Dr. Chris Thurber
Dr. Christopher Thurber is devoted to educating leaders using innovative content that stirs thinking and compels action. A graduate of Harvard University and the University of California at Los Angeles, Chris has served as a psychologist and instructor at Phillips Exeter Academy since 1999.
An entrepreneur from a young age, Chris is the co-founder of ExpertOnlineTraining.com, the Internet’s most popular library of educational videos for youth leaders. He has been invited to deliver keynotes, contribute articles, and lead workshops at schools and camps on five continents. His award-winning preparatory resource for families, The Summer Camp Handbook, was recently translated into Mandarin to help launch the youth camp movement in China.
A proud father of two boys (Danilo, b. 2002, and Sava, b. 2004) Chris and his wife Simonida (a chemist and musician who grew up in Belgrade, Serbia) live in New Hampshire, in the northeast United States. You can learn more about Chris and access all of his articles, book chapters, videos, and podcasts on DrChrisThurber.com.
Scott Arizala
Scott Arizala is one of the leading experts and premier trainers on kids, staff, and the experience of summer camp. He earned his B.A. from Ithaca College, with a double major in Psychology and Sociology with a concentration in Gender Studies. He has been involved with camps and youth development for over thirty years as a camper, counselor, administrator, teacher, and consultant.
Scott grew up at Camp Al-Gon-Quian in Northern Michigan where he spent 18 summers going from the youngest camper to the director. He went on to direct traditional resident camps, day camps, and single gender camps.
Scott currently serves as a professional in several capacities. He is the Founder & Chairman of Chasing Summer, an organization dedicated to creating access for people with autism to summer camp, recreation, and education. He is the Founder of Camp Stomping Ground, a camp focusing on radical empathy and child freedom. And he is the National Consultant for Camp Kesem, a student-run, a national organization delivering camp to over 8000 kids who have been affected by a parents’ cancer.
Scott is also the proud partner of Bioverativ, delivering the Camp Academy staff training program to camps for kids with bleeding disorders and has trained with other major associations including the American Camp Association, YMCA, Girl Scouts, Campfire, the International Association of Burn Camps, the Children’s Oncology Camp Association International, the Diabetes Education & Camp Association, Western Alliance for Independent Camps, and many more.
Scott is an internationally recognized professional speaker, educator, and trainer, and has given keynotes, workshops, seminars and educational sessions at hundreds of professional conferences, training events, and with organizations. He is currently the CEO of The Camp Counselor, and one of the most sought after consultants and trainers working with hundreds of camps and thousands of staff & administrators across the world.
Scott has published articles in trade journals and on various industry websites and is a pioneering faculty member of Expert Online Training. He is the award-winning author of the best-selling book on summer camp and youth development, S’more Than Camp, and a contributing editor of Happiness, Diversity & Autism: Practical Strategies for Inclusion.
Scott lives in Michigan with his wife, Karin, and their three kids, Linnea, Desmond, and Griffin. Scott and Karin both grew up at Camp Al-Gon-Quian and got married in the assembly ring there in 2007. Karin has her PhD in counseling psychology and has worked as a staff psychologist at the University of Michigan, as National Mental Health Consultant for Camp Kesem, and as the Mental Health Coordinator for Dragonfly Forest. Karin currently has a private practice in Ann Arbor.
Brad Wiggins
Brad Wiggins, RN, BSN, is a Nurse Manager for University of Utah Health Care in Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to this leadership position, he served for 23 years as Camp Director at University of Utah Health Burn Center. In that role, Brad established wilderness white water river trip camps for teens and adults, as well as traditional camps for children who had survived the trauma of burn injuries. His camp programs served as the model for many other burn camps across the country.
Brad was a founding member of the International Association of Burn Camps (IABC) in 2001 and served as chairperson of the organization from 2007 to 2012, helping to promulgate professional burn camp practices around the world. In 2013, Brad partnered with Expert Online Training, the International Association of Fire Fighters, and FEMA to produce a series of specialized video training modules for burn camp staff. He also hosted modules on fire safety and emergency preparedness.
