CAMP O-AT-KA - Key Persons
Annie Bowe joined O-AT-KA in 2016. In her role, she helps manage the camp's various marketing & communication efforts including the camp's social media, website, advertising as well as camper recruitment, retention and development. Annie previously worked in the Advancement department at Saint Joseph's College and has experience working in development, alumni relations, and event management.
Annie developed a love for camp as a longtime camper and counselor at Chimney Corners Camp in Becket, Massachusetts. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Studio Art at Connecticut College and continues to pursue her passion for art when time allows. Annie, her husband Josh, and their two children Sawyer and Lizzie live right down the street from camp!
After Austin Joyce graduated from Thornton Academy, he attended the University of Southern Maine - Augusta and earned his bachelor's degree in early childhood education, K-8. Upon receiving his degree, he taught computer programming at Saco Middle School for three years before taking a Digital Analytics Manager role at MaineHealth. Austin attended a summer camp just a few miles from O-AT-KA called Camp Sebago where he was a camper from ages 7-12 and then a staff member from ages 13-23. During those years, he held the positions of dish boy, maintenance staff, junior counselor, counselor, and unit leader. His favorite hobbies and activities include playing soccer, hockey, and going for walks with his wife and puppy.
Ben Nickerson began his time at O-AT-KA attending Friends Weekend during the summer of 2000. Inspired by his grandparents' lifelong love of Camp, Ben returned for the next 12 summers, initially as a camper and later as a counselor in the Junior and Senior Units, Dennen Week volunteer and assistant director of the CIT program. He continues a family tradition of Camp involvement that dates back to its founding and one that his brother, Andrew, and father, Tom share today.
Ben's fondest memories at O-AT-KA include participating in the Junior Maine Guide Program and enjoying the weekly cookouts on the waterfront. Ben looks forward to helping O-AT-KA advance its mission in the years to come.
Ben is currently an attorney at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in New York and advises on mergers and acquisitions and financing-related matters. He grew up in Yarmouth, Maine and graduated with a B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago. He later returned to the University of Chicago for a J.D., where he was a member of the Law Review and Abrams Environmental Law Clinic. In his free time, he is an avid runner and beginner squash player.
Bob Courtney has spent more than 50 summers at Camp O-AT-KA. He joined the staff as a Junior Unit counselor and has held numerous positions including Unit Head, Head of Work Crew, Head of Commons, and now Service Master. Bob is a retired Head of the Math Department at Baker University in Kansas. Bob's wife Marlene, a retired high school Home Economics teacher, has been at camp almost as long as Bob. Bob and Marlene have spent many years working to keep the facilities at camp running smoothly.
Job Titles:
- President of the Board of Directors
Chris has had a long career as a global executive with a proven track record within the loyalty, electronic payments, technology services, travel and insurance sectors. His background includes significant board and C-suite level experience. He is the CEO/ Founder of Bond Partners since 2005 and retired from MasterCard Worldwide in 2017. Chris is a board member at JB Brown & Sons - a leading real estate development and management company in Portland, Maine.
Chris first came to O-AT-KA in the early 70's in the Middle Unit and spent more than a decade as a camper and counselor. Though career and family eventually prevented his annual return, the lessons and memories of growing up at O-AT-KA were never far away. In 2018 and 2019, Chris returned to camp as the head of the Junior Unit. A father of five, and grandfather to two, his three sons have all attended O-AT-KA, and his father did too.
Chris and his wife Stephanie currently reside in Alpharetta, GA and have a home on Frye Island in Maine. Stephanie and Chris continue to serve as camp volunteers during the camp season.
Chris also served on the O-AT-KA Capital Campaign Cabinet as the Treasurer.
Job Titles:
- Summer Director and Senior Unit Head
Chris Kohl has worked at Camp O-AT-KA since 2001 in various roles including the Athletic Director, Program Director, Senior Unit Head and the Staffing Coordinator. Chris became the Summer Director in 2022. When not at camp Chris is the Chair of the Wellness Department, assistant boys tennis coach, and a title-winning women's soccer coach at Thornton Academy in Maine. He is an undergraduate of Gettysburg College, and has earned both a Masters and Doctoral degree from Springfield College.
