OUR TEAM
Vanessa Barker
Founder and Executive Director | vanessa@thewelmanproject.org
(By Taylor)
Vanessa is one of those all-around perfect people that just drives you crazy - clever, charming, creative and hilarious. She can pull off outfits that anyone else would look ridiculous in. Her home is like a real-life Pinterest board. She is both the idea person, and the person who makes things happen. Fortunately she’s also impossible to hate, because she’s incredibly humble, thoughtful, and genuine.
Vanessa is the kind of person who can move across the country with nothing but what fits in her car. She went to Emerson College in Boston, where she was in the famed comedy group Jimmy’s Traveling All-Stars, and saw The Fonz speak at her graduation. She lived in a castle in the Netherlands. She taught at a Montessori preschool in the hills of Topanga, California, and in the other hills of San Francisco. She’s been a project manager for events around the country, including building a giant ice wall on the Hudson River for New York Fashion Week. It was the combination of her teaching and event experience that led Vanessa to the idea for The Welman Project in 2008. It’s been her passion ever since.
After a brief 10 year hiatus, she married her high school sweetheart, Travis. Together
they enjoy eating queso, and turning even the most mundane task into a hilarious
adventure. Their daughter, Joey June, is already proving to be as much of an
unstoppable force as her mom. This is both good and bad news for Vanessa.
Taylor Willis
Founder and Executive Director | taylor@thewelmanproject.org
(By Vanessa)
Taylor is not one to brag, but she might be the most talented human I know. She says that her resume looks like a mess of indecision, but I say it's a testament to her brilliant brain function. I call her my Jill of all Trades. Taylor has been behind a camera since we were kids, always filming and taking pictures, so its no surprise that she's made one helluva career as a videographer, photographer and editor for high profile projects and companies throughout Texas. She's also a whiz at web and graphic design.
Need a costume or anything manufactured with a sewing machine? Call Taylor.
Need a haircut? Good thing Taylor is a licensed cosmetologist.
Have a large event with A-list celebrities? Taylor has personally sourced a birthday cake for Bill Paxton.
Oh, you want the latest home entertainment technology installed in your house? Call Taylor. I'm not kidding.
Literally the only thing Taylor is not good at is eating meat, because she's a vegetarian. And even then, that's a choice. If she wanted to eat meat I bet she could down a steak better than any 300lb cowboy.
Steven Alford
Program Coordinator | steven@thewelmanproject.org
More Bios Coming Soon!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kate Lovelady - President
Assistant Director
Fort Worth Opera
Rebecca Jung - Treasurer
Manufacturing Operations Project Manager
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.
Randi Wheeler - Secretary
Applied Learning Teacher
J.T. Stevens Elementary
Randall Ford
Director of Operations
Westmoreland Builders, LLC
Tracy Cliburn
Client & Transaction Manager
Transwestern
Cortney Gumbleton
Founder and Co-Owner
Locavore
Adam Gutierrez
Educator
FWISD
Lane Hackemack
Nurse
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital
OUR HISTORY
Why 'Welman'?
"The Welman Project is named after my birth mother, Shelley Welman. Two l’s in Shelley, one in Welman. She gave me up for adoption so that I could have a better life. I was repurposed, in a way, and selflessly given to two folks who needed a little girl. Her spirit and gift live on through this project, this idea of finding the right for your left." - Vanessa
The Welman Project connects schools and nonprofits with the community in ways that ignite creativity, environmental activism, and social responsibility.
We serve as a free resource, distributing surplus materials from local companies for creative reuse in the classroom and beyond.
CONSERVE
Enable companies to create less waste in an innovative and impactful way
CONTRIBUTE
Encourage community responsibility for the welfare of our schools and neighborhoods
CREATE
Facilitate the exchange of creative reuse ideas and materials
Who We Serve
We work with educators primarily in the Fort Worth ISD, as well as in public, private and charter schools across DFW. We also give to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations. These are some of the places that have received donated materials.
