Professional Development

Brett Gurwitz 

Brett Gurwitz is a trainer, coach, and consultant with over twenty years of leadership, youth development and team building experience. Brett believes in the power of relationships and that we learn and perform best when we feel connected to those we are working with. He offers interactive training and coaching experiences in areas like community building, supervising staff, social emotional learning, restorative justice and conflict resolution. He supports educators and camp professionals to do the meaningful work they care deeply about with greater skill, joy and intention. Brett has a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University and has worked as a camp director, leadership coach, and consultant supporting summer camps, schools and youth-based organizations across North America. He has led teams and initiatives at organizations including: Foundation for Jewish Camp, True to Life Training, and Ramapo for Children. Brett lives in Queens, NY with his wonderful family and cat named Ginger Ale. 

Deborah Newbrun 

Deborah Newbrun was the Director of Camp Tawonga for 25 years. Her career as a Jewish leader (particularly in Jewish environmental education) spans almost 40 years including 4 years as Hazon’s Bay Area Director, serving on the founding board of Wilderness Torah, and co-authoring the groundbreaking book Spirit In Nature/Teaching Judaism and Ecology on the Trail, which paved the way for the early curriculum of the Teva Learning Center. 

Additionally, Deborah is a nationally recognized Jewish educator, she was honored with the 2018 prestigious Covenant Award. Deborah has served on the faculty of multiple fellowships for resident summer camp directors including: Lekhu Lakhem and Hiddur.  

Deborah is the founder/director of a new nonprofit, Divorce & Discovery: New Visions for Jewish Healing, whose goal is to create a sea change in how the Jewish community responds to divorce. She and her team have conducted retreats for over 175 alumni, have conducted rabbinical student training and workshops for rabbis…and they are just getting started! 

She is also the founder of SVARA’s Queer Talmud Camp and Tawonga’s LGBTQ Family weekend, Keshet. 

Before entering the Jewish not for profit world, Deborah was a National Park Service Ranger. Deborah is known for being an engaging and creative Jewish educator and infusing deep spirit into her teachings. 

She is the mother of two adult sons who are the apple of her eye. 

Shoshi Rothschild 

A consultant, informal educator, facilitator, and former camp professional, Shoshi Rothschild is the founder of in.tent consulting & facilitation, which was built on the belief that everything organizations do should be intentional and reflective of their mission and values. Shoshi often calls on her 20+ summers spent at overnight summer camp to help guide organizations through strategic planning processes, the design and implementation of new evaluation processes, and develop strategies to improve their overall organizational culture and employee experience. Shoshi loves working with camp leadership teams to help them design and implement strategies to improve staff culture, experience, and retention, including hiring, onboarding, training, and feedback and evaluation strategies. Every season, she works with camps across North America, designing and facilitating engaging and experiential training workshops that help staff members to develop skills such as supervision & evaluation, problem solving, and conflict resolution. She is avid speaker at camp conferences across the globe, including the Association for Quebec Camps Annual Conference, the American Camping Association’s Women in Camping Summit, Camp Leaders’ Camp Collab, Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Leaders Assembly, and Ontario Camps Association Annual Conference.

Abby Blackmon 
Camp Seneca Lake 

Abby Blackmon is a camp professional with over 10 years of experience in the camping industry. Throughout her career, she has led successful organizational changes that have helped camps evolve and better serve both campers and staff. Known for her strong leadership and mentorship, Abby has played a key role in growing and developing young staff members, fostering a positive, empowering environment where they can learn and thrive. By actively partnering with parents and families, Abby ensures open communication and a collaborative approach to create memorable and impactful camp experiences. Her dedication to both the operational side of camp management and the personal development of those involved has earned her a reputation as an effective, compassionate leader in her community. 

Aliza Heeren  
Eden Village Camp 

Aliza Heeren has worked to support the growth of Eden Village’s summer programming since 2017. In her role as an Assistant Director she oversees staff hiring, the summer educator teams and curriculum, all camp programming, and loves guiding the process of campers growing into inspiring summer staff members. Aliza has a background in the non-profit environmental field, farm-based education, and building meaningful Jewish community. She has a degree in Environmental Studies as well as Social Justice and Social Policy from Brandeis University, studied environmental science and peacebuilding at the Arava Institute, and was a fellow in cohort four of The Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming, and Environmental Education (JOFEE) Fellowship.  In the summer, when she’s not overseeing the daily running of the camp’s program, you can find Aliza milking the goats, making jam from the abundance of our fruit orchard, making pottery in the art room, or taking a hike deep in the forest of the Hudson Valley. 