Brad especially enjoys helping youth programs design and integrate psychosocial programming. He is currently on the Board of Trustees of the American Burn Association, having served on the ABA Program Committee, Organization and Delivery of Burn Care Committee, Burn Nurse Certification Committee, and Burn Camp Special Interest Group over his 30 years in burn care. He has received many accolades, including being recognized as a Utah Business Magazine “Health Care Hero” in 2002 (Brad’s burn camp received this award in 2011), and as a “Pay It Forward” recipient from KUTV in 2012.
Brad is a favorite speaker at medical facilities, care organizations, and camp conferences. When they are not at camp, Brad and his wife, Necia, live in Layton, Utah with their two children, Kaelyn (born 1998) and Lance (born 2003). He enjoys river rafting, camping, fly-fishing, golfing and cheering for the Denver Broncos and the University of Utah football team.
Cindy Ziobrowski
Cindy Ziobrowski has devoted nearly 30 to working with children and adults with developmental disabilities. She received her Master of Science in Special Education from SUNY Albany and has participated in advanced training at the Autism Institute and the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. Cindy currently serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) in Maine.
Cindy’s extensive educational experience led to her founding Camp CARD New England, a nonprofit outdoor program for children on the autism spectrum. Under Cindy’s direction, Camp CARD-NE has touched the lives of hundreds of children and families. By focusing on teaching social skills and educating communities in the practice of inclusion, Camp CARD-NE helps developmentally disabled children and their parents “bridge the gap.”
Cindy is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Autism Society of America, and holds professional certifications in special education, reading, and educational consulting. Using a new curriculum she developed on autism etiology and treatment, Cindy teaches graduate education courses at Plymouth State University and the University of Southern Maine. Recently, Cindy served on the training task force for Autism Respite and Resource Outreach.
Dan Neal
Dan Neal is a third generation Director and Co-Owner at Camp Doublecreek Summer Day Camp, which his grandparents started in 1971. He serves as a Legislative Committee Member for C.A.M.P. (Camping Association for Mutual Progress) and as an appointed member to the Youth Camp Advisory Committee for the Texas State Health Department. He was recently appointed to the LCOL (Local Council of Leaders for American Camping Association). Dan is the former President of C.A.M.P. In addition, he serves on the Board for Starry Ministry which provides services to restore and preserve families in the foster and adoption care system in Texas. Dan and his wife, Andrea, have been married for 14 years and are proud parents to two spirited little girls, Brooklyn Grace (b. 2013) and Sadie Carter (b. 2015).
Dave Malter
Dave “Professor Dave” Malter, MA, is the Director of the Touro University Masters in Camp Administration and Leadership and a frequent speaker at camp conferences around the United States. He earned his BA in Communication from James Madison University and his MA in English/Writing Studies from Montclair State University. Dave has been involved with camps and youth development for over twenty years as a camper, counselor, administrator, teacher, and consultant.
Dave grew up at Camp Discovery in New York where he spent eight summers as a camper and seven summers working with special needs campers. He went on to become the Director of Fun at Meadowbrook Country Day Camp and after several years joined the American Camp Association’s New York professional office working on educational initiatives. During his time at ACA-NY, Dave was an integral part of designing the program of the Tri-State Camp Conference which is the largest gathering of its kind in the world. When he graduated from his Tri-State position, Dave joined Pine Grove Day Camp in New Jersey as the Assistant Director.
In addition to his work with camps, Dave is a professor at Temple University’s Fox School of Business. His passions are deeply rooted in providing innovative educational content and opportunities for youth leaders at all levels.
Dave has published articles in trade journals and on industry websites. Among his many contributions to Expert Online Training are his Press Play lesson plans that integrate EOT videos with in-person, director-led training sessions. He now serves as the Conference Chair for ACA-Keystone Fall Retreat and the Professional Development Chair of the ACA-Keystone Local Council of Leaders.
David Conley
For over ten years, David Conley has been committed to the professional improvement of government and corporate employees nationwide. David has facilitated or developed programs for organizations such as General Mills and Veterans Affairs.
A trained writer, actor, and director, David develops “corporate theatre” programs that leave a lasting impression on participants. This impression makes it easier for participants to recall and apply the principles of his programs. In recent years, David has worked side by side with his brother, Larry, to teach the principles of Personal Leadership to fire service professionals across the nation. They are famous for their popular and compelling program, GLUE (Growing Leaders Using Empowerment). The concept of GLUE transcends all industries, making David and his brother favorite presenters at both corporate and youth leadership conferences. The GLUE personal leadership paradigm is also the training foundation for returning counselors at the Missouri Children’s Burn Camp, where brother Larry now serves as Director.
