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Education

Certifications & Courses

Higher Education Teaching Certificate

Harvard University

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​​MS, Camp Administration & Leadership

Touro University, Nevada​

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BS, Health Psychology

Mass. College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences​

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Nationally Certified Instructor (Adult)

US Mental Health First Aid

PCTI Completion

Parent Consultant Training Institute

Federation for Children With Special Needs

Therapeutic Intervention

PMT (Since 2006, last recertification, 2021)​​

Service

Vice President

Member: Legislative, DHHS, & Finance Committees

NHCamps (nhcamps.com)

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Awards & Recognitions

ABOUT EMILY 

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Peter Kerns Award for the Advancement of Professional Development

ACA, New England (2023)

Golden Quill Award Honorable Mention

For Enrollment: A Risky Business? 

American Camp Association (2022)

Leadership And Service Award

ACA, New England (2020)

Lead Accreditation Visitor

Faculty, New Camp Directors Workshop

Committee Member: Board Stewardship

Committee Member: Conference (2018-2023)

Facilitator, Newer Camp Directors Roundtable (2019-2024)

ACA, New England

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THE NARRATIVE VERSION:

Let me tell you a little about myself! 

I have been involved with summer camps since age 4, and I am passionate about the life-changing opportunities that camps can provide for children. After 15 years, I left my role as Executive Director of Camp Starfish, an amazing non-profit organization that provides summer and year-round programs for children and teens with serious emotional, behavioral, social and learning challenges using a 1-to-1 ratio of staff to campers. 

 

As Executive Director at Starfish, I was responsible for the strategic positioning of the organization, fiscal management, board development, fundraising, program oversight, risk management, and all the management functions that come along with running a $3-million+ dollar non-profit organization. While there, we acquired a permanent property for the camp, developed that property, and built a year-round conference center on site. Until 2012, I was also the Camp Director, and throughout my tenure at Starfish, I had an active, hands-on management role in the day-to-day operations of camp, year-round respite programs, and rental groups.

 

It was through my work at Starfish that I developed a passion both for training and for special education advocacy. Each year, we produced a 350+ page staff training manual, and a four-week leadership and staff training which prepared thousands of young adults to work safely and effectively with youth that had serious difficulties, as well as to supervise and to teach others these skills. This work was always a highlight of my year. Additionally, spending time with parents, teachers, referrers, and care professionals - as well, of course, as campers - made me realize how lucky we were at Starfish to be able to create a world where children could be successful - something they often did not find in other settings. I became determined to figure out a way to expand that success to the school year by working in the special education advocacy space. 

Regarding education, I hold a Bachelor of Science in Health Psychology from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MA) and a Master of Science in Camp Administration and Leadership from Touro University (NV). I recently completed my Higher Education Teaching Certificate from Harvard.

 

I am active in the American Camp Association New England section as a Lead Accreditation Standards Visitor, a committee volunteer, a member of the Faculty for the New Camp Directors Workshop. I am also proud to serve as Vice President for the Board of Directors for the NH Camps Association where I also sit on the Legislative, DHHS (state licensing) and Finance committees. 

My full time work is now is fulfilling and amazing in so many ways! I travel around the country (and out of the country) training, teaching, consulting, coaching, and helping youth-serving camps, schools, agencies, and organizations build their best experiences for the campers, staff, and families. I give keynote speeches and lead breakout sessions at conferences and interact with youth development professionals around the world. It's a cool job and I love it. 

I am a self-selected member of the National Sarcasm Society and an avid collector of terribly awesome puns - something some would call a character flaw but I prefer to regard as a quirk. :) 

Speaking of that quirk...here are a few of my favorites! Click any thumbnail to expand. 

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