Meet Our Leaders

Janice Wheeler, Ed.D., serves as Executive Director of Project Joy and Hope which she founded in 2000. Inspirational speaker, author, and educator, Dr. Jan Wheeler is a woman who can make a personal connection with families whose children are diagnosed with life-threatening conditions. Jan cared for her teenage daughter, Valerie Grace, for twenty-eight months after her initial cancer diagnosis. She also understands this issue from a professional perspective. Her research at Texas Children’s Hospital in cooperation with Baylor College of Medicine adds insight into the barriers that families face when their child receives a difficult diagnosis.

Advocating for children with special health care needs and their families, Dr. Wheeler is a co-author of chapters in the textbook, Palliative Care for Infants, Children, and Adolescents: A Practical Handbook, published in 2004. Dr. Wheeler has been honored as the 2006 Champion by Texas Partnership for End of Life Care and was the 2004 recipient of the International Diana Award for Philanthropy, whose distinguished list of recipients includes former First Lady Barbara Bush. To read more about her journey, click here.

Board of Directors :

Governing Members

Howard Lederer, Board Chairman - Howard Lederer is a founding member of Project Joy and Hope and is a dedicated advocate for our organization. Lederer oversees the activities of Project Joy and Hope, sets goals for our agency, and presides at board meetings, and provides leadership with vision. He also serves on the Executive Committee. CEO of Atec, Inc., Mr. Lederer is also the Board Chair of HoustonWorks USA, as well as a board member of the Christus Foundation for Healthcare (St. Joseph Hospital Foundation). A native Houstonian, Mr. Lederer attended St. Thomas High School and the University of Texas at Austin.

William L. H. Morgan, Jr. – Board Secretary/Treasurer – William "Bill" Morgan is a founding member of Project Joy and Hope and capably serves as PJH Secretary/Treasurer. Mr. Morgan is a licensed attorney and CPA, with specialties in Tax Law and Estate Planning and Probate Law. Responsible for advising the Board and Executive Director in all financial aspects of the organization, Mr. Morgan also keeps Board minutes and serves on the Executive Committee.

Alicia Aaron – Member; President, Flowers & Co., Pasadena, TX

Scott Anderson – Member; President, Internet Ventures, Pearland, TX

Melody Brown-Hellsten, M.S., R.N. - Member; Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, San Antonio, TX

Marcia Levetown, MD – Member; Principal, HealthCare Communication Associates, Houston, TX

Janice H. Wheeler, Ed. D. - Member; Founder and Executive Director, Project Joy and Hope

Ron Williams – Member; Executive Director, Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation, Houston, TX

Advisory Members:

Audrey Loweth – Attorney at Law, Houston, TX

Charles B. Musslewhite, Jr. – Attorney at Law, Houston, TX