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Around Campus: FWCD’s New Trustees
FWCD appointed four new Board of Trustees members in May. New members serving a three year team are Whitney Baggett Creel ’04, Dr. Asad Dean ’90, Jon Kellam and Helen Todora.
Creel is a Fort Worth native, FWCD alumna, and a graduate of Texas A&M University. Creel and her husband, Todd, are the founders of Mustang Energy Services, an oil and gas containment solutions company, where she served as Chief Financial Officer until 2018; Superior Turf Supply, a synthetic grass distribution company servicing Texas and surrounding states; and Creel Family Philanthropies, a nonprofit with the mission to cultivate generational involvement while supporting community organizations focused on both education and life-altering illnesses. In addition to her business and philanthropic endeavors, Creel is a member of the Board of Directors for The Center of Hope. She chaired the Center’s Finance Committee for several years. Creel is also deeply passionate about and actively involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), serving as a member of their national Dare to Dream Team, a small group of business professionals from across the country tasked with spearheading the LLS’s pediatric cancer fundraising initiative. The Creel family has four boys: Kolt ’32, Kase ’34, Kix ’37 and Krew.
A cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington with a B.S. in Biology, Dr. Dean received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in
Dallas in 1997 and completed his internship and residency at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse. In 2003, he finished his fellowship in Hematology/ Oncology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and was appointed an Assistant Professor at the medical center (2003-06). Recognized by Fort Worth and 360 West magazines for oncology care, Dr. Dean practices at Texas Oncology-Fort Worth Cancer Center. He has been named a Texas Monthly Super Doc annually since 2019. A dedicated FWCD Falcon, Dr. Dean served as the Alumni Association President (2021-24), enthusiastically welcoming new alums into the association and speaking to seniors on graduation night. Outside of FWCD, he is on the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and Fort Worth Modern Art Museum Executive Boards and was on the Grant Committee for Komen Race for the Cure.
Kellam has devoted over 30 years of his career to education, primarily in leadership positions. He began his career teaching English and business and coaching soccer and football at Crowley High School. He joined The Oakridge School in 1993 as an English Teacher. He went on to coach numerous sports and held various administrative posts, including Director of Summer Programs, Head of Middle School, and Associate Head of School. From 2007 to 2022, Kellam served as Oakridge’s Head of School. Kellam was the Board President of the Southwest Preparatory Conference (2016-20), served on the Texas Private Schools Association board, and held multiple leadership roles with the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. Kellam holds an M.Ed. and B.S. in Education from Texas Christian University and completed the School Leadership Development Institute at Stanford University. He also earned a fully funded fellowship to the Klingenstein Head of Schools Program at Columbia University. In 2023, Kellam founded The Kellam Group, LLC, which offers advising, coaching, and consulting services to leaders in schools and businesses. For the 2024-25 school year, he is serving as the Interim Head of School at Kentucky Country Day in Louisville. Kellam and his wife, Kristi, have two grown sons, Cole and Cade.
Todora has worked in the field of nutrition and health behavior research at Washington University Medical School in St. Louis as well as MD Anderson Cancer Center. Todora has served in leadership roles in Fort Worth including prior Board experience with The WARM Place and Tarrant County Medical Alliance. She also has served in volunteer roles with The Ronald McDonald House, Garden Club, Presbyterian Night Shelter, Salvation Army and The Humane Society of North Texas. She is currently an active member of the University Christian Church Outreach committee. Helen and her husband, Michael, chaired the Lower School Committee during the Forward Together Comprehensive Campaign. The couple also served as FWCD Fund Chairs in 2018-19 when The Fund exceeded the $1 million goal in unrestricted giving for the first time and served as Fund Co-chairs a second year in 2020-21 with three other couples. A graduate of the University of Texas for both undergraduate as well as a Master’s in Public Health, Todora is an active FWCD parent, serving in many positions at the School over the years, including as an Advancement Committee Member; PFA Nominating Chair, Care Committee Chair, Ninth Grade Homecoming Chair and multiple years as both Room Representative and sports team parent; and Falcon Rally Chair for Falcon Club, the School’s athletic booster club. The Todoras have three Falcon alumni: Robert ’17, Harrison ’20 and Vivian ’23 and a current Falcon, John ’29.