“People coming together, the openness, and the chance to just be.”
Our talented staff returns year after year. Here's who's coming this year. Check back for frequent updates!
- Bruce Ballistrieri - photographer - Bruce will keep us all looking our best with his great shots. We can't wait for the slide show at the Big Show! His photo of the rainbow from last year is framed and hung in the Wellness Room.
- Courtney Reckord - Yoga & Adult
Programs - Courtney is a treasure trove of information on yoga, massage, herbs, soap, candles, felting and just about anything. She loves the land and will explore nature with participants.
- Hannah Schoenberg - Youth Leader - Hannah is a student at UVM who loves hanging at Common Ground creating lanyards and knitting. She'll be making sure all the kids have fun in the sprinklers and pool out back of Kidville this year.
- Holly Betit
- Jackie Mangione - Watercolor Instructor - Jackie is an artist that has been showing and selling her art at juried craft shows, farmers’ markets and local venues for years. She enjoys teaching because she believes that each one of us holds a creative spark and with insight, instruction and encouragement, we awaken our own unique potential to make art. She paints and teaches art classess at her studio in The Soda Plant in Burlington, Vt. She has taught fabric dying, stenciling, watercolor and printmaking at Camp Common Ground for over 10 years. Visit her website at: www.jackiemangione.com.
Jim Mendell – Photographer & Conflict Resolution – Fully to blame for at least half of the 30,000 photos put into the computer in 2007, Jim usually is attached to a camara. Jim is interested in everybody and everything and would love to hear all of your ideas.- Karen Ranzi - Family Partner Support - Karen graduated from New York University with a Masters in Speech, Language Pathology. She has written a book called Creating Healthy Children. This will be her second year at Camp Kaleidoscope.
- Kim Dunkley – Youth Leader - After a long history in outdoor ed/rec with many ages, she's settled down as a pre-school educator in Morrisville, VT. Kim still makes time for the important stuff like traveling, skiing and standing on her head. She's looking forward to sharing some of her silliness and playing with folks this summer in Starksboro.
- Margaret Novotny - Margaret is the Executive Director of the Augmentative Learning and Movement Center. She has extensive experience working with children affected by autism. Margaret has a great sense of humor and loves Camp Kaleidoscope. The Family Partner Program was Margaret's brain child and she oversees the students.
- Mary Summers and Nora Wells - Community Volunteers - Mary and Nora are advocates for people with disabilities in Massachusetts. Both are taking time out of their busy lives to come play, make goop and have fun! They love sleeping in their tent under the stars!
- Marriane Estrela - OTR - Marianne is getting her Ph.D. in Occupational Therapy at Boston University. She worked at Camp Common Ground years ago as a lifeguard and will be joining us this year to help guide the Family Partners. She will also offer some of her latest research in an adult session.
- Melynda Schudrich - Youth Leader - Melynda is a homeschooling mom of three boys, a dog, a house rabbit, 2 guinea pigs and a fish, and she is also a special education teacher. She loves to work with her hands and create art that is functional. She has always incorporated art with learning. Her current passions are felting, basketweaving, and soap making. She is also a potter. She has been throwing pots since she was a kid! She can’t wait to teach everyone her craft!
- Noah Book - Youth Leader/Music - We always love to hear Noah sing around the campfire. He'll be joining us for the 3rd year overseeing the sand play, games and music out by the big tent.
- Rhett Williams - Youth Program Coordinator - Rhett has worked at Camp Kaleidoscope since its inception. He can be found in Kidville creating T-shirts, playing T ball, or doing anything else that kids like to do!
- Sarah Nestor - Assistant Camp Director - Sarah grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. Since graduating from college in 1998, she has lived and worked in nine different states. She is happy to have settled in Vermont, as of 2006. Sarah recently obtained her Masters in Speech Language Pathology and currently works for the Augmentative Movement and Learning Center. In her free time, she enjoys playing in the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain with her husband, Mike Welch.
- Sequana Skye - Camp Nurse - Sequana Skye, RN, BA, has had the opportunity to move in many wondrous ways thus far on this planet: she's worked as an nurse, expressive arts therapist with diverse groups, facilitated dream workshops and taught classes from Yoga for Seniors to LaMaze for pregnant couples. She's currently a Story-teller, sharing her own as well as others' stories in word, song, movement and theatre.
- Shane Verenbec - Youth/Teen Leader - Don't let the baby face fool you. On the other side of that childlike grin and nine dollar hair cut lies an old man wielding a wealth of knowledge and experience. At least that's what he claims. When not working as a residential counselor for adults diagnosed with autism or mentoring college students diagnosed with Asperger's, Shane can be found wrestling his 168 pound Newfoundland dog, being mauled by his two 16 pound dachshunds, writing songs and poems, or playing the piano. His origins remain a mystery. Some say he was
born into a band of gypsies in San Diego, others believe that he is a figment of no one's imagination, but if you ask him he'll tell you it doesn't matter where he's from, but where he is going, which is straight to the gluten free table in the Camp Common Ground kitchen!
- Tessa Holmes – Camp Chef – Tessa specializes in cooking vegetarian cuisine for large groups and individuals. She was head cook at the Heartwood Institute in CA for several years before coming to CGC. She also shares a strong interest in the arts, yoga, and photography. This is Tessa's 8th summer at CGC.
(All activities and staff are subject to change)