We were lucky to catch up with Lynnsey Lafayette recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lynnsey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’re complete cheeseballs and so we love asking folks to share the most heartwarming moment from their career – do you have a touching moment you can share with us?

When I think about Chelsyfest now—how it’s grown, the lives it’s touched, the laughter and love it brings—I still can’t quite believe how far we’ve come. It all started with a heartbreaking loss and a desire to do something, anything, to honor the bright light we lost when Chelsy Giles passed away in July 2021.

The truth is, Chelsy wouldn’t have wanted a festival in her name. She was private about her epilepsy and, like so many living with the disorder, carried a lot of insecurity and fear about how it would be perceived. She once gave up her dream of being a teacher because she worried a seizure in front of her students would scare them. And that—right there—is why Chelsyfest matters.

Chelsy’s story is not uncommon. Epilepsy is one of the most misunderstood neurological disorders, often cloaked in stigma and silence. After she passed, a few of us close to her realized how little support existed for people with epilepsy in Athens, Georgia—this vibrant, generous town that’s home to so many nonprofits had nothing for people like Chelsy. Services were all in Atlanta, unreachable for many who can’t drive due to their seizures. That gap lit a fire in us. We knew we couldn’t fix everything, but we could start something.

So, we did. In July 2022, on the weekend of what would have been Chelsy’s 35th birthday, we launched the first-ever Chelsyfest at Terrapin Beer Co. in Athens. It was messy and emotional and beautiful. We sold t-shirts with her name on them, even though we knew she might cringe a little at the idea. We set up a dunk tank, live music, a flower crown booth (a nod to the handmade crowns she created for her family on their birthdays). And most importantly, we raised money for the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia—enough to send kids and adults living with epilepsy to summer camps where they could learn, connect, and feel free.

That one day showed us what was possible.

Chelsyfest is now a registered nonprofit—The Chelsy Marise Giles Foundation—and our current benefactor is Children’s Health Care of Atlanta. Our mission is simple: to fight the stigma around epilepsy and support those living with it in Northeast Georgia. We have a goal to hold educational events and are working toward creating local support groups. We want people living with epilepsy to feel less alone. We want parents, teachers, and friends to understand what epilepsy really is—and what it’s not. And we want to keep making space for joy, connection, and community while we do it.

We’ve been lucky to have community members step in early, lending their time and talent to help us grow. That support has given us credibility—and the momentum to keep going. Year after year, more vendors, artists, musicians, and local businesses join in. Each year, it feels like the whole community comes together to lift up a cause that’s been overlooked for too long.

Chelsyfest isn’t about putting Chelsy on a pedestal. It’s about lifting up the people who, like her, carry something difficult and invisible with quiet courage. It’s about turning silence into support, stigma into understanding.

And while she might’ve never asked for any of this, I hope she’d be proud of what it’s become.

Lynnsey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

For those who may not have come across my work before, my name is Lynnsey Lafayette. I currently serve at Emory University, where I support alumni through affinity and interest-based groups—helping create meaningful events and opportunities for deeper connection between alumni and the University. At the core of my work—whether it’s through my role at Emory or through our nonprofit, The Chelsy Marise Giles Foundation—is a deep commitment to building community, especially in places where people may feel overlooked or isolated.

I’ve always had a passion for advocacy and social impact, particularly for communities that often go unseen or unheard. I earned my undergraduate degree at the University of Georgia (UGA), and later pursued a Master of Science in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, with a focus on conflict in the U.S. criminal justice system and sentencing reform. During that time, I interned with nonprofits in Washington, D.C., like Families Against Mandatory Minimums and the Equal Rights Center, where I learned the importance of bringing people together to challenge systemic gaps through education, empathy, and smart organizing.

After grad school, I returned to Athens, Georgia—a city I fell in love with during my time at UGA—and began working at Live Forward (formerly AIDS Athens), supporting housing programs for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. That work taught me how health challenges, stigma, and poverty intersect—and how much mental health care, access to services, and human connection can change someone’s path.

All of these experiences ultimately shaped my role in co-founding Chelsyfest.

