Our Staff

As President, I have the privilege to oversee and execute our mission of “Restoring the identity of kids so they will understand their great value and be a blessing to others.” This is done through oversight and visionary guidance of staff programs and daily operations. I also have the opportunity to build deep relationships with the community of supporters that have funded Amarillo Children’s Home for almost 100 years, connecting their desires to produce generational change with wonderful kids who need this encouragement. The best part of my job, however, is the opportunity to play with, impact and be around some of the most amazing kids I have ever worked with in my 25+ years of experience.

Those 25 years have included time spent as the Coordinator of Behavioral Sciences for the Amarillo Independent School district, the Young Adult Pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Amarillo and as a special education teacher and coach. I have also been actively participating in ministry for over 20 years. My ministry background includes: Young Life Area Director, church planter, family pastor, youth pastor, worship leader, camp speaker and retreat director in addition to many volunteer positions. The joy of my life, however, is my four children: two biological sons and two daughters that God blessed me with through adoption.

When we treat a man as he is, we make him worse than he is. When we treat him as if he were what he potentially could be, we make him what he should be.— Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

While in college, I became passionate about the idea of connecting people with needs to those who can meet their needs. I never imagined it would actually become my profession! I’ve worked in nonprofit fundraising for the past 16 years now, joining Amarillo Children’s Home team in 2014. I graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in Journalism and went on to receive intensive fundraising training at The Foundation Center and The Support Center for Nonprofit Management in New York. I was extremely blessed to begin my career as a grant writer for New York City’s historic homeless shelter, The Bowery Mission; to serve in Development Director positions for the Amarillo Symphony and Opportunity School; and to manage Emily Wood Consulting, a company helping nonprofits with their development needs, prior to joining the Amarillo Children’s Home team. I’m a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and enjoy volunteering with the First Presbyterian Church of Amarillo and hanging out with the amazing kids at Amarillo Children’s Home. By far my favorite roles in life are being married to my husband, Casey, and mother to our two girls, Marienne and Noelle.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
— Albert Einstein

Dianne has over 30 years of experience in financial and nonprofit management, and loves working at Amarillo Children’s Home! She holds a B.A. in English and has completed post-baccalaureate hours in Accounting and Business Management including graduate coursework towards an MBA. Before joining Amarillo Children’s Home in 2011, she served for 10 years as the Executive Director for Opportunity School. She also worked at the Amarillo Area Foundation, was the Office Manager for a local family-owned lumber business, and worked in banking. Her husband, King Hill, is a retired theatre arts teacher, who now writes, directs and consults, and she enjoys helping with his creative projects. She and King have no children and one dog. Dianne has lived in Amarillo for 37 years.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
— Aesop

On my career path to Amarillo Children’s Home, I was the Middle School Director of Amarillo Young Life’s “Wyldlife” and College/Career Director at First Presbyterian Church of Amarillo. My life-long passion is to invest in the lives of kids and young adults. I’m also compassionate about connecting others to a community that is making a difference and to guide them through the process. In my position as ACH Executive Administrator & Aftercare Director, I’m given the opportunity to work from the skills I developed in my prior careers and from my passion. I’m humbled and grateful to be part of an amazing team of coworkers, who not only believe in the mission of Amarillo Children’s Home, but also eagerly live it out.

Ring the bells that can still ring. Forget your perfect offering. There’s a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.
— Leonard Cohen

John has been connected to Amarillo Children’s Home since 2001 when he and his wife, Michelle, moved from Kansas City to work as House Parents in one of our boy’s homes. The two years spent as a House Parent were invaluable to John in both his time spent as a youth minister and in his current capacity with ACH.
Since 2009 when John returned to ACH he has worked in several different capacities. Each of these roles when combined with the role as a House Parent and even the role of a youth pastor has prepared John for the role of overseeing campus operations. John has a passion for challenging people to see their value, discover their gifts and grow into who God has created them to be. As the Director of Operations John is able to guide both kids and adults in these areas.

… make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves …
— Philippians 2:2-3

As the Administrator for the agency, I am responsible for promoting safety and compliance by ensuring Amarillo Children’s Home meets regulatory standards and guidelines in its daily operations, as well accepting placement for children who have been placed in the custody of Child Protective Services or Juvenile Probation in one of the campus’ seven cottages. The ultimate goal for my position is to promote and support an organizational culture of safety and excellence for the care of children entrusted to Amarillo Children’s Home. I have had the privilege of working with Amarillo Children’s Home for 10 years and have a total of 18 years of experience working with abused/neglected and at-risk-children. I also work closely with other community agencies that provide services and resources for children and families. My ultimate joy is to be able to witness children thrive in an environment where they can experience life as a child and have the security of knowing they are safe, loved, and cared for by individuals who have their best interest at heart.

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style…
— Maya Angelou