TAWONGA - Key Persons
Aaron first came to Tawonga as a nervous new camper in 1994 and quickly fell in love with the place and the community. Aaron began working for Tawonga on the summer staff as a counselor in 2002 and in 2007, Aaron joined the year-round staff where he has held a number of roles. Aaron completed the Jewish Service Learning Certificate Program at San Francisco State and is a graduate of the Lekhu Lakhem Fellowship, a Jewish educational leadership program for camp directors through the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Aaron can be found around Camp playing Frisbee with kids, leading improv games or just sitting in a circle at rest hour talking with a bunk. Aaron lives in the East Bay with his wife Charley, daughter Meadow and dog Ty Ty.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Bay Area Architect
- Board Member since
Adam Weiss is a Bay Area architect specializing in creating residential design solutions that often grow from within traditional settings, yet express a modern understanding of the joys of light and space; shelter and flow; efficiency and bounty, materiality and sentiment. AWA focuses on residential architecture: helping clients find creative spatial solutions for their family's changing needs. Whether this means remodeling an existing home, building a second unit, or building a new home from scratch, AWA provides the attention and expertise needed to generate solutions that are both joyous and efficient. In his nearly 20 years in the field, Adam has worked on every scale of project: from small residential remodels, to summer camps, to elementary schools, to hospitals, to entire universities. In 2017, Adam left corporate architecture to return to his roots and open Adam Weiss Architecture. Informed by years of practice in the Japanese martial art of Aikido, Adam creates solutions that thrive in even the most challenging conditions. Adam received his Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon in 1999 and has been practicing in the Bay Area ever since.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member - at - Large
Born and raised in San Francisco, Alison was a Tawonga camper for four years. She earned a bachelor's degree in International Relations and Spanish from Tufts University and has spent the majority of her career working in philanthropy for community and private foundations in the Bay Area. More recently, she has worked for Jewish funders, providing her with a deeper understanding of the Jewish organizations and program offerings in the Bay Area.
Alison now lives in the East Bay with her husband and two sons, who have had the privilege of being campers at Tawonga since 2016. She is grateful to give back to the community that made such an impact on her as a child.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
Ariel Trost was born, raised, and educated in the Bay Area. She is a clinical psychologist in private practice specializing in the treatment of eating disorders.
Ariel was a Tawonga camper and staff member and is now a Tawonga parent (along with her partner Jesse whom she met at Tawonga over 30 years ago!). Her son, Ezra, has attended camp for many years and completed the B'nai Mitzvah program, and her daughter, Ruby, joined the Tawonga family as a staff member this past summer. Tawonga values permeate her home and family and she is excited to serve on the board and share her expertise on adolescent and young adult mental health.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Camper Care
Ashley grew up in Berkeley and has been a Tawongan since she first attended Session 2 in 1993. Ashley was a camper for six summers and became a summer staff member, first as counselor, then Unit Head, and TSL Trip Leader. Ashley joined the full-time staff in 2009 as the registrar and then became the Director of Community Engagement, taking care of our families and leading our Down the Mountain programs. Ashley is currently the Program Director, supervising all the speciality areas at summer camp, overseeing family camp, the Tawonga B'nai Mitzvah Program, Tawonga's Alumni Board and the Health Center. Ashley graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Studies and has a true love of nature and being outside. When not in the office, Ashley loves spending time with her husband Jamie and their two sons, Erez and Lev.
Emily joined the Camp Tawonga team in January 2024. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she made her way to the Bay Area in 2020. Driven by a strong commitment to help organizations secure the funding they need for impactful programs, Emily has worked for various non-profits in San Francisco, including Larkin Street Youth Services and Food Runners. Emily holds an MA (Hons) degree in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh and is a passionate advocate for creating positive social change. She sees philanthropy as a tool for good and works hand-in-hand with funders to create a lasting impact within the community. In her free time, you'll find Emily supporting her local library and exploring the breathtaking landscapes throughout the Bay Area. Emily is thrilled to be part of the Tawonga team and contribute to creating magical experiences for campers, fostering connections with nature, and promoting self-esteem.
Job Titles:
- Program and Communications Coordinator
Ash has called the Bay Area home since 2005 and comes to Tawonga with a background in working for local nonprofits. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley, where she received a B.S. in Environmental Science, Policy & Management from the College of Natural Resources and played for the university's field hockey team (Go Bears!). After college, Ashley dabbled in environmental restoration, administration at the Downtown Oakland YMCA and as a peer provider at Mental Health Association of San Francisco. Ashley's passion for the outdoors grew as manager of gear libraries and operations at Bay Area Wilderness Training, a nonprofit creating equitable access to the outdoors for youth of color and low-income youth. She also spent a year as a union carpenter. In her free time, Ashley plays in rec sports leagues, backpacks as often as possible and hikes/bikes/runs around the East Bay hills.