Chelsyfest is a nonprofit festival and awareness initiative honoring my dear friend, Chelsy Marise Giles, who lived with epilepsy her entire life and passed away in 2021. What started as a way to honor her memory has evolved into a growing foundation that provides education, support, and community for people living with epilepsy in Northeast Georgia—an area that, until recently, had no local resources or programming for this population.

Through our annual Chelsyfest event in Athens, we raise awareness about epilepsy, fight stigma, and fund meaningful experiences like summer camp scholarships for kids and adults living with the disorder. We’re now expanding to include educational events and community support initiatives under the Chelsy Marise Giles Foundation.

What I think sets my work apart—both through my professional career and through this nonprofit—is a blend of heartfelt community-building and practical, hands-on organizing. I’m not interested in performative efforts; I care about real, on-the-ground impact. I believe in creating spaces that are inclusive, healing, and full of joy—even when the topic is heavy. Whether I’m working with Emory alumni to help them reconnect with their passions, or helping a family in Athens feel seen and supported in their epilepsy journey, it all comes back to connection.

I’m most proud of the way we’ve turned something as difficult as grief into something active, creative, and generous. I’m proud that Chelsyfest exists not as a memorial, but as a movement—and I’m proud of the way the Athens and Emory communities have embraced this work.

If there’s one thing I want people to know, it’s that change starts small. A conversation. A community gathering. A shared story. That’s how we break stigma, build understanding, and create a more compassionate world—together.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the most meaningful pivots we’ve had to make was deciding to move Chelsyfest to a new location. For the first three years, Chelsyfest was held at Terrapin Beer Co. in Athens—a place that held deep sentimental value for Chelsy and her family. She had grown up a part of Terrapin, and the sense of community there was one of the reasons we chose it as the home for our inaugural event. It felt like the right fit—familiar, beloved, and rooted in her story.

But with a recent change in ownership at Terrapin, we found ourselves having to pause and ask some tough, honest questions. Would Chelsy still feel at home here? Would this space still reflect the inclusive, compassionate, community-driven values she believed in, even if she didn’t always wear them on her sleeve? In thinking about her legacy, it became clear we had to align the event with a space that matched that spirit.

Our pivot to Athentic Brewing wasn’t an easy decision. It meant moving away from a place rich in family history and emotional ties. But it was the right move. Athentic has built a reputation in Athens as a space that supports all members of the community—through hosting LGBTQ+ friendly events, donating proceeds from special brews to nonprofits fighting racism, and partnering with local organizations that lift up marginalized voices. That’s a space we believe Chelsy would be proud to be associated with. And if we’re going to continue putting her name on something, we want to make sure it aligns with the kind of inclusive, generous, and community-centered energy she quietly but consistently modeled.

This was more than just a logistical change—it was a values-based pivot. And while it was tough, especially for those of us who were emotionally connected to our original venue, it was ultimately a beautiful reminder that honoring someone’s legacy sometimes means letting go of tradition in order to do what feels most right in the present.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

Absolutely—yes! If I could go back, I would choose this path all over again.

Everything I’ve done, from working in housing and health equity at Live Forward to now building community among alumni at Emory University, has centered around one core value: connection. I’ve always believed in the power of bringing people together, especially those who have been overlooked, marginalized, or made to feel like they don’t belong. That belief is what led me to help start Chelsyfest, and it continues to guide my work every day.

At Emory, I now support alumni affinity and interest groups—helping graduates stay engaged, connected, and represented. It’s work that reflects the same heart as Chelsyfest: making sure everyone has a place and a voice. Whether it’s through organizing events that celebrate shared identities or creating space for meaningful conversations, I get to carry forward a commitment to inclusion and community—values that have always been at the center of my life.

Looking back, I realize that none of this happened by accident. Each role I’ve held has helped shape a more intentional, compassionate way of working and leading. And now, getting to bridge my personal passion with my professional purpose? That’s the kind of full-circle moment I’d choose again in a heartbeat.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.Chelsyfest.org
• Instagram: @Chelsyfest
• Facebook: @Chelsyfest
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnseylafayette/

Image Credits

Images credits: Deadly Designs