David has also developed educational materials on conflict resolution and teamwork for the Division of Family and Children’s Services in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, he has participated in the critically acclaimed marriage maintenance training series, “Pressure Points.” This program teaches couples how to communicate effectively when confronted with common and dangerous situations.
When he is not providing training to the corporate sector or inspiring young people to greatness, David creates and tells stories through film. This allows him to study the human condition from various angles and enhances his ability to teach people on all levels, creating better people and relationships worldwide.
Dr. Caren Baruch-Feldman
Caren Baruch-Feldman, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and a certified school psychologist. She maintains a private practice in Scarsdale, New York, and works as a school psychologist in the Harrison schools in Westchester, New York. Caren received her undergraduate degree from Barnard College of Columbia University and her doctorate in Clinical Child Psychology with a School Psychology Certificate from St. John’s University. Caren also trained at the Albert Ellis Institute and is a Fellow and Supervisor in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).
Caren has worked as the camp psychologist at Camp Ramah in Nyack, New York. She wrote Ramah’s staff training manual and has expanded her unique training work to other camps. Outside of camp, Caren has held numerous leadership positions. She is the past president of the School Division of the Westchester County Psychological Association and co-chair and co-founder of Parents and Professionals Advocating for Students (PAPAS) at Westchester Day School (WDS), a Jewish Day School.
Caren has authored numerous articles and led workshops on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, helping children and adults with stress and worry, executive functioning, increased well-being, and psychological assessment. She has developed workshops that focus on combining best practices in psychology with Jewish traditions and principles. In addition, Caren and her daughter, Emily, have developed a program that helps children feel more comfortable around dogs— The S.A.F.E. Doggy Program.
Over the past 25 years, Caren has enjoyed training hundreds of teachers, parents, children and health care professionals. She has been invited to give workshops and lectures throughout the United States. In 2015, Caren published her first book, The Grit Guide for Teens. That project, her in-service training, and her interactive workshops are among the highlights of Caren’s professional life.
Dr. Cathy Scheder
Dr. Cathy Scheder is internationally recognized for her knowledge and experience in the areas of camp, youth development, and recreational programming. She is particularly well known for her leadership in the area of aquatics management and recently authored the industry standard text, Camp Waterfront Management. Cathy is a faculty member for the American Camp Associations Basic Camp Director Course and is a national trainer for the Standards and Accreditation program. She is a current adjunct faculty at the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point, where she teaches in the College of Natural Resources Human Dimensions Department.
Cathy is the founder of CampAquatics, an educational organization dedicated to enhancing the safety of waterfront programs at camps and other recreational organizations throughout North America. Extending pool-based safety constructs, CampAquatics focuses on the challenges of natural bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and oceans. Cathy is frequently asked to design, consult, and train multi-faceted programs for camps and youth-serving organization that combine swimming, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, sailing, and waterskiing. She has over 20 years of professional experience as a camp director and program director for profit and not-for-profit programs. Cathy also served for six years on the American Camp Association’s national staff, where she provided education and professional development to thousands of youth development professionals
Dr. Chris Crean
Christopher Crean MD, FACEP
Dr. Chris Crean is a board-certified Emergency Physician. He earned his BA in chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross in 1997 and his MD from Georgetown University Medical School in 2003. Chris completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC in 2006 and was awarded the Outstanding Resident Research Achievement Award. He then went on to join the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Medical School as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine.
In 2011 Chris and his family moved to New Jersey, where he joined Emergency Medical Associates. Currently, he serves as the Associate Director and Department Chairman for the Emergency Department at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital – Somerset Campus.
Chris was a camper for many years at YMCA Camp Belknap. He was invited to serve as a cabin leader, division head, and, ultimately Program Director. Chris and his wife Theresa, a sign language interpreter, have two children: Lilian, born in 2005, and Joshua, born in 2007.
