About Us

Every year we have outstanding Trip Leaders in charge of each of our expeditions. They are fun and energetic, and they always do a great job caring for the youth on our trips. Many have served as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint, and all of them love working with youth and serving others. Read below to learn more about them:

Lauren Bray

Lauren grew up in Oceanside, California with her parents and younger sister.  After graduating from Harvard with a degree in Physics she moved all around the US for a couple of years and finally settled in Minneapolis, where she currently works as a software engineer for medical devices.

Lauren loves reading good books, going on adventures, learning new musical instruments (most recently banjo and drumset), making robots, cooking stuff one normally buys (like candy corn or butter), and, since moving to Minnesota, playing hockey.  This is her first summer with HEFY and she is extremely excited to be joining trip participants on two trips to Fiji.  She thinks that developing love for others is the best way to grow closer to Christ and that working together in service is the best way to develop love for others.

Melanie Green

Trips: Tonga 1 & 2

Melanie is enjoying her time as a college graduate.She graduated from BYU with a degree in Athletic Training and has experience with the BYU football, tennis, and dance teams and Springville High School football, soccer, and basketball teams. She has experience with many aspects of sports medicine and is ready to pursue her education with a master’s degree in teaching.  She will lead the second expedition to Tonga this summer and is extremely excited.

Mel loves to travel and has been all over the world, from New Zealand to Samoa and England to Australia. She took a semester to study abroad in New Zealand and enjoyed learning to surf, whitewater kayak, rock climb, and mountain bike. She can be found in the outdoors in the summer months and LOVES the warmth. She has been on staff at several summer camps and believes that the outdoors are one of the best places to gain and strengthen a testimony.

Her motto she lives by is, “forget yourself and go to work” by President Gordon B. Hinckley. So be prepared to work hard and play hard in Tonga this summer.

Kamden Hainsworth

Trips: Ecuador 3

Kamden grew up in San Diego, California, as the oldest of seven kids. From childhood, Kamden carries with her a love for sports and music, and she enjoys playing the guitar, writing music and performing at every opportunity.

After beginning her college at BYU and serving as an EFY counselor, Kamden was called to the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission (Spanish speaking). Following her mission, she says she knew she wanted to serve others for a living and was inspired to become an elementary school teacher. She has been teaching sixth grade for three years in Orem, Utah.

Kamden married her husband Tyler at the San Diego Temple. The couple enjoys a love for the Hispanic culture and were able to visit El Salvador this past summer. Kamden is excited to be able to serve on one of the Ecuador trips this summer. She led three Peru trips last year and is so grateful for the opportunity to meet and work again with the valiant HEFY participants.

"I know serving with the young women in Ecuador will be unforgettable," she says. "I look forward to getting to know each participant and serving our brothers and sisters just as Christ would in the dynamic country of Ecuador!"

Jaynie Kokkola

Trips: Tonga 1

Jaynie will lead trips to Belize for HEFY this summer. She currently works as a therapist with at-risk youth after completing her master's degree in social work in 2010 at the University of Utah. Jaynie returns to HEFY after two years of leading trips in Tonga and Belize for AYS.

Jaynie is a former EFY counselor, ski instructor, and has worked in many schools. Jaynie often says that her passion in life is working with youth. She enjoys water skiing, snow skiing, rock climbing, biking, running, reading, traveling, trying anything new, and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is often found finding genuine fun in every situation. 

Before Earning her undergraduate degree from BYU in sociology,she attended BYU-Hawaii where she claims she "fell in love" with the Polynesian culture and people. " I can't wait to get back to serve the most Christ-centered people I've ever met. This year is going to be yet another testimony building experience!" 

Mary Moore

Trips: Fiji 1

Mary first made her way to Fiji as an elementary school teacher, after graduating from BYU, and quickly fell in love with the people and culture (which you'll find is easy to do!).  

