The People That Make It Happen
Director – Allan Tiso Our fearless leader makes sure all of his people are working hard to give the students and chaperones a great experience at Astrocamp. Allan came to Astrocamp in the beginning of 2005 after working for Guided Discoveries on Catalina Island for 10 years. As a child Allan’s favorite TV shows were “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau” and “Star Trek”. His CIMI career fulfilled the Cousteau part of his dreams and now he is enthusiastically embracing his Star Trek phase. Summer Camp Counselor Director - Caitlin Farr Caitlin Farr earned her degree from the University of Colorado in 2003. She was hired in the Spring of 2004 as an instructor in the school year program. In addition to running the Astro and Quest labs during the summer of 2005, she focused on improving the Arts and Crafts program. Caitlin has always loved summer camp. She spent most of her summers as a child at sleep-away camp and then went on to become a counselor and a ropes course director. Caitlin is committed to providing Astrocamp campers with the best possible summer camp experience. Program Director – Mike Dobson Mike graduated from University of California Santa Barbara in 1998 and worked for 5 years in the semiconductor industry until deciding to step out of the cubicle and work outdoors with children. Since being hired in 2003 Mike has been an instructor and an Assistant Program Director and became the Program Director in August of 2005. His continued interest to improve the program and bring new qualified instructors to teach pushes the program to be at the highest peak for each and every school that comes to Astrocamp. Assistant Program Directors –
Andy Corwin – Curriculum and Research
Chris Bracey – Ropes Course and Classroom Maintenance
Judi Cunningham – Scheduling and Astrocamp Store These three individuals are the grease that makes the program run smooth. All have extensive backgrounds in outdoor education and are dedicated to do what it takes to give each and every school a great experience that is both educational and fun. Kitchen Director – Jeff Hartwell Jeff has worked in the food service industry for years. He has specifically worked for Guided discoveries for the past 10 years in our Toyon, Cherry cove and Astrocamp sites. He leads a very talented group of chefs that work day in and day out trying their hardest to create the best food in the camping industry. Maintenance Director - Shawn Denham Shawn is the leader of a tireless crew who is always on making sure our Astrocamp facility (est.1930) is in prime condition for all of its occupants. We serve over 1600 students a year and his fine crew keeps the water hot, the beds sturdy, and the lights on. If anything breaks his team will get it fixed immediately. Instructor Staff Our instructors come to Astrocamp from all over the United States and occasionally from overseas. We have approximately 28 instructors either teaching classes or being helpful hands as techs. Requirements for being an instructor are a Bachelors degree, a strong desire to teach our subject matter, and a love for working with children. We pride ourselves on hiring fun exciting people that have a strong knowledge base and want to work with children. Counseling Staff The summer counseling staff is comprised of 12 men and women from all over the country. They are all currently in college or have recently graduated. We make sure to hire dedicated counselors who love working with children. We know that a highly qualified staff is important to a successful summer. Our counselors arrive at least one week prior to the campers’ arrival for a comprehensive, week-long orientation program. All of the staff is focused on providing the campers with a summer camp experience that they will never forget.
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