Leading by Example

It's about safety and support, but we understand that boys need strong role models. Leading by example, and teaching to lead by example is a strong tenet of the Camp O-AT-KA staff.

Camp Leadership

The most important consideration in choosing a camp is its safe environment and qualified staff. At O-AT-KA we understand this and have worked hard to build a strong leadership staff.

With decades of camp expertise, our leadership staff strives to provide a caring, supportive and safe environment for every camper. The boys at Camp O-AT-KA are supported and nurtured, as well as challenged and held to a high standard. Accomplishing both of these together is a skill we have refined over decades of guiding boys on their path to being men.

Camp O-AT-KA enjoys a healthy diversity in the backgrounds of our staff. There are many women working in camp in addition to men. And just like the boys that spend their summers here, our staff come from all over the nation, as well as foreign countries.

Read on to learn more about our leadership staff, and to hear what parents have to say about our boy's summer camp.

Executive Director -- Ron Hall

Ron Hall brings a broad range of educational and camping experience to his role with over 35 years of education administration and camp management experience. A camper in 1954, Ron became Executive Director in 1994. In 2000, Ron retired but did not stay away for long! He returned to camp as the Executive Director in 2006. In addition to his camp and school work, Ron has held numerous leadership positions with the Maine Youth Camp Association and the American Camp Association. He currently serves on the ACA-New England Board of Directors.

Summer Camp Director -- Bill Southwick

Bill Southwick, began his career at O-AT-KA in 1978 as a middle unit camper. Over the years, Bill has served as a cabin counselor, wilderness trip leader, senior unit head, and assistant director. When he is not at camp, Bill is a middle school teacher and coach at Dexter School in Brookline, Massachusetts. An American Camp Association Standards Visitor, he has served the Junior Maine Guide Program since 1991. Bill comes to camp with his wife Heather and three children.

Service Master -- Bob Courtney

Bob Courtney, has spent 50 summers at O-AT-KA. He began his O-AT-KA career as a junior unit counselor, and has held positions including unit head, head of work crew, head of Commons and service master. Bob is a retired professor of mathematics at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas.

Charles Donovan

Charles Donovan, has fifteen years of camp leadership experience. Charles has dual roles as program director and cabin counselor in the junior unit. He is a high school biology teacher and debate coach at Loyola Blakefield School, outside Baltimore, Maryland.

Dick Gibson

Dick Gibson has been with O-AT-KA for twenty-five years. Dick has served as the waterfront director and senior unit head. A retired physical education teacher and coach, Dick and his wife, Chris, live in Tucson, Arizona.

Chris Kohl

Chris Kohl, a health educator at Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine, has spent ten summers at O-AT-KA, as a counselor, program director, unit head, and director of the pre-season soccer clinic. Chris runs the Middle Unit and serves as Athletic Director, overseeing coaching and instruction in all aspects of athletics. For 2010, Chris is developing an all-new athletics skills program for Junior Unit campers.

Dave Fox

Dave Fox, was sixteen when he came to camp in 1957 as a junior counselor-in-training. He stayed for seven years as a cabin counselor and boating instructor. He returned periodically during his career as an Episcopal priest and now serves as Junior Unit head. His wife Lynn, a retired teacher, oversees the stained glass studio and assists Dave with the Junior Unit.

Brian Peterson

Brian has been a staff member at O-AT-KA since 2003, following several years at another residential camp in his native California. Brian oversees the rifle program in addition to his duties as CIT Director. He teaches environmental education in Texas when he is not at camp.

Roy and Amy Heller

Roy and Amy are in their fourth and fifth summers at O-AT-KA, respectively. Amy is an Episcopal priest and chaplain at a K-12 school in Dallas, Texas, and Roy is a professor of Old Testament Studies at Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, Texas. Amy and Roy fill the roles of chaplain and program instructors. They come to camp with their two children, Noah and Annie.

Galen Brownley

Galen "Bubba" Brownley, has been with O-AT-KA for eight summers. He has served as a cabin counselor, director of the Counselor in Training Program, and now turns his considerable skills to the trips program.. Bubba is an environmental educator in Houston, Texas, teaching fifth graders environmental science, canoeing, and fishing. Bubba has recently been named Director of Dennen Week.

Dawne-Marie Dunbar, RN and Linda Robbat, RN

Dawne-Marie and Linda direct a health team that brings together over twenty years of nursing experience and provides coverage 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Brian Rounds

Brian Rounds, artist and impressario extraordinaire, has been with O-AT-KA for three summers. Brian works with the Junior Unit, counseling campers and leading an array of evening programs, including the Junior Unit Olympics, visits from wizards, jesters, and even serving as a judge on O-AT-KA Idol. Brian oversees the Goff Center for the Arts, teaching pottery, arts and crafts, woodworking, and even cooking, and he has elevated the level of instruction and projects to unprecedented levels. During the "off-season," Brian teaches in the Windham, Maine schools.