8 replies to this topic

[Kelly]

Welcome to the Project Jason Forum! 

What follows are the bios of your Moderator and Technical Support Team.

[Kelly]

About the Founder and President of Project Jason, Kelly Murphy

Kelly Murphy, Founder and President of Project Jason


Kelly Murphy, president and founder of Project Jason, is one of the foremost experts in the field of missing persons in the United States. She is one of the few non-law enforcement people trained at the criminal justice program at the premier college specializing in missing persons and has more than 100 hours of professional training on missing persons from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The U.S. Department of Justice and Fox Valley Technical College.

She has been a speaker at events for National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, at the National Sex Offender Management Conference, Fox Valley’s Uniting in the Search for the Missing, and the National Candlelight Vigil. She taught Project Jason’s course on DNA and Missing Persons at the 2008 Cue Center Conference.

She frequently lectures about missing persons issues, law enforcement and missing persons, and the science of DNA and its benefits to finding missing persons.

She is also called to speak about laws affecting missing persons because of her leadership of Campaign for the Missing, which mandates how missing and unidentified persons are handled. It has been passed in eight states so far. She also speaks about her steerage of Jason’s Law, which mandated the creation of the Nebraska State Missing Person’s Clearinghouse.

In 2008, she was the recipient of the Keeper of the Flame award, given annually by Monica Caison, founder of the CUE Center for Missing Persons. This award is given to law enforcement, business leaders, organizations, search personnel and/or volunteers who have risen above their daily duties in the field of missing persons and service to victims of homicide; persons who have shown great empathy and brought forth action for the cause. She has appeared on the Montel Williams Show, Fox National Dayside News, numerous national and international radio shows, and in USA Today.

In 2010, the U.S. Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime named Kelly Jolkowski as the Volunteer for Victims Honoree. The announcement came at the National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony held in Washington, DC. The awards, given by US Attorney General Eric Holder, are part of the OVC’s National Crime Victims Rights Week. Kelly was one of eight people honored by the U.S. Justice Department for their work assisting victims of crime.

In November of 2011, Kelly was awarded the Nebraska Governor’s Points of Light Award, for her service to families of the missing in Nebraska, as well as her contribution to law enforcement training and the passing of Jason’s Law, establishing the online Nebraska Missing Person’s Clearinghouse.

Kelly is also a member of the Advisory Planning Committee for the Responding to Missing and Unidentified Persons National Training Conference hosted by Fox Valley Technical College, National Criminal Justice Training Center.  In her role as member, she works alongside several respected law enforcement and government representatives, scientists, and nonprofit agency representatives to plan the 2013 conference

She has developed several unique awareness programs to help locate the missing, including the 18 Wheel Angels, Awareness Angels Network, and Come Home. In addition, Kelly works daily with families of the missing nationwide through Project Jason and also with TEAM Hope, a branch of NCMEC.

The first retreat for families of the missing, Keys to Healing, was held in June of 2009. Kelly spent more than a year in development of the event, which is designed to give families of the missing the tools they need to take care of themselves emotionally and physically as they continue their searches. The retreat is now an annual event.

Kelly’s work on behalf of families of the missing began in 2001 after her 19-year-old son, Jason, disappeared. At the time of his disappearance, Kelly and her husband Jim did not know where they could turn for assistance when Jason disappeared. There were many things that, had they known back then, they would have done differently to more quickly and effectively search in the hours and days that followed. And they could have used a sympathetic ear.

After their experience, they determined that where there are other families in such need, they would be there for them. To do so, they founded the nonprofit Project Jason, Assistance for Families of the Missing.

While her ultimate goal is to be able to work for Project Jason full time in order to serve more families of the missing, Murphy serves Project Jason in the hours surrounding her full time job. The efforts to find her son continue on as a regular, although not normal, part of her life.

[Lori Davis]

Lori Davis
Project Jason Volunteer

I am a married, mother of one from Southeastern Ohio.  My life is very full with my husband and my teenage son. My son has a rare bone disease, osteopetrosis, which has left him in a wheelchair since he was 8 years old.  

I have a degree in Computer Science and have worked years in various web related jobs.  I am now working at a medical facility handling their marketing and technology needs.

Thankfully, our family has NOT experienced the loss of a loved one but my heart breaks for each new case I read or hear about.  My interest in missing persons began when a OSU medical student, Brian Shaffer, went missing on 4/1/06.  I became involved by maintaining the family's website and developed a close friendship with Brian's father, Randy, who was tragically killed on September 14, 2008. 

After working on Brian's site, it became painfully obvious that his was one of many cases that needed attention.  I found Project Jason and knew it was a perfect match.  I need to try to contribute in anyway I can and this site can help so many families.  With each case, I try to imagine it as my brother, sister, mother, or friend.  That's all it takes to keep me motivated.

Blessings.

[Deborah]

Deborah Cox,
Case Verification Volunteer

I am from South Carolina, but now live in Ohio. Go Clemson! Yeah Panthers! However, I must confess, I am a Die Hard 49er Fan! We miss Steve & Jerry.
 
  Up close and personal.....
An old soul in a young body, I am part Marilyn Monroe, part Patsy Cline though mostly Scarlett O'Hara. (did I mention how modest I am)  0{ 
I collect Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, and of course Angels. I am well known for my addictions........Dark Chocolate & Shoes.

I have been a volunteer for Missing, Abused and Exploited Children & Adults for 18 years. If you are or know of someone in need, please do not hesitate to reach out. Cancer Research, Domestic Violence Prevention, and preserving our Natural Resources are also of great importance to me, Please help when you can.

To those in need understanding, patience and lending a helping hand are as important as giving money~


Deborah Cox, Volunteer
Case Verification
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
Please help us with Jason's Birthday Campaign:
http://www.projectja...hp?topic=3021.0
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.

[Jenn]

Hello everyone!

I started volunteering for Project Jason with the AAN poster project just over a year ago. I read about Kelly and Jason on another forum and I was really touched by Kelly's story.  That lead me to the Project Jason website and when I saw the call for volunteers, I wanted to help out. I have also been working on the Come Home Project and emailing various homeless shelters.  I'm definitely learning a lot as we go along.

It's been great to meet everyone here and nice to see how people from all over can come together and make a difference for people.  
Jenn

[Jeff Messick]

Hi!! My Name is Jeff. I am the current Webmaster for Project Jason. I was lead to Project Jason by Patrick Coan who needed some help fixing some major errors on the site, and 3 months later, we have a new site. Funny how it worked out.

I don't have anyone missing, but I knew after a couple weeks of cleaning up and fixing errors that I was suppose to be a part of this great organization. I am honored to be a part of Project Jason, and be able to bring my experience to the team, even if I am the only male.

I currently live in Washington State, I run a small web/mobile design company to hold me over until I can get some more permanent work again. I bring 14 years of computer and web design to the team. I don't have any formal training other then what I have learned over the years. When I am not working the keys of a computer, you will more then likely find me out fishing or spending time outdoors.

If you want to know more about me, Just ask!

[Lori Davis]

I have received an 'odd' page numerous times when trying to access projectjason.org/forums....the entire page is filled with with numerous odd characters.  I can send you an image of this error but have lost all my email addresses....so send me your email and i'll send the error via email

[Kelly]

Hi Lori,

Please email me and Jeff with the image. webmaster@projectjason.org will work.

Also, if you can include where specifically you were going when it happened. (specific link) 

Thank you!

[Lori Davis]

Just sent screenshot with details to webmaster@projectjason.org.  Let me know if there is any additional information I can provide to help troubleshoot.