Beth Caplan 
Camp Mountain Chai 
 
Beth Caplan is a seasoned professional in the overnight camp industry with a journey that began as a young camper at URJ Camp George in Parry Sound, Ontario. Over the decades, her passion for camp has evolved into a lifelong commitment to creating meaningful and transformative experiences. Since joining Camp Mountain Chai in 2011, Beth has held key roles, including Senior Counselor, Head of Arts, Cornerstone Liaison, Social Media Coordinator, and Program Director. Today, as the Assistant Director, she continues to shape the future of overnight camp with her strategic vision, innovative programming, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication to community building. Beth is a firm believer that it takes a village to make camp run smoothly and that the support of every individual is crucial for success. Her leadership is centered on the idea that happy staff leads to happy campers, and by prioritizing a positive and supportive team culture, she ensures that both staff and campers will have a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Outside of camp, Beth enjoys exploring National Parks, chasing sunsets, traveling the world, and spending quality time with her adorable Siberian Husky, Aspen. 

Dina Greenberg  
Ramah Day Camp in Chicago

Dina Greenberg is the Assistant Director of Ramah Day Camp in Chicagoland and a former camper and staff member at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin; camp was, is and always will be her community. She holds Bachelors of Science in Special Education and Elementary Education from Indiana University and a Master of Arts in Special Education Leadership from Concordia University. Before transitioning to camp leadership full-time, Dina taught elementary special education in the Chicago suburbs and held various leadership roles at other day camps, including inclusion counselor, inclusion director, program director, and camper care director. With a strong background in both education and Jewish camping, she is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive Jewish environment for every camper. Dina loves to bring creativity and silliness to camp each day, cultivating a community filled with fun and ruach. 

Elissa Edwards  
Camp Tevya  

Elissa Edwards is the assistant director at Camp Tevya (Brookline, NH). Elissa’s passion for Jewish camping and working with children derives from her 25 years of camp experience as a former camper at Camp YJ (Amherst, NH) and a former camper and staff member at JCC Camp Grossman (Dover, MA). As a staff member at JCC Camp Grossman, Elissa was a swim instructor/lifeguard, eventually becoming a co-waterfront director. Elissa holds a B.A. in Psychology and a M.A.T. in Special Education from James Madison University, having taught Special Education in Virginia and Massachusetts. She also served as Coordinator of Inclusion at JCC Greater Boston, developing programming for people with disabilities. As the assistant director at Camp Tevya, she’s committed to Jewish camping, and positively influencing campers, families, and staff through her involvement in all aspects of camp life. Outside of camp, Elissa competes on an adult synchronized figure skating team, has a passion for traveling, and enjoys spending time with her dog, Zippy. 

Hailey Kessler 
URJ Eisner Camp 

Hailey Kessler, MA, Ed.M., is the Assistant Director of Programming and Marketing & Communications at URJ Eisner Camp. Although Hailey didn’t grow up at Eisner, her heart has always been rooted in Jewish camp life. Hailey spent her summers growing up at URJ Camp Coleman, where she was both a camper and counselor for 11 years. Over the past 22 summers, she has immersed herself in the world of Jewish camps, nurturing a lifelong dream of becoming a Jewish camp professional. She has also spent summers working at Camp Pembroke, MJCCA Day Camps, and Camp Tel Noar, further solidifying her deep connection to the camp community. To pursue this passion, Hailey earned both a Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Leadership and a Master of Education in Jewish Educational Leadership from the Hornstein Program for Jewish Professional Leadership at Brandeis University. In her free time, Hailey enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, staying active, traveling, and exploring her town of Morristown, NJ. She is deeply committed to creating transformative experiences for campers and staff alike, while cultivating thriving, inclusive Jewish communities. 

Jacob Oshins 
Camp Havaya 

Jacob Oshins holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and Development from Cabrillo College in Aptos, California. He has been a member of the Camp Havaya community since 2007 and has held various positions on the Camp staff since 2008. This time spent as an integral part of Camp has led to his passion for working with children. Having a foundational knowledge in the development of the individual and group dynamics informs Jacob’s practice when working with all Camp participants and staff members. 

