TEXAS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director
- San Antonio Women 's Campus Director
Born and raised in San Antonio, Amy married and moved to Germany. After completing a Master's in Communication in Germany, working in children's animation and family radio, she returned to San Antonio to complete a Master's in Counseling and become a Licensed Professional Counselor. "Women struggling with life controlling issues have always been my focus. God created the family unit, so it is an honor to witness to the goodness of God; how the Lord heals and restores families here". Amy has experience in residential recovery treatment, psychiatric hospital and outpatient settings. She first came to Adult and Teen Challenge of Texas, San Antonio Women's program in 2020, answering a call on her life to serve the Lord. She says "everyday we witness how God's transforming love brings new life, hope, healing and lasting change through His son who saves to the uttermost!"
Job Titles:
- Director
- San Antonio Men 's Director
Austin is credentialed as a minister, has over 12 years' relevant experience in the mission of Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas. He serves as a minister to the students and staff of Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas and has extensive knowledge of various treatment programs and believes the only permanent solution to addiction is through a personal relationship with Christ.
Austin has been a part of Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas since 2006. He has traveled to assist in the training of ATC staff in Zambia, Jamaica and most recently Fiji. He has been married for over 10 years to Sarah Baughman, has two daughters, and resides in the San Antonio area.
Job Titles:
- Director
- East Texas Men 's Director
Pastor Chris Buscher's life was once consumed by addiction and despair. However, a powerful encounter with Jesus at Teen Challenge in 2007 changed everything. He dedicated his life to serving God and spent nearly a decade as a missionary in countries like Pakistan, Kenya, Brazil, and most of South America. Today, Pastor Chris is an Assembleia de Deus Pastor, missionary, speaker, and published Christian author. He and his wife Jessica and their three children continue to inspire others with his story of redemption and the transformative power of faith.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Staff Member
- Director of Training & Counseling
Dr. Dolly Thomas is a wife, mom, clinical psychologist, speaker and ordained minister. In 2013, she founded Transform Counseling to bring God's love, truth and healing to the broken and hurting. Since 2009, she has ministered to the staff and students of Adult and Teen Challenge of Texas. Her greatest joys in life are being married to her best friend, George Thomas, President of ATCOT; raising their four incredible children, Jadyn, Liana, Caris and Luke; and seeing a soul added to the Kingdom of God.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Corporate Staff Member
- President
George began as a volunteer in New England in 2003 - eventually serving the Connecticut program in administrative, teaching, and counseling capacities for 2 years. During this time, he was licensed as an AG minister and helped birth an inner-city, "Teen Challenge church" near the New Haven campus. In 2006, George became the business administrator for Teen Challenge USA in Springfield, MO. He earned his Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. For his dissertation, George authored the Teen Challenge USA Best Practices Manual. With a passion to reach the 1.5 million drug and alcohol addicts in his home state of Texas, George joined Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas in June 2009. George's spiritual gifts are teaching and administration and he finds the following traits as essential to working at Teen Challenge: dependence upon God, commitment to students, and ability to operate in a team environment. George earned his bachelor of science, majoring in Biology and Christianity, from Houston Baptist University. In 1999, he earned his Master's in Business Administration at University of Houston, concentrating in accounting and subsequently working as an accountant for various Fortune 500 companies in Houston prior to joining Teen Challenge. He and his wife Dolly, along with three daughters and 1 son, live in San Antonio.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Azle Men 's Director
Over the last 20 years, Greg has led ministries involved in missions, worship, prayer, and curriculum-writing. Greg served on the pastoral team of Fairmeadows Church over the last 5 years, while writing curriculum for Sampson Ministry. As a pastor, Greg referred numerous individuals to Teen Challenge over the years until the Lord called him to serve full-time at the Azle campus in March 2016. Greg holds a Bachelor of Christian Studies from Christ for the Nations and a Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts from the European Institute of Culinary Arts. Greg is married, has two sons and a daughter, and three grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Corpus Christi Men 's Director
Gregory responded to the call of God to rescue men and women from life-controlling problems such as drugs and alcohol the same year he graduated Teen Challenge Mid-America in 1988. This call quickly became a passion as the Holy Spirit directed Gregory to open men and women recovery programs in Pensacola, Florida; Brandon, Mississippi; Opelika, Alabama and Nitro, West Virginia. The call of God on Gregory's life along with his experience in pastoral ministry and leadership and his passion for the hurting is evident in his commitment to leadership in this ministry. Gregory, an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God, and his wife, Becky, have four sons - Gregory Kent, Joshua, Aaron, Jeremy and one daughter - Bonnie.
