The Wood Badge 143 Staff

Jay has attended and staffed numerous training sessions, including IOLS, BALOO, and Powder Horn. He attended Wood Badge 125, staffed Wood Badge 129, 133, and 139 and was Senior Patrol Leader for Wood Badge 141. He is a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow and hos won numerous awards throughout his Scouting career such as The Spirit of Blackland Prairie, District Award of Merit, The Polaris Award, the Servant Leadership Award and the Silver Beaver Award.

When not Scouting, Jay runs a consulting practice for the Western half of the United States where his team assist clients in complex and often critical issues related to Securities and Exchange issues, mergers and acquisitions, and potential money laundering issues. Jay has his Bachelors of Science in Business from Tulane University, his MBA from The Darden School of Business at The University of Virginia, and completed his studies in business and data analytics from Harvard University and MIT.

Outside of Scouting and work, Jay has served as the Chairman of the Board of the YMCA in Dallas as well as the President of Financial Executives International.

Some of his favorite and most cherished memories as youth member of Troop 890 are serving as the Senior Patrol Leader, attending the 1989 National Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, and most of all, sharing his second trek to Philmont with his father and brother where they covered well over 100 miles and summited Mt. Phillips on his father’s birthday.

As an adult, Gavin returned to Scouting as “just” a parent when his son joined Cub Scouts and proudly watched him earn his Arrow of Light. When his son crossed over to Boy Scouts (as it was known then), he returned to the leadership ranks as an Assistant Scoutmaster working with the younger Scouts on their Trail to First Class. In the summer of 2020, Gavin found himself “returning home” with his son to Troop 890 where he currently serves as an Assistant Scoutmaster working with the Class of 2028 and Class of 2029 cohort within the Troop. Another proud moment was added to the list this past semester as his son was elected Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 890, 30 years to the date when he served the same position.

In addition to his responsibilities with Troop 890, Gavin serves on various training staffs, including WB 133 as Troop Guide, WB 141 as Asst. Senior Patrol Leader, Circle 10/Northern Trail IOLS as Quartermaster and SPL, kitchen staff for NYLT, OA, Powder Horn, Wood Badge, University of Scouting Instructor since 2019. He also will be serving as the upcoming Course Director for Circle 10 ALT/IOLS this fall. Additionally, Gavin serves as an At-Large Committee Member for Elm Fork District where he is a District/Council Representative for Eagle Boards of Review and was recently recognized for his contributions to the district with the Polaris Award for outstanding service. He is a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and NRA Range Safety Officer and Rifle Instructor.

While the Scouting Movement is very important to him, it is a distant second to his family. Gavin has been married for nearly 24 years to his beautiful bride and they have one son that is starting his high school junior year this fall. Their son is working on earning his Eagle rank and also has found a passion for staffing various leadership courses.

Molly is a homeschool mom of 3 young men on their path to Eagle, ages 17, 15 and 13. She is married to Scouter and firefighter Wes Parsons, who currently serves as SM to Troop 322.

Molly loves adventure and traveling with her family. She enjoys canyoneering, backpacking, SCUBA diving and relaxing by the campfire.

She has been Course Director for Powder Horn and will be Course Director for NYLT in July of 2024. In addition to being a Brother Member of the Order of the Arrow (OA), Susan was recently awarded the Silver Beaver by Circle 10 Council. 

Susan is married with two adult children and two rambunctious dogs.  When she's not Scouting, Susan likes to make art in her recently completed studio, especially jewelry. 

Joey Currently holdes the position of committee char at the pack level and an Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM) - Trail to First Class (TFC) Coordinator at the troop level. He has a son who is a wolf in cub scouts and a daughter in a scout troop. 

Beyond scouting, Joey enjoys reading, playing disc golf, and spending time with family and friends.

In addition to volunteering in the units, Amber has also served as the Elm Fork District Day Camp Director for 3 years. Amber was a participant in Woodbadge 130 and is staffing for the first time at a course for Woodbadge 143. Locally, Amber enjoyed staffing and teaching at BALOO for Elm Fork where she met many amazing like-minded Scouters. When she isn't Scouting, she can be seen on the sidelines cheering for her youngest on the soccer field or in the audience of her oldest watching his latest theatrical production. 