A Bay Area native, Frisco grew up attending Tawonga as a camper and returned as a staff member in 2002 to work as a prep cook - the first step in his long career working in kitchens. After graduating from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, he went on to work in restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn for the next 8 years. Frisco eventually rose to Executive Chef at three restaurants simultaneously: Walter's, Walter Foods and Karasu (and opened two of them!). In addition to cooking, Frisco is passionate about coaching basketball; he spent the last three years as an assistant coach at Millbrook School in New York, focusing on skill development and harnessing the joy of the game. Frisco lives in Berkeley and coaches boys basketball at Miramonte High School in Orinda. While not working in the Tawonga office or on the basketball court, Frisco enjoys being outdoors as much as possible - and if inside, he's usually focused on sports or food!
Aviva grew up going to Camp Tawonga, and spent her summers during college working at Tawonga as a counselor, wilderness leader, and teen program staff. After graduating from Oberlin College with a B.A. in History, Aviva taught outdoor education in Colorado and then served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin. These experiences inspired Aviva to get her Masters degree in education from Stanford University and teach English, which she has done for the past four years in both middle and high school settings. Aviva is thrilled to join the year-round team at Tawonga and get back to spending her summers up at Camp! In her free time, you'll find Aviva at the local dog park with her two pups or exploring the Bay Area's many trails with her husband (a fellow Tawongan).
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director, Bay Area Programs
- Associate Director, Bay Area Programs
Job Titles:
- Registrar and Financial Assistance Manager
Ben first encountered the "tall, tall trees" during the summer of 1996. It rained every day he was there and he vowed he would never come back. After his mom literally forced him on the bus two years later, the East Bay native can't get enough of the Tuolumne River. Ben was a camper for five glorious summers and became a summer staff member in 2003. Ben has worn many hats during his 13 summers working at Camp: counselor, lifeguard, assistant director, driver, office staff, nanny, unit head and Teen Service Learning supervisor. Ben joined Camp Tawonga's full-time staff in 2015 and he absolutely loves talking to parents about his experience and how meaningful it has been in his life. Ben lives in Kensington with with his wife Kelli (whom he met at Camp Tawonga), their daughter Sierra and their dog Sadie. In his free time, Ben likes to go on hikes, play Ultimate Frisbee and go to movies.
Job Titles:
- Asst. Director Teen Programs and Specialty Areas
An Oakland native, Brady (he/they) has spent more than half the summers of his life at Camp Tawonga. Since 1992, Brady has been a Camper, Counselor, Unit Head, Drama Specialist, Jewish Programmer, Lifeguard, Prep Cook, Program Director, Head of Arts and Crafts, and Camp Director. Brady has also pursued his passions for building community and fostering play as a Camp Director with Camp Galileo, a Founding Camp Director of Camp Grounded, a Healthy Masculinity Facilitator with Shalom Bayit, one of the founding staff members and residents of Moishe House, a Healthy Recess Trainer for Playworks and most recently as the Executive Director of JYCA. Brady also is the co-owner and director of Custom Camps which provides summer camp inspired corporate team building and offsite experiences. Brady is a published poet and performer, card and board game lover, fantasy and sci-fi reader, and is most happy walking with his partner and dog at Cesar Chavez park or up in the Oakland Redwoods.
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant
- Operations Coordinator
Born in Oakland, Camille is a Bay Area native with a background in customer service, operations, and marketing. She is a UC Berkeley graduate, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Theater & Performance Studies. In her free time, Camille can be found reading, perusing the local antique market, or watching the newest Netflix documentary.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
Carlos has lived in the Bay Area for over 30 years. He and his wife Grace, a native of Berkeley, have two kids who both were long-time campers and also on staff at Camp Tawonga. Graces brother was also a Tawonga camper and counselor many years ago. His niece and nephews were also Tawonga campers from as far away as Georgia and Virginia. Carlos is a CFO Services, Management Consultant. He retired as a Partner at Deloitte Consulting, and joined Ernst & Young as an Executive Director in the San Francisco office. Carlos has been involved in the Jewish community in Danville for many years, serving on the Beth Chaim Congregation Board of Directors, as the Vice President of Finance for the last four years. He earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in Economics from Pitzer College and an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Carlos and his family all spend a great deal of time in the outdoors - camping, hiking, skiing, climbing and mountain biking.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Communications & Digital Strategy
With over 15 years of experience crafting strategic communications for nonprofits, Casey loves helping individuals and organizations tell their authentic stories. At Tawonga, Casey has created the organization's award winning impact report, led a website and video rebranding and created the agency's first style guide. Casey has also helped place stories about Tawonga in dozens of publications, including The New York Times. As a former camper and summer staffer, Tawonga's transformational mission is deeply personal for her.
Casey earned a Masters in Public Administration with a focus in nonprofit management from USC's Sol Price School of Public Policy and a B.A. in history from Claremont McKenna College. She has also led programmatic and communications work at the USC Shoah Foundation Institute and the San Francisco Jewish Community Relations Council. Casey lives in Lafayette with her husband and fellow Tawongan, Matt, and their daughters, Sadie and Maya. She can often be found attempting to serenade her family with songs from the Tawonga songbook.
