Director of Community Camping Programs
kwilliams@hebfdn.orgKim grew up in the piney woods of East Texas, calling Crockett and surrounding areas home. She graduated from East Texas Baptist University with a degree in Speech Communication, married her husband Andrew, and moved to Anderson, Texas, in 2009.
Kim worked in outdoor education for Houston ISD until she and her husband welcomed their daughters, Audra (10) and Austen (8). During her time in Houston, Kim started the childcare center at her church while Andrew was the youth pastor and worked construction. Both Kim and her husband are passionate and dedicated to the discipleship of the next generations. They have enjoyed mentoring some of the most amazing teenagers over the years.
Kim and her family are an adventurous group, and they regularly explore the Texas Hill Country.
Assistant Director of Outdoor School
cirichardson@hebfdn.org 830-315-9286Chris has a B.S. in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences from Texas A&M University. He has spent the last half-decade working for various camps and youth programs including Kanakuk, Pine Cove, and Laity Lodge Family and Youth camps. This past year, Chris freelanced as an outdoor education/recreation instructor and facilitator, working for both the Outdoor School and Adventure experiences.
His hobbies include trail running, rock climbing, and paddleboarding. His favorite quote is from Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”
Chris shared the following comment, “With the new opportunities presented to the Outdoor School for this coming year, I am more than thrilled to jump in and help develop and implement a new era of Outdoor School programs.”
Outdoor School Associate
eduke@hebfdn.orgEmma grew up in a small West Texas town and attended Angelo State University, where she double-majored in Animal Science and Biology. After graduating in May, Emma began working on her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction. Throughout college, she spent time as a vet tech, worked as an IT technician, and interned for her church. She also spent time at a livestock vaccine company, where she worked as a diagnostics lab technician and a virus production assistant. Emma enjoyed every job, but she often tells people that teaching kids outside was her dream job before she even realized it was a job; she’s a huge fan of both science and the outdoors, and she loves that now it’s her job to share that excitement with others!
When she’s not at work or in class, you can usually find Emma on a hike, with a good book, in a kayak (or paddle board), or playing fetch with her dog. She also enjoys volunteer work and loves being active in her church. Emma moved to Kerrville less than a month ago after spending the summer working at Family Camp. She had a great summer, and she says, “I am so excited for the opportunity to officially join the Outdoor School team! I’m still a newbie, so I will happily take any recommendations about the town that you have to offer—food, fun, church, dog-sitter, go-to coffee shop, you name it. I’m incredibly grateful to be here, and I can’t wait to get started!”
Assistant Director of Adventure Recreation
mamador@hebfdn.org (830) 315-9268Myles and his family have been greatly influenced by the H. E. Butt Foundation programs across multiple generations. His great aunt, grandma, mother, and brother all attended Laity Lodge Youth Camp as children and, further, his aunt, brother, and sister each worked on Youth Camp’s summer staff. As for Myles, he himself went to Youth Camp as a child and his work resume at camp includes positions as Echo Valley Counselor, Program Crew Boss, and Canyon Club Director. He also spent many weekends with Laity Lodge Family Camp as the Activities Director. Each of these positions allowed Myles to gain valuable outdoor activity skills and a talent for working with youth and families.
For Myles, this time spent participating in and working for the camping programs has been instrumental in his development personally and professionally. “The values upheld by these programs are the same values that I uphold now, and I am comforted by the fact that I get to broaden my family’s ties to the H. E. Butt Foundation in my work with the Outdoor School.”
From youth and in college, Myles was an avid baseball player, and his hobbies now include playing and watching sports, various types of fitness, and simply spending time being active outdoors. Myles graduated from UT San Antonio with a degree in Mathematics with the intention of being a schoolteacher. Now he gets to use his knowledge and skills to teach in the outdoor ‘classroom’. Myles brings passion and experience in his Adventure Recreation support of the Outdoor School. He feels “privileged to get to promote outdoor activity in youth for the betterment of school communities”.
Programs and Activity Coordinator for Adventure Recreation
bhardy@hebfdn.org 830-315-9236Barrett is a graduate from Texas A&M University, with a degree in Recreation Park & Tourism Sciences.
He has spent over twelve summers out in the Canyon, with seven of those summers working for the LLYC and LLFC programs.
Barrett is incredibly excited to be working for the H. E. Butt Foundation and specifically for the Outdoor School program. He looks forward to showing the beauty of the Canyon to the many school groups that they serve each year.
