FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT

After growing up in the family steakhouse business, Rick earned a degree in business administration from Southeastern State University. Rick has over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is the owner of Wells Hospitality Group, which co-owns Rick’s Chophouse and Harvest Seasonal Kitchen in Historic Downtown McKinney. Rick has a rich past in philanthropy including serving as the President of the Samaritan Inn and President of the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools. In 2018, he was awarded two inaugural awards, the Cornerstone Ranch LaFerney Community Hero award and the Cultivating Land and Community Award from Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance. In 2019, Rick was honored as Distinguished Alumnus of Southeastern State University.

BOARD MEMBER

Megan graduated with a BS in Biology from Boston University in 2004. After several years working in biotech and scientific research, Megan and her father created Pure Land Farm in McKinney in 2012, a seasonal pick-your-own fruit and vegetable farm. Pure Land Farm uses all organic methods on two acres of thornless blackberries, two acres of annuals, and a 50-tree fruit orchard. She served as the Executive Director of the Seed Project Foundation and Creative Director for Wells Hospitality Group/DFA from 2014-2024 before stepping down as Executive Director to focus on spreading the word about her newly released book, “Pick-Your-Own Farming”.

BOARD MEMBER

Raised in Dallas, Andrea Shackelford graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2007 and embarked on a career committed to the farm to table movement. After honing her skills alongside notable chefs Tom Colicchio, Jeff Harris, Tim Bevins, and Graham Dodds, Andrea joined Wells Hospitality Group/DFA in 2012. Under her direction, Harvest was named one of the Best New Restaurants of 2014 by the Dallas Morning News and featured on the cover of D Magazine’s Best Restaurants of 2015. Andrea is a Master Gardener and founding member of the Seed Project Foundation.

TREASURER

Vicki has been a member of the board of directors since 2016. As a volunteer and employee, Vicki has served in leadership roles on several non-profit boards and is currently the Executive Director for the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the students, faculty, and staff of the Lovejoy ISD. Previously she worked as the office and finance manager of the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation and as a software engineer at Raytheon. She has a B.S. degree in Computer Science from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from the University of Dallas.

BOARD MEMBER & FOUNDER OF MCKINNEY ROOTS

Carissa co-founded McKinney Roots in 2017 and joined the board after McKinney Roots merged with the Seed Project Foundation in 2020. Her love of gardening began while working in her grandmother’s garden as a child, and is now being passed along to her own children. She graduated from the University of North Texas in 2009 with a Bachelors of Fine Art and worked as a letterpress printmaker before founding McKinney Roots.

BOARD MEMBER

Janie has enjoyed extensive administrative experience in public work including Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas Independent School District, Office of the Texas Attorney General in Austin as well as in private education as Director of Admission at the Hockaday School in Dallas and admissions coordinator at Southern Methodist University. In each of these positions she has valued the opportunity to inform, teach and support diverse communities. The opportunity to do this again from a completely different prospective yet helping to serve the McKinney community is what excites her about serving on the Seed Foundation Board. Currently she serves on the Baylor University Medical Center Board, part of Baylor Scott and White Health; Visit McKinney Board and has previously served on other boards including Mi Escuelita Board; Frontiers of Flight Museum Board; YWCA Board of Dallas; and Brother Bill’s Helping Hand Board. Janie received a Master of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science in education from Texas Christian University.