Exciting news– Project Transformation National has launched a national Alumni Advisory Board!

Each year across the country, college-age young adults gather to live in intentional community, serve children and youth, and engage in spiritual formation and vocational exploration with Project Transformation (PT). In just the last decade since PT National’s founding, the Project Transformation network has served almost 2,000 young adults. After each summer, more than 80% of young adults report being interested in continued service and ministry in the church or other community programs. 

Our alumni are spread far and wide working in ministry, education, nonprofits, social services, law, government, and business, utilizing the community-driven knowledge, skills, and faith formation that they developed while serving with PT to transform their communities.

PT National’s Alumni Advisory Board is made up of a diverse group of alumni who are passionate about PT, want to help shape the experience for future young adults, and who are committed to leading national alumni engagement efforts. Read more about our advisory board members below! If you are a PT alumni and are interested in getting involved with the advisory board, contact Katie Clifford at clifford@projecttransformation.org.

PT National Alumni Advisory Board Members

Zane Cawthon

Zane is a proud native of Oak Cliff, Dallas (that’s his hood!). He holds a Bachelor’s in Music – Vocal Performance from the University of Tulsa and a Master’s in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University. He currently serves as a Government Relations Associate at Carnegie Hall, New York City’s most renowned concert venue, a position that allows him to meet the world’s need for arts and culture with his joy for advocacy. Zane has a deep connection to Project Transformation North Texas, having served in several leadership roles: LITE Coordinator (2017 and 2018), Site Coordinator for After-School (2018–19), and Community Director (Summer 2019). These experiences helped shape his path in public service. He credits Project Transformation with propelling him to serve in the Peace Corps, where he taught high school as a Youth Development Volunteer in the Kingdom of Eswatini from 2019 until the pandemic prompted an early return. He later worked as a legislative aide in Austin during the Texas Legislature’s 87th legislative session before pursuing graduate studies in New Jersey. Zane now lives in Trenton with his beloved fur baby, Calliope. He’s thrilled to join the Advisory Board and give back to an organization that’s given him so much.

Taylor Davenport-Hudson

Taylor completed a one-year fellowship in 2015-2016 at PT Tennessee, serving as a Site Coordinator for the afterschool program and summer day camp at Matthews Memorial UMC in Madison, Tennessee. Taylor also served on PT Tennessee’s staff for more than six years as Volunteer Coordinator, Volunteer and Communications Manager, and the Director of Communications & Volunteer Engagement. She holds a Bachelor’s in Integrated Marketing Communications from the University of Mississippi and a Master’s of Education in Nonprofit Leadership from Belmont University. Taylor currently works as the Senior Manager of Marketing Strategy at DSST Public Schools in Denver, Colorado. She is married to Will, dog mom to Thack, and new mom to Emerson.

Kenadi Davis

Bio coming soon!

Lidia Hernandez

Lidia was born and raised in Mexico, where she served in ministry alongside her family from a very young age as they worked as missionaries. She attended Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas. Lidia later continued her education at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, were she earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Wellness. In the summer of 2023, Lidia served as an intern with Project Transformation Washington DC. Her time with PT was incredibly meaningful and helped deepen her passion for ministry, children advocacy, and community engagement. She is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity, and is grateful for the ways Project Transformation has shaped her calling and leadership journey.

Peyton James

Bio coming soon!

Rev. Luke Lea

Rev. Luke Lea serves as an Ordained Elder in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Annual Conference of the UMC.  He is a graduate of Lee University and Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  Rev. Lea served for five summers as a young adult at PT Tennessee, PT Greater Tarrant, and PT North Georgia in various roles, then as a host church pastor, and now serves as a partner church pastor in Memphis, Tennessee. While Luke’s call is to the local church, his passions include public education and housing justice.  As a native Nashvillian, Luke’s family enjoys live music, Vanderbilt athletics, classic board games, and now Memphis, TN.

Jeremy R. Page

Jeremy is a partner at the law firm, Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P., where he has spent the last eight years representing local governmental entities throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Jeremy received his law degree in 2016 from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and his Bachelor of Science in Public Administration, Political Science, and Economics from the University of Arkansas in 2013. While at the University of Arkansas, Jeremy was involved with the Wesley Foundation, where he was first connected with members of Project Transformation and who strongly encouraged him to apply. Upon acceptance, Jeremy served as a summer intern in 2012 with what is now the PT North Texas chapter on the Chapel Hill team. In his free time, Jeremy remains involved in the community, volunteering his time for various charitable organizations and advocacy groups. He is also a gifted musician, having first encountered his passion for sacred music while growing up at First UMC Lewisville. Jeremy currently resides in Dallas with his husband, Justin, and is an active member of First UMC Dallas.

London Shannon

Bio coming soon!

Cordell Simmons

Cordell Simmons is an attorney with over 13 years of experience in financial regulatory compliance. As a first generation college graduate, Cordell has always been a passionate advocate for education and literacy. When Cordell found Project Transformation North Texas, it presented the perfect opportunity to see how that passion would take shape for him during law school. Cordell served during the summer of 2009 as a Youth Intern and the summers of 2010 and 2011 as a Site Coordinator at Walnut Hill/Christ’s Foundry when it was still known as ‘the slash’. Cordell is excited to join the Alumni Board and help fulfill its goals and mission.

Rev. Katie Newsome

Katie is an alum of PT North Texas. From 2009-2013, she served in a variety of leadership roles. Starting as a program young adult in 2009, Katie went on to serve as a Site Coordinator at Chapel Hill UMC for both the 2010 and 2011 summers. From there, she moved up the leadership ladder and served as a Program Quality Coach the summer of 2012 and finally, as a Community Director in the summer of 2013.

Katie grew up a Georgia native and came to Texas by way of SMU where she studied Psychology and Religious Studies. Katie went to seminary at Perkins School of Theology and graduated with a Master of Divinity. She is an ordained elder with 7 years of professional experience in the North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church. Katie is a warm and friendly person who loves new ideas, possibilities, and collaboration. Katie is the Executive Director and Lead Pastor of Union in Dallas, which she joined in 2021. Katie is committed to the Church being a place in which everyone belongs fully as their most authentic self. She genuinely believes that the divine spark is present in all things, and the work that we do finding and cultivating that can absolutely change the world. Katie loves talking all things movies, music, and Broadway.

Angela Thomas

Angela Thomas served as an intern, fellow, and site coordinator across two summers and a fellowship with PT Tennessee from 2017 to 2018. After four years in non-profit education, she transitioned to operations management in the finance sector, where she continues to work while pursuing her BBA. She is currently working towards launching a dance-based non-profit in the DFW, TX metroplex to support creative expression and meaningful community engagement.