CArly’s Bio

Video and Social Media Specialist

Hometown: Richmond, Virginia

Family: Tyler and I met in high school and started dating our senior year of college at James Madison University in 2019. We got married in the summer of 2021. Tyler is currently on staff for Young Life in Botetourt, and both of us are Young Life leaders at James River High School out in Buchanan.

Education: Deep Run High School (2016) / Received my BS degree from James Madison University (2020) and graduated with a Media Arts and Design with a concentration in Digital Video and Cinema, and a minor in Christian Studies.

Background: My senior year of college, I helped start a nonprofit christian organization called Africa Freedom Mission and have been working with them the last 3 years. For two years, I was their Creative Design and Social Media Coordinator, but recently, this past year, I moved into a more specific role as their Digital Video Coordinator. With them, I travel to Africa at least two-three times a year to lead mission trips for young adults (ages 18-24), while also doing lots of documentary filmmaking overseas for them. I love storytelling digitally what God is doing in and through Africans that are getting impacted by the Love of Christ and even through the team members that come along with us!

Something not many people may know about me: I have bungee jumped off an 111 meter high bridge at Victoria Falls in Africa (which is 364 ft.).

Passion at Orchard Hills: To make Christ known to anyone and everyone for the sake of His Kingdom, and while doing it, to fall more and more in love with Him daily!

Favorite Illustration of Biblical Truth: Isaiah 43 got me through my parent's divorce in high school, and lots of other hard circumstances throughout my life. It is a reminder that God is with you through and through; He is with you in every hardship, every moment of praise and grief. And He is our firm rock and our place of refuge, because He is our Father. It is a beautiful representation of the gospel: "thus says the Lord, He who created you, He who formed you: ' Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned and flames shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God...'"