Meet the KWJ Marketing Team

Kate Leach

As the Co-Founder of KWJ Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer at William James Group, Kate Leach serves as the leader of all sales and marketing efforts for the company. With more than 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, and business development in healthcare and senior housing, Kate has worked with The Maxwell Group/Senior Living Communities, Pinnacle Living, Vi Living, Love & Company and Spectrum Consultants. She has demonstrated success in leading sales and client relations, tracking new markets and emerging trends, developing strategic partnerships and implementing successful business strategies.

Kate, who earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of Nebraska, is active in many professional associations, including LeadingAge National, Women in Health Management and the eMarketing Association Network. She has been a speaker at several Leading Age state conferences including Leading Age New York and Leading Age Illinois.

CO-FOUNDER

Ian Harris

Serving as the marketing manager for KWJ Marketing since March of 2024, Ian loves to create engaging and dynamic digital ads for paid social and paid search that seamlessly connect our communities with their customers. He excels at engineering and implementing SEO frameworks which boost our communities’ organic visibility in search engine results. With more than 10 years of marketing experience, including work within the SaaS, B2B, retail, senior living, and higher education industries, Ian is an analytic force to be reckoned with in the world of digital marketing strategy.

Ian moonlights as a live sound audio technician, and has mixed hundreds of concerts, church services, and corporate events. He is an avid disc golfer, podcast junkie, a hopeless Star Wars fan, and musician. Ian enjoys watching Formula 1, hockey (Carolina Hurricanes), and football (Carolina Panthers and South Carolina Gamecocks). He and his wife Kate have been married since 2020 and are constantly planning their next cruise vacation.

MARKETING MANAGER

Ashland Ghaffari

With a keen eye for aesthetics and a strategic mindset, Ashland excels in creating visually engaging content that captures brand essence and resonates with audiences. Ashland’s artistic flair and graphic design experience are complemented by her strong marketing skills, helping to craft effective and captivating campaigns that drive engagement and growth.

In her free time, Ashland enjoys cooking, playing with her two huskies, traveling, and watching NASCAR races with her Engine Tuner Fiancé.

CREATIVE STRATEGIST

Jordie DiFernando

DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR

Beginning her career in nonprofit leadership, Jordie has spent the last decade or more enhancing the craft of connecting personal stories to diverse audiences. Learning graphic design, copywriting, and digital marketing skills in the nonprofit sector sets her apart as a gifted writer and designer who is passionate about holding each story, each voice with care. Intentional emphasis on color theory and narrative writing are Jordie’s superpowers in the marketing realm, elements which are featured throughout her work.

Jordie has worked in a variety of arts and education organizations throughout her career, and has over 12 years of experience in digital marketing, graphic design, press interviews, strategic planning, and writing.

Jordie is a lifelong hobbyist; a bookworm, painter, and fiber artist, you are likely to find her snuggled up in a blanket she knitted, binge-reading at 1am with her cat by her side.