Meet one of this year’s teams!
Andrew Reamer, Michael Higdon, Jay Cordes, Cassandra Loomis, Liz Bridgforth, Todd Phillips, Beth Schriner, Chris Dominick, Billie and Travis Hubbs, Jim Printz, Steve Clark, Christine Burton, Rob Kossowsky, & Thomas Heffernan
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Thomas Heffernan
Thomas D. Heffernan, age 41, has a passion for adventure and the outdoors, especially rock climbing and mountaineering. Tom has been climbing since his early twenties, having climbed big walls such as El Capitan in Yosemite and Looking Glass Rock as well as alpine rock climbs such as Grand Teton in Wyoming and numerous other famous crags. In recent years, Tom has focused on mountaineering having climbed Mt. Elbrus, Mt. Whitney, and Mt. Washington (winter ascent) with The Last Well. Tom became a Christ follower in his early thirties after concluding that this world is empty without God at the center. Struggling with a foot in two worlds for many years, Tom fully devoted his life to Christ in 2007 after returning from a mission trip to India and feels blessed to have been introduced to The Last Well which combines his love of Christ with his love of the outdoors. Professionally, Tom is the founder of Business Shapers, a firm providing accounting and financial management services to businesses under $10 million in size. Tom is also an accomplished serial entrepreneur having founded, built, developed, and grown numerous multi-million dollar businesses across multiple industries since 1993. Tom continues to serve on the board of two multi-million dollar businesses. In addition to his wide breadth of corporate experience, Mr. Heffernan honourably served his country in the early 1990’s as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Tom also currently serves on the board The Last Well. Tom and his wife Arielle have one child, Shiloh, and reside in northern Virginia.
Michael Higdon
Having reached the Whitney summit last spring, Michael is taking on his second domestic peak with Last Well. Originally from California, Michael and his wife Jamie live on Capitol Hill where they attend multi-site National Community Church. Michael has worked in politics for 11 years, although it feels like it has been about three lifetimes. He enjoys backpacking, travel, snow skiing, getting his jeep wrangler dirty, and spending time with friends. While scaling Whitney was a 2009 highlight, a three day wedding festival in the Carolina mountains with family and friends definitely takes the cake. Defying their parents better judgment, the Higdons put on a wedding day 5K Run, “Tying the Knot Charity Trot” (Thanks Jay!) and raised $5000 to support Christian AIDS Hospice work in South Africa.
Todd Phillips
Todd Phillips is the teaching pastor of Frontline (www.frontlinedc.com), a generational church-within-a-church at McLean Bible Church near Washington D.C. with over three thousand young adults attending weekly at seven campuses. Frontline has been called the “first mega-church within a mega-church in the country.” Todd’s primary passion is reaching ‘pre-Christians’ with the life saving message of Jesus Christ. He reflects that passion in his book, “Spiritual CPR: Reviving a Flat-lined Generation,” (www.toddphillips.net) which is available in book stores everywhere. Before his arrival at Frontline, Todd served as pastor for three generationally targeted evangelistic ministries in Texas: Austin Metro, San Antonio Metro, and The Soul Café in Kerrville. These three ministries combined reached over twenty thousand young adults with the Gospel. He is now focused on reaching young adults in the nation’s capital, believing passionately that if the church can change young adults in D.C. with the Gospel, we can change the world. In his latest effort to empower young adults to change the world in the name of Christ, he has written a study titled, “Get Uncomfortable: Serve the Poor. Stop Injustice. Change the World…In Jesus’ Name.” (www.threadsmedia.com). In addition, Todd is the President and Founder of The Last Well (www.thelastwell.org), a non-profit organization which aims to provide safe, affordable drinking water to the entire nation of Liberia and preach the Message of Jesus Christ to those they serve. Todd holds a BBA from Concordia University, a Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is a May 2010 candidate for graduation with his Doctorate of Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his wife Julie live in Sterling, Virginia with their three children: Parker, Katherine, and Raney Grace.
Chris Dominick
In 2007 the Lord lead Chris on his first mission trip to Africa where he learned first hand how fundamental clean water was to health, prosperity and even life in Zambia and had his heart captured by the people of Africa. Then while waiting to return home he read a detailed article about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and was fascinated. Upon returning home he put up a big picture of the mountain over his desk. The next year the Last Well Ministry was formed and 3 of the climbers on the first trip were members of his bible study and good friends, intriguing him even more. Then in 2009 God provided him the opportunity of a lifetime. Longing to return to Africa he learned that two of his great friends would be leading a mission trip to Tanzania in a unique endeavor that would combine mission work for 9 days with Global Impact (McLean Bible Church’s mission arm) and the Last Well and would end with an attempt to climb Kilimanjaro! Talk about clear guidance. He threw himself into training for 6 months dropping 85 lbs on the way and in the end summited “Kili” with all 23 members of his team as they raised a substantial amount of funds for the people of Liberia. The Last Well is now Chris’s favorite and primary mission focus and he will be participating in the spring climb of Mt. Rainier and Lord willing many future climbs for the sake of the people of Liberia and the glory of Christ.
