading anything and everything on her front porch.

Tayna Fogle is a mother of two young men, a grandmother of eight, and a basketball player extraordinaire. In order to stand up for the issues that were important to her family, she had to bravely defend against harsh drug sentencing policies and learn to navigate bureaucratic mazes to regain her right to vote. Tayna has created Re-entry programs, trainings and ministries in many Kentucky counties. She has been a motivational speaker and community activist, Developer and past Instructor of “Steppin To A New Beat” and the Re-entry/Employment Specialist for Ex-Offenders. Tayna has empowered others for 11 years with the Kentuckians For The Commonwealth as she volunteered, worked on campaigns for the right to vote. She is a former felon that paid her debt to society.  She was the captain of a SEC championship basketball team at the University of Kentucky in 1982. She is also a former drug abuser. She spent several years in prison. She believes that her story has inspired and motivated many citizens to take part in this movement of restoring an individual’s self esteem, dignity, and self respect. 

I have been blessed to work for Kentuckians For The Commonwealth in Northern Kentucky since 2010, and with the Rolling Bluegrass Chapter since 2013. If you share our commitment to justice and a desire for a strong democracy then please join us at an upcoming KFTC event!

Reach me at 859-380-6103! 

After many years as KFTC's website manager/e-organizer, Erik has shifted into a data and digital communications role. He grew up in Corbin and is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. He was involved with KFTC in a number of different roles as a member before joining the staff and is excited about integrating the website and social media into our organizing strategy. He currently lives in Lexington with his wife and two daughters. He spends some of his free time geeking out on sci-fi, playing board games and helping at his wife's yarn store, Rebelle. He is an accomplished knitter and always willing to teach others.

Dave has been an active member of KFTC since 1999, is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with degrees in History and Political Science and has experience organizing with the Kentucky Democratic Party, internal and external union organizing with SEIU in California, has worked as a consultant, and most recently was Deputy Director of Media Justice in Oakland, CA.  He now lives in Covington, KY after coming back to us after 5 years out of state.  He's also a giant nerd who loves sci-fi and cats.