Job Titles:
- Buildings and Grounds Manager
A native of Monterey County, Chris lives year-round at Camp Tawonga and oversees all operations with regards to our beautiful property (160 acres along the Tuolumne River, inside the Stanislaus National Forest, seven miles from Yosemite). Chris' hobbies include restoring classic cars as well as carpentry.
Ben first encountered the "tall, tall trees" during the summer of 1996. It rained every day he was there and he vowed he would never come back. After his mom literally forced him on the bus two years later, the East Bay native can't get enough of the Tuolumne River. Ben was a camper for five glorious summers and became a summer staff member in 2003. Ben has worn many hats during his 13 summers working at Camp: counselor, lifeguard, assistant director, driver, office staff, nanny, unit head and Teen Service Learning supervisor. Ben joined Camp Tawonga's full-time staff in 2015 and he absolutely loves talking to parents about his experience and how meaningful it has been in his life. Ben lives in Kensington with with his wife Kelli (whom he met at Camp Tawonga), their daughter Sierra and their dog Sadie. In his free time, Ben likes to go on hikes, play Ultimate Frisbee and go to movies.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director, Bay Area Programs
David "Griz" Griswold hails from Maine, where he grew up thinking that California was a mythical land of well-tanned wonder, composed solely of unending beaches, short shorts, and rollerskates. After graduating from Yale and taking a job in communications at Google, he was delighted to discover he was only partially wrong-California had mountains too! And indeed, it was the Sierras that beckoned. "David" became "Griz" when he leapt from the hermetically sealed windows of the Googleplex to work on Tawonga's vaunted Wild Staff in 2009. Since that time, Griz has worked as an educator and writer in a variety of capacities, most recently as a test prep and academic tutor and office director for AJ Tutoring in Lafayette, until returning home to Tawonga in 2023.
When he's not connecting with families about Tawonga's many down the mountain programs, Griz can usually be found writing a silly poem, strumming a thoughtful song, or strolling down a well-worn trail. If you look closely, you can also maybe find a children's book or two that he has written. He is excited to connect with you!
Debbie has lived in the Bay Area for over 30 years and is new to Camp Tawonga. She grew up in southern Oregon where she learned to love outdoor adventures and spending time in nature. She attended 4-H and Girl Scout summer camp as a kid and grew up loving to backpack with family and friends. Debbie has a passion for community work and has twenty-five years of extensive experience in non-profit management, and seven years in public administration for local government. She served as the Executive Director of two different branches of the YMCA of Silicon Valley. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from San Jose State University and is currently finishing her MPA. Fun fact- she competes in the sport of triathlon, and just completed her first full Ironman and plans to compete in a second later this year.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
- Director of Product for Wear OS
Dennis Troper is director of product for Wear OS by Google. He joined Google in early 2003 and has worked on several product areas since then including AdWords, G Suite and Google Fiber. Dennis grew up in Costa Rica and from an early age was actively involved in the small but thriving Jewish community in San José. Since moving to the Bay Area more than 20 years ago, Dennis has served on the boards of Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School and the Anti-Defamation League. He has five children all of which love Camp Tawonga! They've been attending camp for more than 10 years along with their first cousins from Costa Rica. Dennis attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned his BA in Economics and the University of California at Santa Cruz where he earned his M.S. in Applied Economics. He currently lives in Los Altos with his wife and children.
Job Titles:
- Grants & Development Communications Manager
Emily joined the Camp Tawonga team in January 2024. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she made her way to the Bay Area in 2020. Driven by a strong commitment to help organizations secure the funding they need for impactful programs, Emily has worked for various non-profits in San Francisco, including Larkin Street Youth Services and Food Runners. Emily holds an MA (Hons) degree in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh and is a passionate advocate for creating positive social change. She sees philanthropy as a tool for good and works hand-in-hand with funders to create a lasting impact within the community. In her free time, you'll find Emily supporting her local library and exploring the breathtaking landscapes throughout the Bay Area. Emily is thrilled to be part of the Tawonga team and contribute to creating magical experiences for campers, fostering connections with nature, and promoting self-esteem.
Job Titles:
- Director of Kitchen & at - Camp Operations
A Bay Area native, Frisco grew up attending Tawonga as a camper and returned as a staff member in 2002 to work as a prep cook - the first step in his long career working in kitchens. After graduating from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, he went on to work in restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn for the next 8 years. Frisco eventually rose to Executive Chef at three restaurants simultaneously: Walter's, Walter Foods and Karasu (and opened two of them!). In addition to cooking, Frisco is passionate about coaching basketball; he spent the last three years as an assistant coach at Millbrook School in New York, focusing on skill development and harnessing the joy of the game.
Frisco lives in Berkeley and coaches boys basketball at Miramonte High School in Orinda. While not working in the Tawonga office or on the basketball court, Frisco enjoys being outdoors as much as possible - and if inside, he's usually focused on sports or food!
