Our #WesleyanWednesday feature this week is Angel (Ballard) Welsh ’03! Angel is the founder and executive director of My Sister’s Keeper and an On-Air personality and content creator for Townsquare Media – WBKR. While a student here at Kentucky Wesleyan, Angel played soccer, intramural football and was on the cheerleading team.
Learn more about her here!
Q: Tell us a little about your job with My Sister’s Keeper!
A: I’m the executive director and founder of My Sister’s Keeper Women & Children’s Emergency Homeless Shelter. MSK is chugging along in development, but growing fast and we look to open by the beginning of 2023 at the latest. As director of the shelter, I oversee the day-to-day operations. Even though we are not open to the public as an overnight shelter we are still serving single women and women with children in a variety of ways. From resource referrals, housing, placement and sometimes just being a sounding board when they need someone to talk to, I’m there. I am responsible for seeking funding for the shelter as we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that depends on the generosity of the community, other businesses, foundations and organizations.
Q: Tell us a little about your job with WBKR!
A: I’m an On-Air Personality and Content Creator for WKBR. If you would have asked me in college if I would ever be a writer I would have laughed in your face and here I am writing for a living (partially). I discovered in the middle of it all that I love creating content and writing. God has literally blessed my journey with everything I have ever wanted to do and several delightful surprises.
Q: Why did you choose KWC?
A: It was close to home, and I loved the idea of Panther Pride. My travel high school soccer coach was also the coach of KWC women’s soccer, and it made sense to me. I got to play with a lot of the girls I played with growing up and met a ton of new girls too. I liked the idea of smaller classes and more attention if needed when I was struggling. I loved the intimate settings and the closeness on campus. KWC has always felt like home.
Q: Have you earned any accolades/awards since graduating from KWC you’d like to tell us about?
A: I earned Content Creator of the Year for our Company Cluster in 2017, I was inducted as a Kentucky Colonel in 2018, the 100,000 Club in Digital Content, the 400,000 Club in Digital Content, and the Service Award.
Q: Are you married? Do you have any children? Tell us a little about your home life!
A: I am married to Joe Welsh (Executive Director of Friends of Sinners -a local non-profit) and we have 5 children. Parker (19), The Late Kathern Elizabeth (18), Braden (17), Tucker (9), and Charlotte (6). Joe and I are very involved in the Owensboro-Daviess County community. Our hearts are in service to others. We actually met when he was the Director of St. Benedict’s Homeless Shelter and I was a volunteer. We are huge advocates for the recovery and homeless community. We are also the Grace Marriage Team for our home church Matthews Table. My husband is the outreach pastor for our church. Our kids are involved in a number of sports, including dance, cheer, football, baseball and gymnastics. We enjoy most when we can get away from town on vacation and spend quality time together.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies?
A: I absolutely love to work out. I enjoy thrift shopping and can sniff out a bargain like a bloodhound. I love to read fiction and Christian Inspirational books. We own a booth at T&T Vendor Mall. I also do personal shopping and closet organization for others. I create style profiles and help them figure out a look that suits them best.
Q: What is your favorite KWC memory?
A: I have several. It isn’t necessarily a specific memory, but a collection of times. The food service staff were so good to me. I didn’t even stay on campus and every single one of them knew my name. Saved me the best food and they always took care of me. To this day if I see them in the community, they hug my neck and stop to talk to me for a long time. I felt loved by them, and it made me want to be at school. They went out of their way to make me feel welcome and it is something I have never forgotten.
Q: What’s an interesting fact about yourself?
A: I was the youngest person ever hired to work at the Owensboro Family YMCA. I was hired at 14. They worked around my college schedule allowing me to continue to pay bills and attend school and also participate in sports. This helped me to learn to prioritize. It has set the tone for the rest of my life. I am now privileged to serve on the Board of Directors at the Y and I ended up working for the Y for 14 years.
Q: Why should a prospective student choose KWC?
A: Even to someone not from Owensboro KWC feels like a piece of home. Also, the campus, the staff, the quality education and the opportunities provided.
Q: What advice do you have for our future alumni?
A: Stay involved and plugged in. Remember the Panther Pride. Keep in contact with your college friends. Hold on to those memories you experienced at KWC.
Thanks, Angel, for letting us feature you this week for #WesleyanWednesday! We are so proud of the work you do for the Owensboro community!
P.S. Make sure to join us at the Back Together Bash on the Front Lawn Oct. 1 during #KWCHomecoming 2022! Angel and Chad Benefield ’93 are hosting a live remote as part of the event!
Want to be our next #WesleyanWednesday feature or know someone who should be? Click here!