David Wallis, Principal of Bedrock Contracting, lived and worked in Thailand for over 5 years where he taught sociology and public speaking at international colleges. On the Thai-Burma border, David worked extensively with the Burmese refugee community instructing at numerous border schools, translating for NGO’s and vetting refugee scholarship recipients. Upon returning to live in the U.S. in 2009, and after working with northeast Ohio’s resettled refugee community for 2 years, he and Paul Neundorfer co-founded the Refugee Response.  The Refugee Response is a 501c3 non-profit which provides opportunities for resettled refugees to acquire the skills they need to succeed in their new communities. In 2009, David and Paul worked with Ohio City Inc to establish the Ohio City Farm, the largest contiguous urban farm in the nation, where the Refugee Response currently operates its Refugee Empowerment Agricultural Program.

David served as co-director of the Refugee Response until 2017 and currently serves on the Board of Directors.

David and Paul continue to return to the Thai-Burma border to visit refugee camps, former students and the schools which they support. In 2009 David lived and worked in Kumba, Cameroon where he trained tribal councils in arbitration and mediation as well as working with the Central African Republic refugee community who were fleeing violence in their home country and attempting to assimilate in Cameroon.