Jamie Ridgeway 
Emma Kaufmann Camp 

Jamie Ridgeway, a Pittsburgh native, has been a lifelong member of the JCC community. Her JCC journey began in the Afterschool program, J&R Day Camp and grew through 17 summers at Emma Kaufmann Camp (EKC). Starting as a camper, Jamie rose to counselor, Unit Head, and eventually Assistant Director of EKC. A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Jamie earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies and a master’s in Camp Administration and Leadership from Gratz College. Her education and passion for camp have been instrumental in shaping her into the leader in the camping field today. Jamie’s professional journey includes serving as Royal Caribbean International Youth Staff, where she created programs for children from around the world. Returning to the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh in 2018, Jamie enhanced programming, camper experiences, and staff engagement, contributing to recruitment and retention. She worked in day camping until 2023 when she rejoined the EKC team. Since December 2023, Jamie has proudly served as EKC’s Assistant Director, creating transformative summers for campers and staff. In her free time, Jamie enjoys time with her husband, Ben, their dog, Jet, family and friends. Jamie’s love for camp and dedication to the JCC community is evident. 

Jason Bergman  
Camp Kadimah  

Jason Bergman is proud to be the Assistant Director of Camp Kadimah. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Jason first arrived as a camper and immediately fell in love with Kadimah, its warm and inclusive community, and the East Coast of Canada. Passionate about leadership, community engagement, and social entrepreneurship, Jason recently graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree in Integrated Business and Humanities from McMaster University. He is dedicated to creating an environment at Kadimah where everyone feels proud to express their love for Israel and Judaism, fostering a space where campers and staff can openly celebrate their identity and beliefs. Outside of camp, Jason enjoys spending time with friends and family and is a die-hard fan of the Toronto Blue Jays, Raptors, and Washington Commanders. 

Joseph Zeuner 
Camp Judaea – North Carolina

Joseph Zeuner is the Associate Director of Camp Judaea, where he works to streamline operations, drive innovation, and create immersive Jewish experiences. Joseph is a second-generation CJ alum and spent six summers on staff as a counselor, operations coordinator, and Rosh Machane prior to joining the year-round team. Joseph holds a B.A. from New York University, where he served as Hillel Co-President, and he recently completed the M²: Institute for Experiential Jewish Education Atlanta Educator Cohort. With a background in eCommerce operations, computer science, and sustainability, he brings a unique blend of strategic thinking and hands-on problem-solving to his work. Joseph is passionate about experiential education, pluralism, learning new skills, and all things tech. He loves to spend time outdoors and cherishes his summers in the Blue Ridge Mountains with the Camp Judaea community. 

Julia Bessen 
Beber Camp 

Julia Bessen is the proud Director of Operations at Beber Camp, where she also grew up as a camper and staff member. From the age of 9 she knew she wanted an impactful career in Jewish camping. Julia holds her bachelors in Management and Marketing, as well as a Masters in Management from the University of Sydney. She is a fiercely curious and creative individual who thrives in situations where she can fuse her analytical business background with the colorful funk and schtick of camp. Julia finds joy in problem solving – itching to continuously search for a better path. Most evenings, Julia can be found developing recipes, cheering on the New York Giants, writing limericks, and caring for her loving dog, Charlie Brown. 

Justin Levy 
URJ Camp Coleman  

Justin has spent over two decades at URJ Camp Coleman, where he has grown as both a professional and a leader. This summer marks his 22nd consecutive year on staff, a journey that began back in 2004 as a counselor and evolved into jobs as a unit head for many years, and head counselor, which is the supervisor of the unit heads. A fun fact about him, he even had one session as the dining room manager! With a passion for camper and staff development, he has worked with every age group, including as the staff in training unit for 3 summers. Most recently over the last 4 years as Assistant Director, Justin has been the Cornerstone Supervisor and Lead, which has allowed him his own professional development and to help the future leaders hone their craft. Justin is deeply passionate about all that comes with an immersive overnight experience and all of the opportunities for growth for the campers, the staff, and even himself. 

Matt Vogel 
URJ 6 Points Sports Academy 

Matt Vogel, Senior Assistant Director at 6 Points Sports Academy, has a long-standing connection to camp, beginning as a counselor and assistant baseball coach in 2012. After earning a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University, he began his Jewish professional journey with the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach and later worked in youth engagement roles at Temple Beth El of Boca Raton, Temple Shaaray Tefila of Bedford Corners, and Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple. At Anshe Emeth, Matt refined his leadership as Director of Education & Engagement, overseeing the religious school and youth programs. He went on to earn an M.A. in Jewish Educational Leadership from HUC-JIR in 2022 and received his Reform Jewish Educator (R.J.E.) certification in 2023. Matt now serves on the HUC-JIR School of Education Alumni Association Committee. Since returning to 6 Points Sports in 2023, Matt brings a vision of blending sports with Jewish values to foster identity and purpose. He contributes to staffing, training, CITs, Jewish Life, and programming. Passionate about camp and community, he looks forward to summers in Asheville. In his free time, he enjoys Florida State football and relaxing by the water, especially on the Jersey Shore. 

