Getting HereOur Director Team
Drew Black- Managing Director
Drew joined Camp Couchiching in April 2023. He had worked full-time in camping for the past 11 years and has worked in event management prior to that. Drew takes on the role that our Camp Director's have had in the past decade and will also provide oversight to other areas of the Camp's operations including administration, food services, facility and program. This keystone position will help ensure decades more of "Excellence in Camping" at Camp Couchiching. Drew will be one of our employees who live on the Camp property while it's operating and will divide his work between working remotely and being at Camp the rest of the year.
Drew has been a proud camper in his formative years and his extended family has been involved in camping for decades. Drew, and his wife Andrea, continued the family camping tradition with their two children, who both have attended and worked at summer camps and are currently enrolled in University.
Drew loves spending time outdoors, his favourites being on the water or enjoying a campfire with friends and family, with the family British Bulldog, George, by their side.
Jen Dundas - Executive Director
Since 1993, Jen has worked full time in camping and she joined us as the Executive Director at Camp Couchiching in 2016. Jen was the Camp Director at Camp Couchiching for the summers of 1997 to 2003. Between her "stints" at Camp Couchiching, Jen worked with both provincial and national non-profit camping programs with Girl Guides, Diabetes Canada, the YMCA-YWCA of Guelph and Autism Ontario. Jen is one of the trainers in Canada for the International Camp Director's Course and also shares her time and knowledge with the Ontario Camps Association on both Standards' Committees.
Jen's family join her at camp during the summer too. Her husband, Dave Buddell, is a former Geneva Park and Camp Couchiching employee. He is a teacher with the Halton Board of Education. Dave and Jen were married in the Camp Couchiching Chapel in 2001! Their daughter Tessa is a keen Camp Couchiching day and overnight camper. Their dog, Trixie, is a mid-sized brown, poodle- loveable mutt.
Contact Jen through email at jen@campcouchiching.com or at the Camp office anytime.
Ross McIntyre- Director of Community Initiatives (CCI)
Ross has been involved in a variety of camps and outdoor centre's since 2003 and camping has always been an important part of his life. Ross began with Camp Couchiching in the spring of 2011 and has worked to build Camp’s local presence, programs and partnerships. Over the years, Camp Couchiching has become an important part of the non-profit landscape in Orillia and area, offering programs at schools, specialty camps, local events, teen programs and much more through the Camp Couchiching Community Initiative.
Ross feels the camping movement is synonymous with personal development and social value. Participants are given an experience-based way to engage, learn, and grow. These invaluable aspects of camping become a reality everyday at Camp Couchiching and Ross is pleased to be a part of such an amazing community.
Ross completed his Masters in Community Engagement and Social Justice at Laurier in 2018 and continues to apply this learning experience to his role at Camp Couchiching and in the local community.
Ross, along with Hilary and Lexi, will be a significant resource connected to the Learning Commons (click here to learn more about this neat initiative).
Ross can be reached via email at rossmcintyre@campcouchiching.com
Angie Matthews- Director of Operations
Angie Matthews has been our front line administrative ambassador since 2010 and since 2017, has moved onto our Director team as the Director of Operations. She is overseeing Facility, Administration and Food Service. Angie is a wealth of local knowledge, she's an Orillia born gal! Angie's experience as an Events Coordinator at YMCA Geneva Park will also help her exceed at this role. Angie lives with her daughter Emma and partner Garry and some swell kitties in Orillia year round.
Angie can be reached at angie@campcouchiching.com
Lexi Haddock- Camp Director
Since 2019, Lexi has shared her friendliness and keen eye for organization with Camp Couchiching. She was an immediate "hit" with campers, teachers and staff members. Lexi comes from a significant background in various camping jobs with the Tim Horton's Children Foundation. Lexi has been our Outdoor Education Director and recently moved into our Camp Director position. Her portfolio in this role includes overseeing operations of our Overnight & Day Camps, our year round Leadership programming, and other programming including March Break Camps, PA Day Programs and will be a lead in parts of the The Camp Couchiching Learning Commons being developed throughout 2021/2022 (click here to learn more about this neat program).
Lexi's extended family live in central Ontario which is also where she grew up and did most of her post secondary education.
When she's not busy at work, Lexi likes to explore the outdoors, especially with her doodle pup, Rose, and snowboard.
You can reach Lexi at lexi@campcouchiching.com
Hilary Villneff- Director of Learning
Hilary has spent most of her life working towards providing meaningful outdoor experiences for kids and youth through outdoor education, wilderness expeditions and summer camps.
We are so pleased to have Hilary join us to put "boots to the ground" in landing our projects related to the Learning Commons (click here to learn more about this neat initiative)!
Hilary moved back to her hometown Orillia with her husband and two children for greater access to enriching outdoor experiences, and is thrilled to be working towards expanding these experiences for the community with Camp Couchiching as well. Hilary holds an MA in Applied Health Sciences from Brock University and recently worked in Assistant Director roles at both Onondaga Camp and Camp Kandalore.
Hilary's contact is hilary@campcouchiching.com
LastUpdate: 2023-09-19 18:52:48
