Welcoming Kailey Baca as Our New Youth Director

Kailey Baca knows that she wouldn’t be satisfied if she didn’t work every day in a Catholic Church setting. She has a real passion for ministry, and that’s what led her to take her Communications degree and seek out a job at a Catholic parish when she graduated from Kent State. Having previously worked as a videographer at St. Ambrose Catholic Parish in Brunswick, Kailey is excited to take on the role of Youth Director at St. Joseph and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, intending to build a strong youth ministry program.

Kailey started on Sept. 1 and has hit the ground running.

“It’s easy to throw the current generations to the wayside,” she says. “I think we are seeing a real tension of faith. There are so many young people who don’t believe. It’s so sad — I don’t want them to be hopeless.”

Kailey believes it’s her mission to build relationships and bring young people to Christ. She is excited to get started and to get to know the youth of our parishes. Kailey lives in Brecksville. Christina Dupré introduced Kailey to this role — Kailey got to know her through “Compassion: the Musical,” in which she participated for several years.

“I am looking forward to speaking to young people about Jesus,” Kailey says. “I want to be a light in a dark world.”

Kailey hopes to build a youth ministry program that includes theology and a deep dive into relationships. She wants to be there for young people to walk with them through ups and downs while also serving as a resource. She also plans to have fun activities, outings, and games as part of the program.

Kailey enjoyed her work at St. Ambrose but was looking for something more ministry-based, and she is excited to tackle a new challenge. She hopes to reach as many young people as possible in her new role. “I want to meet them where they are at,” she says. In addition, Kailey has a background in graphic design and advertising. She was involved at the Newman Center at Kent State for her first two years of school and subsequently found a community of faith there.

“I had a great community and friends who were devoted to their faith and living a Christ-centered life,” Kailey says. “The church is not just a building — it’s a body of believers. I look forward to sharing that with them and building that here.”

In her free time, Kailey enjoys the arts. In high school, she was very active in theatre, choir, and band. She taught herself guitar and still enjoys playing and writing music. Kailey is very close with her family — her parents and her younger brother. They are big Disney fans and enjoy visiting Disney World when they can.

“My parents helped bring me up in the faith,” Kailey says. “They really instilled God in my life. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am.”

Kailey has Tourette’s syndrome, which she admits has been a challenge throughout her life. But she’s tried to stay positive through it all.

“It would have been easy to hate myself,” she says. “God has worked on me and helped me realize it’s not a bad thing. It doesn’t hinder me from living a normal life. I can still do the things that other people can. I have purpose and meaning in life.”

Kailey encourages all parishioners to stay tuned for the youth programming she will be introducing in the upcoming months.

“I want the youth to know that there is someone there for them to walk with them through life,” she says. “They don’t have to be alone in this. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.”