Our New Youth Director Amanda Williams

She's Here! Amanda Williams

Enjoy a Q & A with Our New Youth Director 

Q.  Where did you grow up?

A. I grew up in Tulsa and attended St. Pius through 7^th grade. I transferred to Edison Middle School for 8^th grade and graduated high school from Edison in 1998.

Q. What parish did you attend growing up?

A. I was raised Catholic – baptized by Msgr. Finn on Valentine’s Day in 1982 at Church of the Madalene where my son was baptized by Fr. Stuart Crevcoure in 2002.

Q. I saw that you worked for the Diocese as an assistant for the youth director at one point? Is that when you realized you had an interest in religious youth directing?

A. Working for Charles “Mick” Michie is when I realized how FUN youth directing could be (faith formation via camping trips – how cool is that?). It wasn’t until I worked on a grant delivering a program to youth during my master’s program at OSU that I realized how much I loved working with and organizing programs for youth. 

Q. You have this amazing academic record, what leads you to us at Saint Mary?

A. I’m really impressed with St. Mary’s dedication to youth – particularly middle school, which is a developmental period often overlooked, but such an extremely important time.  There is such potential for growth, and I will really have an opportunity to put my education and community experiences into practice.  Plus, you have Father Jack – one of the most amazing people I know.

Q. What are you looking forward to about being the youth director for our parish?

A. I’m really excited to meet the kids and learn what makes them passionate about their faith. They are the experts on their own faith journeys!

Q. How were you familiar with Saint Mary before now? 

A. My Aunt Missy (Bretz) works in the school, and I had several friends who attended St. Mary when I was young. I also frequent the 6 p.m. Sunday Mass.

Q. Are you familiar with the Edge program? What do you think about it?

A. I’ve read about the Edge program and visited St. Mary to see it in action.  From what I’ve heard and seen it’s really taken off thanks to a great group of youth and a dedicated team of volunteers.

It’s an awesome program because it’s a standardized curriculum, yet has enough flexibility to really adapt to the needs/wants of St. Mary youth. 

Q. What do you like to do in your spare time? Hobbies?

A. Most of my free time is spent watching my son play baseball with his B.A. Cubs team or football with the BK Jr. Comets. I also love to read, especially historical fiction and fantasy.

Q. Could you talk just a moment about your interest in working with kids and the importance of investing in them?

A. There are so many sayings about how youth are “our future” – and they’re right.  Children become the legacy of the world they grew up in, so it is imperative that we give them all the support necessary to thrive as Catholics in a complex world.  At the same time, they are in their own “present.”  They are excited and challenged, courageous and scared, totally awesome and totally geeking out – my passion is helping them find the strength inside their own hearts to embrace the life God gave them and live it in His image, with their own unique flair. I think my challenge is to help youth figure out how they can be “in the world” and not “of the world” (a great quote frequently shared by Fr. Bryan Brooks).

Q.   Tell me just a little about your family? I heard you have a little boy, is that right?

A. Yes, he’s in 3^rd grade at Sts. Peter and Paul.  April 1^st was my 12^th wedding anniversary to my husband, Matt. (yes…April Fool’s Day!)

Amanda has an Masters in Developmental and Family Science from Oklahoma State University and is working on her Doctorate in Human Sciences from the same school. She has an outstanding list of honors, service and research projects. We are so proud to add her to our staff. Please tell her hello when you see her around!