Our Staff

Belinda grew up in Wellington, TX where her family has resided for the last 125 years. She is a proud fourth generation Wellington High School graduate.

She received a BA in Psychology from Texas Tech University and a Master of Education in Professional Counseling from West Texas State University.

Belinda brings over 30 years of experience in the child welfare and foster care industry. She has worked in group homes, residential treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals, and in the criminal justice system (adult and juvenile). She also brings experience in fundraising and events through a broad range of community engagement for the Amarillo and Canyon area.

Belinda is a member of Polk St. United Methodist Church and the Junior League of Amarillo. She has served on the Executive Committee for No Limits No Excuses, been a member of Operation First Five and Panhandle Behavioral Health Alliance sitting on the measurement and development work committee, Panhandle Advisory Council for the Benefit Bank, Amarillo Women’s Forum, TACFS Regulatory committee, Center City Business and Professional Women’s Organization (and was named the Young Careerist while here), was a Board member for Panhandle Twenty-20 and Texas Center for Children and Family Studies.

And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.
— The Beatles

Emily joined our team in May as Director of Development. Hailing from Amarillo, TX, where she and her husband, Rob, live with their daughters, Allison and Sophie, Emily brings 18 years of experience in marketing, development and communication. She holds a B.A. in Speech Communication from Baylor University. Her passion is connecting donors to real community needs – caring for the most vulnerable to help bring about the transformative work the Lord is doing. She is honored to be a part of what God is doing at Amarillo Children’s Home.

Guard what has been entrusted to your care.
— 1 Timothy 6:20

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 over 40 years.

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

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. John excels in guiding 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

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

Terri is from Plainview Texas but has lived in Amarillo for the past 28 years. She recently joined the amazing team at ACH in May 2022 as the Director of Intake and Compliance.  She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from West Texas A & M University and hold a lifetime teaching certificate for grades 1 – 8. She holds a Master of Arts in Management degree from Wayland Baptist University and is a Licensed Child Care Administrator.  She brings substantial work history with at risk youth, their families and special needs populations including case management, program management, and administrator for an emergency youth shelter. 

In addition to her ACH role, she currently serves as an active member of the Potter and Randall Counties Community Resources Coordination Group of Texas (CRCG) as a family representative with lived experience.

Terri experiences true fulfillment and joy working with children that are in the foster care system as well as working alongside of the adults that provide care and services to them.  She plans to advocate for them for years to come.

She enjoys spending time with her husband, Chris, and two adult children, Dakota and Rainey. She loves gardening, playing with her dogs, and shooting pool with her husband as well.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
— Philippians 4:13

Lindy Wakefield has loved being the Assistant Development Director for the Amarillo Children’s Home since 2020. She has more than 20 years’ experience leading marketing and development projects for various non-profits. In 2019 she was honored to Co-Chair the 40th Christmas Roundup. She specializes in Organizational Change Management and has led successful project implementations everywhere from the Junior League to the Pentagon and the Smithsonian. Lindy has her MBA from the renowned Robert H Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and a BA in international relations from Roanoke College. Having worked, traveled and lived in over 45 countries; Amarillo is still her favorite place. Loving each and every child at the Amarillo Children’s Home is a gift she cherishes daily.

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!
— Audrey Hepburn