Our People

Chief Executive Officer

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 Development and Communications Officer

After five years volunteering with Experience Camps as a counselor and champion fundraiser, Carly is joining our team full-time. Carly graduated from Mount Holyoke College with an undergraduate degree in Women and Gender Studies and obtained an M.Ed. from the University of Vermont. Carly has over 10 years of experience in non-profit fundraising and works particularly with major gifts and donor acquisition. She has spent most of her career in education working to support college access and students with learning challenges.

Chief Impact Officer

Motivated by her own experience with loss, Jesse builds programs, partnerships, and digital platforms that reach millions — including launching the first TikTok channel for grieving kids and developing griefsucks.com, a community for connection, belonging, and healing. Her work has reached over 80 million people and is shifting culture toward greater grief literacy and stronger support for young people. Jesse is a 2025–2026 Obama Foundation USA Leader and a two-time SXSW speaker (2023, 2025), with previous roles at Warner Bros., E! Entertainment, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Director of Operations

Elena’s operations experience spans hospitality, HR, finance, and technology, where she has focused on building systems and processes to improve efficiency and employee success. She holds an MBA and an MA in Economics from American University, where her research centered on developing sustainable business models for the hospitality industry. Elena also holds a BA in Management from NYU and has hands-on experience as a service director and wine director in Michelin-starred establishments.

Senior Director of Camp Programs

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.

Director of Marketing and Communications

Carla has partnered with Experience Camps for the past eight years, helping to amplify the organization’s mission and expand its reach through thoughtful, values-driven marketing. Carla is a graduate from Wagner College with a Bachelor’s in Marketing and an MBA in Business Management. With over 15 years of experience in media, advertising, and strategic marketing leadership, Carla brings a blend of big-picture thinking, creativity, and heart to her work, always focused on connection, impact, and authenticity.

Senior Manager of Fundraising Operations

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.

Senior Camp Manager

Jamie was born and raised in South Florida, but can now call herself a New Yorker after being there for 10+ years. She started her career in the fabulous world of events and wedding design, she then transitioned her event planning skills to the camping world as the Director of Operations. This is where she was first introduced to Experience Camps and from year 1 started her volunteering journey. She instantly connected with the mission and the fantastic people which only furthered her involvement with Experience Camps over the last 6 years. For the past 2 years she has had the pleasure of being one of the associate directors at the PennEx program. Jamie is eager to contribute to the growth of Experience Camps in a more purposeful way as the Senior National Camp Manager!

Senior Operations Manager

Tommy grew up in California, but he calls Brooklyn home these days. He’s passionate about de-stigmatizing men’s mental health and expanding access to bereavement support services for children and younger adults. He’s a former medical school student and elementary science educator, now licensed as a social worker in New York. He joins Experience Camps with a background in programming and operations for grief support organizations. He believes in the power of presence and community, and through his work he builds human-centered systems that amplify the rituals of care and compassion we can offer others.

HR Operations Manager

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.

Events Manager

With more than 14 years of event planning and corporate sponsorship experience, Kristen loves turning ideas into meaningful moments that foster community, inspire generosity, and make a lasting impact. Kristen has co-founded event management companies as well as led events with organizations such as Seattle Study Club, ACT Dental, and the Dallas Mavericks. She is thrilled to combine her professional expertise with her personal mission of giving kids the resources and skills to help them process grief.

Clinical Manager

Kait is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Pennsylvania and has over a decade of experience working with children, adolescents, families, and adults. She has worked in a variety of settings including outpatient therapy, inpatient hospitals, crisis programs, schools, and camps. Kait is passionate about supporting grieving children and teens. She spent 8 summers as a Grief Specialist at PennEx before joining the team full-time.

Clinical Manager

Sarah was born and raised in the Hoosier state (IN) and recently reclaimed it as her home. She holds a master’s degree in developmental disabilities and is a Certified Child Life Specialist with more than 15 years of experience supporting children in a variety of settings. After leaving the hospital field in 2023, Sarah shifted her focus to bereavement support, joining a nonprofit grief center in Nebraska where she served as a program coordinator leading weekend grief camps for children, teens, and families.

Camp Manager

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.

