Camp Echo staff members are not only highly-trained individuals who are dedicated to working with children, they are also fun! "I cannot express in words how much I appreciate the cabin counselor who was charged with caring for my daughter. It was very obvious that the counselor truly got to know my daughter. Thank you for providing a wonderful experience - we're already planning next year!"

Rob Johnston, Property Manager, lives at Camp Echo year-round and handles all maintenance issues at camp. He is in his twenty-eighth year with Camp Echo. Rob supervises both paid staff at camp, and volunteers of all ages who donate their time and expertise. During the off-season, Rob works on various projects that enhance and improve the Camp Echo facility.

Katie Trippi, Alumni Development Director, began camping at Echo as a nine-year-old in Friendship Lodge. She went to Camp Echo every year through college and beyond, serving as a supportive and loving counselor to many young girls. After spending several years on the East Coast, Katie returned to Echo in 1992 and has worked in a number of leadership roles. Currently, she connects with alumni and raises funds to support camper scholarships and numerous program initiatives.

Brian McGinn, Assistant Property Manager, lives at Camp Echo year-round. He served on the maintenance staff at Echo in 1988 and developed a life-long passion for camp. For years, he gave his time and carpentry skills generously between jobs with his own contracting business in Evanston, IL. In 2004, the McGinn family moved to Camp Echo when Brian became a full-time Camp Echo staff member.

Lindsay Thompson, Program Manager, graduated from the University of Wisconsin with an Elementary Education major in 2005. She taught fifth and sixth grade at El Sierra School in Downers Grove for three years. She is now in her fourth year as Program Manager, she has been a Camp Echo staff member since 2000 - Senior Counselor, Aquatic Director, and Assistant Main Camp Director.

Eliza Gilford, Main Camp Director is a graduate of Evanston Township High School, and Colorado College - with a degree in pre-medicine and government. She began coming to Camp Echo as a ten-day-old Family Camper in 1984 and has not missed a summer since. During the school year she works for Second Nature Wilderness Therapy Program in Utah.

Camp Echo Staff

Camp Echo staff members are chosen with care from a pool of applicants that includes both returning Camp Echo veterans and new recruits from colleges around the country and high schools in the Evanston area.

Our Michigan licensing procedures require that we maintain a 1:10 ratio of staff members (age 18 or older) to campers at all times during the day, and a 1:14 ratio at night; Camp Echo's ratios are closer to 1:5 during the day and 1:7 at night. The ratio for our teen programs is closer to 1:4.

The staff spends at least a week in early June before camp starts studying camp policies and learning counseling and teaching methods that are industry standard. All Camp Echo policies and procedures are available for viewing online in our staff manual. All staff members are certified in CPR and First Aid, and most are certified lifeguards. All Trip Guides have a Wilderness First Responder certification or better.

Pathfinders and Main Campers interact with a number of different motivated and mature staff members. Leadership Staff are age 21 or older and have special training, expertise, or certifications. These staff members teach Camptivity classes, lead all-camp programs, and serve as mentors to both campers and staff members. Senior Counselors are age 18 or older and most have a year or more of college; Assistant Counselors have completed three years of high school. Senior and Assistant Counselors live in cabins and eat all meals with Pathfinders and Main Campers. Through a balance of role modeling and providing guidance, they ensure a safe and environment in which all campers can grow and learn. Many cabins also have a Counselor-In-Training who has completed two years of high school and adds depth to the counseling team.

Teen participants (Voyagers, Explorers, Rangers, and others) and trippers are mentored by Teen Counselors and Trip Guides who have been specifically trained in the unique needs and issues facing teenagers. Teen Counselors work with each individual to develop leadership skills and use teambuilding activities to build a positive group dynamic. Trip Guides are experienced staff members who safely lead participants on exciting wilderness adventures that develop self-confidence.

Family Camp staff are almost all age 21 or older. They are typically college graduates, long-time returning alumni with a wealth of camp experience, or dedicated international staff members who are finishing their summer in United States. These fun and engaging counselors love families and facilitate the many activities during family camp.

Please follow the job descriptions link to view detailed descriptions for every Camp Echo job.

Photos and biographies of returning Camp Echo staff members will appear on the Camp Echo website (after January 1st) as they are hired and new staff will be added each session during the summer. Please visit the 2007 Staff web page to learn more about our wonderful staff from last summer!