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Jennifer Spitzer (formerly Gorovitz) is Vice President for Finance, Operations and Administration of the New Israel Fund (NIF). Spitzer comes to NIF from Manatt, Phelps and Phillips law firm, where she practiced estate planning and represented nonprofit organizations. Previously, Jennifer was with the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund for 10 years as the first woman CEO of a major North American Federation. During her tenure in that role, Spitzer was recognized in The Jewish Daily Forward's "Forward 50" list and was selected as one of the Bay Area's "Most Influential Women" by the San Francisco Business Times. In 2015, Spitzer was the recipient of special recognition by Death Penalty Focus for her pro bono efforts, and in 2014, was the recipient of the Landres Courage for Dignity Award by Keshet. She is an alumna of the Wexner Heritage Program and currently serves on the board of Urban Adamah. Jennifer has a long relationship with Camp Tawonga and is the proud parent of a Camp Tawonga counselor who was a very happy camper for many years prior.
Job Titles:
- Vice President for Finance, Operations and Administration of the New Israel Fund
Jennifer Spitzer (formerly Gorovitz) is Vice President for Finance, Operations and Administration of the New Israel Fund (NIF). Spitzer comes to NIF from Manatt, Phelps and Phillips law firm, where she practiced estate planning and represented nonprofit organizations. Previously, Jennifer was with the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund for 10 years as the first woman CEO of a major North American Federation. During her tenure in that role, Spitzer was recognized in The Jewish Daily Forward's "Forward 50" list and was selected as one of the Bay Area's "Most Influential Women" by the San Francisco Business Times. In 2015, Spitzer was the recipient of special recognition by Death Penalty Focus for her pro bono efforts, and in 2014, was the recipient of the Landres Courage for Dignity Award by Keshet. She is an alumna of the Wexner Heritage Program and currently serves on the board of Urban Adamah. Jennifer has a long relationship with Camp Tawonga and is the proud parent of a Camp Tawonga counselor who was a very happy camper for many years prior.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
A Bay Area native, Jon has attended multiple Tawonga family camps with his wife and daughters, current and former Tawonga campers. Jon is the principal of Covus Development, a real estate investment and development company. Jon's career spans the non-profit housing, public and private sectors and a wide range of development projects. Jon has been active in Jewish agencies and the Jewish Community Federation for two decades. He currently serves on Federation's Capital Planning Committee and chairs Caliber School's building advisory committee. Jon studied real estate at the Urban Land Institute's Real Estate Development School and is a graduate of the Wexner Heritage Program and the University of Colorado. He enjoys many outdoor activities, especially sleeping under the stars at Camp Tawonga with his daughters.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
A Bay Area native, Josh was a camper at Tawonga for many years as well as a bunk counselor. Josh earned an MD and a PhD in microbiology from Emory University and applies his medical and research training in his work at Roche Diagnostics, developing new tools to diagnose pathogens and characterize the body's response to infections. Josh also treats patients in the San Francisco VA emergency department. Josh met his wife Emma in medical school and they have both served as Camp Doctors at Tawonga and brought their three daughters to Family Camp. The Tawonga experience was a foundational component of Josh's upbringing and he looks forward to bringing his passion for Tawonga, the outdoors, and Jewish values to his work on the Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Finance
Julie (she/her) is so excited to begin her journey as a Tawongan. She has 20 years of experience as a non-profit leader with a focus on finance and operations. Most recently served as COO of San Mateo's CuriOdyssey after serving as executive leader of Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley for nearly 12 years. Previously spent 15 years working in professional theatre in Chicago and 7 years as System Administrator/Business Analyst at a large advertising agency. Julie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Loyola University Chicago and a Master of Non-Profit Arts Management degree from Columbia College Chicago.
Julie lives in Oakland with her husband, Erik, and their daughter Madelyn who they hope to make a Tawongan very soon.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
Juliet was born and raised in San Francisco where she returned after living abroad for 25 years. Camp Tawonga was a source of great joy to Juliet as a camper, as it has been to her three children, one of whom has become a counselor. Juliet is Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Anthropocene Capital Management, a firm that invests in companies seeking to solve environmental and social challenges. Formerly, she was Chief Economist of Emerging EMEA at HSBC in London and Senior Currency Strategist at Bank of America (London). She has more than two decades of experience in country risk and financial market analysis in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Juliet holds an MA in International Economics and European Studies from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and BAs in History and Italian Language from Middlebury College. Juliet resides in San Francisco with her husband and children - when they aren't at camp or college. The daughter of a past Tawonga Board President, Juliet is delighted to be back in the Tawonga fold.
Keith is originally from Paducah, Kentucky and joined Tawonga in 2015. Chris' right-hand man, Keith makes sure that the mechanics of Camp run smoothly all year-round. As Camp Tawonga's caretaker, Keith lives up at Camp throughout the entire year. Keith enjoys hiking, fishing, classic cars and living outdoors.
