Directors and Admin Staff
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I’m Gabby Jones, and Camp WAMAVA T-Shirts have been woven into the fabric of my life for as long as I can remember. I first stumbled upon it back in 2002 through my church. I was just a kid then, wide-eyed and unsure of what to expect, thinking it was called "Camp Lava"—but it didn’t take long for camp to feel like home. I kept coming back, summer after summer, for nine straight years. During this journey, I was baptized here, right in the middle of a place that had become more than just a camp—it was my spiritual home. When I heard about Ohio Valley University through WAMAVA, I followed that thread and ended up there for college. That’s where I met Andrew, my now-husband, who stood beside me in 2016 when we got married—right here, in the Chapel in the Woods. Throughout college, I kept returning to WAMAVA: as a counselor, an OVU rep, and as a kitchen volunteer. In 2017, I joined the admin team, not really knowing then how deep my roots here would grow. Over the years, I’ve done just about everything—planned crafts, snaked out the lines to our septic tanks, supported campers with special needs—and I’ve loved every messy, magical minute. My full-time work as a special education teacher has shaped how I show up at camp. It’s taught me to see each child’s unique strengths and to create spaces where they can just be themselves. That’s the heart of why I serve. I joined the Board of Directors in 2018 and spent time as Treasurer and Vice President. Those years gave me a wider view of camp—what it takes to keep it running and how every decision, big or small, touches the lives of our campers. Now, as Co-Director, I try to lead with a camper-first mindset, always grounded in WAMAVA’s mission. I believe in leading with clarity, support, and follow-through to grow future leaders here at camp. These days, I'm honored to share camp with my children, Jonah and Lucy. But even in the midst of my chaos, my heart is set on helping WAMAVA remain the sanctuary it’s always been—a place where stories are passed down, favorite traditions are honored, and every camper can find a moment of calm, joy, and belonging. While my own hands may be full, I’m committed to keeping this space one where others can pause, breathe deeply, and feel at home—just as I did all those years ago. Camp isn’t just something I do. It’s part of who I am. And I’m so grateful to keep growing alongside it.
Hello everyone, I’m Joshua one of your co-directors this year. I am very excited to have the opportunity to once again be one of your co-directors. This will be my third year in this role of hopefully many more to come. My role focuses on the spiritual side of things and I’m looking forward to walking with you this summer. I believe our walk together on Earth mirrors our walk with God. Camp WaMaVa is one of my favorite places to be. I have been a staff member or Volunteer since 2007 when I was hired as a counselor. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked. I hope to help make WaMaVa a special place for everyone that comes through. Over the years I have had the privilege to work with wonderful people. It is through our connections to each other along with God’s word that we really get to know our Creator. Every relationship we encounter is designed to draw us closer to God. I’m often amazed at the lessons God teaches us through our community with others. When I am not at camp, I build escape rooms and have done so for the past eight years. I enjoy working with my hands and I enjoy working with people. I have worked in Education, Theatre, restaurants but nothing compares to my time at WaMaVa where I get to combine several of my interests and skills acquired throughout the years. This season in my camp life has been one of my favorites so far. I was able to work with a great team between Admin, the counseling staff and all of our volunteers. We tried a different style of Bible class that I hope to improve upon this year. Our walk, our life with God is an adventure so learning about Him shouldn’t be any different. Countless times in the Bible God calls us to action with words like “Go” or “Follow” or “Trust”. While our God may be patient, He is in no way passive or complacent. This summer I want to bring action into our learning experience and meet God outside of our comfort zone to see what He has in store for us. I can’t wait to see God show up for us this summer and bless us with opportunity, challenge, and growth.
“Howdy! My name is Andy Dillard and I am excited to be returning to WAMAVA this summer as part of the admin team for my 3rd summer. WAMAVA has been a part of my life, on and off, most of my life, as I grew up nearby in Maryland until I moved to Texas for college. I was a camper for about 3 summers during childhood and then served as a counselor for 3 years in a row, from 2013-2015. I loved Texas so much that I still call it home to this day with my wife Lizzie, and our two sons, Lucas and Jackson. During the school year, I have worked in education as a physical education teacher for the last 9 years. In general, I am passionate about serving families and youth. I believe my time with children daily at work and at home has prepared me well to serve in my new leadership role at WAMAVA. I have found in my experiences that it is the one who falls down and continues to get back up again finds themselves worthy in the end. One of my favorite quotes by Ted Roosevelt says it well: “...if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” Camp was a place where I experienced failure many times as a young counselor and it helped prepare me for future experiences. I suspect being in a new leadership role will bring some failures and storms, as I grow and learn to support our staff, junior staff, and campers. I know that the Lord will be there with me. He will honor my faith as I step into unknown waters and try to walk. I want to focus on Him, lean on Him, and not the possible storm around me. Matthew 7 tells us that if you “ask, it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” I trust that the Lord brought me back to WAMAVA, He will lead me through and give me what I need as I lead and serve His kids.”
