COA Board of Directors

  • Mike Killam

    Mike lives in Pensacola, FL

    He was educated in Gonzalez Florida at Tate HIgh School where he lettered in 3 sports , an All State & All American in football.

    Auburn Univ studied Managenent/Finance

    playing football for the Tigers.

    Returned to Pensacola working with The New England as an Account Executive for 11 years.

    Then with Digecon International as a Closer for the next 3.

    Mike has worked for the last 28 years with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the field with athletes and coaches and for the last 12 years in Development. Mike has been married for 33 years to Cheryl Brown Killam. Cheryl is a 2nd grade teacher. They have 3 daughters 1 son n law and a beautiful granddaughter. All 3 daughters live in Birmingham Al. Mike enjoys watching all spectator sports. He travels, hunts, golfs and is a gourmet cook.

  • Brad Blessing, CPA

    Brad is an Austin-based CPA with a thirty-year career in public accounting in Austin and Dallas. A 1984 graduate of Texas State University-San Marcos (BBA in Accounting), Brad is a passionate outdoor enthusiast with extensive involvement in a variety of community charities, including Marywood Children and Family Services, The Handicapped Equestrian Learning Program, Shoreline Christian School, and Singing Hills Ministries. Brad and his wife, Tricia, enjoy supporting activities and charities that focus on special needs children, education, and faith-building among young people. They have two daughters and one son.

  • Colin Jones

    Colin is currently entering his 6th season in the National Football League. He was originally drafted in 2011 by the San Francisco 49ers and is presently with the Carolina Panthers, where he has spent the last 4 seasons as a defensive back. A 2010 graduate of Texas Christian University, Colin currently resides in Fort Worth, TX during the off-season. He has a great love for the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, and loves sharing this passion with others. Colin is actively involved in the communities of both Charlotte, NC and Fort Worth, TX. He has worked with organizations such as The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte, and Gill Children’s Services of Fort Worth, among others. Colin and his wife, Briana, who married in 2012, attend Forest Hill Church in Charlotte, and Christ Chapel in Fort Worth.

  • Dennis “D” Herd

    Lifetime Native Texan

    50+, Years Hunting-Fishing Out of Doors Man

    Hunting Experiences include~ TEXAS 68 counties ~ U.S.~11 States – Namibia Africa

  • Gordon Holekamp

    Gordon Holekamp is a retired oil and gas service company executive of 35 years residing in the greater Houston area. He is a 1985 graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology. During the course of his career, Gordon has worked for a multitude of major service companies both domestically and internationally with extensive experience in managing operations as well as sales, both in middle management and at the executive level. Gordon’s family (parents and grandparents) are from the small town of Comfort, TX in the Hill Country North West of San Antonio. As a young boy, he spent much of his time enjoying the outdoors with his father and grandfather, hunting and fishing and enjoying the countryside. This is something he continued throughout his life and instilled into his two children. Gordon continues to enjoy hunting for whitetail deer, fishing for largemouth bass, and golfing in his retirement. Gordon and his wife Julie reside in the Kingwood, TX area where they are active in supporting and volunteering at local Christian based charitable organizations.

  • Austin Brashier

    Austin grew up hunting and fishing, and began working for COA as a summer camp counselor in the summer of 2006. Austin came to know the Lord when he was 6 years old, and grew up involved in his local church. After graduating from Dallas Baptist University, Austin became the first full time employee of COA working as the Summer Camp Director and Youth Hunt Coordinator. 

    Austin is married to his wife Misty and they live in Wolfforth, TX with their 4 children, Eberley, Sage, Callaghan, and Denver. Misty and Austin own and operate Eberley Brooks Events LLC. a multi facility wedding and event center in Lubbock, TX. 

    Austin serves as a City Councilmen for the city of Wolfforth TX. Austin especially enjoys bow hunting big game in the mountains of western states and Alaska.

  • Michael Marbach, CEO

    Michael Marbach is a lifelong educator and coach. Prior to founding the Christian Outdoor Alliance, he served as Dean of Students and varsity baseball coach at St. Mary’s Hall in San Antonio. His experiences range from teaching, an award-winning journalist, to being an accomplished outdoorsman. He currently writes a column under the pen name “Old Tex” in every issue of Texas Trophy Hunter Magazine. Michael’s hunting experience began as a small boy who grew up hunting and fishing with his father and grandfather in the Texas Hill Country and South Texas. He has transitioned to an accomplished guide sharing his knowledge of the outdoors to youth and adults alike, through many COA-sponsored hunts and outings. However, his most important accomplishment, aside from his family, is the founding of Christian Outdoor Alliance in 2002. His lifelong goal is to establish an organization that introduces young people to the outdoors and to shares his strong faith of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Mike has a B.A. in Journalism from Tarlton State University and an M.A. in Communications from West Texas A & M University. Michael and his wife Amy married in 1995 and they have two sons Michael Dean and Wesley.