"Camp became a way of life, a basis for young kids to grow into fine young people in our community."Ken Colvin
Camp Tawonga dates back to the early 1920's when the Young Men's Hebrew Association was the sponsor. It was the first Jewish overnight camp for children in San Francisco. At first, it was located at Quincy, and then later at Myers, California.
In 1942, the camp was discontinued because of the war. The land was sold off. It is now the location of the South Lake Tahoe Airport. After World War II, a new site was purchased from Columbia Boy's Club, located near Camp Mather about five miles west of Yosemite.
As I write this story, there is still a strong bond among many Jewish men in our city. We continue to have reunions every five years of Tawongans pre-World War II! The ranks are thinning. Gray hair is now our badge of membership. I will vouch for the fact that every man attending the reunions still remembers the words to our nostalgic camp songs.
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Manager
- Payroll Administrator
Kevin Saephanh joined Tawonga's finance team in the Fall of 2021 as our Human Resource and Finance Coordinator. He graduated from Sacramento State in 2016 with a Bachelors in Psychology and a strong emphasis in I/O and Social Psychology. Kevin brings to Tawonga years of experience as an HR generalist, specializing in HR operations and administration.
Kevin's passion for people and culture is only outweighed by his dedication to service. During college, he held various leadership positions in community service organizations on campus. His favorite recurring service event was Relay For Life, where he helped fundraise over $10,000 for the Natomas Sacramento Cultural Center.
On weekends, you'll find Kevin with his partner and a few friends at Golden Gate Park, enjoying a picnic with Karl the Fog. Kevin is also an aspiring capoeirista and enjoys playing piano, settling down with a good novel and listening to the rain.
Job Titles:
- Director of Equity, Inclusion and Justice
Kiyomi began her journey with Tawonga as a counselor in 2004. She went on to be a Unit Head, supervisor of the CIT and SIT programs, supervisor/leader on TSL trips to Israel and Costa Rica and Summertime Assistant Director. Kiyomi has also worked in youth development and experiential education with diverse groups of young people through Mission Graduates, New Door Ventures, the Mosaic Project and Amigos de las Américas. Her hunger for learning and new experiences led her to intern on a farm in Italy and participate in the Dorot Fellowship in Israel. Kiyomi graduated from Pomona College with a degree in Environmental Analysis: Race, Class, Gender and the Environment and recently earned a master's degree from the Harvard School of Education, where she studied Human Development and Psychology. Kiyomi is passionate about and committed to doing work that increases equity and justice. She is a certified yoga instructor and in her free time enjoys going on outdoor adventures, baking cookies, and hanging out with her amazing community of friends.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President of the Board of Directors
- Director of Food Campaigns at the Natural Resources Defense Council
Lena Brook is the Director of Food Campaigns at the Natural Resources Defense Council, (NRDC), a leading environmental organization that works to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. Through her advocacy, Lena aims to create a sustainable, equitable and healthy food system for all. Her daughters, who are also passionate about food, are dedicated Tawongans that feel most connected to camp when singing along to Tawonga tunes. Lena holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley and a master's in environmental studies from the Yale School of the Environment.
Lew joined Camp Tawonga in the spring of 2022 as a Groundskeeper/Maintenance Technician following eleven years employment with Evergreen and Rush Creek Lodges in the position of Facilities Manager. Lew has also worked in semiconductor manufacturing, as an RV Technician and as a Septic System Technician. Lew is an Air Force veteran. He grew up in Lathrop, CA near Hwy 120, lived 20 years in Albuquerque and has returned full circle to Tuolumne County 40 years later. Lew enjoys the outdoors and likes to challenge himself. He takes great pride in his work and loves maintaining this special place. His interests include aircooled VW restoration, metal fabrication, brewing beer and drones/RC vehicles.
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
Lisa has over twenty years in sales and marketing experience for leading Bay Area publishing and Internet companies. Prior to coming to Tawonga, she was Associate Director of Teens Turning Green, helping build a nationally recognized youth movement through managing programs, business development and fundraising, and promoting sustainability. Lisa volunteers on the executive board for the Women's Philanthropy division of the SF Jewish Community Federation and is a member and former board president of the religious school at Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael. Melding her love of working with teens, environmental advocacy, and Jewish education, Lisa now feels incredibly fortunate to work for Camp Tawonga, where all of her interests intersect. She lives in Marin with her husband Matthew and has two grown children. She loves the outdoors and enjoys spending as much time at Camp as possible. Mostly, she loves getting to know this incredible community and calling herself a Tawongan!
Job Titles:
- Director of Family Camps and Retreats
Liz has been a Tawongan since 2015, holding a number of roles starting as a counselor and working her way to become a Director. She joined the year-round team in 2018 and loves working to create Tawonga mission moments for folks of all ages and backgrounds (she hopes to see you at Family Camps)!
