Our Staff
Laity Lodge Family Camp Staff
Our dedicated staff come from a variety of backgrounds but share a commitment to make your experience at Laity Lodge Family Camp as memorable as possible. If you’re ever in the area, please come by the office in Kerrville and say “Hello.” Otherwise, we’ll meet you in the Canyon during the retreat. Please meet our team.
John Hill
Director of Family Camp
830-792-7562
“I want to bring families together in a situation where they can experience sharing,” John said, “Laity Lodge Family Camp is a place where families can spend time together, play together, and communicate more about who they are with each other.”
John Hill is accompanied by his wife, Holly Baker Hill, and their two children, Haddie and Emory. During the year, John is the Director for Laity Lodge Family Camp . . . a Christian family camp in Texas where parents and families can experience camp together! The Foundation ministries, as well as the landscape of the Frio Canyon, have provided profound and virtually lifelong influences upon John. “I started attending LLYC when I was seven,” John said, “and returned every summer through college, either as a camper, volunteer, or counselor. The Canyon is where I accepted the Lord into my life and where I met my wife. When I was 16 and part of work crew, I met Holly who was also serving on work crew. Some years later, while we were overlooking Echo Valley from Antenna, I asked Holly to marry me. Our relationship and our family is rooted in this place and in the Foundation ministries.” John has a BBA from Southwestern University and an MDIV from Virginia Theological Seminary. John has served as Director of Program for Sky Ranch and Executive Director of Camps and Conferences for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. John and his family returned from Melbourne, Australia, where John was Vicar of St. Paul’s Anglican Church. WOW! He’s really spiritual!!! He’s excited to be back in the Canyon and loving on our staff and campers.
Dana Williams
Family Camp Registrar and Assistant
830-792-7571
Dana serves as both Registrar for Family Camp and Assistant to Director John Hill. She received an Associate of Arts in Education Degree from Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde and later her Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Services from Shorter College in Rome, Georgia. Her passion is singing, dancing, and performing in community theater. Dana, her husband, Billy, and their daughter, Andrea, relocated from Cedartown, Georgia to Boerne. Their two grown sons, daughters-in-law, and grandson, Matthias, live in Alabama.
Mary Echols
Director of Hospitality
A long time ago, in a land far away, Mary Echols graduated (cum laude) from California State University Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Recreation and Leisure studies. Mary has had a wide variety of camping experience having worked in camps every summer since age 14. She first came to the H. E. Butt Foundation in 1983 with her husband, Glenn. She has worked as an Arts and Crafts director, Sugar Shack director, Kitchen director, and Program Services director at Laity Lodge Youth Camp, as well as serving as a Hostess at Laity Lodge. Her husband, Glenn Echols, is the Director of Operations for the H. E. Butt Foundation Camp.
Tammy Soth
Director of Food Service
Emily Ballbach
Director of Programming
Emily earned her Master of Arts in Theology from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts and her undergraduate degree in Christian Education Ministry Leadership from Biola University in California. Before moving to Texas, Emily worked as a College/Young Adult Minister for a church in Florida and served in the LaVida Adventure Camp and as a Discovery Class Instructor at Gordon College. Emily felt called to ministry at an early age and has learned that caring for others is her greatest motivator. Emily brings a wealth of talent with her to Family Camp and FLR—from singing, playing guitar, and leading worship to writing and strong communication skills. Her pastoral and nurturing gifts will be greatly used as FLR seeks to transform lives by providing opportunities for people to encounter God through the growing Family Camp ministry.
