Year Round Staff

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Jalisa came aboard as the Program Director in 2011; was promoted to Assistant Director in 2014; and was named Director in January 2020. She is a leader in the camping field and was the 2017 recipient of the Jack Weiner Leadership Award from the American Camp Association. She has a bachelor’s degree in camp administration from Florida State University. She and her husband Michael were married at Camp in 2014. They live with their two children Calvin and Neva year-round at camp.

 

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Scott came to Camp Newaygo as the Community Program Director in 2017 and now leads our program team during summer camp and throughout the year. Scott brings extensive experience from working at a number of camps and youth development organizations across Michigan. He has a Masters degree in Architecture with a focus on community development and youth participatory design processes. Scott is passionate about helping our summer staff develop leadership skills and providing accessible, equitable opportunities to youth. His lab-beagle mix Lola loves living at and exploring camp.

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Laura came to Camp Newaygo originally in 2002 for her summer internship and worked between 2003-2006 in the following roles: Leader In Training Director, Tripping Director, and Day Camp Director. After Camp, she moved to Virginia and was the Recreation Director for 16 years at Wilderness Presidential Resort where she oversaw all of the amenities, events, and activities on property.  She has her bachelor’s degree in Recreation from Bowling Green State University.  Laura has been bringing her niece and nephews to Mom & Me Camp each summer since 2017 and is very excited to be working back at one of her very favorite places, Camp Newaygo.

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Whitney started her career at Camp Newaygo in June 2018, and has already embraced Newaygo county and all it has to offer. Whitney comes to us from Lucy’s Cafe in Grand Rapids, and has experience with The Gilmore Collection and working for Disney World. Whitney holds a degree from the Culinary Institute of Michigan. She and her husband Dave were married at Camp Newaygo in 2021, and their daughter Brooklyn is a proud Camp Newaygo camper.

 

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Katie traveled the U.S. in an RV and found a cute house in White Cloud n 2016 where she then settled with her husband and menagerie of pets. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Katie’s second home is Michigan where she also has family and where her mom was born. She majored in Environmental Studies and received a degree in Integrative Studies from Ferris State University. She loves biology, painting, sculpting, rock hopping, and cereal. Her favorite books to read are non-fiction and biographies from which she always learns something new. She has found her niche in serving and working with her community through working as the Youth Services Librarian at White Cloud Community Library before coming to Camp Newaygo in 2023. At the library, she learned the favorite questions to ask kids are “what’s your favorite color?” and “what’s your favorite dinosaur?” Hers is blue and the brontosaurus respectively.

 

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Liliana, also known as just Lili, started her Camp Newaygo journey in January of 2023. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, she has had her fair share of outdoor adventure. Whether that be almost getting hyperthermia on a canoe trip or bushwhacking while trying to avoid a moose on the trail, she can handle anything thrown her way. She has 2 years of youth adventure trip guiding experience under her belt and can’t wait to pass on that knowledge to any curious minds who want to learn more about the outdoors. She is the 2nd youngest of 8 Kids and has 11 nieces and nephews who she helped raise, so she definitely knows her way around kids. Liliana is excited for the new challenges that she will conquer in this position and is even more excited about what the future at Camp Newaygo has in store.