Michelle Mohnblatt 
Camp Young Judaea – Texas 

Michelle Mohnblatt holds a degree in psychology and is passionate about Jewish education. She has been involved in youth groups and informal learning for as long as she can remember. She started her career as a preschool teacher, spending her summers at camp where she discovered her love for creating impactful programs. As a Program Director, Michelle quickly saw how camp shapes both campers and staff, offering a space for fun, learning, and personal growth. She believes great programming balances tradition and innovation, always ensuring it adapts to new generations. Over the past two years, Michelle has revitalized key camp programs. She redesigned the Israeli education curriculum, making it engaging and relevant, earning praise from campers and staff. She restructured the Shabbat schedule, introducing Zikum HaShavua, a space to reflect on weekly highlights. She also created Z’man Shabbat, where campers explore Jewish values through interactive activities. For Michelle, success comes from allowing kids to be kids while helping adults reconnect with their inner child. She thrives on creativity, thinking outside the box, and fostering an environment where everyone can grow, connect, and create lifelong memories. 

Miriam Morris 
Camp Young Judaea – Sprout Lake 

Miriam Morris is the Assistant Director of Camper Experience at Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake. She has called Sprout Lake home since 2007, when she first attended as a camper. Over her 14 summers at camp – including seven as a camper – Miriam has served as an in-bunk counselor, unit head, and programming director. Miriam earned her Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education from McGill University. While perusing her degree, she also gained valuable Jewish leadership experience by staffing Birthright trips and working as an event intern at Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Cornerstone Seminar. These experiences in the Jewish professional space, combined with her educational background and deep love of camp, led her to pursue a career in Jewish camping. Miriam believes that camp friends are the best friends and that every child should have the opportunity to experience the magic of camp! 

Rachel Dubowe 
URJ Camp Newman 

Growing up in Southern California, Rachel was raised with a love of Jewish experiential learning and sunshine. Rachel is a firm believer in the power of summer camp and credits an integral part of her Jewish identity to her summers spent at URJ camps – where she spent significant time both as a participant and senior staff member, specifically in the realm of camper care and inclusion. Rachel holds a B.S. in Human Development from UC Davis (Go Aggies!) and was very active at her campus Hillel. After participating in a MASA Israel program and working in a variety of Jewish educational programs in the greater LA area, Rachel earned a Master’s in JewisRionah Education at Hebrew Union College. Upon graduation, Rachel continued her career in Jewish educational spaces, including Builders of Jewish Education, NFTY SOCAL, Temple Israel of Hollywood and URJ 6 Points West Specialty camp. She currently serves as the Senior Assistant Director for URJ Camp Newman. Rachel is passionate about Jewish teachable moments, accessibility, and creating community! 

Riona Feves 
Camp JCA Shalom

As a Southern California native, Riona Feves grew up in the Jewish community and spent her childhood at synagogue, Hebrew school, and Jewish youth group- but never attended Jewish summer camp. After her first summer at Camp JCA Shalom as a Counselor-in-Training in 2013, Riona fell in love with camp and has dedicated the last 12 years of her life to the field of Jewish camping. In her seven summers of seasonal work at JCA Shalom, she worked as a counselor for campers and staff with diverse abilities, as a unit supervisor, and Program Director before officially joining the Year-Round Team as a Program Associate in 2019. Riona’s role shifted to Assistant Director in 2021, and she has since been using her years of experience to manage staff hiring, boost camper retention and recruitment, and develop unique programming for campers and staff. She is a strong believer that everybody, no matter their age, should have the chance to experience Jewish camp and the opportunities for growth, connection, and fun it provides. 

Ryan Rosen  
Camp YJ 

Ryan Rosen has been a member of the Camp YJ community since 2005, starting as a camper and later holding various staff positions, including bunk counselor, administrative assistant, and area head. He now serves in a full-time, year-round role as the Assistant Director. Ryan holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and has leveraged his expertise to develop dashboards and data sets that enhance camp recruitment and retention. Passionate about youth development, he transitioned from the corporate world to work in a therapeutic special education program at an elementary school. This experience deepened his understanding of Social Emotional Learning, emotional regulation, and holistic wellness. With strong interpersonal and creative skills, Ryan fosters meaningful connections within the community while designing and implementing innovative programming. He firmly believes that every child should have the opportunity to experience the magic of summer camp. 

