Bradley Bryant, CPA manages financial statement assurance and consulting engagements within the manufacturing, distribution, and construction industries for Plante Moran, the 13th largest certified public accounting and business advisory firm in the United States. He has more than 10 years of experience providing financial services to public and privately held companies of various sizes and industries. Bradley became invested in the Design Outreach vision after hearing it from Greg Bixler at a meeting where they attend church together. He was truly inspired by the LifePump and its ability to fulfill the essential water needs of thousands of villages and millions of people in third-world countries. Bradley started working with Design Outreach in 2012 and has helped set up the organization’s treasury and accounting operations. He traveled to Haiti in 2016 to help install a LifePump and see its impact firsthand. Bradley hopes to aid in furthering the Design Outreach vision as well as work to bring the LifePump to as many villages as possible. Bradley, his wife Erin, and their three children, Cullen, McBride, and Brindley, enjoy spending time with family, playing sports, being outdoors, and traveling to the Outer Banks. They reside in Pataskala Village on the east side of Columbus, OH.
Dean Jessup is currently retired from daily operations of an animal agriculture products development company, Agrarian Solutions. However, he remains President of the Board. In retirement, he has had the opportunity to get deeply involved with mission efforts. Some earlier mission work was connected to a boy’s school in Honduras, El Sembrador, which operates a farm in support of the school. It was on a trip to Honduras that his wife, Jan, encountered a rural family that had no water source. This opened their eyes to the world problem of access to clean water. Shortly after, they were introduced to Design Outreach, which provided an opportunity to give back and help in alleviating this global problem. Dean and Jan live in Goshen, Indiana.
Chris Lightfoot is a financial advisor with Collaborative Financial Partners and the Ohio Director for the National Christian Foundation. He has a passion to see his clients increase their capacity for generosity and impactful application of their Time, Talents, and Treasure through biblical principals of financial planning. His "Holy Ambition" (Chip Ingram) in life is to encourage and equip ministry leaders to stay fully engaged in their God-given purpose by providing coaching, connections, and resources. He was drawn to Design Outreach when CEO and founder, Greg Bixler, shared his heart to do exactly this for local pastors, missionaries, and organizations on the ground in some of the most desperate places on earth. In addition to his role with Design Outreach, Chris serves as the Generosity Coach at Good News Church in Powell, on the board of Cornerstone Academy in New Albany and Columbus Humanities Arts and Technology Academy in Columbus, and is on the steering committee for The Phillip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany. He is a graduate of Faith Baptist Bible College and earned his MBA at the University of Colorado. Chris and Meghann met while teaching at a high school together in Colorado Springs, CO. They have two boys, Elias and Bennett, and all four love spending time with friends and extended family, playing, traveling, and enjoying God's creation.
Mary Kate Castor first heard about Design Outreach and the water crisis from a close friend. As a woman and mother of a young daughter, her heart broke as she learned how this issue disproportionately impacts women and girls—putting them at greater risk for physical harm and often depriving them access to an education. The Lord called her to volunteer and since 2015, Mary Kate Castor has been an ardent champion and ambassador for Design Outreach. After serving as the Volunteer and Events Coordinator and Give Water Gala Emcee, she accepted the invitation to join Design Outreach’s Board of Directors in 2019. Mary Kate holds a B.A. in colonial American history from the College of William and Mary and an M.A. in higher education and student affairs from The Ohio State University. For several years, she used her background in educational policy and leadership while she served on staff with her local church. Currently, Mary Kate enjoys being a stay at home mom to her two kids, loves cycling, reading and daydreaming of the ocean. Mary Kate and her husband Bob live in Dublin, Ohio
