About Us
Who we are
The Filter Project is a parachurch, gospel-centered ministry whose mission is to pour God’s love into under-resourced communities through the gift of safe, filtered, drinking water. We partner with missionaries and other Christian organizations in Kenya to provide long-lasting water filters and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our team
Elliott Stovall
CEO & Founder
Elliott graduated in 2012 with a BBA in Management from the University of Memphis. With a background in commercial insurance, Elliott is skilled in negotiation, customer service, strategic planning, and risk management. In 2024, after meeting a missionary from Kenya and learning more about the clean water crisis worldwide, Elliott answered the call from God and founded The Filter Project alongside his wife, Katy. They live in Memphis, TN where they attend Germantown Baptist Church with their two children.
Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Thomas Stovall, MD, MBA
Director of Finance and Operations
After graduating in 1979 from David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, Dr. Stovall was married and moved to Memphis where he attended the University of Tennessee, Memphis. He obtained his Medical Degree in 1983. Dr. Stovall completed his Internship and Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pelvic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. From 1992-1997, Dr. Stovall served as the of Head of Gynecology at Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University. During his tenure there, Dr. Stovall completed his MBA degree at the Babcock School of Management of Wake Forest University.
Dr. Stovall returned to the University of Tennessee, Memphis as Professor and Vice-Chair and Director of Women’s Services in 1997 and led that department to national recognition. Dr. Stovall is listed as one of Good Housekeeping magazine’s 400 Best Doctors for Women and was named as one of Memphis’ top doctors by Memphis Magazine. He has also been named as one of the “Top Physicians” in Obstetrics and Gynecology by Consumers’ Research Council of America and was selected by his peers in Best Doctors in America. He has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers and nine books. Dr. Stovall was a founding partner of Women’s Health Specialist, PLLC in Germantown.
Dr. Stovall has extensive business and strategy experience and has worked with several leading device and pharmaceutical companies to develop strategies for utilizing their products both at the physician and patient/consumer level. Dr. Stovall is a founding member of Triumph Bank and served on their board for 10 years. Dr. Stovall is Past-President of the Board of the Warrior Center, a faith-based drug alcohol treatment facility and has previously served on the board of Point of Impact, now Point Honduras.
Favorite Verse: Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, o mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Katy Stovall
Director of Administration
Katy graduated from the University of Memphis in 2012 with a BBA in Marketing. She is skilled in branding, visual merchandising and planning, sales, and social media engagement. Katy started a small retail business in 2021 and has increased its sales nationwide since becoming an LLC in 2023. In addition, Katy teaches vacation bible school for Germantown Baptist Church and advises the local collegiate chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta. She currently lives in Memphis, TN alongside her husband, Elliott, and their two children, Laurel (8) and Grant (6).
Favorite Bible Verse: Psalm 42:1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.
Samantha Handy
Director of Communications and Marketing
With nearly fifteen years of experience in nonprofit management, new business development, communication and marketing, Samantha specializes in bringing both innovative and evidenced-based solutions to an organization’s workflow. Samantha’s strategic emphasis on developing people and processes, impacts productivity and shapes organizational culture. Samantha graduated from the University of Memphis with a BBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and lives in Arlington, TN with her husband and son. She serves on the Board of Directors for Faith Christian Academy and advises the local collegiate chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta.
Favorite Bible Verse: Ephesians 3:20–21 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Board of Directors & Advisory Board
Elliott Stovall
Chairman
Elliott graduated in 2012 with a BBA in Management from the University of Memphis. With a background in commercial insurance, Elliott is skilled in negotiation, customer service, strategic planning, and risk management. In 2024, after meeting a missionary from Kenya and learning more about the clean water crisis worldwide, Elliott answered the call from God and founded The Filter Project alongside his wife, Katy. They live in Memphis, TN where they attend Germantown Baptist Church with their two children.
Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Dr. Matt Brown
Board Member
Dr. Matt Brown currently serves as the Senior Pastor of Germantown Baptist Church in Germantown, TN. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Blue Mountain College in Blue Mountain, MS and his Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. He earned his Ph.D. from MId-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Cordova, TN. Dr. Brown and his wife Nikki have four children; Emily (24), Nason (22), Timothy (16), and Kelly (14).
Favorite Bible Verse: Ephesians 2:4–5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.
Dr. Dennis Rasche, DVM
Board Member
Dr. Rasche is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is an experienced real estate agent with a background in business development, leadership training, health care, and safety programs both nationwide and internationally. Dr. Rasche has spent more than eighteen years establishing over 100 church plants worldwide. He lives in Germantown, TN with his wife, Kim, and currently serves as the pastor of Bridge 3 Church.
Favorite Bible Verse: 1 Timothy 1:15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
Clay Wilemon
Board Member
Clay serves as CEO at 4L Data Intelligence. He has launched over 500 new healthcare brands and holds patents in artificial intelligence and medical technologies. Clay is on the Board of Directors at Octane, a Southern California non-profit economic development organization that has helped hundreds of technology and med-tech companies get started. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. Clay lives in San Ramon, California with his wife Debbie and is the father to Austin, Tyler, Kyle, and Andrea.
Favorite Bible Verse: Ephesians 2:1-10 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Brendan Porter
Board Member
Brendan is a Private Wealth Advisor at The Bahnsen Group, a California-based firm with an office in New York City. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Labor Relations and Employment Management from Rutgers University in New Jersey, where he was a member of the Division 1 lacrosse team.
Brendan is actively involved with Athletes in Action and has served on the staff of The Fellowship of Christian Athletes for six years. He recently joined the Development Board for The First Tee, Met New York, in support of his daughter’s program. Brendan played professional lacrosse for six years and now enjoys playing golf with his family, coaching his daughters in sports, watching lacrosse, and going on family bike rides.
Favorite Bible Verse: Colossians 1:10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Field team
Mercy Nyongesa
Kitale Campaign Director
Favorite Bible Verse: Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”