Our Team

Who We Are

Staff Leadership

Austin Vaughn
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
austin@huntwithheart.org

Austin Vaughn serves as Executive Director of Hunt With Heart, where he leads the organization’s mission to provide life-changing outdoor experiences and critical support for children battling severe heart conditions and their families.

With a background in public service and nearly a decade of fundraising experience, Austin is deeply committed to serving the community around him and making a meaningful impact in the lives of others. His passion for helping families, building strong relationships, and connecting supporters to the mission drives the continued growth of Hunt With Heart’s programs and outreach.

As Executive Director, he oversees the organization’s strategic direction, fundraising, and day-to-day operations, while working closely with families, volunteers, and donors to expand Hunt With Heart’s reach and impact. Under his leadership, the organization continues to grow its programs and provide both unforgettable experiences and essential support to families during some of their most challenging times.

A proud Texan, Austin values faith, family, and the outdoors—principles that align closely with the mission of Hunt With Heart and the experiences it provides to the children and families it serves. Austin holds a Bachelor of Science from The University of Texas at San Antonio in Political Science and Foreign Relations.

Angelica Drescher
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
angelica@huntwithheart.org

Angelica joined Hunt with Heart in 2014, shortly after the organization was founded, and became its first employee. What began as a leap of faith quickly turned into a lasting calling after attending her first camp and meeting the families we serve. Over the years, she has helped grow Hunt with Heart through new camps, monthly family adventures, and fundraising events like the gala and clay shoot. As Family Liaison, Angelica walks closely with our heart families, offering comfort during hospital stays, coordinating care packages, and helping meet practical needs such as lodging, parking, meals, and financial assistance. Her compassion, dedication, and deep connection to our mission have made her an essential part of the Hunt with Heart family.

Who We Are

Our Guides

Joe Drescher

Head Guide

Head guide Joe senior police officer, metro police department, head guide/outdoor adventure coordinator for hunt with heart first and foremost, Joe is a devoted family man and christian, he absolutely loves spending time with his lovely wife and children in the outdoors making memories.

Joe is married to his beautiful bride angelica of 20 years and has four children, xzavier 27, adriana 14 and twin boys aiden and evan 9; he also has one grandson zander 10 months old. he has been a police officer with the metro police department for 26 years and is currently assigned to the training division. Prior to this current assignment he was the team leader for metro’s swat team, where he also served as a sniper. joe has always had a love of the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. he takes every opportunity available to enjoy the beauty of gods creations by immersing himself in hunting and fishing experiences.

Joe has been with hunt with heart since april 2014 where he served as a guide for landon tyner and from that point on he was hooked! he always had a dream of helping children that were ill or didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy gods abundance in the outdoors. Joe currently serves as the head guide and outdoor adventure coordinator for hunt with heart. he is always eager to help in whatever way he can.

Ben Meadows

Guide

Ben Meadows a founding member of Hunt With Heart since its inception in 2012 has been involved with youth and outdoor organizations his entire adult life. He graduated with a degree in Bioenvironmental Science from Texas A&M in 2011 where he served as President of the men’s fraternity, Keeping Under Christ. Upon graduation Ben became the Director of a Christian student ministry called I Am Second. His outdoor career started as a deckhand on offshore fishing boats in Port Aransas, Texas and then in Sitka, Alaska. In Alaska he also worked in cooperation with Alaska Fish & Game on a Salmon Population and Lake Enhancement Project with the Sitka Ranger District of the United States Forest Service. He made a move to the hunting industry as a ranch hand at Beaver Creek Ranch before getting a full time wildlife research and hunting guide position with Sumsaren Safaris in South Africa. Ben continued his passion for wildlife conservation and guiding hunts to the MT7 Ranch near Breckenridge, Texas. Ben made his transition to the business world in 2014 when he started his own financial advisory practice with some close colleagues from college. Ben married the love of his life, Madison, in 2017 and they currently live in Austin, Texas.

Wesley Rasco

Ranch Guide

Wesley Rasco is the manager at Beaver Creek Ranch and has had the privilege of working with them for the past 15 years. Wesley has had a passion for hunting and fishing all of his life and takes great pride in introducing others to the sport. Wesley started as a guide for HWH when they first began in 2003.
Wesley resides in Gause with his wife, Melanie, and two children, Hayden and Gracie. In addition to hunting deer/hogs, he enjoys coon hunting and and training Walker Coonhounds.

Case Zugg

Guide

Case has been a guide since Spring of 2017.

Fred McGilberry

Guide

I’ve been a police officer for 26yrs. I love to hunt and fish, now that my boys are grown, I hope I can help others find the enjoyment of the outdoors.

Gunner Sullenger

Guide

Howdy, my name is Gunnar Sullenger. I am a husband to a wonderful wife and father of two rambunctious boys! I graduated from Texas A&M in 2013 and I currently work in the west Texas oil fields near San Angelo. We live in San Angelo and have lots of family near by so life is never dull around the Sullenger household. One of my greatest passions is hunting and the great outdoors! I go hunting as often as life allows.

Jason Mann

Guide

Jason Mann grew up in Michigan where he developed love for the outdoors at a young age. He attended college at U of H (Go Coogs!) and is currently the Vice President at Texas Injection Molding. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and being outdoors with his wife Penny and son Landon.

Joseph Zimarron

Guide

My name is Joseph (Joe) Zamarron Jr. I have Ben hunting in South Texas for 15 years. I also have been a guide for my 3 kids, starting them early in age. My son started when he was 8 and now he is 17. I started my 2 daughters at 11-12 yrs old and now one is 19 and the other is 12. I love it!

Joey Ybarra

Guide

Joey Ybarra has been a guide since July 2017 for Camp La Pesca.

Tim Drell

Guide

Born in New Orleans, adopted by Texas. I love traveling to exotic places and experiencing new cultures. I spent six years in the Army LRS. Some of my hobbies are wood working, rappelling, shooting, fishing, hunting and anything else outdoors. I have two brothers and two sisters. When my youngest brother was three years old we were told that he needed a liver transplant. He is now 14 and has a clean bill of health from all of his doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital. When I first heard of Hunt with Heart, I immediately knew that I needed to be involved with this organization. What this organization does for all of its kids and all of their families is just absolutely amazing and I am so blessed and honored to be a part of it. I have been with Hunt with heart since 2015.