Dr. Deborah Gilboa
Respected parenting and youth development expert, Deborah Gilboa, MD, is the founder of AskDoctorG.com. Dr. G’s passion for raising kids with character makes her a popular family physician, media personality, author, and speaker. A parent of four sons, she inspires audiences with her illuminating stories and actionable tools to develop crucial life skills in children ages 2-22.
Dr. G is a board certified family medicine attending physician at Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill Health Center, caring for religiously, culturally, and linguistically diverse patients from over 100 countries and 47 different languages. Her work with the Deaf community has received national recognition and was the focus of her research and service as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow.
She has received multiple awards for clinical excellence in teaching, including the Alpha Omega Alpha Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award as a Clinical Associate Professor for the University of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine.
Dr. G is on the advisory boards for Responsibility.org for promoting alcohol responsibility and Cybersmile Foundation to prevent cyber bullying.
A graduate of University of Pittsburgh’s SOM and Carnegie Melon University, as well as alumnus of Chicago’s Second City Improv Theater, Dr. G’s diverse background, interests and experiences add to her credibility and lively story-telling.
Dr. G is the author of multiple books including her latest, Get the Behavior You Want, Without Being the Parent You Hate! (Demos Publishing, 2014)
Dr. Edward Walton
Dr. Edward Walton earned his BA in biology from Middlebury College and his MD from Dartmouth Medical School. He then went on to complete Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics residencies at the University of California, San Diego. He is board certified in Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, and Pediatric Emergency Medicine.
For 10 years, Dr. Walton was Assistant Professor in the departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Michigan. Currently, he is the Division Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Dr. Walton has been involved in camping and camp health research for twenty years, and his scholarly articles concerning camp health issues have appeared in major medical journals. Having served several summers as a camp doctor in New Hampshire, he now consults on camp health issues for the American Academy of Pediatrics and serves on the National Board of the American Camp Association. Dr. Walton has shared his youth development and camp expertise at medical and other professional conferences, in broadcast and print media, and on the Internet.
Dr. Walton has received a variety of honors and recognitions for excellence in education, service, and patient care. Most recently, the Michigan College of Emergency Physicians named him “Emergency Physician of the Year” in 2007. Dr. Walton is a longtime member of the American Camp Association.
Dr. Joel Haber
Dr. Joel Haber is a licensed clinical psychologist and co-founder of www.toolkitsforkids.com. Under his ‘RespectU’ banner, he has created and conducted bully training programs for camps, schools, athletic groups, and organizations nationwide. He earned His BA from Binghamton University (Harpur College) and PhD in Clinical Psychology/Behavioral Medicine from the University of Georgia. Throughout the academic year, Joel is consulting with schools and camps as well as working in his private practice in New York.
Nationally recognized as ‘The Bullycoach,’ Joel is one of the foremost experts in the prevention of bullying. A pioneer in the field, he has worked with thousands of children, parents, teachers, camp directors, counselors and others to understand the causes and effects of bullying. He has recently had his second book published by Penguin/Perigee entitled, Bullyproof Your Child for Life: Protect Your Child from Teasing, Taunting and Bullying for Good.”
Joel has consulted with schools and camps internationally and has helped the American Camp Association develop materials to help summer camps overcome bullying. He is a frequent keynote speaker and presenter at major conferences, and has appeared on CNN, CBS News, NPR and ESPN radio.
Joel is a dedicated father, husband, colleague, and friend. He has spent his life improving the quality of life for others.
Dr. Laura Blaisdell
Laura Blaisdell, MD/MPH, is a board-certified pediatrician and researcher who works in the Greater Portland Area of Maine. Dr. Blaisdell graduated magna cum laude from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota in 1997, earned her medical doctorate and public health degree (MD/MPH) at the University of Minnesota in 2005, and completed a residency in pediatrics at Maine Medical Center in 2008.
Dr. Blaisdell currently practices general pediatrics with Intermedin Yarmouth, Maine, and is a newborn hospitalist at Maine Medical Center. She conducts research and frequently lectures on parental vaccine hesitancy and infectious epidemics in the camp setting.
During the summer months, Dr. Blaisdell is the Camp Health Director for Camp Winnebago in Fayette, Maine, where she lives with her two sons and husband, Andy, the camp’s owner and director. She has served as doctor-in-residence at Africamps in Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as at the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, in Deschapelles, Haiti. Dr. Blaisdell has served on several local and national boards and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Mercy Hospital.
