Houston, Texas Project

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Houston, Texas Project

Project Mentors

THOMAS RADACH, LEAD MENTOR

The Woodlands, Texas

Tom was born in Minnesota and went to high school in the mid-west. His family took camping trips to the Rockies where he was exposed to trout fishing at a young age. He bought is first fly gear at age 15 and started a lifelong hobby. His engineering career has enabled him to fly fish around the lower 48, Alaska, Canada, and Norway. He hopes fly fishing will give the foster care children a way to enjoy the outdoors, understand the importance of taking care of our waters and simply relax. Tom has lived in Texas for over 30 years and has three adult children. He now lives north of Houston with his wife Jean, dog Toby, and cat Babi. The picture below is a “Texas Rainbow” from the Guadalupe River.

WESLEY FIGG, MENTOR

Houston, Texas

Wesley grew up with a passion for the outdoors. As a Texan native, he learned to fish in the lakes surrounding Austin with his father and two brothers. Wes attended Texas A&M University where he studied biology but spent his time off in the Rocky Mountains enjoying mountain biking, hiking, and fly fishing. Wes has a background caring for children as a member of the PALS program in high school, as a member of the TAMU American Childhood Cancer Organization, and as a coach for a middle school mountain biking team. Currently, Wes is a medical student at Baylor College of Medicine where he assists with research to identify child abuse. Wes is eager to share his love for the outdoors as a mentor for the Houston Mayfly Project!

CHRISTOPHER STEVEN, MENTOR

Spring, Texas

Chris has been fly fishing since he was a child and enjoys the outdoors. Chris has a passion for fishing and teaching the next generation to embrace the outdoors.

PHIL ARNESON, MENTOR

Katy, Texas

Phil grew up spending weekends outdoors camping throughout Oklahoma and Texas. His discovery of fly fishing happened 12 years ago on a trip to New Mexico. Since that time, he’s been privileged to travel and fish throughout the United States. He’s blessed with a wonderful wife and 3 young kids. He loves the opportunities to take his kids outdoors to learn and explore. He is excited to get to share the gift of fly fishing through the Mayfly Project.

BARRY CARROLL, MENTOR

The Woodlands, Texas

Barry grew up in south Louisiana and took multiple camping and fishing trips with his family throughout the United States. He learned to fly fish in Colorado at the age of 10 and was instantly “hooked.” As an adult, he was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout Leader while he and his wife’s sons were in Scouting. He organized many camping and back packing trips that included fishing in the back country. Barry hopes to encourage foster care children to build a life-long love of the outdoors, fly fishing, and experience everything it has to offer.

KENNY SHORTSLEEVE, MENTOR

Humble, Texas

Kenny is an aspiring fly-fishing angler, having learned much from fishing buddy/mentors. Kenny and his wife, Nancy enjoy the outdoors by spending time in New Hampshire. “My life has been greatly enriched as a mentor to a mentee in various programs.” The Mayfly project offers a wonderful opportunity to stand in the gap for others while sharing the precious gift of presence and time.

CLAY TARRO, MENTOR

The Woodlands, Texas

Clay was born and raised in Lubbock, TX, which is close to many rivers and streams in New Mexico and southern Colorado. He and his dad found their shared passion in fly-fishing when he was 11 years old, and they spent many years on the river together. Clay now lives in The Woodlands, TX with his wife and three young children. During busy times between work and extracurricular activities with the kiddos, fishing remains a part of our family at local lakes and ponds, with at least annual outings in New Mexico or Colorado. Clay looks forward to sharing a passion with other children in hopes they discover a hobby they can develop and take with them for the rest of their lives.

PAUL ROBERTSON, MENTOR

Sugar Land, Texas

Paul was born in Mississippi but spent many of my early years in California. He returned to the south in 1967 and graduated from Mississippi College and later New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he earned the MDiv and PhD degrees. Vocationally he has served in several ministerial roles in three states (TN, LA, and TX): pastor of a church, denominational leader, seminary professor, and a chaplain educator. He is married and has two children and four grandchildren. They all live in MS. He loves to fly fish. He also ties flys and builds fly rods. He anticipates sharing those skills with the Houston Mayfly Project.

MICHELLE GUGGINA, MENTOR

Kingwood, Texas

Michelle grew up camping and fishing and her love for the water continues through all parts of her life. She enjoys mentoring and looks forward to the new adventures the May Fly project, people and children will bring.

BRIAN HOSKINS, MENTOR

Houston, Texas

A native Texan who grew up Austin, Brian has called Houston his home since 1998. He was introduced to fly fishing by his father and uncle in the Rocky Mountains, and since then he has traveled around the states, Latin America, and the Caribbean searching for his next fishing tale. When he isn’t traveling Brian can be found chasing bass in the local ponds and streams or red fish on the coast. He’s looking forward to his mentoring role for the Houston Mayfly Project.

JENNIFER MASON, MENTOR

Willis, Texas

Jennifer has lived all over the midwest but now calls Texas home. While living in Colorado in 2018, she decided to try fly fishing and was “hooked”! She grew up fishing the lake at her grandparents home in Louisiana and always wanted to learn to fly fish, so she did. At age 51 she started fly fishing and now enjoys all kinds of fishing. Almost every vacation includes some kind of fishing or showing dogs, her other passion. She owns 2 Borzoi and a Cavalier but only shows her Borzoi. She loves teaching children her passions of fishing and showing. To help a child have fun in either sport is the spark that could begin a lifetime of unbelievable memories and happy places!

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