Tammie DeDeaux-Gray is the founder of The LAD Project, a faith-based 501C3 nonprofit corporation based in Pass Christian, Mississippi, which works to empower at-risk youth and families to reach their highest potential through various programs and activities. Ms. DeDeaux-Gray is a graduate of Pass Christian High School and attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Perkinston Campus. She also worked in the education field for 20 years in various roles from the elementary to the high school level until just recently when she resigned to commit full-time to The LAD Project.

Marsha Garziano is retired from the Pass Christian Public School District where she served for 31 years as the Business Manager. She is a graduate of Bay Senior High School in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree and a Master of Education degree from The University of Southern Mississippi. She also spent 3 years in public and private accounting prior to joining the Pass Christian School District as Business Manager in 1986.

Sharon Loiacano was the owner and artistic director of the Coast Youth Ballet Academy in Bay St. Louis, MS, for 36 years from 1984 until 2020, teaching classical ballet to ages 3 through adult. A graduate of Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, WV, Sharon won a prestigious National Merit Scholarship to attend Texas Christian University where she graduated Summe Cum Laude with a BFA in Ballet Performance and Instruction with a minor in history. Ms Loiacano danced professionally with Fort Worth Ballet and Fort Worth Opera for two years before moving to Bay St Louis to open her own ballet studio. Sharon homeschooled her daughter for 10 years and has been tutoring all levels of math, as well as ACT prep tutoring, for the past 8 years. She has also served as the children’s ministry leader, VBS elementary Bible teacher, and a children’s church teacher at Church of the Good Shepherd in Pass Christian.

Laura was born in Lexington, Kentucky. She moved two years ago from Texas to Pass Christian because she loves the beauty of the coast, the spirit and hospitality of the people, and the food! It is also half way between her children in Texas and Florida.

Laura serves her new community through various volunteer avenues.

She has been married to Doug Welsh for 24 years.

Doug is a Texas native and moved to the Mississippi Coast two years ago ("I got here as fast as I could!").

Doug is a former horticulture professor at Texas A&M University in College Station. He coordinated the Texas Master Gardener program and helped create the Junior Master Gardener program which is now implemented worldwide.

In his book, Doug Welsh's Texas Garden Almanac, he recalls his first gardening experience as planting a bean seed in a paper cup in Bible school at age 5. His mom helped him plant that first seed and Doug continues to help others plant that first seed and have garden success.

Doug is married to his garden muse, Laura Welsh.

Gail Wambsgans was a human resources professional who worked in the automotive and healthcare industries for 40 years. She earned a BS degree In human resource management from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Ms. Wambsgans grew up in Detroit, Michigan and is now happily retired with her husband, Fabian, in Pass Christian