William Rivlin  
URJ OSRUI

William Rivlin is an assistant director at URJ OSRUI, which he has called home since his first summer in 2008. Since then, he has been a camper, counselor, song leader, specialist, and unit head. Since graduating from American University in 2018 with a degree in International Studies, he has worked in the fields of program development, emergency management, and Jewish education. Most recently, he served as the Music and Youth Engagement Fellow at the Cape Town Progressive Jewish Congregation in South Africa. He brings experience in logistics, strategy, and operations, and is an avid (but not very fast) runner. 

Amy Born 

Amy Born has over 20 years of professional experience in the field of organizational psychology and organizational development both as a consultant and in roles internal to organizations including working at Leading Edge, Korn Ferry Hay Group, City Year Headquarters, and Hillel International.   

Most recently Amy served as Chief Strategy Officer at Leading Edge where she and her fabulous team collected and analyzed information to inform, evaluate, and improve Leading Edge’s work, and share information with the Jewish nonprofit sector to empower positive change for the field’s talent, culture, and leadership. Her consulting work has focused on leadership in public education and ongoing consulting to public and corporate clients. Some past clients have included The World Bank, United States Postal Service (USPS), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), The Nature Conservancy, multiple law firms, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (where she even got to meet an astronaut!).   

She has served as a board member of Hillel International, Joshua Venture Group, and currently serves on the boards of directors of Keshet and the Jewish Studio Project. Amy has a Master’s Degree in Social and Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and Theatre from Washington University in St. Louis.   

Becca Sykes 

Becca Sykes offers dynamic coaching and workshops rooted in yoga, theater, and text-study that build experience in values-based learning. Her love of experiential education comes from decades at summer camps in North America, where it’s possible to build one’s creativity and connection while eating tater tots. With degrees in theater and music from Columbia University and JTS, she creates learning opportunities with the Foundation for Jewish Camp, the iCenter, Brandeis University, University of Chicago, the Jewish Education Project, and the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Rebecca explores middot (soul traits) to learn how the development of the soul affects the development of each day. Her work is described as engaging, energizing, and welcoming; there is learning at every level. Becca lives in Jerusalem where she teaches yoga, sings showtunes on stage and off, and eats hummus. 

Michael Mellen 

Michael Mellen, PCC, rabbi, is an executive and organizational coach and facilitator, who works with individuals and values-driven organizations to create space for growth, innovation, and possibility. His work with top executives, high potential team members, entrepreneurs, clergy, educators, camp teams, and boards moves people to see their work, organizations, and lives more holistically, enabling them to better tap into the strengths that can propel them towards a vibrant, equitable, and impactful future. Michael is interested in the knotty problems of leadership, the power of vision, and the joy of creativity.  With many years of camp and youth program experience, his current work with summer camps includes executive coaching for camp leaders, staff training, speaking about risk management, and coaching and facilitation related to mission, program, and strategy. Prior to launching his company, Iron and Sage, Michael served as a congregational educator and rabbi, as Director of Youth Programs and Director of NFTY for the Reform Movement, and as an innovation consultant with the Jewish Education Project. 

Adam Kertesz
Camp Northland – B’nai Brith

Adam Kertesz is a proud Jewish camp professional who has spent almost 30 summers at various camps throughout North America as a camper, seasonal and full-time staff. Currently, he is the Associate Director at Camp Northland, in Toronto, Canada. A strong leader and a people-person, Adam combines his expertise in teambuilding, staff development and creative programming/thinking into his role at camp. He prides himself on helping groups work together, through finding creative ways of bringing the best out of each team member. Adam also loves to have fun and enjoys helping those around him do the same. Adam is a strong believer in the transformative nature of camp, for both his campers and his staff. He inspires his summer leadership teams to design camper programs that foster and build independence, self-esteem, and meaningful friendships. And he applies the skills gained through his years of professional experience to help his young summer staff develop skills that will serve them throughout their lives, including effective decision making, problem solving, public speaking and collaboration. Adam takes the role of being a Jewish communal leader seriously and relishes helping his camp community connect with and strengthen their own Jewish identity, something that has now taken on increased significance. In his free time, Adam is either watching or playing sports. At home, his love of Jewish camp is exceeded only by his love for his family. Adam and his wife Lauren have two amazing kids, Cole and Isla, as well as their dog, Oscar.

Alli Moses
Camp Ramah in Northern California

Alli Moses is the Assistant Director of Camp Ramah in Northern California. She joined the Ramah community in 2017 first as a counselor and then as a Rosh Edah, before joining the year-round team in 2020. Originally from New Jersey, she grew up attending Jewish camp as a camper and staff member for many summers. This is where she developed a love for the camp environment and an appreciation for the role it plays in Jewish identity development and community building. She received a B.A in Psychology and Jewish Studies from Muhlenberg College followed by an M.A in Jewish Educational Leadership from the Davidson School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, where she currently lives. She brings a passion for Jewish education and an abundance of creativity, using camp as an ideal environment for immersive experiential education to create fun and meaningful experiences for campers and staff (with lots of dancing!)