Cole began his O-AT-KA experience as a camper in 2010. He went on to become staff as a counselor, head of the Athletics Department and King in 2019. He and has since joined the Leadership Team as the head of the junior unit. Cole graduated from Springfield College and currently works as an Emergency Department technician. Cole also serves as the boys soccer and track coach at Wells Junior High School. In his free time, Cole enjoys playing sports, reading and collecting books and drawing.
Dana Allara is a coach. She works with parents and other leaders to clarify and achieve personal and professional goals, develop needed skills and build stronger relationships.
Dana has been a leader in a variety of volunteer community and educational organizations. She currently serves as the grants chairperson for the Hamilton Wenham Educational Fund. This charitable fund provides over $90,000 in grants annually to local teachers and administrators striving to create innovative change.
Dana and her husband Mark have raised two boys (Mike and Dan) who both attended Camp O-AT-KA for many years and both earning their five-year jackets. Camp has been a powerful influence in their lives and both boys have been counselors in recent years.
Duane has been affiliated with camp O-AT-KA since 2001 when his oldest son attended a 2 week session at the Camp. Duane became a member of the corporation in 2007 and participated in many work weekends and other camp events. In 2009 Duane was elected to the board. During his tenure he helped with the Centennial and on many committees including enrollment, strategic planning and property.
Duane's oldest son David started attending camp in 2001 and was a counselor for 6 years. His younger son Peter has attended camp since 2008 and was a first year counselor in 2016.
Duane works for Keysight Technologies, a spinoff of Hewlett Packard, as a business development manager. He is a retired Commander in the US Navy. He and his wife Carol live in Andover, MA.
Heather Plati joined the O-AT-KA staff in 2015 as the first full-time Director of Advancement and became the Executive Director in June of 2017. From the time she joined the O-AT-KA family, her focus on fundraising, as well as bringing alumni and parents together for events, communications, and volunteer opportunities translated seamlessly in the area of enrollment, staff development, and executing a long-term strategic vision for O-AT-KA. Before joining O-AT-KA, Heather was in various fundraising and public relations positions at Simmons College, Bentley University and Saint Joseph's College of Maine. She sits on the American Camp Association (ACA), New England Board of Directors as a Vice President and leads the Fund Development committee. Heather holds a BS in Marketing from Bentley University.
Heather and her husband Josh, who is also part of the O-AT-KA staff, spend the off-season in Windham, Maine. Their two children, Molly and Nate, have grown up at camp! Nate started as a camper in 2017 and Molly assists in the summer office, theatre program, and with social media. The family's golden retriever, Jovi, keeps busy as a the camp dog by cuddling homesick campers and chasing endless amounts of tennis balls.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of the Board of Directors
John's O-AT-KA experience started as a camper in the mid-70s, into the 80s, and then as a Junior Counselor and Counselor. His twin brother, Drew, also attended O-AT-KA the same years and currently sits on the Corporation. John's son Alec is enjoying his 6th year at camp and is a CIT (Counselor in Training) this summer.
John serves as the Undersecretary for the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCABR is made up of five agencies that include the Division of Insurance, Division of Banking, Department of Telecommunications and Cable, Division of Professional Licensure and the Division of Standards. John is responsible for implementing Governor Charlie Baker's agenda on consumer protection and business regulation policies.
John started his career in the Reagan White House, in the Office of the Counsel to the President and continued in that office during the George H.W. Bush Administration. From there John went on to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he led investigations into Wall Street corruption and financial fraud. He previously served in state government, as an Agency Commissioner and Undersecretary of Economic Development under Governor Romney.
John has held private sector positions as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Tucker Anthony Incorporated, a financial services firm, and as a partner at the law firm of Duane Morris LLP, where he advised corporate clients on enforcement and compliance issues, corporate governance and regulatory matters. Also, he served in the non-profit sector as General Counsel for the Joslin Diabetes Center, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, where he provided general and legal advice to the CEO/President, the governing boards, leadership and staff of Joslin.
Before his recent post in the Baker Administration, John was the Republican nominee and candidate for U.S. Congress in the 9th Congressional District.