Faith Evans
Faith Evans, who holds an MEd in Gifted Education, has worked with camp professionals for more than 45 years. Faith applauds Plato, who said, " You can learn more about a person in an hour of play than a lifetime of conversation.” She is a nationally acclaimed camp staff trainer, team builder, author, and speaker. Faith has received rave reviews for her interactive workshops that make action-learning fun and relevant. She is the CEO of PlayFully, Inc, and resides happily near Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.
Faith specializes in experiential learning with small and large groups in the areas of relationship building, creativity, problem-solving, leadership, communication, and play for a purpose…or for no purpose!
The American Camp Association twice honored Faith for her outstanding staff training and for excellence in writing for Camping Magazine. The Association for Experiential Education has also honored Faith for her innovative work with youth development professionals.
Faith has written numerous book chapters and articles about play and teambuilding and is a long-standing member of ACA. Her newest book, “The More The Merrier—Games for Large Groups” has received high praise and “99 of the Best Experiential Games We Know,” which Faith co-authored, is a perennial best-seller.
Gary Forster
Thanks in part to his degree in Architecture and an MBA from Purdue, Gary has been a popular conference presenter for over 20 years, first gaining notoriety for his camp design and maintenance expertise and results-oriented marketing.
As executive director of Camp Jewell YMCA in Connecticut, Gary assembled and inspired a team that became an incubator for camp program, facility, marketing, and operation innovations that continues to draw visiting camp leaders to see what they have heard and read about in Gary’s countless presentations and magazine articles. More than 20 Jewell alumni are now year-round camp directors around the United States.
But it was the independent research Gary began while he was the YMCA’s National Camping Specialist and served on the American Camp Association National Board that his greatest contribution to youth development emerged. Visiting over 250 camps and annually surveying thousands of parents and campers, Gary began helping camps make dramatic enrollment improvements through a disciplined focus on fewer things rather than more.
Gary even met his wife Meg at summer camp 30 years ago when she was the camp nurse. Bradenton Florida is now their base-camp, from which he travels to 35 camps and a dozen conferences each year, consulting and presenting on operations and risk management, programming and marketing, staff selection and training, and of course, camp facility design!
Jack Erler, Esq
Jack Erler is an attorney in Portland, Maine. Jack earned his BA in psychology from Grinnell College and his JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
For over 50 years Jack has been representing youth camps in all aspects of their operation including issues related to children, employment, health and safety, regulatory compliance, organizational structure, land use, environmental, tax, purchase and sale transactions and transition planning.
In addition, Jack represents youth camp organizations at state and federal legislatures and agencies. He worked with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to draft the original youth camp rules and assisted in each subsequent revision.
Jack is a speaker on legal issues affecting youth camping including the duty of care, risk management, child abuse, sexual harassment, laws regulating alcohol, drugs and tobacco and confidentiality.
Jack is a member of the American Camp Association. He is the recipient of the ACA Special Recognition, the ACA New England Community Honor Recognition and the Maine Halsey Gulick Awards for distinguished service to organized camping.
Jack has been in camp as a camper, counselor, activity director, unit director and assistant camp director.
James Cleland
James Cleland is the Ministry and Program Coordinator at Lakeside Christian Camp, where he has been serving youth and families through summer camp ministries and Christian schools since 2001. While studying at Texas A&M University, James started his youth development career at one of the only Christian summer camps in the nation that focused on ministering to children with learning differences. James went on to teach an array of subjects at Christian schools in Texas and Georgia.
During his career as a teacher, James has developed and led year-round outdoor programs for youth and hands-on learning programs for children with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Eventually, he returned to the camp where he grew up, this time as Camp Director.
On his website, CampHandbook.com, and at conferences and seminars, James equips youth development professionals with creative ways to develop and foster spiritual, emotional and physical growth through mission-focused programming. He also has extensive experience in web design and technology consulting and has presented seminars on using social media and web design to further a camp or corporation’s mission.
In his time off, James enjoys spending time with his wife Ryann and their chocolate lab Georgia. A kid at heart, he also has fun building massive structures with his unnecessarily large Lego collection.
