Interview with Dr. Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley

North Charleston, SC, City Council Member 

From Women’s Committee Executive Team Member and South Carolina Forwardist Kayla Sullivan

Dr. Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley was elected to the seat of the city council for the 3rd District of North Charleston, SC on May 28th, 2025. She ran as a Democrat-aligned Forward candidate. This interview took place on July 1, 2025. 

Background: Dr. Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley is a retired circuit court Judge and doctoral holder originally from Tipton, GA, where her father was stationed. Her father served in the Air Force for 27 years. Her family moved to North Charleston when she was a preteen to accommodate her father’s work. Her mother worked in the postal service, so transferring locations was easy for her family. 

She holds a PhD in Psychology and serves as an adjunct professor of Psychology at Claflin University and Trident Technical College. “My background as a SpEd teacher and a judge has provided me with a well-rounded understanding of law, education, and basic human needs.”

Her primary goals as a city council member for the 3rd District are to reduce polarization and increase career readiness among young people. 

Dr. Ganaway-Pasley is a lifelong Democrat who aligns herself with the values of the Forward Party. She appreciates FWD’s involvement in her election. “They put boots on the ground and made phone calls”. 

However, for Dr. Ganaway-Pasley,  it is important to acknowledge all of those who aided her in the victory. This was a nonpartisan race; people of all walks of life helped to support me. It was a people’s choice race, even Republicans came to help the effort for my campaign, and it is very much appreciated”. 

On the topic of her predecessor, Dr. Ganaway-Pasley stated, “I see it as an issue of integrity and transparency. Soliciting favors and bribes in exchange for rezoning that is not in favor of the constituents that voted you into office–that is unacceptable”. 

She reflected, “I am here to listen, engage with my constituents, and restore trust in this position. I am honored to have been entrusted with this position”. 

On the Economy

Dr. Ganaway-Pasley wants to sustain growth for the North Charleston area. She does acknowledge the 4 percent unemployment rate–one of the lowest recorded in the history of the city. The Charleston Metropolitan area is home to a young, skilled workforce, with 5500 diverse businesses, such as Boeing. 

Views on North Charleston

When it comes to North Charleston as a whole, Dr. Ganaway-Pasley emphasizes the need for affordable housing and reducing the crime rate in the area. She noted a piece of news that she was recently briefed on—165 families were displaced for a particular development. She will obtain more information on this development later in the week. 

She added, “Affordable housing is defined as housing that does not exceed 30% of the monthly income of the household. People should be able to easily pay their housing costs without sacrificing basic needs, such as food, water, transportation, etc.” 

As a partial solution, the PhD holder would like to incorporate more transitional homes into the area. “With a transitional home, the unhoused population would have an opportunity to get back on their feet and be able to reintegrate into society and the workforce.” She wants to be a champion of sustainable prosperity.

Views on the 3rd District

One of the largest issues for residents is the noise pollution coming from I-26. A 2008 study documented that the noise from I-26 exceeded safety standards. Dr. Ganaway-Pasley noted officials had a proposed solution for this issue, but it was never rectified. 

She stated that, according to updated environmental studies, the safety standards for noise pollution have only increased, making I-26 less compliant with safety standards. From this article, some North Charleston neighborhoods along I-26 did not receive the federal grant to build noise reduction measures. 

In 2023, Dr. Ganaway-Pasley ran an unsuccessful bid for North Charleston Mayor. She learned a great deal from the experience and decided that the next best move would be to run for her area’s council seat. 

When prompted on the possibility of re-running for May, she simply explained, “I am not looking too far into the future right now. I am, at this moment, working for the betterment of my constituents in the 3rd District. My first campaign for Mayor did not take off, but perhaps this is the step that I needed to take to get to the top”. 

“I own my voice–even if my voice shakes, I stand my ground. I will always take my seat at the table.”