John graduated with a B.A. in political science from Kenyon College and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.
John Hall joined the Board of Directors in 1996 and served as Treasurer until 2014. He is a career banker and currently serves as Senior Vice President & Division Manager of the $1.3 Billion Commercial Banking Division at Salem Five Bank in Salem, MA. Prior to joining Salem Five, John had a 28-year career at Shawmut Bank in Boston, holding several executive management positions in commercial banking, private banking and retail banking. He is a graduate of Norwich University and he received an MBA degree from Babson College. He is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.
John attended O-AT-KA in 1959-1962 and members of his family have attended O-AT-KA for three-generations. He resides in Beverly, MA with his wife, Nancy and he has actively served many non-profit and charitable organizations in the region. He is a Past District Governor of Rotary International, Past-Chairman of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, Past-President of The Salem Partnership and a Trustee of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. In 2013, John was awarded the "Community Service Award" by the Salem Chamber of Commerce and last year he received the "Banker & Tradesman" Community Bank Hero award.
Karina joined the camp staff in 2018 as the Summer Office Manager and now serves in the role of Program Director. As a long time supporter of camp through her involvement in work weekends, on the Centennial and Friends Weekend Committees, and as a member of the corporation, Karina looks forward to serving camp in a role that directly impacts the development of boys.
Karina is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine with a degree in Music Education. She teaches beginning instrumental music in the Bonny Eagle School District and is the past president and a member of the Casco Bay Wind Symphony. Karina is also a life member of the Girl Scouts having served as a leader of troops as well as a regional coordinator for events and adult training.
When not at camp or in school, Karina enjoys hiking, gardening, and, in her daughter, Erika's words, "Learning new things."
Ken Berndt, great grandson of founder E.J. Dennen, has been involved with camp all of his life. A few of the many positions he has held are Counselor, Head of the Waterfront, Head of the Commons, Program Director, Director of Knights Cove, Caretaker and now Facilities Manager. Ken is the right-hand man of camp and spends four seasons tending to the maintenance and preservation of the buildings and campus.
Job Titles:
- Secretary of the Board of Directors
Lisa's connection with camp began when her family was living in Michigan and she and her husband wanted their children to experience the outdoors in Maine where Lisa grew up. Both Jake and Doug started as juniors and continued to return to camp each summer even during the family's relocation to Australia and London. During these summers, Lisa spent time volunteering in the camp office where she enjoyed greeting new campers and families, doling out candy during candy line, reading to juniors and making sure no contraband existed in camp packages. Jake and Doug spent many summers at camp, proudly earning their five year jackets and and returning as CIT's, camp counselors and Dennen Week volunteers.
During Lisa's professional life, she specialized in real estate development and corporate law as an attorney in Detroit, Michigan and was a partner in the firm Timmis and Inman and later "of council" at Abbott Nicholson. In Lisa's volunteer capacity, she has served as a trustee at the University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe, Michigan where she headed up the Annual Fund campaign and was a former director of High Resolves, an Australian nonprofit dedicated to helping young adults become better global citizens. Additionally, Lisa is currently a member of the Tufts Athletics Council and President's Advisory Committee at Tufts University.
Lisa graduated from Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine (where she and her husband now live) as well as Tufts University and Boston College Law School. She and her husband Tom are now living in Maine and finally getting to do the activities their boys did while at camp - fishing and hiking - as well as skiing and golf. Lisa and Tom would like to add that they are proud to support the mission of O-AT-KA and preserve the beauty of camp for future generations.
Mary is the wife of Steve Anderson, who was a camper in the 1950s. Mary joined the Corporation in 2017 and was elected to the Board of Directors in March. The Andersons are honored to jointly serve as Chairs of the Advanced Gifts Division for The Campaign for Camp O-AT-KA.
Mary was raised in New Jersey and attended day camps there as a child. However, both of the Anderson daughters spent numerous full summers at the Wohelo Camps on Sebago Lake. Two granddaughters are currently enthusiastic and loyal second generation members of the Little Wohelo and Sebago Wohelo camp families.