Job Titles:
- New Hope Christian Academy, Kerrville - Program Manager
Jake has been working with troubled youth for over a decade and his heart is to see the boys become powerful young men of God. Jake did not grow up in church but met Jesus at the age of 26 years old and has never looked back since. Jake has worked in various ministries from feeding the poor, Teen Challenge, Royal Rangers, coffee shops and prayer ministries etc. Jake married his wife Rebekah in 2020 and they have 2 beautiful children together. Jake's passion is to pour the love of Christ into the young men he ministers to and to watch Jesus transform their lives forever.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Brenham Men 's Director
Jonathan was raised in Louisiana and after graduating high school attended McNeese State University on a football scholarship where he majored in business administration. Jonathan played two years of professional football and later attended the State of Louisiana Law Enforcement Academy where he received a state commission and worked as a narcotics agent. Jonathan entered Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas in February of 2000 where he received Christ as his Lord and Savior. After completion of the program, Jonathan served as a staff member in several roles and in 2015 became the campus Director of the Brenham program. He and his wife Mary have one son, three daughters, and one grandson. They consider it a privilege and an honor to serve and to be instruments used by Him in the process of transforming the lives of men that were without hope.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Staff Member
- Human Resources Manager
Kim began her journey with Teen Challenge when she was given the opportunity to join the corporate staff in early 2009. Kim enjoys sharing God's love and compassion to employees and students alike. Kim was born into a Christian home in North Carolina. She graduated high school in 1985 and went on to earn her Associates in Business Administration. Kim moved to Texas in 1997 and is blessed with two beautiful daughters.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Houston Men 's Director
Matthew Killian is currently serving Christ as the Program Manager at Adult and Teen Challenge of Texas. Matthew was born in Southern California and was living there until 2020 when he felt the calling of the Lord to move to Texas while he was a student at TCMI. Matthew entered the program in March of 2018 and after having an encounter with the Lord that would forever change the projection of his life. He loves to be able to share the hope he found in Jesus and watch as new students embrace the change that Christ can make in their life.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Houston Women 's Director
Rachel is a speaker and an ordained minister. She has been involved with Adult & Teen Challenge since 2003. She is married to Rev. Garry Wallace who also works at Adult & Teen Challenge. Rachel's heart is sharing God's Word to build up and encourage those who are broken and to bring hope to the hopeless. They have three children, four grandchildren, a Great Dane named George, and two horses named Frankie and Nanci.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Executive Director of Adolescent Programs
Rodger and his wife Monica were called to Texas with a burden to stay involved with Teen Challenge. Today, he is grateful to have helped launch and now serve as the Director of the Round Rock THRIVE Girls Academy. The adolescent girl's program is dear to Rodger's heart because his daughter once struggled with addiction and was enrolled in a similar program that God used to heal their broken relationship. Rodger says he loves the ministry work of helping men, women, and teens get their lives back on track.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Staff Member
- Director of Development
Sarah and her husband Austin are both graduates of the San Antonio program and have worked with the ministry for over 10 years. After graduating high school, Sarah fell into addiction and her family called upon Teen Challenge for help. She successfully completed the program and was hired on as staff. She is currently a Certified Minister with the South Texas District of the Assemblies of God. Sarah's life is a testament of what the Lord can accomplish and how He uses Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas to make a difference in people's lives. Truly anything is possible with God!
Job Titles:
- Corporate Staff Member
- Office Manager
Tom came to Teen Challenge in San Antonio in June, 2007 as a student. After graduating, he served in a staff role, fulfilling the desire God has given him to ‘give back' to this ministry of recovery, restoration, and reconciliation. Tom holds a BS degree from the University of Houston and spent 27 years in construction management. As a staff member, the Lord has allowed him to participate in ministering to students, helping to plan and organize special events, and serving in the corporate office with a group of leaders whose sincere desire is to serve God and facilitate the recovery of the students at Teen Challenge.
Job Titles:
- Business Manager
- Corporate Staff Member
Tony came to Teen Challenge in August 2003 as a result of 25 years of drug and alcohol abuse and a diagnosis of Bi-Polar disorder, anxiety disorder, manic depression and PTSD. Tony graduated from Teen Challenge in September 2004 and has worked with the ministry since that time. Tony current serves as the Business Manager and really enjoys his work. He says "I just love the Lord and like working for the Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas Ministry and serving others!"