Kevin Gordon
Kevin and his wife Natasha are the owners/directors of Kupugani Multicultural Summer Camp, the only black-owned, private, residential camp in the United States. The proud papa of a teenage son, Kevin is also a published author, former attorney, former semi-professional tennis player, and backpacker. Kevin has traveled to over 50 countries throughout the Caribbean, North and South America, Africa, and Europe.
A Harvard University graduate in psychology and the Canadian-born son of Jamaican immigrants, Kevin has worked with children professionally for over thirty years. He has been in the camp business since 1990, when he first worked at a girls’ camp in Wisconsin. After earning his BA at Harvard, Kevin continued working as an assistant camp director, backpacked across Europe (shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall), traveled throughout Africa, and wrote Not Yet African, a book chronicling his African adventures. While gaining valuable experience at camps from Pennsylvania to California, Kevin earned his JD from the University of California-Berkeley School of Law. He went on to work for a top-100 law firm, where he gained additional expertise in management and organizational psychology.
Kevin is a past VP of the Board of Directors of the American Camp Association, Illinois Section. He has been invited to speak at regional and national conferences on diversity, camp, and the intersection of those two topics. Besides spending time with his wife, Natasha, and adventurous son, Mico, Kevin enjoys playing goalie on his men’s ice hockey team.
Kurt Podeszwa
Kurt Podeszwa is a camping professional, speaker and educator. He has a bachelor’s degree in Education and has spent much of his adult life working in outdoor and adventure education, with over 25 years of professional youth development and nonprofit management experience. Kurt is committed to safety, fun, and learning in the outdoor environment.
As the Camp Director for Camp For All in Burton Texas, a camp for children and adults with special needs and challenging illnesses, Kurt has had the opportunity to work with a variety of special populations including; traumatic brain injury, spina bifida, down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, cancer, kidney disease, autism, cerebral palsy and more.
Kurt is an accomplished presenter and author and the founder of Journey Consulting. He is a faculty member of Expert Online Training and has presented at national and regional conferences as well as for companies and schools on topics ranging from staff training and development to adaptive programming and processing. Kurt has held various positions within the American Camp Association, including the national board, and is currently on the National Standards Commission.
Kurt has worked with companies such as Kraft, Motorola, Chrysler and more to help develop teamwork, enhance communication and build leaders in those companies. He has also worked with organizations to develop their mission, vision and values statements and create strategic plans to help live those statements.
Meg Clark
Meg Clark began her camping career in 1992 after spending summers as a camper, counselor and leader at Camp Waldemar. Meg’s belief in camping led her to build Camp Lonehollow, a successful co-ed camp in the Texas Hill Country. Recently, she has returned to her childhood camp, Waldemar, as an owner with the goal of continuing the traditions set forth in 1926, while being relevant and relatable to today’s youth.
Meg is currently serving in her second term on the ACA National Board, as well as, serving as the Funds Development Chair. For the past 8 years, Meg has been a member of ACA’s Local Council of Leaders. Additionally, she serves on the American Camping Foundation Board. Formerly, she served as the President of C.A.M.P.
Michael Thompson
Guest contributor Michael G. Thompson is a psychologist, school consultant, and author or co-author of eight books, including three New York Times bestsellers Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys, Speaking of Boys: Answers to the Most-Asked Questions about Raising Sons and Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children.
His newest book, It’s a Boy!: Your Son’s Development From Birth to Age 18, has been hailed as “The definitive guide to raising boys in today’s world, revealing with humor, compassion, and joy all the infinite varieties of boys and the deep and profound ways in which we love them.”
Dr. Thompson’s forthcoming book, Homesick and Happy examines children’s experiences away from their parents—when they are at summer camps or years abroad—and reminds parents that children grow and change when they are away from home.
A dedicated speaker and traveler, Dr. Thompson has spoken at or consulted to more than 500 schools in the United States and abroad. He has appeared on the Today Show, the Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC 20/20, and 60 Minutes. He was the co-author, host and narrator of a two-hour PBS documentary entitled Raising Cain: Focus on Boys which aired in January of 2006. He currently serves on the American Camp Association’s National Board.