Mary attended Ohio University, Athens, Ohio and prior to starting a family, she worked in the news department of the Concord Daily Monitor in Concord and Franklin, New Hampshire. For the past four decades, she has led an active volunteer life and has focused most of her efforts on the needs and welfare of children in both education and social justice.
Mary is looking forward to working alongside of the people who are so dedicated to the Mission and future of Camp O-AT-KA and the limitless opportunities it offers to boys as they mature and grow into caring and responsible young men.
Matt has been affiliated with Camp for his entire life; as the grandson of Rt. Reverend Archie Crowley and son of Rev. Daniel Crowley.
Matt spend his summers at O-AT-KA as a camper starting in 1979 through the 1980's. He has returned to work at Camp in a couple different capacities; as a Middle Unit Head, and Head of Commons.
Matt and his wife Andrea live in Lexington, MA; and have 3 kids; Emma, Tucker (former camper), and Drew (former camper). When not at Camp, Matt has worked in public education - as a teacher, principal, and now Superintendent of the Woburn Public Schools.
Nina is an O-AT-KA parent to two boys, Zeno and Hugo Marquis, who thankfully landed on the O-AT-KA shores in 2014 as campers and are now both counselors. Since then, she has been incredibly appreciative of the ways their camp experiences have furthered their independence, confidence, leadership skills, and knowledge of the outdoors.
Nina is a practicing physician focusing on nutrition, wellness, and pathology; author, speaker, mind-body expert and has been an active volunteer at a number of educational institutions. Nina and her three children live in Concord, MA.
Roy Heller has been at Camp O-AT-KA since 2007. He is the Chaplain in charge of Sunday services in our camp chapel. Roy is a great resource for all of our staff with interpersonal relationships. Roy is also the guidance and organization of the Order of Sir Galahad. The Heller family has been greatly involved at Camp. Roy's wife, Amy, has worked at camp alongside Roy and with their son, Noah, who is a cabin counselor. Their daughter Annie has also grown up here at O-AT-KA. Roy and his family live in Dallas, Texas where Roy is on the faculty of Southern Methodist University and teaches the Old Testament.
Scott and his family have been associated with Camp O-AT-KA for generations - His father is a former camper as well as his three brothers. It is fair to say that Camp O-AT-KA has always been Scott's stomping grounds; as he took his first steps as a child outside of the Bungalow after dropping off his older brothers.
Scott attended O-AT-KA as a camper from 1985-1992 and was part of the staff in various roles from 1993 to 2000. He was a junior counselor, counselor, head of the CIT (counselors in training) program, unit head, and program director. Scott was elected as King in 1997.
Scott joined the board in 2014 and serves on the executive team as Treasurer. He has been a Dennen week volunteer for many years and continues to fly back from the West Coast to be a part of the program. He is originally from Wellesley, Massachusetts and now lives in Redondo Beach, California where he is the Electronic Warfare Systems Finance Director for Raytheon Company. Scott started his corporate finance career fifteen years ago with Raytheon in Andover, MA and transferred to the El Segundo, CA office in 2001. Scott earned a BS in Business Administration from Babson College.
Job Titles:
- Business Manager
- Chief Financial Officer
After graduation from Penn State University in 1972, Stu went to work for Johnson & Johnson and spent his entire career in the health care industry. His responsibilities over the 40+ years that followed included virtually all aspects of business operations at both Fortune 100 companies as well as two Boston-area start-ups.
Stu attended Camp O-AT-KA as a camper from 1959 through 1965. He and his wife Anne live in Newbury, MA, and he became involved with O-AT-KA once again when his son, Bailey, began his camp career in 1996. Stu became a member of the Corporation in the late 1990s and subsequently served on the Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Terry found O-AT-KA through his Weston High School friend Kim McMullin. He was at camp for four years in cabins Sulgrave, Sterling and Berwick.
Terry's son Steve also attended O-AT-KA for four years, as did Steven's son Nathan. Terry has three more grandsons that he hopes will continue the family legacy.
Currently living on Cape Cod, Terry is the President and founder of Capital Realty Services, that specializes in commercial real estate finance. He is a graduate of Ripon College in Wisconsin and has an MBA from Babson College. Terry holds the rank of Captain (retired) from the United States Army Reserves.