Chris is a longtime resident of Northern Virginia and has been a real estate broker for many years. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!). His other ministry activities include Access Ministry, which is McLean Bible Church’s ministry for children with developmental disabilities. This ministry speaks to his heart and is obedient to God’s calling in life to stretch in service. He is also a counselor in the Crown Financial Ministry which helps instruct people on biblical financial stewardship and takes advantage of his business and finance background. He also enjoys working with the Love Your Neighbor ministry which helps local elderly homeowners without means to repair their homes, making use of his meager skills with tools. Chris is also an ardent patriot and is the resident “old school” member of the team.
Jim Printz
Jim Printz has been passionately involved with The Last Well since its inception. Through TLW he has been blessed on many levels to be a part of solving the water crisis for the nation of Liberia and its wonderful people. He has had many valuable learning experiences along the road of that exciting journey. Jim runs a residential custom building and remodeling company, North Shore Design which serves the Virginia-Metro area since 2002. He is blessed to have his wonderful and supportive wife Jensina and their sweet five month old Rachel Lee. Along with the Lord they are everything. He actively attends McLean Bible Church, has been involved in various missions related activities over the years and has a deep passion for travel, making friends and extending the Kingdom along the way.
Andrew Reamer
Andrew was born in Saginaw, MI and lived there until age six. He then moved to Brentwood, TN, where he spent most of his life. Andrew was heavy into travel soccer, and later went on to play soccer for a few years for Virginia Tech. He also enjoys wakeboarding, snowboarding, playing and writing music, and most recently mountaineering. At VT he studied Engineering, but finished with a degree in Interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in Business and English. After college he moved up to Northern Virginia to work in Real Estate and now is a principal in one of the most progressive real estate management firms in the D.C. area. The firm helps fight the war on foreclosures nationwide, protecting homeowners’ credit and decreasing their financial liability through many facets of loss mitigation.
Andrew’s Christian journey began his sophomore year in High School through Young Life at Frontier Ranch in Colorado. He found his Christian passion through fellowship amongst exciting adventures such as hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains and sailing from Miami to Nassau with a crew of 18 his Senior Year. Andrew’s biggest influences are his parents, his brother, Coach Ron Pratt, Young Life Leader Jason Swain, and Tom Heffernan. Andrew now lives in Fairfax, VA. He hopes to be an integral part of The Last Well movement and the return of the United States economy.
Jay Cordes
Jay Cordes is a Christ-follower who routinely attends Frontline Arlington. He loves any athletic adventure and is always excited to listen and share his perspectives on life and faith. Growing up in NJ, Jay got a taste of the outdoors while finishing his degree in Sociology and Psychology at a small state school in NH. Jay, 25, for the past few years has been giving back to the community by running before and after-school programs for elementary school students. Last year Jay successfully summitted Mt. Whitney with fellow Last Well climbers and he is eagerly awaiting the challenges that Mt. Rainier has to offer, Jay is very excited to see what God will teach him on the mountain this time and bring living water to the nation of Liberia.
Cassandra Loomis (picture only)
Cassandra Loomis, 28, is a Christian, non-starving Artist with wandering feet. She grew up in a Christian home in Virginia and has enjoyed the excitement and surprise that comes from allowing God to plan her life. In 2003, she graduated from VCU with a degree in Illustration. Currently, Cassandra works for Trader Joe’s as a sign artist, painting murals in the back of the Washington D.C. grocery store. She has also moonlighted painting portraits and restaurant murals to help fund many adventures.
As a bibliophile who has been inspired to seek out adventure from reading one too many exploration books, she’s an avid traveler. Each new place she travels to brings an even stronger curiosity to see more. Most recently she visited her 6th continent – Antarctica – this past year and found what will be a life long passion for the ‘South.’
She’s a small group leader for McLean Bible Church and has a heart for missions. Some of her mission trips have included: painting murals in a rehab hospital in Romania with CTL (Children To Love), painting locally in a DC middle school, and helping to build a house in Mexico. This past October, she walked in the Susan G. Komen 60 mile walk for the cure, to honor family members who have battled breast cancer.
Mount Rainier will be her first climb, and she is looking forward to both the preparation and experience. The ultimate satisfaction will come from knowing that we are coming closer to providing clean drinking water for all the people of Liberia.