Liz received an Honors Bachelor degree in Sociology from Whitman College (and wrote an award-winning thesis on summer camping!). In her free time, Liz loves to spend time outside, swim in any natural body of water, pratice yoga, dance and cook! She lives with her partner (a Tawonga love story!) in Berkeley and is grateful every day to be part of the Tawonga team.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
Marcy Scott Lynn is a Director on Facebook's Partnerships team, focusing primarily on the intersection of community and philanthropy. During her tenure at Facebook, Marcy has led teams designing, developing and managing various programs focused on issues including privacy, crisis response, charitable giving and news literacy. Prior to joining Facebook in 2011, Marcy was the Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Sun Microsystems (and Oracle following its acquisition of Sun). Marcy spent eight years working as a strategic communications consultant with a focus on issues management and corporate responsibility and spent her early career working in politics and government. Marcy has an MBA from University of California Haas School of Business and a BA from Boston University. She is a former marathoner and triathlete and lives in San Francisco with her husband and two daughters.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director, Bay Area Programs
Meg is a former Tawonga camper, staff member and supervisor. She served on Tawonga's summer staff from 2012-2017 in various roles including Jewish Program Assistant and for three years as our Counselor and Specialist In-Training Supervisor. Under Meg's leadership, the Tawonga B'nai Mitzvah Program has grown, flourished and deepened, now serving 130 students annually. Additionally, Meg launched the Tawonga Family School and Hebrew programs. A decorated educator, Meg is a 2023 recipient of the Covenant Foundation's Pomegranate Prize in the field of Jewish education and a 2021 recipient of a Diller Educator Awar d in the Jewish communal and experiential category.
Meg has also served as a Jewish educator at Peninsula Temple Beth El and Temple Sinai of Oakland, and as a middle school educator at Studio 70's Edah, where she created spaces for female-identifying middle school students to express their own voices alongside the voices of women from Jewish history and tradition. Meg received an M.A. in Religion, focusing on Tanakh, from Yale Divinity School as well as a Certificate in Jewish Education for Adolescents and Emerging Adults from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Recently, Meg published her first book about Torah entitled Turn It, Turn It: The Many Faces of Torah, which is based on her online journal, Turn It, Turn It. She lives in Alameda, CA with her wife Turk and their son Winnie. When she isn't studying Torah or trying to create the best Jewish educational experiences, Meg loves to ride her bike, cook for her friends and family, and draw building portraits.
Michelle is also an aspiring digital creator and loves creating uplifting designs, websites and YouTube channels.
Job Titles:
- Bay Area Programs Coordinator
Miriam has loved Tawonga since her first year as a camper in 1991. Her five years as a summer staffer were equally transformative, and included roles as Counselor, Unit Head and Assistant Kitchen Manager. She has a background in environmental and garden education, including working for the City of San Francisco's Department of the Environment, as well as running a school garden in Bayview-Hunters Point and working with Berkeley Unified School District's Cooking and Gardening Program. She attended Culinary School in 2015 and worked as the Culinary Program Director for a startup. Miriam graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Human and Organizational Development and is excited to bring her love of logistics to the year round team. Miriam lives in Oakland with her partner Bradley and their dog Clove. She loves singing, learning to ID new plants while hiking (especially edible ones) and creatively repurposing leftover food into delicious new meals.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Development Director
Born and raised in Smithtown, NY, Mollie is thrilled to join the year-round Tawonga team! She has spent her career in various development and communication-related roles at the Jewish Federation of the East Bay, Ma'ase Olam and Avodah, where she also served as a corps member. Mollie earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology and Jewish studies from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's degree in non-profit management from Hebrew University. Growing up, she attended Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, and today loves exploring her newfound home in the Bay. Mollie lives in Albany with her husband, Gil, and their children Liam, Eve and Sky.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Secretary of the Board of Directors
Paul Herman is a full-time parent, community volunteer, and aspiring writer. He earned a PhD in American history from Stanford University, an MA in religious studies from the Pacific School of Religion, and a BA from Grinnell College. Before his academic career, Paul worked primarily in San Francisco and California politics, focusing on AIDS-related policy and HIV prevention. In 1992, he helped found the AIDS Consortium of South Africa, a national coalition of AIDS-related organizations. Paul currently serves on the boards of Legal Services for Children, the Middlebridge School, and the David Ladley Swanson Foundation. His twin daughters, Katherine and Liza, first attended Tawonga as campers in 2012, and his family considers the annual Keshet (LGBTQ+) family weekend to be a highlight of each year.
Quan is a San Diego native who joined the Camp Tawonga team in 2023. Quan has been working in summer programs and outdoor education since 2016; he's worked at various camps and organizations including Camp Fiesta Island and Camp Bighorn at Circle X Ranch with the Boy Scouts of America in Southern California. He has also gained experience in the Washington D.C area with the Headfirst Companies.
