Our People

Chief Executive Officer
sara@experiencecamps.org

Under Sara’s leadership, Experience Camps has conducted original research on the state of grief and launched a national network of  programs and platforms for grieving kids and teens. She received her MBA from Columbia, and blends her background of 12 years in finance and business with her passion for the mission. In 2020, she received an award for “Best Entrepreneurial, Scaling” from Connecticut Entrepreneur Awards, and was named a “Patriots Difference Maker” by The Krafts Family and Patriots Foundation. Sara was named by Causeartist one of 32 nonprofit leaders who will impact the world in 2022 and was a 2023 mentor at the SXSW festival.

Chief Clinical Officer
brie@experiencecamps.org

Brie is a doctoral candidate at the University of Missouri – St. Louis in the Department of Counseling and Family Therapy, where she educates and supervises master and doctoral level students on grief-specific issues in counseling. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and specializes in anticipatory loss, grief and bereavement, life transitions, and working with underserved populations. She is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling and has worked as a clinician and Clinical Director for Experience Camps since 2016.

Chief Strategy Officer
kelly.elliott@experiencecamps.org

Prior to joining Experience Camps, Kelly was the Director of Operations and Strategy at SeriousFun Children’s Network. During her 17-year tenure, Kelly was instrumental in the organization’s growth, facilitating the expansion to nine new locations and overseeing the successful implementation of their Network-wide strategic plan. Kelly holds a M.A. in Strategic Communications and Public Relations from Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, Connecticut).

Director of Communications
michelle@experiencecamps.org

Michelle draws on her 25+ years as a professional media maker to create content that brings awareness to our work. She is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, journalist, and national bestselling author whose projects have been featured on numerous national platforms including “The Today Show,” The Washington Post, and The New York Times. From 2014 to 2020, Michelle was the founder and Executive Director of MEDIAGIRLS, a nonprofit that empowers young women to harness the power of media to uplift one another.

Sr. Manager Annual Giving and Events margo@experiencecamps.org

Margo manages annual giving strategy and special events that engage Experience Camps supporters outside of camp, including our signature Experience: NY event, crowdfunding campaigns, and so much more. She brought with her nearly a decade in advertising sales. Margo previously worked at Hearst at magazines such as Seventeen and Redbook, and Gallery Media Group. Margo graduated from Dickinson College with a degree in History and Education. 

Director of Programs
ashley@experiencecamps.org

Ashley is joining Experience Camps full time after spending eight summers volunteering with the organization in multiple different roles. She helped open our Georgia and Maine locations, simultaneously overseeing these camps as the Program Director since 2018. Ashley has spent the past decade working in the private health insurance industry specializing in sales and management. She graduated with honors from the University of Florida where she received her BS in Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management.

 Senior National Camp Manager
liza@experiencecamps.org

Liza has been a teacher, CAD counselor, and has been involved with Experience Camps since 2014, beginning as a bunk counselor and most recently operating as the Program Director for Experience Camps in California. In addition to her teaching degrees, she earned her MSW at the University of Maine and is a licensed master social worker. Liza has a passion for kids and mission-driven work which is why Experience Camps feels like “home.”

Program Operations Manager
sydney@experiencecamps.org

Sydney earned her BA from the University of California, Davis and her MFA from Rutgers University, Newark. She has a background in education, writing, and administration with experience ranging from teaching to running poetry events. Sydney uses her editorial lens to streamline processes and organize information at Experience Camps. When she’s offline, you might find her volunteering at a local food bank, baking a cake, or walking aimlessly around Brooklyn.

Sr. Manager of Fundraising Operations
thomas@experiencecamps.org

Thomas applies his analytical skills and eye for detail to help our Development team be as efficient as possible. He worked as a Database Consultant for The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and most recently at The Carver Foundation of Norwalk as the Resource Development Manager. He graduated from Drew University in 2014 with a BA in Economics. Thomas has also completed a Nonprofit Management and Entrepreneurship course as well as Harvard’s Online Business Certificate program, HBX.

HR and Operations Manager
ryan@experiencecamps.org

Ryan joins our team with seven plus years of human resources management and administration experience. Ryan has always been passionate about helping people. Before finding Experience Camps, he did volunteer work with the visually impaired at Camp Abilities. Throughout his career, he has worked in various Employee Relations and Employee Engagement focused roles in the retail and gaming industries. Ryan is a proud graduate of Western Connecticut State University with a focus in Management.

Clinical Manager
beth@experiencecamps.org

Beth is a licensed Clinical Social Worker, who earned her Masters Degree in Social Work from St. Louis University in 2014, and joined the Experience Camps family that same year as a Grief Specialist, stepping into the role as a Director in 2017 and 2018. She served as the Director of Operations for St. Louis Blues Alumni Association from 2015-2021. In 2015, Beth co-founded Coping 4 Life, a nonprofit that provides free mental-health services to people in her under-served rural Illinois community.

Community Programs Manager
shalice@experiencecamps.org

Shalice is a nonprofit educator, with almost 10 years of experience working in creative education spaces that serve underserved communities. She holds a Masters in Creative & Innovative Education from Georgia State University, and a certified PMP (project Management professional). She has worked for nonprofits that specialize in SEL & STEM education, most notably the Girl Scouts, and believes in the power of community building.

Social Media Associate
lauren@experiencecamps.org

Lauren joins our team with a lifetime of experience using social media plus three years of experience managing and creating content and strategy professionally. Before diving into the world of social media, Lauren was a public servant for the city of Chicago, where she worked tirelessly to support and advocate for her constituents. In her spare time, you’ll often find her baking her way through a cookbook or working on a New York Times crossword puzzle.

Camp Manager
jordan.rappoport@experiencecamps.org

Jordan joined us after volunteering as a counselor for our camp program in Georgia since 2017. She received her BS from the University of Florida in Public Relations with a minor in Event Management. Jordan is passionate about relationship building and watching memorable moments come to life. A lifelong camper, Jordan is excited to turn the “Best Week Ever” into the best job ever! When not working, you can find her singing with her guitar to Taylor Swift songs.

Blackstone Growth
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