Steven has served as in a variety of different leadership positions supporting Pack, Troop, Venturing, and Sea Scout units at the unit, council, and area / territory level.  Steven’s passion is providing continuing opportunities for older Scouts to extend their Scouting experience.  He has attended and staffed Wood Badge, Seabadge, and Powderhorn.  He has also served as a course director for Powderhorn and as a course director and council coordinator for National Youth Leadership Training.  

Both of his sons are Eagle Scouts who share his love for Scouting and have staffed multiple summers at The Beautiful Camp James Ray. 

At a 4th of July pool party, she met Mike and they married 3 years later, when she moved to Dallas permanently. Mike had earned the rank of Eagle Scout in his youth, so it made sense for the family to join scouting in early 2000 with their son Alex followed by daughter Gabrielle when she was old enough to join venturing. 

In 2008, when the troop asked for volunteers to go on a Philmont trek, Pascale stepped up. Wood badge followed soon after and that cemented a true durable passion for scouting. 

In addition to being a C.O.P.E. Instructor, Pascale has completed Powderhorn training, staffed Wood Badge multiple times and has been a Course Director for National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT).

Always happy to give back to scouting, Pascale helped found a new girl troop 5 years ago and it is still going strong. 

“Scouting has opened my world and encouraged me to push my limits. The Oath and Law that we proclaim out loud and follow makes me feel like I belong to a large family of very special people”

He has been to Philmont three times as WB118 participant, on trek in 2021, and staffed  WB141 as Asst Quartermaster. WB143 will be his fourth time at Philmont.

Carlos aka Francis (Frank) Llewelyn "Ponch" Poncherello is a master of Dad Jokes. If he's not cutting up with fellow Troop Guide Andrew Dalrymple aka Jonathan "Jon" Baker, he's doting on his amazing wife Tina.

In addition to work at the unit level, Jack has focused on staffing training deliveries to youth and adults by serving as Course Director for Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills (IOLS), Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO), and National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). He has also staffed Wood Badge and the Course Director Conference (CDC).

Jack currently works in Information Technology as a business program manager for a major techology company. He enjoys movies, music, and sports (just ask him to play 6 degrees to Kevin Bacon). 

"Having waited too long to take Wood Badge, I often wonder how much BETTER I could have been for our Scouts, fellow Scouters, work colleagues, and family if I had only given in sooner? Get to Wood Badge... NOW!" 

In 1963, Mike’s dad became the Camp Ranger at Camp Texoma located in Pottsboro, Texas. Mike worked on the Camp Staff and served as Scoutcraft Director and Nature Director for six years. The memories and friendships while growing up at camp will be cherished for a lifetime.

Mike took Wood Badge 37 at Philmont Scout Ranch in 1987. He has served on twelve Wood Badge Courses. In 1996 Mike served as the Course Director of WB 49/SR-136 Philmont. He was also a contributing writer for 21st Century Wood Badge and served on Experimental Course # 2. Mike was also the Circle Ten Council Wood Badge Chairman for two years.

Mike has served on numerous training staffs and events within Circle Ten Council, attended National Camp Schools, and was the Senior Patrol Leader for Golden Acorn #3 and a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster on Golden Acorn # 4. He has been awarded the Silver Beaver, District Award of Merit and other Cub and Boy Scout knots. Mike was selected to keep his Vigil in 1967.

After completing his career in corporate America, Mike became the District Executive of Texoma Valley District in 2015. Mike was promoted to Field Director in May 2022 and is currently serving the Director of Support Services. He has served as Camp Director for 3 years at Trevor Rees-Jones Scout Camp for three years and served as Camp Director at Camp James Ray for two years. In his “spare time,” Mike enjoys bird hunting, shooting spots and has a passion for collecting Plumb axes.

Mike has three sons, two of which are Eagle Scouts from Troop 57. Scouting, hunting, shooting and baseball were important to the boys while growing up. Our family is now blessed with a grand-daughter and two grandsons. What a joy they are!

Mike has been in Scouting most of his life and knows the importance of citizenship, leadership development, duty to others, duty to self, duty to God and Country, and the love of the great outdoors. Trained leaders and the Wood Badge program are vital to the success of adults involved in Scouting. Scouting needs more Eagle Scouts and trained leaders than ever before. The Eagle Charge states that every Eagle Scout is a “marked man” and Mike is proud to be one. The Scouting program is paramount in producing future leaders of our great nation.