On his weekends, Quan loves to spend his time outdoors exploring new hiking trails, snowboarding, sailing, or window shopping at REI. If he is not outside, Quan loves to watch Survivor with his partner, practice his guitar skills, or read a cool book!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
Rachael Kirk-Cortez spent many summers at Tawonga while growing up in the Bay Area both as a camper and staff member. She remained connected to the organization after staff, joining the inaugural cohort of the Alumni Board and later serving as co-chair. Rachael is a marketing consultant specializing in integrated marketing and messaging strategy, with a focus on advising sustainability-minded companies on how to build long-term connections and traction with consumers and stakeholders. She holds a BA in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley and a MS in Agriculture, Food and the Environment from the Tufts Friedman School. She lives in Oakland with her husband and two young children who have all enjoyed participating in Down the Mountain programming and are very excited to soon be old enough to experience the joy of Tawonga for themselves.
Becca first came to Tawonga in 2004 as a Unit Head and has served on the full-time staff since 2007. During her tenure as Camp Director (starting in 2015) and as Chief Program Officer, Becca oversaw the expansion of and ensured continued excellence of Tawonga's programs, from summer camp to family camps to Tawonga's B'nai Mitzvah program and more. She pioneered Tawonga's all-gender cabins and is a tireless advocate for inclusion and equity. Prior to serving as Camp Director, Becca served as Tawonga's Associate Director and managed many of Camp's most complex activities, including backpacking, teen travel (Quest), transportation, and medical care at Camp. Becca grew up in New England and attended summer camp in Maine for 8 years. She moved to the Bay Area after graduating from Harvard with a degree in Comparative Religion. Prior to joining the full-time staff at Tawonga, Becca worked as a Staffing Director at Camp Walt Whitman, a private camp in New Hampshire, and served on the Steering Committee of the Emerging Professionals in Camping organization. Becca has coached youth sports for 13 years and received a Double-Goal Coach Award from the Positive Coaching Alliance. Her passions include trail running and being outdoors. She lives in Berkeley with her husband and two children. Her favorite Tawonga values are "People support the things they help create" and "Kaizen: continuous improvement."
Aaron first came to Tawonga as a nervous new camper in 1994 and quickly fell in love with the place and the community. Aaron began working for Tawonga on the summer staff as a counselor in 2002 and in 2007, Aaron joined the year-round staff where he has held a number of roles. Aaron completed the Jewish Service Learning Certificate Program at San Francisco State and is a graduate of the Lekhu Lakhem Fellowship, a Jewish educational leadership program for camp directors through the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Aaron can be found around Camp playing Frisbee with kids, leading improv games or just sitting in a circle at rest hour talking with a bunk. Aaron lives in the East Bay with his wife Charley, daughter Meadow and dog Ty Ty.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Robyn spent all of her childhood summers at Camp Tawonga followed by two summers as a Tawonga staff member. As a parent, Robyn found her way back to Tawonga through family camp and her child becoming a camper. Robyn's most formative and cherished experiences as a youngster were at Camp Tawonga - swimming in the Tuolumne River, enjoying shabbat stroll, and facing fears on the ropes course. Robyn is grateful and excited to serve the Camp Tawonga community and future generations of campers through her role as a board member. Robyn received a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She has spent the last 20 years working in technology and compliance consulting and currently is the Vice President of Enterprise Technology Compliance at Workday. In her personal time she enjoys exploring new hiking paths in her current home of Auckland, New Zealand.
Job Titles:
- Database Administrator
- Development Coordinator
Rona grew up in New England and spent four summers on the waterfront staff of Camp Ramah in Palmer. After college, she lived on a kibbutz in Israel for several years and outside Boston before finally making the move to the Bay Area. She has worked in ergonomics as well as in the Jewish community at Berkeley Hillel and most recently at the Jewish Federation of the East Bay. Rona lives in Berkeley, where she is an active member of Congregation Beth Israel, a vibrant modern orthodox community. In her free time, she can be found reading multiple books at one time or knitting. She is a graduate of Yale University and the proud mother of an aspiring writer. She is delighted to join the awesome team at Camp Tawonga!
Tom is a native of Chilicothe, Illinois. He moved to California in 2008 to join the US Marine Corps, where he spent 4 years on active duty stationed out of southern California. After the military he attended college majoring in diesel technology. Tom moved to Groveland in 2015 and started working at Camp Tawonga in 2018, where he works year-round performing buildings and grounds maintenance. He enjoys working with his hands and has a love for the outdoors. His hobbies include camping, offroading, traveling, motorcycling, watching his beloved Illinois sports teams, and enjoying quality time with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Programs & Innovation
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member - at - Large
Sarah fell in love Tawonga while attending family camps with her husband and two kids for the last 18 years. She is honored to have been asked to join the Tawonga Board so that she can support the community and programs that have given so much to her family. Sarah has worked for the last 20+ years as an attorney representing public agencies, primarily K-12 public schools. Her practice focuses on labor & employment and board governance. She has also served on local non-profit boards supporting music and education. Sarah is a Bay Area native, but currently lives in Pacific Grove.
