• Executive Director

    Scott parks

    Scott is currently a teacher at Saraland Elementary School as a teacher of students with multiple disabilities and serves as a co-sponsor of Project Outreach Saraland Elementary. Scott founded Project Outreach at Spanish Fort High School in 2007 and helped found Project Outreach Gulf Coast in 2014.  In addition, Scott is the co creator of Apples for Autism and the Pawtism Project, which are initiatives that help serve students using technology and service dogs. He also works as Director of Youth Ministry at Grace Community Church. He currently lives in Saraland, Alabama with his wife Annie and their five children who are all members of Project Outreach chapters.  

Meet our board


As Project Outreach Gulf Coast moved forward as an organization, the need to be run and governed by a board was important. Our board members bring both heart-passion and head-knowledge to the group as they seek to plan, lead, and oversee all things Project Outreach Gulf Coast. We are so thankful to have each of them serving our organization.   


  • Kris Nelson- President

    Kris and his wife Allison live in Saraland with their two sons, Logan and Lawson. Kris is a graduate of the University of Mobile where he spent 16 years working in the administration after graduation. Kris was introduced to Project Outreach when his son was invited to be a part of the school club at Saraland Elementary School. Logan became friends with some of the students with special needs and immediately began to have compassion for students that were a little different. He quickly learned the mantra, “Different Not Less.” My wife is a 5th grade school teacher and has served as a club sponsor and my youngest son has been involved with Project Outreach as well. Kris is the Lead Pastor of Operations at Dayspring Baptist Church. He spends most of his time developing strategies and plans to implement change, whether at church or most recently as a newly appointed school board member for the Saraland City School System. He works well with budgets and building healthy teams and organizations. "Project Outreach should be in every school in America. We need to teach the upcoming generation that it is ok with interact with someone that looks or may act differently. I am excited to be a small part of that is Project Outreach grows." 

  • Lauren Cunningham- Secretary/Treasurer

    Lauren and her husband, Drake Perry, have grown up in the Mobile/ Baldwin County area. She has been serving as the special education coordinator for Satsuma City Schools since 2020. Lauren has previously worked at PASSAGE USA, a postsecondary program for college students with intellectual disabilities at the University of South Alabama and as a special education teacher at Saraland High School. While at Saraland, she assisted with the charter of the district’s first Project Outreach chapter in 2015 and was the lead sponsor. While in college, Lauren was very involved in the special needs community by volunteering and working at various camps for children and adults with disabilities. She is so thankful that she’s been able to serve as a Project Outreach Gulf Coast board member since 2017.

  • Julie thompson

    Julie is a mother of a 19 year old son who has multiple disabilities as well as intractable epilepsy. She has degrees in English and Psychology and worked in the life and health insurance industry until her son was born. Since that time she has taught reading comprehension and academic skills advancement in a college setting and has been a frequent classroom speaker in Purdue University's undergraduate Special Education program. She has volunteered extensively as a Children's Ministry program coordinator at her church and served on her church's Leadership council. She has also served as a vocalist and a drummer in various praise ensembles. She relocated to Spanish Fort with her family in 2012, and currently resides there with her husband Scott, and their three children.  

  • Kasey Minopoli

    Kasey is the assistant director of marketing and communications for the University of South Alabama College of Nursing and Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions. She currently resides in Semmes and is originally from northeast Alabama. Kasey has previously worked for Camp ASCCA, the Alabama Special Camp for Children and Adults, as well as various higher education institutions including Texas A&M University and Gadsden State Community College. She has been working with children and adults with disabilities since she was in high school and has continued to serve the special needs community through volunteer opportunities within the Mobile community and beyond. She and her husband, Ciro, love spending their free time attending South Alabama sporting events and going on adventures with their dogs. Go Jags! 


  • Kim Garrett