About Us
Who We Are
Building a stronger St. Pete, together — one neighborhood, one partnership, one Festival at a time.
Leadership
Board of Directors
Aron Bryce
Founder & President
Aron Bryce is a lifelong St. Petersburg resident, community leader, and public policy professional focused on bringing people and institutions together around shared priorities. He is Founder and President of Stronger Together St. Pete Foundation, President of the Crossroads Area Neighborhood Association, and Director of Advocacy for the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. He previously served as President of the Council of Neighborhood Associations of South Pinellas County (CONA), becoming the youngest president in the organization’s history.
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Aron founded and leads the St. Pete CommUNITY Festival and has organized civic forums, community meetings, food drives, park cleanups, and other volunteer initiatives. His professional background spans public policy, government and community relations, strategic partnerships, workforce development, education, nonprofit leadership, and technology. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and Administration from St. Petersburg College and a Master of Science in Leadership with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. He is a graduate of Leadership St. Pete and has been recognized for his community leadership by the Leadership St. Pete Alumni Association and Tampa Bay Business & Wealth.
Dr. Byron Anthony Green-Calisch
Vice President
A seasoned People & Culture leader and Executive Coach with 15 years of expertise in developing and implementing impactful Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, holding a Doctorate of Education from North Carolina State University.
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As the Executive Vice President of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Accessibility at PRX, he spearheaded a comprehensive DEI strategy, resulting in a notable 20% increase in employee engagement. In addition to his role at PRX, he serves as the Founder of Green Phoenix Solutions Coaching and Consulting, providing executive coaching and bespoke DEI strategies for clients in various sectors. Dr. Green-Calisch also analyzes organizational equity, develops DEI strategies, and facilitates training programs.
Dr. Green-Calisch has recently joined forces with Representative Michele Rayner to start a social justice center called Justice Over Everything. This organization centers intersectionality in its support of community members — operating at the individual level to support those caught in the legal system, building coalitions for broader impact, and working systemically to address root causes.
John Hoke
Treasurer
As a fourth-generation St. Petersburg native, bringing this city together is deeply personal for John. As Treasurer, he manages the Foundation’s books, coordinates festival sponsorships, and oversees the finances for the St. Pete CommUNITY Festival, ensuring every dollar makes the greatest possible impact for the community.
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Stronger Together is just the latest chapter in a long history of teamwork for this group. John, Aron, and Byron have worked side by side for years, collaborating on the St. Pete Mayoral Forum and leading the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) together as president, vice president, and treasurer. While John certainly has a head for numbers, he is equally passionate about advising organizations and guiding them toward healthy, sustainable growth.
Outside the Foundation, John is a CFF® professional who runs his own financial planning practice in St. Pete. He also serves as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves and is president of the Jungle Terrace Civic Association. He and his wife, Carolyn, live in Jungle Terrace with their son, Harrison, their dog, Kiwi, and their cat, Flea. In his free time, you can usually find him biking to the beach, tending to his garden, or out on the water at sunset.