Currently she and her husband, Shawn (the previous director of HEFY) live in Salt Lake City where she manages the marketing and communications for an event program called Time Out for Women, and tours throughout the country.  She and her husband love traveling the world, meeting new people and cultures and have found themselves most at home when their bags are packed and are headed for an adventure.  When she isn't traveling you can find her biking, playing tennis, trail running, reading, playing on her ukulele, or watching a movie with a bowl full of popcorn.

Since teaching the youth in Suva, Fiji's capital, she just can't get enough and continues to return and share her love for the people and island with others.  Mary also served a mission in Oklahoma where she learned the southern drawl of y'all.  Combine that with the traditional Fijian greeting of Bula Vinaka and you know you couldn't have a friendlier Trip Leader.  In her own words: "My understanding of "charity" has deepened by rubbing shoulders and working side by side with the people in Fiji.  The  experiences you create here will forever change and better your life, your perspective, and your love for those around you."

Whitney Orton

Trips: Fiji 3

Whitney was brought up in Highland, Utah, as the oldest of five. She studied drafting and pre-engineering at UVU and currently works full time at a civil engineering firm as a CAD technician and public involvement specialist. Because of her job, Whitney enjoys road construction projects in every aspect and working with the public.
 
When Whitney doesn’t have to be inside working she is on her road bike, taking a hike, or working on a quilt. She loves to travel and see new places, one of her favorite places to visit and explore being Southern Utah. She believes in putting priority on working hard and being outside and traveling because doing those things helps you feel grateful and be happy, and it brings you closer to God. Whitney is also fond of Real Salt Lake soccer, country music, good books, and good sandwiches.
 
One of her greatest accomplishments was serving a mission to Bucharest, Romania: an experience she considers her deepest treasure. This is Whitney’s second trip with HEFY to Fiji, and she’s ready to work hard and play hard with her group.

Sara Sonntag

Trips: Belize 2, 3 &4
Sara grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, as the oldest of four.  She is excited to graduate from BYU this April with a B.A. in Political Science.  As part of her program, she has worked in Washington, D.C. and still cites it as one of her favorite experiences while attending BYU.  Sara also served an LDS mission in Detroit, Michigan and there learned the power of service in developing a love for and testimony of Jesus Christ. 

Sara is a self proclaimed nerd and loves to read, especially anything by John Steinbeck.  She loves to be active and doing things outside including hiking, skiing, and wake boarding.  Her favorite place to be is out on the lake with family and friends.  She has worked recently to develop her cooking skills, something which needs much improvement, but finds great pleasure in mastering new dishes. 

This will be Sara's first summer with HEFY and she is thrilled to participating in three trips to Belize.  She can hardly wait to get to know each of the participants and become familiar with the people and culture of this beautiful country.  

Allison Snelson 

Trips: Belize 2 & 3

Allison grew up in Los Angeles, California and is the ninth of 14 children.  She studied Math Education at Brigham Young University, was a counselor at EFY in Provo and Rexberg for two summers, and served an LDS mission in Guatemala, speaking Spanish.  After graduating from BYU Allison married her husband, Brad in the Provo, LDS Temple.  Brad also speaks Spanish and the two of them were able to put that language to good use on a fun visit to Guatemala last summer.

Allison currently teaches Math and Spanish at Bennion Junior High in Taylorsville, UT and loves working with youth.  She and her husband enjoy being outside, traveling, and playing sports.  Allison has spent 2 summers working with HEFY as a trip leader directing trips to Peru, Bolivia, and Fiji, and has loved every one. 

Sally Stanton

Trips: Peru 1, Ecuador 1, Tonga 3

Sally is currently the Executive Director for Humanitarian Experience, and as part of her role she sets up new projects in new locations. She will lead the first expedition to Peru, which is in the city of Lima for the first time, and she will lead the first expedition to Ecuador, which is a new location for Humanitarian Experience.

Sally loves to travel and has been all over the world, from Africa to the Arctic North. She graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree in Government and she studied abroad in Mexico and Chile. She served a Spanish-speaking mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Independence, Missouri.

"Get ready to be active if you're on a trip with me. Work hard, eat hard- that's my motto. I believe that there is no better way to build a testimony than through serving others with all your heart, might, mind and strength."