Ashley Costello
Camp Tawonga

Ashley Costello is a Bay Area native who grew up immersed in the Jewish community, attending Jewish day school, religious school, and Jewish summer camp. She has always had a strong passion for tikkun olam, which inspired her to focus her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in Environmental Studies. Ashley spent many summers working at Tawonga and joined the full time staff in 2009, first serving as Tawonga’s Registrar, followed by the role of Bay Area Director. In 2019 she shifted gears and joined the at-Camp Director Team as the Program Director until being promoted to her current role, Senior Director, Camper Care. Outside of her passion and love of Jewish Camping, Ashley enjoys spending time with her family, being in nature, running, and doing crossword puzzles. Ashley is thrilled to be a part of the Yitro Leadership Program.

Becca Fishman
Tamarack Camps

Becca Fishman is deeply involved in Detroit’s Jewish community, currently serving as Tamarack Camps’ Associate Director. Growing up in Detroit, she was part of the community all her life, from attending day school and enjoying summers at camp. Her formative years were shaped by the close-knit community, instilling in her a deep sense of connection and belonging. After graduating from Michigan State University, where she was active in Hillel, Becca continued her community-building work at Hillel of Metro Detroit. Later, at Royal Oak Moishe House, she focused on creating welcoming spaces for everyone. Becca loves traveling, which is why she enjoys working with staff from all over the world. As someone who’s been a Tamarack camper and staff member for years, she’s passionate about providing meaningful Jewish summer experiences for the next generation. With her enthusiastic and personable approach, Becca Fishman strives to positively impact the communities she serves, near and far.

Blake Canowitz
Camp Livingston

Blake Canowitz, LSW, is the Assistant Director at Camp Livingston. She grew up going to Camp Livingston, spending seven summers there as a camper and two as a senior staff member. Her role includes managing the camper care team in the summer and focuses on recruitment and staff hiring during the fall and winter seasons. She attended University of Michigan for undergrad and went on to get her Masters of Social Work at the Ohio State University, specializing in mental health. Blake is a dedicated lifelong learner who believes in the importance of Jewish camp as a way for every child to develop their own connection to Judaism and the Jewish community. In her free time, Blake enjoys running, trying new restaurants in the Cincinnati area, and watching college football (Go Blue!).

Carolyn Harari
URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp

Carolyn Harari, at age 10, won the all camp talent show with a performance of “Sk8ter Boi” by Avril Levigne. Carolyn believes batons are critical in relays and there is nothing better than packing for camp. She has experience with day camps, overnight camps, and even running a camp out of your house. Currently, Carolyn is the Associate Director at URJ Henry S Jacobs Camp. Carolyn’s background is in early childhood and teaching. When thinking about anything related to camp, she asks “how will this impact the kids?” She loves to dream big and turn those dreams into reality.

Ellie Tepper Schulman
URJ Camp Harlam

Ellie Tepper Schulman grew up in Rydal, PA and began her camp journey as a staff member at URJ Camp Harlam in 2007 when all of her NFTY-PAR friends convinced her it would be the best summer job ever. Clearly, it was a wonderful summer! Over the past 17 summers, she has had the opportunity to work with kids in a variety of units as a cabin counselor, assistant unit head, and unit head. She became an Assistant Director in 2018 after serving as camp’s Program Director and the Director of Youth Engagement for the Mid-Atlantic Region of NFTY. She was then promoted to Associate Director in 2022.

Ellie attended the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where she earned her Master of Religious Education (MARE) in 2015. She also attended the University of Miami, where she earned a degree in music education in 2010. In her spare time, Ellie enjoys baking (especially chocolate chip cookies), rooting for the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Miami Hurricanes, watching old ‘Friends’ episodes, and making friendship bracelets. Ellie currently lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband, Jon Schulman, and their son Henry Tep!

Ilana Kornblatt
Capital Camps

Ilana Kornblatt is the Assistant Camp Director at Capital Camps & Retreat Center (CCRC) and has been calling CCRC home every summer since 2005. She joined the CCRC Year-Round team as Assistant Camp Director in October 2022. Ilana’s role includes overseeing the LIT and CIT teen leadership programs, and summer staff hiring, training, and engagement. In her 20 years with Capital Camps, including nine as a camper, Ilana also served on summer staff as a Cabin Counselor, Assistant Village Leader, Village Leader, and Counselor-In-Training (CIT) Coordinator. Prior to joining the CCRC Year-Round team, Ilana was a Regional Director for BBYO, engaging Baltimore area teens in meaningful Jewish experiences. Ilana has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology & Urban Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.

