Echo Valley Director
TOM@LLYC.ORG 830-315-9262ADVENTURE LOVER
CAMP KID AT HEART
GIANT OF A MAN
Tom grew up spending his summers at a Christian boys camp in upstate New York. For him, it was always worth the 19-hour drive from his home in Clemson, South Carolina. His experiences there led him to get his degree in Recreation and Youth Ministry at Southern Wesleyan University in South Carolina.
After a few years living in Munich, Germany, teaching ESL and doing youth ministry, Tom chased a woman to Texas, married her, and went into full-time Christian camping. He was a director at a camp in east Texas for four years and then spent two years in residential construction before the opportunity to work at LLYC surfaced, which he couldn’t refuse.
He loves fly-fishing, playing basketball (he’s a six foot six), reading to his kids, watching Clemson football, and building things with his hands. He and his wife, Brynn, have three children: a daughter, Piper, and two sons, Finley and Rowan. During the year they live in Fredericksburg, where Brynn works full-time in the home and part-time as a teacher. Tom loves camp ministry because of how formative and rewarding it can be for campers and for his college age staff.
Echo Valley Assistant Director
JACQUELINE@LLYC.ORG 830-315-9248LONGHORN FOOTBALL ENTHUSIAST
ASPIRING CHEF
FRIEND FOR LIFE
Austin native Jacqueline Brustkern first came to LLYC the summer after her freshman year at UT. Jacqueline recalls having a real desire to work at a camp and had opportunity to interview with quite a few. But it was her interview with Karla, along with a number of LLYC friends, that ultimately swayed her decision to accept a temporary full time position at LLYC. “It wasn’t a checklist of my abilities or personality,” says Jacqueline. “It was an authentic conversation. I felt like Karla really wanted to know me—which I learned is a true reflection of LLYC.” Having served as an EV counselor, SH Crew Boss, SH Assistant Girls’ Director, and LLYC Intern, Jacqueline brings diverse experience and relationships to her current role.
Jacqueline jokes that her friends might describe her as a bit indecisive. But when the position at LLYC presented itself, she knew with absolute clarity it was the right fit. Her friends were shocked at her quick decisiveness—maybe for the first time ever! Jacqueline is excited to invest in something she cares so deeply for—a place and ministry she loves. A place to which God keeps bringing her back.
With a Bachelor of Science and Arts in Nutrition, Certification in Business Foundations and a Minor in Kinesiology from the University of Texas, Jacqueline is excited to continue serving at LLYC.
Singing Hills Assistant Director and Alumni Coordinator
molly@llyc.org 830-315-9219JIGSAW GENIUS
WORDSMITH EXTRAORDINAIRE
EXPERT AT EMPATHY AND SPEAKING HER MIND
Molly was born and raised in Corpus Christi. Both of Molly’s parents are teachers, and she believes they unintentionally instilled a love in her for working with children very early in life. Both of Molly’s sisters are married with children, which means she gets to play the fun, cool aunt to three little cuties.
Molly’s history with Laity Lodge Youth Camp began in 2013, when she was hired as a first half counselor at Echo Valley the summer before her freshman year at Texas A&M University. Shortly after graduation, Molly was hired in 2018 as an LLYC intern, where she fell in love with camp ministry. When the internship ended, Molly began working at Clarity Child Guidance Center as a marketing and development coordinator. Although Molly is thankful for and valued her time there, she was beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to be back on the youth camp team when a full-time spot opened up.
When Molly is not thinking about summers in the Canyon, she is usually on the phone with family or friends or taking long walks with her dog, Milo. She has recently picked up solving jigsaw puzzles and re-learning the French language. Something many people do not know about Molly is that she went to school to be a journalist, worked at PBS for two years, and then as a contributing writer at a local magazine in Bryan/College Station. Outside of professional pursuits, Molly spends much of her free time reading and writing, and has a soft spot for rereading the classics.
Office Coordinator
LLYCINFO@LLYC.ORG 830-315-9215TEXA-COLORADAN
FLOWER MAMA
CLEANER OF CLOSETS
Melody provides office coordination and support for Laity Lodge Youth Camp. She loves her role in assisting the directors with hiring processes for new and seasoned counselors and summer staff.
Melody attended Texas Tech University and studied Nutrition and Early Childhood Education. Working with kids is in her blood as she found her love for residential camping during her college summers at Texas Lion’s Camp in Kerrville. The most cherished job she has had in her life was teaching for Houston ISD’s Outdoor Education Center, a magnet school serving children in Houston.
LLYC has provided important spiritual guidance and support to her family for the past ten years during her children’s summer seasons at camp. She is pinching herself that she is part of this team. She loves everything about LLYC and the history of the HEB Foundation!
Melody grew up in Colorado and has spent a good part of life in Texas. She considers herself 1/2 Texan and 1/2 Coloradan. She is the mother of three kids, Ella, Niles, and Violet Josephine, and lives in Boerne where she also owns and is the lead designer for Nila Melott Luxe Floral.
Registar
LLYCINFO@LLYC.ORG 830-315-9222JOYFUL SOUL
FRIEND TO ALL
SWORD FIGHTING MAMA
Emily loves our LLYC parents and campers. She orchestrates the registration process, blesses campers with the news of scholarships and fills camp with as many campers as possible. Emily, her husband, Chastan, and their twin boys, Paxton and Brody, live in Kerrville and enjoy everything “boy.” Most evenings and weekends, they can be found sword fighting anywhere the boys have free rein. The boys love organized sports—soccer, karate, basketball, and baseball.
Emily, her mom, and two sisters also own a children’s clothing boutique in downtown Kerrville, LulaBelle’s Pirates & Pretties. The girls love the extra time to get to be together, not to mention shop for the store (and their combined eight kiddos).
Emily graduated from Tivy High School and Schreiner University with a B.A. in Psychology. She has a deep desire for relationships. She understands parents’ needs and wants to serve them as well as possible. Emily loves our campers and their parents well. Her joy and love for life are contagious.