Michelle Cummings
Michelle Cummings M.S. is the Big Wheel and founder of Training Wheels, a known leader in the Team Development industry. She is an accomplished author and a sought-after speaker and consultant on leadership, teambuilding, and experiential learning. Michelle has created a wide variety of facilitation, debriefing and teambuilding activities that have collectively changed the way trainers and educators work.
Michelle has delivered innovative leadership programs for hundreds of non-profit and for profit organizations. She works with professional associations, corporations, universities, and camping organizations throughout the world. Michelle speaks at more than 25 local, national, and international conferences each year and authors a monthly teambuilding newsletter called The Spokesperson that has over 12,000 subscribers in 65 countries. Michelle has authored four books, A Teachable Moment: A Facilitator’s Guide to Activities for Processing, Debriefing, Reviewing, and Reflection; Bouldering Games for Kids, an Educational Guide for Traverse Walls; Playing With a Full Deck, 52 Team Activities Using a Deck of Cards; and Setting the Conflict Compass: Activities for Conflict Resolution and Prevention.
Mike Sladden
Mike Sladden is the director and co-owner of Camp Pathfinder, a century-old boys’ canoe trip camp in world-famous Algonquin Park, Ontario. A third generation Pathfinder camper and guide since 1969, he now lives for six months each year at camp’s rustic island base in the Algonquin interior, where he leads Pathfinder’s wilderness tripping, scholastic outdoor education, and in-camp programs. “Sladds” and his wife Leslie have raised two sons at camp and in their hometown of Rochester, New York.
Mike received bachelor degrees in History and English Literature from Connecticut College, where his interest in photographic history led him to graduate work at SUNY’s Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester. He joined the curatorial staff of the International Museum of Photography and Film/George Eastman House in 1986, becoming curator of education in 1989. Over the next decade he directed the museum’s school-aged and lay audience education programs, and worked as both a team member and manager on numerous exhibitions and public programs interpreting the history, art and technology of photography.
As Pathfinder’s director, Sladds has overseen a comprehensive preservation of this historic camp as a low-technology, small-footprint community. He has also led the camp through a long-term refinement of its staff and wilderness guide training, CIT leaders program and Pathfinder canoeing curriculum. His certifications include Wilderness First Responder (WMA), Level II Instructor in Ropes Course leadership (CUI/ACCT), and ORCKA Canoeing Moving Water. He is a member of the Ontario Camps Association. In 2012, he was elected to the Canadian Society of Camp Directors.
Niambi Jaha-Echols
Recognizing the challenges that girls of African descent face with issues of cultural displacement and positive cultural identification, Niambi Jaha-Echols was inspired in 2002 to write her first book, Project Butterfly: Supporting Young Women and Girls of African Descent Through the Transitions of Life. The book inspired the creation of Project Butterfly New Orleans, numerous after-school programs across the country, and Camp Butterfly, a nationally recognized summer camp for teen girls. Today, Niambi is the Founder and President of The Butterfly Movement – an expanded personal development opportunity for women and girls.
As a consultant and inspirational speaker, Niambi travels the country spreading love and light. Her writings, teachings and philosophies have influenced and inspired countless. She is a co-contributor to the book, African Americans and Community Engagement in Higher Education, published in 2009 by SUNY Press. She is also the author of Inspiring The Souls of Our Girls, published in 2015 by Earth Light.
Niambi is currently serving on the National Board of Directors for the American Camp Association and has served on various other boards both locally and nationally in the past. She has been featured in Essence Magazine, Ebony Magazine, and on MSN.com. Niambi has also been recognized by the State of Illinois and Essence Magazine as a woman who is “shaping the world.”
Niambi lives in central North Carolina with her husband, Rod, and their son, Jelani, born in 2003.
Sarah Kurtz McKinnon
Sarah Kurtz McKinnon graduated cum laude from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in 2008, earning her degree in political science and journalism. Although she had a passion for writing, she had another passion as well: changing lives through the power of summer camp.
In 2009, Sarah earned the opportunity to become one of the youngest YMCA camp executives in the country, taking the helm of Ann Arbor YMCA Camp Al-Gon-Quian at the age of 23. She served as the director of Camp AGQ for nearly six years. During that time, the camp saw incredible growth, with a 40 percent increase in positive annual net for the program and nearly $1 million in capital construction improvements. Sarah’s dynamic and creative leadership approach took an already great camp to another level of excellence, receiving recognition at the national level for its success.
