Our Team
The Artist Outreach is led by a dedicated group of passionate creative-thinkers. Our team strives to foster the imagination while engaging individuals to learn.
Staff and Leadership
Joseph Vincelli
Chief Executive and Director of Development & Curriculum
Joseph has toured and recorded as a solo artist for the last 35 years. His songwriting and recording artist career has spanned from New York City to Hollywood, CA, and throughout the world. During his studies at Berklee College of Music, Vincelli researched composers’ philosophies and found that he shared an understanding of art’s societal impact. This in turn fueled a 15-year research project and led to the writing of “The Art of Tone, Understanding Our Love for Music.” His book has become the educational basis for The Artist Outreach curriculum.
Vincelli owns a patent and a trademark on his award-winning educational hardware, software, and the current methodology used at TAO. Additionally, he has several copyrights on musical compositions and literary books. His invention, “Rhythm Clock” has won national awards on bringing innovative ideas to statewide, regional, and national audiences, fusing music and math concepts within one product.
Joel McCray
Contributing Curriculum Writer & Producer
Joel McCray started playing recognizable melodies on the piano at 18 months old. By age five, his mother started giving him classical, gospel, and improvisational lessons.
McCray has over 30 years of performing/directing experience from overseeing various worship departments including two mega-churches, music ministries, Cornerstone Baptist Church of Arlington, TX, and Crossroads Christian Church of Grand Prairie, TX. At these ministries, he served as the department head, lead keyboardist, music director, arranger, worship leader, and organist. Joel has produced seven personal, instrumental projects and recorded over 40 projects for other local, regional, and international artists. He currently travels with national jazz recording saxophonist, Joseph Vincelli and has performed with a number of acts including Kirk Franklin, Kirk Whalum, Boney James, Fred Hammond, and many more.
McCray is currently the music director at Word of Truth Church in Arlington, Texas. He is also founder and instructor of J & B Music Ministries. As an instructor, he has a unique ability to be relatable, relevant, musical, creative, fun, and engaging. He understands the language of music as a performer and instructor, but most importantly, he values the opportunity to help the student find their own path of creativity.
Candy Williams
Music Teaching Artist, Curriculum Specialist
Candy Williams earned her M.Ed. in Instruction and Curriculum – Literacy Skills from UTA and holds Master Reading Teacher and Reading Specialist certifications. She taught middle school ELAR and ESL classes in the Dallas ISD for 19 years. Her focus included organizing campus poetry clubs that featured her students performing their original poetry on school stages and local coffee shops.
Candy’s love of literature and poetry is joined by an equal passion for music. She studied voice performance at the University of Oklahoma, and she has been seen on music and theatrical stages throughout the Midwest. Her CD “Open to Love” showcases her talents as singer and songwriter.
As she is a teacher who understands firsthand the value of the performing arts, Candy considers her affiliation with The Artist Outreach to be an opportunity of a lifetime.
Lori Richardson
Program Coordinator
Lori has a 15-year history in non-profit volunteer service & organization management. Serving in central Mexico for The Lavender Project, a self-sustaining community group (founded by St. Anthony’s Alliance), Lori chaired the 2nd Annual Lavender Project Fundraiser in 2010.
She is a founding member on The Artist Outreach’s Fundraising Committee and continues in that role currently.
In 2018, Lori began serving the CRT-Chihuahua Rescue & Transport of North Dallas, both as a foster parent & fundraising participant.
During the pandemic, Lori saw a need for a new staffing role at The Artist Outreach, filling in to help with program support. She now capacitates as TAO’s full-time Program Coordinator. Lori manages TAO staff, all partners, and volunteers. As well, she coordinates our program scheduling and data compilation for all of our children’s education and veteran programs.
Currently, TAO’s Team has 7 additional Teaching Artists & Support Staff
Officers
Board Chair
Dr. Ollie Malone
Plano, TX
Vice Chair
Jim Finley
JFA Consulting
Dallas, TX
Secretary
Jordan Bath
Goldman Sachs
Richardson, TX
Treasurer
Wayne Norton
Magnolia Title Team, President – TX Operations
McKinney, TX
Directors
Director - Finance Committee
Jeff Alexander
Bank of Texas
Dallas, TX
Director - Finance Committee
Brett Johnson
CBOE Global Markets
Lenexa, KS
Director - Compensation Chair
Margie Hatcher
Recovery Resource Council
Ft. Worth, TX
Director
Shain Khoshbin
Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP
Dallas, TX
Director
Abhishek Baidya
Price Waterhouse Coopers Advisory Services
Dallas, TX
Director
Armando Urena
StepStone Private Wealth
Charlotte, NC
Director
Vicki Niedermayer, CEO
Helping Restore Ability
Arlington, TX
Fundraising Event Assistant
Teaching Artist
Administration Office Intern
Produce TAO Print Work
Program Photographer
Program Assistant