Sarah's story with Tawonga began in 2002 when she joined the summer staff as a counselor. After falling in love with the land, community and culture, she returned many summers as a Lifeguard, Office Staff Member and Office Manager. After earning a degree in Business Management from Chico State and spending two years in Japan teaching English, Sarah joined the year-round team from 2008 - 2018 where she served as the Accounts Receivable and Financial Assistance Manager. In addition to her role in the Finance Department, Sarah managed logistics for many large scale annual events including Ruach Rides, Erev Rosh Hashanah Celebrations and at Camp weddings.
In 2018 Sarah bittersweetly said goodbye to Tawonga and the Bay Area and moved with her husband Avi, their three sons Harley, Asa, Ari and their toy poodle Otis, to a small town on the Pudget Sound in Washington state to live a quieter life with more nature and less people. For three years Sarah enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom, exploring the Pacific Northwest beaches, forests and parks with her kids.
Fast forward to 2021, Sarah's boys are all in school, and she is ecstatic to rejoin Tawonga's year-round team as Staff Accountant, where she looks forward to helping bring Tawonga's mission to life.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
- Executive Director of Taube Philanthropies
Shana is Executive Director of Taube Philanthropies and a scholar-in-residence at the Graduate Theological Union's Center for Jewish Studies, in Berkeley. She is the author of books and articles including the award-winning Solidarity's Secret: The Women Who Defeated Communism in Poland (University of Michigan Press, 2005). Raised in Baltimore, MD, she is a Jewish camp enthusiast, having been a camper, C.I.T., and counselor. Together with her husband Paul Milne and three generations of their family, Shana has spent many years hiking and backpacking in the Sierras.
Job Titles:
- Director of Family Engagement
Shoshie has been a Tawongan for 20+ years, starting as a camper and working seasonally as a counselor, CIT leader, unit head and a summertime assistant director. She is excited to join the year-round team as the Assistant Director of Community Engagement and looks forward to sharing her passion and dedication for working with children and families. Prior to this role, Shoshie worked as a special education preschool teacher. She earned a B.A. in Developmental Psychology from UC Santa Cruz and a Masters of Infant Mental Health and an Early Childhood Special Education Credential from Mills College. Shoshie lives in San Francisco with her husband and enjoys traveling, cooking, camping, and spending time with friends, family, and babies.
Job Titles:
- President of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member since
- Senior Program Officer at Tipping Point Community
Talia is a Senior Program Officer at Tipping Point Community, an organization that finds, funds, and strengthens the most promising poverty-fighting solutions so one day everyone in the Bay Area can prosper. She works closely with nonprofit leaders to help increase their organization's impact. Talia has a wealth of non-profit program development and management experience, which began with a focus on youth-serving programs. Her family fell in love with Tawonga from the minute they arrived at family camp and have benefited from many of their programs over the years.
Ashley grew up in Berkeley and has been a Tawongan since she first attended Session 2 in 1993. Ashley was a camper for six summers and became a summer staff member, first as counselor, then Unit Head, and TSL Trip Leader. Ashley joined the full-time staff in 2009 as the registrar and then became the Director of Community Engagement, taking care of our families and leading our Down the Mountain programs. Ashley is currently the Program Director, supervising all the speciality areas at summer camp, overseeing family camp, the Tawonga B'nai Mitzvah Program, Tawonga's Alumni Board and the Health Center. Ashley graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Studies and has a true love of nature and being outside. When not in the office, Ashley loves spending time with her husband Jamie and their two sons, Erez and Lev.
At Tawonga, Myla oversees all wilderness programs including backpacking and day hiking, camping, teen adventure Quests, Teva naturalist and interpretation programs, high and low-ropes challenge course, farm and garden program, transportation, and is the senior health and safety officer on the year-round staff. Myla brings to Tawonga nearly two decades of experience in environmental education and nonprofit leadership. She was a Tawonga camper and spent seven formative summers at Camp as a counselor, wilderness leader and wilderness supervisor. Prior to returning to Tawonga in her current role, Myla was the Director of Training at Playworks, a national youth development nonprofit. She also worked with Sierra Club's Inspiring Connections Outdoors and guided youth on outdoor trips across the country. Myla earned her B.A. in environmental studies from Vassar College and a Masters in Public Administration with a focus in nonprofit management from the University of Oregon. She loves walking in Oakland's redwood forests with her husband and fellow Tawongan, Wes, and their daughters Ariela and Nava as well as swimming in beautiful places with friends.
Tom is a native of Chilicothe, Illinois. He moved to California in 2008 to join the US Marine Corps, where he spent 4 years on active duty stationed out of southern California. After the military he attended college majoring in diesel technology. Tom moved to Groveland in 2015 and started working at Camp Tawonga in 2018, where he works year-round performing buildings and grounds maintenance. He enjoys working with his hands and has a love for the outdoors. His hobbies include camping, offroading, traveling, motorcycling, watching his beloved Illinois sports teams, and enjoying quality time with family and friends.