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Meet the Staff…
When you choose a summer camp for your child, you must make sure that, above all else, you feel comfortable with the PEOPLE who will care for your child. That feeling of trust is essential! PLEASE take time to learn more about the people at Camp Champions – our owners, our directors, our counselors. If you decide that Champions is the right place for your child this summer, we want you to feel great about the people who will help YOUR child grow into a CHAMPION!!!
Owners and Executive Directors
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Susie and Steve Baskin live at Camp Champions year round with their four children: twin boys Wiley and Liam (12), daughter Terrill (11), daughter Virginia (8) and basset hound Fenway (age undetermined). They are committed to creating an extraordinary place to serve families.
STEVE BASKIN
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Steve is the executive director of the boys’ side of camp. That means that he gets to spend time with great campers and counselors during the summer and avoid growing up. Steve is a lifelong camper. He first attended camp when he was 8 and he continued for 11 years. In his years as a camper and a counselor, he discovered the power of the camp experience to develop confidence, social skills and joy. He even wrote about camp in his college applications as one of the defining experiences of his life. After graduating with honors from Davidson College, he got off the camp track for a few years during which he was an investment banker with Goldman Sachs in New York and Simmons & Company in Houston. He then went to Harvard Business School, where he decided to pursue his true passion: summer camp. He and Susie have been full-time campers since 1993. Steve is lucky to have the pleasure of partnering with his wife (and best friend).
Steve chaired the Tri-State Camp Conference (the largest camp conference in the world) from 2008-2010. In 2009, he received the National Service Award from the American Camp Association (ACA). In 2010, he was appointed Treasurer of the ACA and serves on its Executive Committee.
SUSIE BASKIN
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Susie is the camp mom and the director of the girls’ side. She adores her many “children” at camp. Susie did not attend camp as a child or young woman, but has become a powerful fan of the camp experience as she watched its positive effect on her own children. She loves talking with camper parents all year long and helping them with any issues about camp, including parental separation anxiety (camp can be hard on first time parents). In her past life, Susie was a family and adolescent counselor at a hospital in Wellesley, MA and later became a manager at a Boston hospital. She attended University of Michigan undergrad and Northwestern University for graduate school. In addition to being a parent liaison at camp, Susie also directs our camp health center. Susie is a die hard Bostonian and thought she’d live there forever until Steve met her and convinced her to move to Texas. She is very happy that he did as she could never envision a better place to live than right in the middle of camp on the beautiful shores of Lake LBJ.
Full Time Staff:
MICHAEL MOAK
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Assistant Director, Michael Moak, or to us, Moak sir, grew up way out west in Midland, TX. He first fell in love with summer camp while attending Laity Lodge Youth Camp for three summers after 7th, 8th and 9th grades. Moak sir attended Texas A & M and Hardin-Simmons University seeking a degree in recreation, hoping to work at a camp someday. His dream came true! In 1997 he joined the full-time staff of Camp Champions as Sports Director, was the Head Counselor in ‘98 and became Assistant Director in ‘99. Moak sir serves on the Board of Directors for the Texoma Section of the American Camp Association, is trained in Emergency Medicine and enjoys his aquariums when not busy at camp.
LEAH MESCHES
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Girls’ Lower Camp Director Leah Mesches hails from Westfield, NJ. She started camping at age 4. She was an enthusiastic and independent day camper, a sleep away camper and a counselor for both day and sleep away camps. For the last 2 years, she was assistant director of one of Pennsylvania’s largest residential camps in the Pocono Mountains.
Leah graduated from Northeastern University with a Business degree, but ultimately found camping to be more appealing than a desk job in New York City. Leah is very excited to spend time with the Girls’ Lower Camp! When not practicing yoga, checking out live music, roaming the outdoors or searching for a good game of Scrabble, Leah is learning the correct usage of “y’all” (for a Yankee).
LAUREN GARCIA
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Girls’ Upper Camp Director Lauren Garcia “Garcia Ma’am” was raised in Austin, Texas. She graduated from Texas State University with a BS in Recreation Administration. While in college she worked for the City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department in city event planning. She also worked for the Hill Country Ride for AIDS, a non-profit bike ride in Austin. Lauren has been at Camp Champions every summer since 1993 as a camper, a counselor, a part of our leadership team, and now a full-time girls director. She enjoys live music, traveling, college football, and anything involving her awesome camp friends! She can’t wait to get everyone to love camp as much as she does!
JONATHAN SHIRLEY
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Boys’ Camp Director, Jonathan Shirley, hails from the great neighboring state of Louisiana where he attended Louisiana State University. After spending summers at different camps in Maine and Michigan, he arrived at Camp Champions in January of 2005. Jonathan married Helen Merritt, 11 year camper/counselor/staff member, in December 2007. During the year they live in Houston where Helen is attending medical school, and Jonathan works for camp from Houston, returning every summer for camp. “I love being around people who love what they do, and that’s why camp just makes sense for me. Champions is a beautiful place with some amazing activities, but the magic is in the people.” Jonathan enjoys staying active through running, biking, all sports (especially pickleball), and any and every camp game. His favorite things at Champions are Trojan/Spartan initiation, the Lake Swim, the kilometer swim, and most of all torchlight! Let’s start camp!!
JOE PIERZCHAJLO
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Camp Champions Program Director, Joe Pierzchajlo, was born and raised in Tifton, Georgia. As the Program Director for Camp Champions Joe is in charge of all the activities at camp, the summer Department Heads, and is involved in recruiting and hiring the best staff available. Joe’s goal for camp is to make camp’s activities some of the best, if not THE best, in the summer camping industry. Joe Sir attended the University of Georgia and majored in history and has been making camp a special place since 2006. He has worked in a variety of roles during his tenure at camp. During the fall of 2006 he worked for The Outdoor School as an instructor, was a camp intern and Champions’ retreat coordinator in 2007 and then took on the duties of retreat marketer in 2008. Joe was the Camp Champions’ Waterfront Director for the summers of 2007 and 2008. Currently Joe Sir is a certified Wilderness First Responder, Operator of Aquatic Facilities, Level II Challenge Course Facilitator, and lifeguard. Fly fishing, cooking (we are talking more than just “camp food”) and summer camp are Joe’s true passions in life.
KATE CROMWELL
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Kate was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BA in psychology. While in college, Kate worked for the SMU Recreation center where she oversaw lifeguards and taught swimming and water aerobics classes to children and adults. Prior to coming to Camp Champions, Kate spent three years working at another camp in Texas. Kate enjoys camping, swimming, reading, baking and various other things. Kate is currently certified through the Red Cross as a Water Safety Instructor and Lifeguard Instructor. After her internship, Kate will return to school to pursue a Masters Degree in Recreation.
MICHAEL MARGETIS
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Intern Michael Margetis is from Melbourne, Australia. The down under! Put a shrimp on the barbie! For the past four summers, he has worked with two summer camps in Massachusetts. Michael has worked with children for many years, from coaching sports to coaching performing arts. Back home, Michael was studying Business and HR, when he returns home he will complete his studies and with his experience at Camp Champions is hoping to open a summer camp. One day!
As a parent, there’s a lot you need to know before you decide to send your child off to camp! Our hope is that, in this section (created just for you!), you’ll find answers to all of your questions. BUT, if we’ve missed something, please call or E-Mail Us – we’d LOVE to talk to you!