Ilana’s favorite camp activities are Shabbat Song Sessions and cabin times. Ilana was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland and currently lives in Bethesda, Maryland. In her free time enjoys completing the daily mini crossword, wordle, connections, and strands puzzles. Ilana is thrilled to be part of Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Yitro Leadership Program!

Jennifer Walker
Camp Daisy and Harry Stein

Jennifer Walker is the Associate Director of Camp Daisy and Harry Stein in Prescott, Arizona. Jennifer has been in this role for 6 years, beginning her full-time position in 2018 after completing her Masters in Social Work at Arizona State University. Jennifer grew up in the Greater Phoenix area and spent time working in the Jewish community as a Youth Director, Religious School Teacher, and Preschool Teacher. In 2021-22, Jennifer was a mentee in the Women’s Leadership Institute. She was able to learn with and from a network of female Jewish leaders in Phoenix. During this program, Jennifer help launched the Doing Jewish youth grants to benefit the Jewish community. This program has had a lasting impact on her work at Camp Stein.

Jennifer loves working with kids and building lifelong connections with campers and staff. During the summer, Jennifer gets to focus on staff supervision and oversee camp programming. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys traveling, going to concerts, playing tennis and petting dogs.

Jessie Shamout
URJ Camp Newman

Jessie Shamout is the Associate Director at URJ Camp Newman, and has been working in the field of youth and camping for over 15 years. She attributes some of her most transformative experiences to Jewish resident camp, and is always eager to create meaningful moments for campers of all ages. As a Southern California native, she spent her summers at Camp JCA Shalom in Malibu, then ventured across the country to attend URJ Kutz Camp. She spent several years in congregational education before transitioning into the camp world full time. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies from the University of Arizona (Bear Down!), and a Master of Education from the University of Southern California (Fight On!). When she’s not at camp, you can usually find her at the dance studio, reading the latest fantasy series, or spending time with her husband, daughter and geriatric cat.

Jillian Hastings
URJ Goldman Union Camp Institute (GUCI)

Jillian Hastings is the senior assistant director at her childhood summer camp – Goldman Union Camp Institute (GUCI), located in Zionsville, Indiana. In this role, she oversees GUCI’s communications and marketing, Avodah (GUCI’s rising 12th grade program), the camp care team and much more. Jillian received her bachelor’s degree in public relations/advertising and communications from DePaul University in 2014. Jillian also spent a semester at the University of Haifa in Haifa, Israel, studying Hebrew. After graduating, Jillian worked in Chicago at Edelman, a world-renowned communications marketing firm where she supported global clients such as United Airlines, LiftMaster, GoGo squeeZ, ScottsMiracle-Gro and more in their corporate communication and marketing efforts. She enjoyed traveling for work and working with amazing clients and colleagues.

Jillian returned to her first true love – camp – in 2019 and loves creating a meaningful experience for the next generations of campers and staff. Jillian met her now-husband, Matt, at GUCI, and were married in camp’s beautiful outdoor chapel. In the off-season, Jillian resides in Bloomington, Indiana with Matt and their beloved dog, Minerva (Minnie).

Johanna Press
Eden Village Camp

Johanna (she/her) strives to help young people harness tools of Jewish tradition to craft meaningful lives, foster deep community, and change the world. She studied Environmental Science and Jewish Studies at Yale University, the Pardes Institute, and Yeshivat Hadar. While teaching Talmud at Abraham Joshua Heschel High School, her students introduced her to Eden Village Camp, where she is now an Assistant Director.

Since her first summer at Eden Village in 2018, Johanna has loved getting to do the creative work of camp programming and education, recruitment and community partnerships, communications and family relationships, and camper care – while also getting to sing and dance every day, snack on farm-fresh produce, and grow life-long friendships! Originally from Philadelphia, she now lives with her husband and daughter in Austin, Texas.

Kelsey Thieke
Perlman Camp

Kelsey Thieke is currently the Assistant Director of Operations and Communications at Perlman Camp has been spending her summers at there since 2013. She has held a variety of positions at camp including Head Counselor, Operations Assistant, Lodge Manager, Camper Care Liaison and rental groups liaison – just to name a few! She took on her current role in October of 2021 where she now oversees all aspects of camp operations, marketing & communications, and assists with camper retention & recruitment as well as staff hiring, training, & off-season engagement. Prior to taking on this role, she taught both elementary and middle school for 5 years in both Seattle and New Jersey. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Masters in Education from Rutgers University. Kelsey currently lives in New Jersey with her husband Shawn and enjoys baking, crafting, and time spent with friends and family.