Greetings, everyone! I am Laura Hughes, and I am excited to be back at WAMAVA this summer—truly my favorite place on earth! This is my fourth year as part of the Admin team, where I will be focusing on overseeing the Girls' Staff and helping campers with Special Needs be successful. Having grown up in nearby West Virginia, I spent many wonderful years as a camper and junior staff member at camp. During my college years, I served on staff for four years, working in the kitchen and as a counselor for three. I have devoted 14 years to the field of education, starting as a middle school teacher and now specializing in special education with an emphasis on reading. My three children—Alexis, Parker, and Charlie —join me at WAMAVA every summer, along with their closest friend, Kodi. They eagerly count down the days until summer at WaMaVa. You’ll often find Alexis immersed in Arts and Crafts or reading a book under the trees; Parker is usually at the Gaga Ball Pit; and Charlie loves to explore the creek or splash in the pool. You might also see my husband, Travis, around camp throughout the week. Camp WAMAVA holds a special place in my heart as the place where I discovered my faith in Jesus. I am passionate about supporting students and their families in nurturing and growing in their faith as well.
Hello friends! My name is Khristian Decker and I’m delighted to be rejoining the Admin team this year! It’s difficult to put into words just how meaningful camp is to me. I grew up in Texas and spent my camper days in the mountains of New Mexico. Surrounded by the beauty of nature and the souls of other young Christians like myself, I’ve always felt closest to God while at camp. I firmly believe that camp is a small glimpse into the Heaven we all look forward to; there is singing, rejoicing, laughter, and love, and the hardest decision you have to make is what you want for canteen that day! I was blessed to discover Camp WAMAVA in 2009 while attending Harding University. Back then, I was dating a very handsome young man who had decided to return to Virginia for another summer as a camp counselor. I’d always wanted to be a camp counselor and I saw this as a perfect opportunity to make that wish come true. That first summer was magical for me as I made deep connections with God, campers, and my fellow staff members; I also went on to marry that handsome boy–you know him as Director Josh, and we’ve been coming back to WAMAVA as often as we possibly could. Over the years, I’ve been a Bible class teacher, an ‘exuberance chief,’ leader of LAMP, a kitchen volunteer, and part of the admin team multiple times. There is only one job that I simply can’t do—taking fish off hooks at the lake! Outside of camp, I work with kids on a daily basis! I was an elementary school teacher for nine years, and this year I’ve been working as a long-term librarian substitute for a local middle school. I’ve also worked with big kids at Freed-Hardeman and Baylor University. Building relationships with campers and watching them grow in their love for God, themselves, and others is one of my greatest joys. I’m grateful to be able to use my experience and skills as a teacher to help make camp a meaningful and successful experience for everyone who walks through the Mess Hall doors. Let’s have a great summer!
Hi everyone! My name is Tyler Riley, and I am so glad to be returning to WaMaVa this summer as part of the admin team. I grew up at WaMaVa, spending ten summers as a camper, and it was one of the first places where my faith felt like something real and alive. The role models I met at camp were some of the first people to encourage me to ask questions, be myself, and show me that walking with Christ could be both challenging and fun. It is where my relationship with God became something I genuinely wanted to pursue, and it is a big reason why I kept coming back. After my years as a camper, I served four summers as a counselor. Getting to walk alongside campers as they experienced WaMaVa was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Encouraging campers to discover their unique strengths, the way I had been encouraged as a camper, was deeply fulfilling. I also loved supporting campers as they formed new friendships and watching those friendships grow each summer. It’s been a blessing to see God working through those relationships, in both the campers and my own walk with Him. Outside of camp, I wrestled for four years at Messiah University, where our team was challenged to compete and live for the glory of God alone. We chose to praise God through adversity, treating perseverance itself as an act of worship. That mindset helped me actively praise God in every moment, the hard and the good, and it is a practice I carry into every area of my life. I also earned my bachelor's degree in psychology at Messiah and then my master's in applied psychology at Clemson. Those years equipped me to serve others more fully, and I’m grateful to continue honing those skills at WaMaVa. I’m excited to step into this new role as part of the admin team and I’m sure it will push me to grow in ways I do not expect. I trust that God will continue to work through each of us, in the challenges and the joys alike. I am thankful He brought me back to WaMaVa, and I look forward to leading and growing together for His glory.
Hello! I’m Audra, and I’m happy to be returning for my third summer as WAMAVA’s lead cook. Before stepping into this role, I volunteered every summer since 2009—spending time in the kitchen or supporting the Bible program. WAMAVA has been a big part of my family’s life. My kids have done it all—campers, “staff brats,” junior staff, counselors, even admin. It’s been so meaningful watching them grow up at camp, and now I’m excited to see my niece enjoy it too. Cooking might not be my favorite activity, but I do enjoy feeding people. From feeding my crew of kids as they grew up, to hosting meals for our church family and friends, and now to preparing food for camp, I want to make sure everyone feels well-loved by being well-fed. We do our best to balance crowd-pleasing camp meals with healthier options, and we take extra care to safely serve those with food allergies. I’m also committed to keeping our kitchen and serving areas clean, compliant with state regulations, and up to standards through regular work with local health inspectors. After all, safety is a key part of our camp’s Mission. One of the benefits of being at camp for the summer is getting to spend time with a variety of people who love being at camp. I alway look forward to seeing those who I’ve worked in previous years, and, of course, to meet new, first-time volunteers. Looking forward to another fun-filled summer with all of you! See you soon—I’ll have the chocolate chip cookies ready!
Kodi works as a School Psychologist in Maryland after graduating with her Master's Degree from Abilene Christian Univesity in 2026. She has been joining her aunt, Audra, at WaMaVa since she was a young camper and returned in 2024 in one of the most impactful roles. Kodi makes WaMaVa possible by supporting our admin. and director team with their own children, making sure they have the space to make things happen and know their children are in capable and loving hands. You'll often see Kodi herding a group of happy, and slightly feral, future-campers with a smile on her face and demonstrating an unfathomable amount of patience.