Team | Bridgeswork

The BridgesWork Team

Dr. Jan Morgan
Executive Director
and Co-Founder

Jan Morgan, a co-founder of BridgesWork, retired from public school administration in 2010 after 31 years of service. She served as a teacher, campus and central office administrator in Dallas, Irving, Coppell, and Bryan before retiring from Southlake Carroll ISD.

Dr. Morgan also served over 25 years as an adjunct professor at Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of North Texas, and Concordia University Texas.

The idea for BridgesWork came about as a result of a conversation Dr. Morgan had with a former Concordia graduate, Ms. Sharlyn Elliott, founder of Bridges Outreach of Denton County. The two joined forces in 2010 to ensure that a difference would be made in the lives of marginalized children in both Denton and Tarrant Counties.

In 2012, Bridges Outreach of Denton County and BridgesWork became separate 501 (c) (3) entities. Both organizations continue to live out their dreams to ensure that the children whose lives they touch will know they are valued and loved and can succeed in today’s world.

Mr. Rick Ivey
Board Treasurer

Rick Ivey joined BridgesWork as a Board member in 2024. His varied background in both philanthropic and business ventures made him a perfect fit for us.

He joined SeatonHill as a Partner in 2015 in the Fort Worth office and is the head of the firm’s “On Demand” practice division. He is an experienced CFO with proven results in multiple industries.

Rick has managed finance, accounting, IT, insurance, and risk management for various clients during his tenure. He has assisted in acquiring numerous companies, worked with clients to develop appropriate borrowing levels, and helped them successfully negotiate with lending institutions to secure financing. In all cases, Rick assumes the role of Trusted Advisor with a focus on improving each client's financial, operational, and strategic trajectory.

He holds a BBA degree from Southwest Texas State University and is a registered CPA in Texas.

Dr. Larry Darlage
Board Member

Larry Darlage received his B.A. degree from the University of Indianapolis in 1967. He obtained teaching and research fellowships at Iowa State University where he completed a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry in 1971.

Following a two-year postdoctoral appointment at the University of Florida, he began his career in teaching and education at Pikeville College located in eastern Kentucky. In 1978, Larry moved to Dallas to help start up Brookhaven College. He served as Division Chair of Science and Mathematics and Vice-President of Instruction. In 1996, he was hired by Tarrant County College to serve as the president of the Northeast Campus in Hurst. He “retired” from TCC in 2014 and then served as principal of Crown of Life Lutheran School in Colleyville. He retired from Crown of Life in 2017.

In the community, Larry serves on numerous boards and committees, including BridgesWork, and the Metroport Rotary Club. He has been honored with outstanding leadership awards from the Colleyville, Hurst-Euless-Bedford, and the Northeast Tarrant Chambers of Commerce, as well as from the Northeast Leadership Forum. He is currently an elder at Crown of Life Lutheran Church.

He and his wife Mary Linn celebrated 57 years of marriage this past year. They reside in Southlake, Texas.

Mr. Thomas Hawthorne
Board Member

Thomas Hawthorne co-coordinates the BridgesWork young adult program with his wife, Amber. He is also Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Ultara Holdings, Inc. whose principal subsidiary is Geoshack, North America's largest Independent dealer of GPS and machine control equipment. This professional role allows him to work with every department within the company to make operations more efficient and profitable. In his private time he uses his background in finance to assist where he can, and for many years he served as the chair of his church's finance committee. A lifelong United Methodist, Thomas currently attends Ash Lane UMC. He is one of those rare sports fans who roots for both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, since he went to OSU for undergrad and OU for graduate school. Thomas is also an Army veteran, having served in both the infantry and the 95th Division Army Band. He is an Escape Room aficionado, and he estimates that he has escaped (or almost escaped!) from more than 100. He is father to three humans, six chickens, and a cat.

Coach Randy Morgan
Co-Founder

Randy Morgan, a BridgesWork co-founder, retired from public school education in 2010 after 37 years of service. Before retiring from Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, he served as a teacher, coach, and central office administrator in Round Rock, Eanes, Carrollton-Farmers Branch, and Coppell. Having a desire to give back to the community and his passion for making a difference in the lives of young people motivated him to join his wife in the development and implementation of BridgesWork.

One former student/athlete may have said it best: "Without Coach Morgan's belief in me, I wouldn't be where I am today." Coach "Mo" "continues" to work with public school districts in Texas as a consultant. He recently came out of retirement to complete projects in Hurst-Euless-Bedford and Midlothian ISDs.

Mr. Wes Hamilton
Board President

Wes is currently the Executive Vice President of Pinnacle Mergers and Acquisitions, a consulting company in the automotive industry. Prior to going to work for Pinnacle he spent 13 years in education as a teacher, coach and administrator. Wes was also a professional umpire in the minor leagues from 1993 to 2002 and a college umpire from 2004-2023 with the Big 12 and SEC. Wes enjoys spending time with his family; watching his son, Austin, play baseball; his daughter, Ally, play soccer; and traveling with, Carrie, his wife of 28 years.

Mr. Chris Roof
Board Secretary

Chris Roof is a servant leader with nearly 30 years of experience in healthcare performance improvement, financial stewardship, and community service. He holds a BBA in accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington and an MBA in Business Management from the University of Dallas.

At Vizient, Inc., Chris has held roles in accounting, corporate finance, and contracting and now leads analytics for the organization's largest groups of hospitals and clinics.

He served on the Keller ISD Board of Trustees from 2017 to 2023, including terms as Vice President and Board Secretary.

Chris is also an active member of the Hills Church, where he has led youth mission trips and an international mission trip to Honduras.

Outside of his professional and volunteer work, Chris enjoys golf, traveling with his wife, Lorri, of 28 years, and watching their two sons grow into outstanding young professionals—one in the aviation industry and the other pursuing a career as a firefighter and paramedic.

Mr. Patrick Smith
Board Member

Patrick Smith is a lifelong educator who has served as a teacher, principal, and HR administrator in North Texas and international schools for 34 years.

His advocacy focus in all his work has been to provide resources and opportunities to students and staff for enriched experiences and loving pathways for life choices.

Patrick has training in and utilizes Baldridge continuous improvement process in his approach to strategic planning, goal focus, and achievement mapping.

He is a firm believer in Clifton StrengthsFinder coaching, and frequently references Covey’s “7 Habits,” (work on important, not urgent, more often) when mentoring and coaching others.

He holds a B.A. in English Education from Marquette University, an M.Ed. In Educational Administration from University of Texas at Arlington, and is a certified Professional Human Capital Leader in Education by the American Association of School Personnel Administrators.

He believes in BridgesWork because education is the great equalizer, and programs like BridgesWork multiply the effect.

Michelle & TJ Pepper
Assistant Executive Director Team

Michelle Pepper is a teacher with the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District. During her career, she has served as a new teacher mentor, curriculum writer, and professional development facilitator. Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Texas A&M University.

She is involved in many volunteer opportunities at her church. She assists in coordinating a Mobile Food Pantry initiative, accompanies youth on Mission Trips, works with both children's and adult Sunday school programs, and can often be found helping others with Vacation Bible School.

Michelle served as a second-grade teacher for our BridgesWork Summer and Saturday programs. She also works alongside Thomas and Amber to mentor our postgraduates by sponsoring university visits and social activities.

TJ Pepper has managed new home construction throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area for over 20 years. His previous career was in restaurant management in San Antonio, Texas. His servant's heart leads him to volunteer wherever needed, and he is particularly active in the Mobile Food Pantry and BridgesWork initiatives.