To our YMCA of the Pines Community:

At YMCA of the Pines, we are committed to hiring exceptional people, as we are dedicated to being an “Employer of Choice” in both the camping industry, and the YMCA movement. Our efforts to raise our organization’s profile within the camping industry and the YMCA movement were evident based upon the candidate pool for the Camp Matollionequay Director position, as we had a bevy of qualified and exciting candidates apply for the position.

We conducted an extensive interview process, as candidates interviewed with our leadership team, program directors, and our board chair.

Candidates were also asked to present for nearly two hours before a panel of leadership team members, program directors, and Matolly alumni. The presentations involved myriad topics, including expanding upon ideas presented by leading minds in the camping industry, such as Dr. Randall Grayson.

The interview process, in its entirety, starting during the morning and lasted well into the evening for each candidate.

Now that we are at the conclusion of this extensive process, I am excited to announce that we have hired our next Camp Matollionequay Director – Charlotte Brown! Charlotte is originally from northern New Jersey, and grew up attending a girls sleepaway camp in the Poconos. Charlotte has spent much of her life in camping, and has built a diverse background from which she will no doubt draw to serve our Matolly campers.

We are particularly excited that Charlotte has a master’s degree and background in social work, and has served as a camp social worker in the past. Given the needs of today’s youth, this background should be particularly helpful as we strive to provide an impactful, developmental experience for all of our campers.

Between Charlotte, Matt Foran, and Christine Giannobile, we have a fantastic team in our overnight camping department, and we look forward to the many wonderful things they will accomplish in the years to come!

Greg Keresztury
Chief Operating Officer
YMCA of the Pines

 

Dear YMCA of the Pines Families,

I am thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to be the next Camp Matollionequay Director.

I grew up here in New Jersey, and started attending camp at the age of five. By nine, I was spending my summers at an all-girls sleepaway camp in the Poconos, which I attended as a camper and staff member for nine years. After graduating from the University of Hartford, where I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, I moved to Israel for a year before moving to Brooklyn. There I earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Adelphi University.

I’ve worked in camps for most of my adult life, in a variety of roles. I’ve been a camp social worker, served as director for a day camp and after-school program for inner-city youth in Brooklyn, worked as an enrollment manager and parent coordinator, been the director of the sleepaway camp program run through the 92nd Street Y in New York City, and most recently oversaw marketing and curriculum development at a camp in Hawaii.

After all my experiences, I have returned to my roots and found my original passion in working at an all-girls sleepaway camp. I am excited to make Camp Matollionequay my home with my husband, Robinson, and cat, Seven. We are eager to work with the YMCA of the Pines team to continue to elevate this already amazing and magical camp. As someone who grew up at a camp with a rich history of its own, I understand how deeply important it is to preserve Camp Matolly’s traditions and heritage, and look forward to doing this with your help and the many other supportive alumni.

Camp can be one of the most important experiences in a child’s life. It serves as a sanctuary for emotional and psychological growth, a place to cultivate profound friendships, a powerful tool for self-discovery, and a safe space to express, create, and face challenges in a positive community.

I will strive to ensure that camp remains an environment where children will develop the core values they will bring with them into adulthood. I believe campers will leave camp more confident, resilient and independent – and most importantly happy and full of magic.

As the new director of Matolly, I have been given a tremendous amount of responsibility to be the steward of this hallowed and wonderful place. It is not a responsibility which I take lightly, but it is one I look forward to carrying. I can’t wait to meet our camp families, staff, and alumni in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at 609-654-8225 x1523 or charlotte@ycamp.org.

I look forward to meeting you this summer!

Charlotte Brown
Camp Matollionequay Director
YMCA of the Pines