Lauren Grundland
URJ Camp George

Lauren Grundland is proud to be the Associate Director of URJ Camp George. With over 15 years in the Jewish camping space, her passion for experiential Jewish education and bringing Jewish youth closer to their own Jewish identities continues to grow. Her portfolio includes development, community care, camper recruitment, and supervision of the seasonal leadership team. Lauren believes that everything we do at camp must be centered around strong relationships with our stakeholders, campers, staff, families, alumni, and beyond. Lauren is excited about new opportunities for growth within the field of Jewish camping and for her as a professional. She continues to strive to move the needle locally and movement wide. Lauren is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Yitro Cohort V to collaborate with other influential professionals who are equally has passionate about Jewish Camping!

Michael Arato
Herzl Camp

Michael Arato is the current Director of Program Innovation at Herzl Camp. He began his camp career in 2013, working as a cabin counselor and sailing specialist at Beber Camp. Since then he has worked as a CIT Leader, division leader, and in 2020 served as Rosh Imagination at Camp Ben Frankel Online. In his current role he works to develop creative and engaging activities for over 650 campers. On his off-days, he can be found at the movie theater. His favorite camp movie is Meatballs.

Nicki Poliak
URJ Camp Eisner

Nicki Poliak, LMSW, is the Assistant Director of Camper Recruitment & Alumni Engagement at URJ Eisner Camp. Nicki spent many years at Eisner as a camper, counselor, Unit Head, and Assistant Director of Machon, and is thrilled to be back for her fifth summer as part of the Director Team. Nicki is a Jewish professional through and through, starting her post-college career as the Director of Programming & Engagement at UConn Hillel. Once an opportunity to work at Eisner presented itself a few years later, Nicki jumped at the chance to come back home. After a few years on the full-time team, Nicki took some time off to pursue a Masters in Social Work at Florida Atlantic University. After completing her degree, Nicki was so excited to rejoin the Eisner Team with this new knowledge and experience. Nicki takes her passion for Judaism, camping, and mental health to help campers and staff grow, learn, and find meaningful ways to connect to their Judaism. In her free time, Nicki loves to read, watch cooking and competition shows, and spend time outside with her dog, Beau! Nicki is ecstatic to be a part of FJC’s Yitro Leadership Program to have the opportunity to connect with incredible colleagues, learn new skills to make her a better Jewish professional, and to improve camp.

Sierra Shuster-Leibner
Camp Kinneret-Biluim

Sierra Leibner, a dynamic professional skilled in team building and communication, brings a rich background in consulting, business development, project management, and marketing to her role as Associate Director at Camp Kinneret-Biluim. With a camp history spanning staff member, head of logistics, and infirmary manager, Sierra now proudly serves as the CKB Associate Director, infusing her expertise into enhancing camp processes, boosting staff satisfaction, and fostering an environment where campers and staff alike can flourish. She believes in the transformative power of camp experiences in helping individuals realize their true potential. Sierra loved how camp allowed her to safely explore challenges that were outside of her comfort zone and credits these experiences for nurturing her own personal growth. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga and reconnecting with nature. These passions along with her profound interest in child and young adult development fuel her dedication to creating an enriching environment for all Kinneret and Biluim campers and staff. With fourteen seasons under her belt, Sierra’s commitment to and love for the camp community is unwavering.

Suzanne Margolis
Camp Tel Yehudah

Suzanne joined the year-round Tel Yehudah team in 2022 after three years with Young Judaea Israel. She began her time as a Year Course madricha (counselor), eventually becoming the Tel Aviv Experience Manager. After four years living and working in Israel, Suzanne returned to New York and became the Assistant Director at Tel Yehudah. Suzanne draws on twelve summers of camp experience in various roles in her work at Tel Yehudah. Suzanne graduated from Binghamton University with dual degrees in English Literature and Business Administration. After completing her studies, she participated in the Masa Israel Teaching Fellows (MITF) Program, volunteering as an English teacher in Netanya, Israel for an academic year before beginning her career.

Suzanne lives on Long Island with her husband, Joel, and two dogs, Lulu and Thor. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her dogs, going for runs, and reading good books. She is excited to take part in the Yitro Fellowship with FJC so she can learn new skills and bring new perspectives back to her work with Tel Yehudah.