MEET OUR STAFF

Cary Hendricks

Executive Director of Laity Lodge Camping Programs

DISTANCE RUNNER
FIRST TO CRACK A JOKE
COOLEST KIND OF SCHOLAR THERE IS

Cary is the Executive Director of Laity Lodge Camping Programs, serving campers and families in the same Canyon where his own family began.

Beginning in 1985, Cary spent the 13 summers in the Canyon as a camper, then a program crew member, and finally a counselor at Echo Valley where he met his wife, Jenny (Allenbaugh) Hendricks. They even worked some of the early Family Camp camp sessions at Echo Valley in the 1990s.

Due in large part to these experiences, Cary pursued a career in relational ministry, spending eight years on Young Life staff as an associate area director and area director in both Texas and Illinois. During his time in Illinois, Cary also served more than four years at a Presbyterian church as the youth and college ministry director. In 2017, he completed a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary and is currently working toward a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership Development at the same institution.

Cary has been with the Foundation since 2013, first as a Director of Echo Valley, and from 2015 to 2021 as the Senior Director of Laity Lodge Family Camp. Cary and Jenny have been married since July 1999, and their three kids—Seth, Stella, and Sloane—have been fixtures in the Canyon and in Kerrville for many years.

Matt Huffman

Executive Chef for Laity Lodge Camping Programs

HOSPITALITY AFFICIONADO
MASTERMIND OF CAMP CULINARY ARTS
PROUDLY TRANSPLANTED WISCONSIN CHEESEHEAD

Matt has served Christian Camps for the last twenty years in Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin, and now Texas. Prior to working for the Foundation, he helped facilitate annual family camp activities and eventually served as the Food Service Director for Forest Springs in Westboro, Wisconsin.   

Having worked in both the program and kitchen services side of camp, Matt has gained a unique perspective and desire to meet the needs of guests and staff. Matt’s goal in food service is to see that every guest has the same experience regardless of food allergies or food lifestyles.   

Matt’s education experience has been a strong compliment to his role serving both family camp and youth camp. After graduating with an Associate of Arts in Business, Matt earned a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies from Cairn University. He ultimately continued his education by earning an Associate of Arts degree in Culinary Arts from Fox Valley Technical College.

Matt met his wife Julie while serving together at Forest Springs. Julie is a Registered Nurse at Peterson Hospital in Kerrville, Texas. Matt and Julie have four kids, two sons – Simon and Hudson, and two daughters – Alivia and Clara. When Matt’s not working behind the scenes serving the needs of guests at camp, you can find him working in the garden, tinkering in the garage, or working on projects around the house. The culmination of a great day for the Huffman family is sitting around a campfire talking about the day.   

Tom Bowyer

Echo Valley Director

ADVENTURE LOVER
CAMP KID AT HEART
GIANT OF A MAN

Tom grew up spending his summers at Deerfoot Lodge, 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 Camp Cho-Yeh 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.

Jacqueline Brustkern

Echo Valley Assistant Director

LONGHORN 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.

Dayton Whites

Director of Singing Hills

SECOND GENERATION LLYC LIFER
HARDWORKING PROBLEM SOLVER
LOVER OF GAMES AND GOOD TIMES

Dayton’s history with LLYC goes way back. In fact, his history began here. His parents met at camp and were on staff in the 1980’s. Dayton grew up hearing stories about camp and was eventually a camper for three years at Echo Valley. He went on to spend many summers on staff. He was on Program Crew. He was a Singing Hills Counselor for two summers. He was on leadership staff as a PC Boss, and he was a Guy’s Director for two summers. After he graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Biomedical Sciences, he became an LLYC intern for a year in 2013. The next summer he followed in his parent’s footsteps by marrying his camp sweetheart, Rachel, and they both took jobs in San Antonio. It didn’t take long, though, for them to find their way back to Kerrville to work for the organization that has meant so much to them and has been such a part of their story.

From 2016 to 2019, Dayton worked at Laity Lodge Family Camp managing operations and program staff. Since 2020, Dayton also worked in the Foundation’s Risk Management Department creating trainings and working with programs. He’s excited to pour what he’s learned from those experiences back into Singing Hills. Dayton’s deep knowledge of camp serves him well as he works to lead and serve those call Singing Hills their second home.

Dayton enjoys all things outdoors, loves to play games of any kind, works constantly on his 1907 fixer-upper home, and kills time with his friends, his dog, Mack, or by enjoying a good story. He and Rachel are also over-the-moon excited to welcome their first child, a boy, in January of 2022!

Molly McIntire

Singing Hills Assistant Director and Alumni Coordinator

JIGSAW 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.

Emily McRae

Registrar

JOYFUL 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.

Ben Chiovaro

LLYC Associate

VIRGINIAN BY BIRTH, TEXAN BY HEART
KING OF OUTDOORSING AND BROING OUT
VIOLENT VOLLEYBALL SPIKER

Ben Chiovaro hails from the Shenandoah Foothills near Charlottesville, Virginia. After reconnecting with some old family members at a reunion as a high schooler, his cousin Meagan recommended that he apply for Laity Lodge Youth Camp in Leakey, Texas, as an Echo Valley counselor for the summer of 2017 after his senior year. “Meagan spoke so highly and so loyally of this place she had worked for a few years of her college life,” Ben says. “This beautiful Canyon she spoke of and lifelong relationships with her campers are what fully piqued my interest. But I had never even been to Texas before I showed up. I have no idea what I was thinking! It was a leap of faith for sure, and the community and love kept me coming back.” From there Ben served as an EV counselor for 10 different cabins, a PC Boss, Activities Team Director, and now as a full-time LLYC associate.

Ben loves to snowboard (not much of that in Texas), play volleyball, go backpacking, and get outdoors any chance he gets. Ben has been working in youth ministry and with kids since he was old enough to babysit and loves to make an impact on kids lives and provide them with memorable experiences in the outdoors and with friends. He attended James Madison University and graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor’s in Health Science and a minor in Chronic Illness with a pre-PA concentration.

Holland Jones

LLYC Associate

GEORGIAN BY BIRTH, TEXAN BY HEART

Holland serves as the Laity Lodge Youth Camp associate. She assists the Youth Camp directors in recruiting and hiring summer staff. Along with assisting the directors, Holland plans events such as staff retreats and staff week leading up to the summer. During the summer, she serves as the assistant girl’s director at Singing Hills.

Holland was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but has lived in Texas for the past 12 years. She spent most of her childhood going to a summer camp in Georgia which sparked her interest in working in camp ministry.

She graduated from Texas State in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in recreation administration with a concentration in therapeutic recreation.

Holland was introduced to LLYC by a college friend who told Holland of her experiences and encouraged Holland to apply to work for the camps,. Her first summer at camp was in 2021 and she served as the activities team director at Echo Valley. What has made Holland stay with the Foundation was the relationships she formed with the staff throughout the summer, and she’s excited to be a part of the tight knit community of camp and experience the magic of the Canyon with younger campers.

Holland loves outdoor hobbies such as hiking, camping, and swimming, specifically in the river, but she also loves taking care of her houseplants, painting, and designing and making prints. She is the oldest of three in her family.