2023 Leadership Staff
Meet our Leadership Team
Abby Post
Unit 1 Leader, 5th Year Staff Member
Skidmore College — Health and Human Physiology major
Abby is returning this year as Unit Leader. Abby was the Unit leader last summer. This will be Abby’s 15th year at camp! She began her career at Roughing It as a First Grade (G1) camper and went on to become a CILT and Jr Counselor. Abby graduated from Skidmore College this May in New York and plans to be a physical therapist. Abby is a welcoming hand to new staff and assists all the group counselors in organizing activities, teaching staff the RI way, helping campers try new things and grow, and especially to help make camp fun
Rio Nickerson
Unit Leader, 4th Year Staff Member
Cal State University — Education and Music major
Rio has been a Roughing It camper since 2013, going from camper to CILT to Jr Counselor. Previously a swim director in 2022, Rio is returning this year as a Unit Leader. He oversees the older group counselors, assists Amy the camp director, and makes sure the camp day goes smoothly. Rio started camp as a third grader (B3) and has since gone through 2 years in the Roughing It CILT program, 2 years as a junior counselor, 1 year as a group counselor, 1 year as assistant swim director, and 1 year as swim director (summer ’22). Rio graduated May 2022 from Cal State University East Bay with a major in Education and Music. He is attending the teacher education program this fall at CSU East Bay and will become a high school music teacher
Ally Petek
CILT Group Counselor & Assistant Unit Leader, 1st Year Staff Member
UC Santa Barbara — Law major
Ally is returning for her second summer at Roughing It. She grew up in Orinda, CA and is a rising junior at UC Santa Barbara, studying Law and is captain of her Debate Team. As a kid, she attended lots of day and overnight camps, and remembers how special and exciting camp-life always was. She loves spending time with kids and being outdoors. Ali was the sports counselor and then Girls Junior High Counselor at Roughing It summer 2022. She is helping the campers in the CILT program to become leaders at camp and is also on our administrative team as Assistant Unit Leader.
Phoebe Schmidt
Program Director, 2nd Year Staff Member
University of Michigan — Organizational Studies and Communications major
Phoebe is a rising junior at the University of Michigan studying organizational studies and communications. She’s lived in Orinda her entire life and is very familiar with the surrounding area. She’s attended a number of camps in the area and brings that experience to her second summer at Roughing It. She was a G3 counselor summer 2022 and is now the Assist Program Director working with the Res Staff, and helped Roughing It to hire staff in May. In her free time she enjoys going on hikes, making jewelry, spending time with friends, cooking/baking, reading, and music. This year she enjoyed a trip to Rome during Spring Break
Alex Evans
Waterfront Director, 3rd Year Staff Member
UC San Diego – Data Science major
Alex is coming back for his 15th summer at Roughing It! He was a camper (incl. a CILT & JC) for 12 years before joining our staff last summer. He did an incredible job as the B23 Group Counselor and moved into the Waterfront Director position summer 2022. We’re excited to have him back this summer as Director of his favorite camp activity, Waterfront! Alex is transferring from Diablo Valley College to UC San Diego with a major in data science.
Ethan Gelston
Assistant Waterfront Director, 1st Year Staff Member
Diablo Valley College
Ethan is joining us for the first time this summer. He is an Eagle Scout and brings his Boy Scout experience and love for the outdoors and water sports, to Roughing It this season. He has multiple years of canoeing, rowing, fishing, and kayaking which makes him perfect to lead our Waterfront activities. He has family in Alaska and learned everything about boats and fishing and the outdoors from a young age. His favorite memories growing up are camping with the Boy Scouts and his Dad during summer. He is transferring from Chico State to Diablo Valley College with plans to attend a school with a film department
Meghan Hughes
Swim Director, 1st Year Staff Member
ASU – Tourism & Recreation Management
This is Meghan’s first year at Roughing It. She is currently enrolled at ASU for Tourism and Recreation Management, graduating December 2023 and has worked as a manager for Starbucks. She’s taught children beginner swimming for 5 years at LMYA. She also has 9 years of experience on swim teams and working with children of all ages in the pool. Meghan worked for 10 years for Starbucks and has been a manager and recipient of their scholarship program. She’s an avid hiker with a love for the outdoors and is ecstatic for camp this summer
Jack Bender
Assistant Swim Director, 1st Year Staff Member
Texas Christian University – Accounting major
Jack has been swimming his whole life. He was on the De La Salle Varsity Swim and Water Polo Teams, has experience teaching at swim and water polo camps, and is also scuba certified! He loves to travel and has been to 9 different countries where he was able to fully appreciate each of their cultures. Jack brings a love for sports ranging from football, basketball, water polo and swimming. He is currently enrolled at Texas Christian University pursuing accounting. He is enjoying working with the campers at the pool this summer and is especially impressed with the progress the Junior High and CILT campers have made in waterpolo! Jack is happy to be at the pool this summer!
Penny the Camp Dog
Camp Dog, 3rd Year Staff Member
Breed: Boxer
Hi campers! It’s Penny the Camp Dog. I’m so excited to be back for my third year at Roughing It Day Camp as the official camp dog. I spent several years as the camp dog in training under Gus, Ann and Hobie’s German Shorthaired Pointer. I am a rescue dog and Amy and her family adopted me six years ago through the Boxer Rescue. I love visiting with campers and going to Opening Circle and making my camp announcements. Looking forward to seeing you around camp.