Rocky started RainMakers Talent, after a successful career of over 30 years in the retail, fashion & commercial furniture industries. These industries focus on innovation, fashion & design and employ highly creative talent many of whom are strong leaders and builders that make a difference. Rocky has worked with many RainMakers over this time. While helping leaders be more effective and reach their potential, Rocky has supported the growth of world-class brands. This includes coaching CEO's and Presidents; leadership development; acquiring top talent globally, building teams and culture shaping. Rocky also oversaw Leadership Talent Acquisition for L-Brands including leading a world-class internal executive search business that became a strategic weapon for the company, producing an influx of strong leaders that fostered it's growth and profitability. He directed the Leadership Talent and Inclusion agenda on an enterprise-wide basis, internal/external succession planning for the top 250 leaders (VP level and higher), and executive search. These activities were performed on behalf of the L-Brands CEO, and brand/business CEO's/Presidents as well as leaders in all parts of the enterprise. Throughout his career, Rocky has led highly successful human resource teams at enterprise brands and businesses charged with strategic business and brand initiatives. Such initiatives include organizational development and integration, talent acquisition and retention, brand management, change and talent management, organizational development/reengineering and governance, leveraging talent, innovation, and best practices across the enterprise. Rocky holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a dual major in marketing and psychology from Kent State University. He earned his MBA from Baldwin Wallace University with a concentration in business and organizational development. He is a consummate learner with post-graduate education/development through universities including Harvard Business School, Richard Ivey School of Business (Hong Kong), The Ohio State University, University of Michigan, New York University; University of Missouri – St. Louis and others. He has taught in MBA, executive programs and at the Undergraduate level in the areas of leadership, culture shaping, organizational change and human resources management. He has served his community in roles as Board Chair and Board member of several community organizations/agencies including the Gathering, Relā, Inroads, The United Way and The Urban League.
J. Kelly Williamson knows the importance of clean water. As the founder of AquaShield Inc., he has worked to manufacture water treatment systems for stormwater and industrial runoff, industrial process water, and filtration for non-potable water sources. Kelly, who lives with his wife Patsy in Chattanooga, Tenn., serves on the Water Quality Association Research Foundation task force that works to secure new research grants. His passion for ensuring all have access to safe and reliable water is founded on furthering the work of God. After all, he says, water was His first creation we see in Genesis 1:2, “and Rauch ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) was hovering over the waters.” With a degree in Geology/Earth Science from Middle Tennessee State University, Kelly began his career with the Boy Scouts of America and Conoco Oil Company. He also worked as an independent environmental remediation consultant/contractor. Kelly’s devotion for giving back is evident in his work with The Timothy Initiative (TTI) on church planting globally, the Moody Bible Institute and its aviation program, and the Teen Challenge of SE Tennessee. He has three adult children, Rosalie, Jack and Bud, and enjoys flying as a private pilot..
By background, Michelle Lockwood is a civil and environmental engineer. She worked for a software development company called Stoner and Associates who model vast water or natural gas systems for municipalities. Following this experience, Michelle served as an adjunct professor in engineering at Messiah College for several years. However, by heart, Michelle is a missionary who desires to serve the poor, the voiceless, and the harmed. In 2000, she and her family felt called to relocate to Zimbabwe where they stayed for 6 years and then in South Africa for 6 years. During those 12 years, Michelle was involved in teaching children and adults, caring and advocating for those with less voice, and building programs to care for the less fortunate. Michelle returned to central PA in 2012. She currently is a full-time Senior Lecturer at Messiah University in the Engineering Department and is working with an aquaponics student team, as well as, a water purification design student team.
Mary Mungai first heard about Design Outreach through the Rotary Club of Delaware. As a native of Kenya, Mary has first-hand experience with water scarcity and the great lengths to which people go to find safe drinking water. Hearing about Design Outreach's work and the impact already experienced by millions of people in Africa and beyond, Mary wanted to get involved. Mary hopes to aid in furthering the vision Design Outreach has set forth to continue bringing clean water and other life-changing innovations to many more people across the globe.
Mary holds a BS in Nursing from Ohio State University and an MBA from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Currently, Mary works as a Director of Clinical Services for Divine Home Health Care, a company she and her husband founded in 2009. In her spare time, Mary enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Mary, her husband Gabriel, and their two children reside in Galena, Ohio.
