Debra Deal, Executive Director

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As Executive Director, Debra works closely with the CBC board to develop the vision and philosophy of camp and has overall responsibility for developing camp programs and infrastructure, managing the budget and fundraising activities, and supervising personnel. In collaboration with staff, board, and other organizations, she plans to expand year-round programming and to realize the full potential of Camp Beech Cliff’s location and facilities.

Debra has more than 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, managing programs at camps, outdoor education centers, and other recreational programs for youth and adults. For the five years just preceding her joining the CBC team in 2006, Debra served as Director of Camping and Recreation Services for AHRC, one of the largest social service agencies in New York City. She has also directed camps and an outdoor education center for urban, disadvantaged youth in Washington, D.C. and on Long Island, and helped to start a new camp in Rhinebeck, NY for girls from 20 different countries to promote multi-culturalism. She earned her B.A. from the University of Richmond, Virginia, and her Masters in Education from Harvard.

Debra has vacationed on MDI for years and now lives there with her husband, Rogier van Bakel, a freelance writer and photographer, and her two small daughters.

Kevin Downey, Director of Outdoor Education & Camp Programs

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Kevin took over the reins of our Challenge Course and other outdoor education programs in April of 2008 and has proved to be everything we hoped him to be -- and more! He is passionate about the outdoors and helping young people develop a strong set of life skills. His remarkable background includes not only wide-ranging outdoors experience, but also working on the Zuni Reservation and for the Peace Corps. As of November 2008, Kevin has been promoted to a new year-round position of Director of Camp and Outdoor Education.

Prior to joining the Camp Beech Cliff team, Kevin worked for five years as a certified teacher with the Zuni Public School District where his primary role was Coordinator / Lead Teacher of the Character Education Program. He developed their Challenge Course program from the ground up; planned and led adventure, wilderness and cultural trips; and established and taught an alternative program at the high school for high risk students that integrated academics, service learning, experiential education and wilderness counseling.

His Peace Corps experience in eastern Russia included teaching English as well as coordinating and leading wilderness excursions, hikes, and community service projects for the Rostok Ecology Organization. In addition, he has been an instructor for several environmental education organizations, leading programs in New York, California, Washington and Colorado. Kevin’s outdoor leadership training includes courses by the National Outdoor Leadership School, Project Adventure and the Santa Fe Mt Center. He earned a B.S. in Education from Canisius College (NY) and an MS. in Information Systems from Pace University (NY).

A snowboarding enthusiast (and certified instructor), Kevin also enjoys rock climbing, trail running and practicing Chi Gung. Originally from the northeast, Kevin and his fiancé Caitlin are happy to be settling back in the northeast where they will be closer to family – and where there is more water and green on the landscape.

Heidi Welch,Program and Public Relations Specialist

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Heidi produces our newsletter, camp brochure and other printed materials; handles our public relations; and leads the development of our special nature programming for summer camp and school groups. “At CBC, I get to combine the best parts of two previous careers – one as a naturalist/outdoor educator and the other working with nonprofit organizations.”

Heidi has lived and worked on Mount Desert Island for 30+ years. Her background in outdoor education includes being a naturalist at Acadia National Park (“That’s how I got to MDI!”) and Olympic National Park (WA); teaching at the Audubon Ecology Camp in Maine, the Kieve Leadership-Decisions Institute (ME), the Yosemite Institute (CA); and the Otter Lake Conservation School (NH); and developing environmental education activities for elementary school children in Bar Harbor and Freeport. She earned her B.A. in elementary school and outdoor education from Antioch College (OH).

As a member of Gary Friedmann & Associates’ Bar Harbor team of consultants for 7 ½ years, Heidi has provided fundraising, organizational development, public relations, and graphic design services to numerous nonprofits in Maine, including several on MDI. In fact, in that capacity she has been producing the Camp Beech Cliff newsletter and a variety of our other printed materials and PR off and on for years.

Heidi started camping with her family when she was knee-high-to-a-grasshopper and has been enamored of plants, birds, water, rocks and the sky ever since. She is an avid hiker, canoeist and cross-country skier.

Brenda Fletcher, Office Manager Database Administrator

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Brenda manages the Camp Beech Cliff office, assisting staff, integrating the separate software applications currently used, working on camp publications, and hoping to get back on the climbing wall this winter. She has a B.A. in German Literature from Duke University and a background in kids (including two grown daughters), computers (programmer, systems analyst, quality assurance, customer support, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera) and chaos (Red Coss hurricane relief). Prior to coming to Camp Beech Cliff, her most recent job (also chaos related) was working as a consultant on the management team working to straighten out the problems with the MaineCare software. Her non-profit experience includes three years at the Jackson Lab and more than fifteen years as Financial Officer and Board Member for the Summer Festival of the Arts.