Schools
A.M. Pate Elementary
Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center
Applied Learning Academy
Arlington Heights High
Belt Line Elementary
Benbrook Elementary
Benbrook Middle
Benbrook Middle-High
Birdville Elementary
O. H. Stowe Elementary
Bonnie Brae Elementary
Briscoe Elementary
Bruce Shulkey Elementary
Burton Hill Elementary
Carroll Peak Elementary
Carter Park Elementary
Chapel Hill Academy
Charles Nash Elementary
Chisholm Ridge Elementary
Clifford Davis Elementary
Crowley Learning Center
E.M. Daggett Elementary
Daggett Middle
Daggett Montessori
Dallas Park Elementary
David K. Sellars Elementary
De Zavala Elementary
Dubiski Career High
Dunbar High School
East Handley Elementary
Eastern Hills High
Ed Wilkie Middle
Euless Junior High
Forest Oak Middle
Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts
Fossil Hill Middle
Garner Fine Arts Academy
Glencrest 6th Grade
H. F. Stevens Middle
Harlean Beal Elementary
Harmony Peace Elementary
Hazel Harvey Peace Elementary
Hoover Elementary
Hubbard Heights Elementary
International Leadership of Texas
J. P. Elder Middle
Jack C. Binion Elementary
Jacque Martin Middle
Jean McClung Middle
Joshua High
J. T. Stevens Elementary
Kennedale High
Kinderplatz of Fine Arts
Kirkpatrick Elementary
Leonard Middle
Lake Worth High
Lily B. Clayton Elementary
Lowery Road Elementary
Lucyle Collins Middle
Mary Louise Phillips Elementary
Manuel Jara Elementary
Marine Creek Elementary
Mary Harris Intermediate 5/6
Maude Logan Elementary
Maudrie M. Walton Elementary
Meacham Middle
Meadowbrook Elementary
Meadowbrook Middle
Midway Park Elementary
Mitchell Boulevard Elementary
M.H. Moore Elementary
Morningside Elementary
Newman International Academy
North Hi Mount Elementary
O. D. Wyatt High
Paschal High
Remynse Elementary
Ridglea Hills Elementary
Rivertree Academy
Rosemont Middle
Rufino Mendoza Elementary
S. H. Crowley Intermediate
S. S. Dillow Elementary
Salado Montessori
Sagamore Hill School
South Hills Elementary
South Hills High
Southwest High School
St Peter's Classical School
Sunrise-McMillan Elementary
Trimble Tech High
Trinity Valley School
Van Zandt-Guinn Elementary
Versia Williams Elementary
W. M. Green Elementary
Wedgwood Academy
Wedgwood Middle
West Handley Elementary
Westcliff Elementary
Westcreek Elementary
Western Hills Elementary
William James Middle
Woodway Elementary
Young Women's Leadership Academy
Nonprofits
Academics360 Educational Support Services
ACH Child and Family Services
Airpower Foundation
American Association of Community Theatre
Amon Carter Museum
Amphibian Stage Productions
Boys and Girls Club
Build a Better Hood Foundation
Camp Fire First Texas
CDF Freedom School - Stop Six
Center for Transforming Lives
ChildCare Group
Communities In Schools of Greater Tarrant County
Community Enrichment Center
Community Food Bank
Cuisine for Healing
Daniel Migael Foundation
Eastside Alliance Community Partnership
Educational First Steps
Embrace UCC
Excellence by Design Education Center
Fairmount Community Library
Fort Worth After School
Fort Worth Graffiti Abatement
Fortress Youth Development Center
Gill Children's Services
Good Neighbors Animal Rescue
Graham Regional Theatre
Hope Center 4 Autism
Kids Who Care Musical Theatre
Lena Pope
Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth
Morningside Children's Partnership
Near Southside, Inc.
North Tri-Ethnic Community Center
Northside Community Center
Project Transformation
Refugee Services of Texas
Rowlett Summer Musicals
Samaritan House
Sunshine Advancements Inc.
Tarrant Area Food Bank
Taste Project
The Arts HUB of Mineral Wells
The Warm Place
True Worth Place
Union Gospel Mission
Community Partners
We couldn't do this without our partners who make the choice to donate instead of dispose. These are some of the businesses and organizations giving back through reuse.
AECOM
American Red Cross
Amon Carter Museum
Amphibian Stage Productions
BOKA Powell
Brightspot Incentives & Events
Brown, PC
byrd + bleecker
Casa Manana
Central States Industrial
Child Care Associates
ChildCare Group
Christ Chapel Bible Church
Civic Entertainment Group
Colonel's Bicycles
Commodity Recycling Solutions
Common Ground
Community Food Bank
Corsicana Geranium Gardens
Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stage Scenery
Ensemble Coworking
First Congregational UCC
Fort Worth Christian
Fort Worth Magazine
Fort Worth Public Access TV
Fortress Youth Development Center
Freese and Nichols, Inc.
Frost Bank
Harris, Finley & Bogle, P.C.
Health Markets Insurance Agency
Heart of a Teacher Consignment
IntegraCare Holdings
Jim Austin Online
Jolin Promo
Jubilee Theatre
Junior League Fort Worth
Keep Fort Worth Beautiful
Kids Who Care Musical Theatre
Kinderplatz of Fine Arts
LKCM Radio Group (95.9 The Ranch)
Lonesome Charlie's Leatherworks
Mac Williams Construction
Metro Mailer
Nationwide Plastics
Near Southside, Inc.
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
Pardus Oil and Gas
Pottorff
PuckettPro
Reaching Out MBA
Real Estate Council of Greater Fort Worth
Rogue Architects
Safran Power and Electrical
Sedona Productions
Southwestern Services
Sterigenics International
Texas Health Occupational Health Clinic
Texas Nonprofit Theatres, Inc.
Texas Oncology
The Hills Church of Christ
The Warm Place
Ubeo Business Services
UNT Health Science Center
USS Fort Worth Support Committee
Van Grow: Art Studio for Kids
Whistle and Sway Salon
Woodbine Furniture