Sarah handed off Camp Al-Gon-Quian to her successor in 2015 to start Kurtz McKinnon Creative. Her goal was to help other camps and camp professionals reach their full potential. She recently co-authored a book for camp professionals with Steve Maguire, entitled Not the Way You Have Always Done It. She also co-founded, with Jack Schott, The Summer Camp Society, a collaborative, community-based education program for emerging camp professionals.
In 2018, Sarah earned her Master’s in Business Administration from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, where she served as a fellow in the +LAB at the Center for Positive Organizations. Currently, Sarah serves as a volunteer board member for the Washtenaw Camp Placement Association, a local non-profit that sends kids to camp who otherwise would never have the opportunity. She also serves as the director of the Siblings Program at Camp Tall Tree.
Steve Maguire
Steve Maguire is a professional speaker, award-winning professional educator, best selling author, and dad. He has been working with and consulting to the worlds of summer camps and schools for over 20 years.
Steve earned his Masters Degree in Curriculum Design and Instruction from Fitchburg State University. He is the author of two books. For educators, he wrote Go Turnstone: 23 Ways to Improve your School Relationships. For camp professionals, he and Directors’ Camp colleague, Sarah Kurtz McKinnon wrote NOT The Way You Have Always Done It: A Book of Camp Tips and Tricks.
In the fall of 2018, Steve began his 22nd year teaching at Scituate High School in Scituate, Massachusetts. He currently teaches several popular science electives—meteorology, astronomy, oceanography, and ornithology).
Steve has been speaking professionally since 2002, during which time he has facilitated hundreds of keynotes and thousands of education sessions across the county. He lives in Scituate with his wife, Jess. Together, they are the proud parents of Nolan (born 2009), Emmitt (born 2011), Greta (born 2013), Scotia (born 2014), and their chocolate lab, Frances (born 2007).
Sylvia van Meerten
Sylvia van Meerten earned her BA in Liberal Arts from the Evergreen State College in Olympia WA, and her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from The Union Institute in Vermont. She specializes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and has dedicated her professional career to creating opportunities for people on the spectrum. A resident of Asheville, North Carolina, Sylvia designs in-home programs to support communication among family members. She also creates individual transitions plans for teens and college-age people with ASD.
In addition to her work with families, Sylvia has constructed and implemented successful overnight camp programs for young people with ASD at Dragonfly Forest, Camp Tall Tree and Frost Valley YMCA. She is committed to sharing information and routinely delivers workshops to teachers, nurses and youth development professionals about practical strategies for including people with ASD in typical programming. An avid sports fan, Sylvia spends much of her free time watching and playing basketball, football and martial arts. She grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and was a camper and a counselor at several overnight camps in the area. Sylvia believes that summer camp has profoundly influenced both her work ethic and sense of humor for the better.
Tim Huchton
Tim is the President and CEO of Mo-Ranch in Hunt Texas. He has spent his professional career in the camp and conference industry and is passionate about the camp experience. He feels that the key to a solid camp season is hiring the right staff and ensuring that they are well trained.
Tim has worked in both the nonprofit and private camping world as well as for the American Camp Association. He is a regular speaker at conferences across the country.
Tim also prefers jellies over jams.
Zach Mural
Dr. Zach Mural is a professional educator, trainer, and consultant with more than twenty years of youth development experience. Zach has worked as a camp director, after-school supervisor and YMCA branch and program director. He has held senior staff positions in numerous after-school programs, teen centers and camps.
Zach has a master’s degree in Youth Development and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology. In addition to training and consulting, Zach serves as a visiting faculty member at Illinois College and a volunteer after-school endorser for the Council on Accreditation. His education, experiences, and passion for helping everyone who works with youth are the foundation of each of his workshops.
Zach has presented at numerous state and national conferences including the National AfterSchool Association Annual Conference, the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, the Society for Research on Adolescence Bi-Annual Meeting and the annual meeting of the Best-of-Out-of-School-Time Conference (BOOST). Zach is the founder of Youth Development Consulting LLC, which is committed to helping youth development providers create exceptional experiences for kids based on current research, theory and real life experiences working with kids.