Liz Bridgforth (picture only)
Lyz Bridgforth, 24, is happiest when she is on an adventure, building friendships, experiencing different cultures and being in the great outdoors.
Lyz currently works at the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries as an advertising coordinator. At the galleries she promotes the arts and culture of Asia, where she studied and began her relationship with Christ. She is passionate about her hobbies, which include modern dance, choreographing, and learning Mandarin.
Lyz, a native of Danville, VA and graduate of the College of William and Mary, moved to Washington D.C. after a seven month stint working on a cruise ship which traveled throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
Lyz is incredibly thankful for McClean Bible Church and the community she has been able to build within it. She has been attending Frontline, Arlington for two years and actively participates in a bible study and frequently volunteers with community outreach initiatives.
Beth Schriner
Beth Schriner, originally from the flatlands of Ohio, moved to Virginia and decided to start hiking when she saw the far more varied terrain of the Shenandoahs. She has been actively involved in church as long as she can remember and has been very blessed by opportunities she has had to serve both in the U.S. and abroad. The Last Well offers her a chance to do a few things she loves – be outside in God’s awesome creation and raise money to help solve a country’s clean water crisis. She climbed with the Last Well team on Mt. Whitney in California. She also did Mt. Washington in New Hampshire after Christmas with her 3 brothers (who are also outdoor enthusiasts). While she’s not out hiking, you can most likely find her teaching high school Spanish, an ESOL class, or at an art museum.
Billie and Travis Hubbs
Travis loves Jesus and enjoys trekking around in his creation. He was exposed to hiking at the age of 3 in the Smoky Mountains, and has been doing it ever since. In 2004, he went with a Christian mission organization to the Yunnan Province of China, and backpacked through the mountains to search for an unreached people group that had never heard the gospel. Billie grew up on a farm in south Alabama, the youngest of seven girls. She is an avid horseback rider and overall water person – surfing, scuba diving, and skiing. She met Travis in 2001 and was introduced to the mountains – hiking, biking, and a new kind of skiing. Their hiking trips have included the Appalachian Trail, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain NP, Olympic NP, Yosemite NP, Acadia NP, and areas in Montana and Alaska. After graduation from Auburn Unversity in 2005, they married and moved to the DC metro area for Travis’ job with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a Regulatory Investigator/Mediator. Billie is currently employed with an information technology firm doing capital planning.
Their mutual passion for the Lord and the outdoors has led them to serve alongside the Last Well. They have attended McLean Bible Church for the last 3.5 years, and are involved with a bible study as well as various other ministries. This is their first trip with the Last Well.
Steve Clark
Steve Clark, 29, is a Christian adventure seeker who was born and raised just down the road in Winchester, Virginia. In 2004 Steve graduated from George Mason University with a degree in Management Information Systems and currently works as a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton. He discovered McLean Bible Church while attending GMU and has enjoyed being involved in several ministries, including The Last Well. In February 2009, Steve was fortunate to climb Mt. Washington, one the tallest and most formidable mountains on the east coast, with fifteen believers from the The Last Well. Steve is excited to see God work through The Last Well to spread the gospel and provide clean water to the entire nation of Liberia. He is married to Mallory Clark and they live in Sterling, Virginia.
Christine Burton
Christine grew up in a military family and as an Army brat was provided the opportunity to live in numerous states and overseas in Germany as well as to travel to various foreign countries. This life cultivated a desire to experience new situations and undertake exciting adventures. Christine graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in Business Management. She moved to the DC area several years ago after a local internship had peaked her interest in the area and she sought employment in the region. She currently works as an Operations Analyst. Christine is fluent in German and is an avid caver and board member of the Potomac Speleological Club. Mountaineering was on the list of activities to try when Christine, a Christian, began praying for an opportunity to do God’s work in a way she could become passionate about. Enter an announcement at MBC about The Last Well’s climbs to promote the cause of clean water shortage and contamination in Liberia to both seek financial support to combat this crisis and spread the message of Jesus. God had again opened a door.
Rob Kossowsky
Rob Kossowsky, 27, was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and is the second of four children. He attended the University of Rochester (NY) where he earned degrees in Economics and Political Science. Rob currently attends McLean Bible Church and serves on leadership teams within the Frontline Athletics and Small Groups ministries. Rob’s most recent endeavor was a Global Impact missions trip to Peru where his team helped with reconstruction efforts on a children’s center that was destroyed during a 2007 earthquake. His passion for adventure and growing compassion for struggling people around the world led him to The Last Well. Having lived in the Seattle area for a short spell, Rob is excited about the prospect of raising awareness and support for the clean water crisis in Liberia while attempting to conquer “the mountain” that he became enamored with as a child.
