Gerald de Jesus (he/him) is a proud Filipino whose early years were shaped in the historic town of Stockton-on-Tees in England. In 2005, he and his family relocated to Forsyth County, Georgia, where he grew up.

Gerald holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Kennesaw State University and has remained actively engaged in the Filipino community throughout his academic and personal journey. During his time at Kennesaw State University, he served on the executive board of the Filipino Student Association, helping to promote cultural awareness and foster a sense of belonging among Filipino-American students. It was also during this time, whilst being an active member of KSU FSA, that he delved deeper into his Filipino roots through cooking the many culinary dishes that the Philippines has to offer. He is also a founding member of FLAN (Filipino Leader Alumni Network), a group dedicated to leadership development, cultural celebration, and solidarity among the Filipino young adult community in Georgia.

Outside of his professional and cultural engagements, Gerald enjoys expressing his creativity in the kitchen, traveling, spending meaningful time with friends, family, and cats, as well as unwinding with immersive, single-player video games.