Administrative Staff
Beth and Trace Embry, Founders and Directors
Trace and Beth Embry have a heart and a passion for the parents and youth of today’s culture. Trace and Beth began their married life together 30 years ago in Indiana. Along with being entrepreneurs and prominent business owners, Trace served as a Police Officer in their hometown after graduating the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in 1978. Trace and Beth began raising their 3 children in the suburbs of Chicago when they heeded the Lord’s prompting to full-time ministry. In 1991, they moved to Georgia to pursue additional education at Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, GA. While Beth took classes and worked for the college, Trace pursued studies in Christian Education.
Shepherd’s Hill Academy was founded in 1994. The Embrys continue to live on campus and minister to each resident as if they were their own children. Trace and Beth have five children of their own and two grandchildren.
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Tina Lawton: Office Manager
Tina studied at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. She has expertly performed the role of Office Manager within the ministry of Shepherd’s Hill Academy for 6 years.
Besides keeping the office running efficiently, Tina enjoys talking with parents of our current students, and keeps the line of communication open between the parents, the students, and the staff of Shepherd’s Hill Academy. She also guides parents of potential residents who inquire into Shepherd’s Hill Academy. Tina plays a big role within the ministry to support in the aftercare of alumni students and their families. Her passion is to help and counsel people with a gentle word of encouragement and active listening. She genuinely cares about the staff, teens, and parents of Shepherd’s Hill Academy.
Tina and her husband, Hap, have 2 sons. Her interests and hobbies include: motorcycling, playing the piano, photography, entertaining, traveling, gardening, making jewelry, and reading.
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Terri Ross: Marketing & Research Coordinator
Terri holds an Associates Degree in Business Administration from Central New Mexico Community College – CNM (formally Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute – TVI). She also has a Bachelors Degree in Applied Management from National American University – NAU.
She has a versatile business administrative background, and her previous experience includes working for major corporations in the Convenient Store and Department of Defense Contracting industries.
Terri truly has a heart for the ministry, and joined Shepherd’s Hill Academy to help with the admissions, administrative, and marketing efforts. She loves to serve and witness the process of young people breaking free from addictions and negative behaviors as they learn who they are in Christ. She enjoys modeling Christ to the students, and offers words of encouragement to them as she observes their transformation throughout their stay at Shepherd’s Hill Academy.
Outside of serving at Shepherd’s Hill Academy, she enjoys group Bible studies, family, gardening, skiing, camping, hiking, fishing, reading and movies.
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Eric Brubaker: Boys New Creation Wilderness Program Manager
Eric attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL, and transferred to Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, GA where he received his Bachelors Degree in Counseling and Psychology. He is a certified Instructor from Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, Lifeguard and First Aid with the American Red Cross, and held certification with Wilderness First Responder – SOLO and American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI).
He has been involved with serving the youth enrolled at Shepherd’s Hill Academy for 6 years. Eric worked prior as a YMCA Summer Camp Counselor, and Student Counselor while serving on various Mission trips.
Eric has a passion for passing on the truth of the Gospel to younger generations. He wants to impact the young men and women so they can develop spiritually, emotionally, and physically, in order to live a full healthy life. His hope is to also succeed in making change agents to the culture by having young people ultimately impact the lives of their immediate families and maturing into a role of Godly father/mother and husband/wife.
More than anything, Eric loves spending time with his wife Mary. He loves engaging in deep conversations and trying to find how God answers the harder questions about life. He enjoys relaxing and outdoor activities. He also enjoys carpentry, landscaping, home improvement projects, and movies.
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Allison Wallace: Girls New Creation Wilderness Program and Girls Next Step Program Manager
Allison has completed a year of Counseling Psychology, and Developmental Psychology curriculum at Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, GA.
She has intimately worked with youth for 6 years. She has held the position of the Girls New Creation Wilderness Program Manager for 4 years at Shepherd’s Hill Academy.
Allison has a deep passion for mentoring young girls in Biblical truth. Her goal is to help educate teen girls with the truths of God’s word in order to help them regain their self- respect, a love for Christ, and discover their purpose and passion for their life.
She is married, loves the outdoors and playing competitive sports. Allison also enjoys deepening her walk with Christ. She lovingly shares the wisdom, discernment and knowledge that God has implemented into her with the resident students she interacts with on a daily basis.
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Joshua Wallace: Director of Operations / Boys Next Step Program Manager
Joshua has completed two years of his Bachelors Degree in Youth Pastoral curriculum at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, GA.
He has been working with troubled youth for 6 years. Initially, he served at a Summer Youth Camp, and then moved into a Residential Counselor position at Shepherd’s Hill Academy. He currently serves a duel role as Director of Operations and the Boys Next Step Program Manager. As Director of Operations, Joshua uses his organizational and strategic planning skills to direct the operations of Shepherd’s Hill Ministries.
Joshua’s passion is for the wayward youth of this culture. Seeing how the negative influences of this culture has impacted the youth, his hope is that God can use him in the ministry to reestablish a biblical worldview in the hearts and minds of the youth in America. He and his wife enjoy competitive sports and outdoor activities. Joshua also loves to gain knowledge in Christian apologetics and other worldviews through reading.
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Janna Fendley: Girls Next Step Program Manager & Teacher’s Aid
Janna completed her Undergraduate work at Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, GA in Biblical studies, and her minor in Cross Cultural Studies.
She has worked with the youth for 4 years in a program that reached out to inter- city teens. She’s worked with kids bound by the cycle of poverty, abuse, and addiction. She has served at Shepherds Hill Academy for 2 years on our residential staff and a Teacher’s Aid. Her passion is to teach teenagers what life is really about in Christ and not of the world. Janna believes the youth of today are our future, and desires to give them another chance in life through the hope of Christ.
Janna is recently married to her husband Stephen. She enjoys hiking, canoeing, camping, and all other outdoor activities. She also plays the guitar and sings.
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