Development Manager

Joan works with the Development team to coordinate year-round planning and execution of Experience Camps’ fundraising logistics in addition to providing database support. Prior to joining Experience Camps, Joan held positions at several nonprofits. When Joan is not working you can usually find her outdoors, especially on the beach with her family and dogs.

Community Programs Manager

Midge has worked at nonprofits across the country, creating spaces where kids and families feel seen, supported, and less alone. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, and her experience ranges from hands-on social work and behind-the-scenes program coordination to chopping firewood in the snow. Midge is grateful to spend her time at Experience Camps bringing people together!

Camp Operations Manager

Katie joins Experience Camps as the Camp Operations Manager having spent 9 summers working at a sleepaway camp in Maine, and four years with CampSite, a camp registration software. She has a profound love for summer camp and believes in the lasting impact that a summer camp experience can have on both campers and staff. In addition to her camp background she has a background in IT, and is excited to bring her knowledge of systems and data management to her role as she works behind the scenes to make the magic of Experience Camps programming happen. Outside of work you’ll find her hanging out with her cat Juniper, exploring a thrift store, or in the pottery studio.

Communications Manager

Katie believes every meaningful movement begins with a story. She is passionate about helping people feel seen, heard, and connected through authentic storytelling. Katie earned her M.A. in Journalism from Kent State University and is finishing up an M.S. in Digital and Social Media Communication from the University of West Georgia. With over 20 years of experience in communications, journalism, and education, she brings a thoughtful, strategic approach to storytelling, public relations, and mission-driven communications.

Foundations and Grants Officer

With over a decade of experience in nonprofit fundraising and strategy, Andi joins Experience Camps as Foundations and Grants Officer. She has supported organizations both in-house and as a consultant, helping teams (including Experience Camps!) develop strategies that demonstrate impact and support sustainable growth. After connecting deeply with the mission through her work as a consultant, she is excited to join the team full-time, leading foundation strategy and partnerships.

Corporate Giving Officer

Ori brings over eight years of experience building cross-sector partnerships that advance health equity and expand opportunities for underserved communities. He has held roles in corporate engagement, family empowerment, and public health at organizations including StreetWise Partners, the NYC Department of Education, and the New York State Department of Health. He holds a Master’s in Global Public Health from Imperial College London and a B.A. from Lafayette College.

Camp Associate

Emily is a Chicago native with a background in nonprofit human resources and camp programming. Emily holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s degree from Purdue University. She also serves on multiple nonprofit boards, and was honored with an Illinois Senate Volunteer Recognition Award. Emily is passionate about mission-driven work and creating meaningful experiences for youth. She is excited to join the team full-time as a Camp Associate!

People Operations Associate

Lody “Lolo” Lambert has a background in People Operations, supporting HR coordination, onboarding, and high-volume hiring across healthcare and nonprofit organizations. She brings strong organizational and compliance expertise, along with hands-on experience using Workday HCM to support smooth, people-centered processes. Lolo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and is currently pursuing her MBA. She previously volunteered with Experience Camps in Connecticut and is passionate about advancing mission-driven work that supports children and families.

Organizational Support Coordinator

Leah has over 15 years of diverse professional experience spanning counseling, education, and administrative support. She has worked as an administrative and accounts manager, overseeing finance and reporting, as well as an English Language Arts and Reading tutor, supporting early literacy development for students in grades K–8. Leah is excited to be part of the important work Experience Camps does to support children and families navigating grief.

Development and Grants Coordinator

Prior to joining Experience Camps, Darla was a marketing strategist for over a decade working in content marketing and advertising for CPG and hospitality organizations. As someone who experienced her father’s loss during adolescence, she had no doubts that Experience Camps would be her next place of meaning and career. Darla graduated with honors from the University of Tampa where she earned her BA in Communication with minors in Advertising and Business Administration. While Massachusetts will always be her first true love, she has since found home in Tampa, Florida.

Adult Programs Manager

Brian started volunteering with Experience Camps in 2016, has served as LIT Unit Leader at PennEx since 2018, and helped launch our Adult Retreat in 2022. Outside of Experience Camps, Brian is the Founder & CEO at Third Nature, a company that runs team development workshops & retreats, facilitator trainings for higher education faculty, and adult summer camps. He graduated from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

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