Janet Vandenbark, ChairJanet Vandenbark is a Senior Vice President with the consulting firm, Think2Perform. Prior to Think2Perform she was in the financial services industry for over 26 years and in senior executive roles over the last several years. Janet began her personal relationship with CEF as the first chair of the Founder's Committee for Ogichi Daa Kwe. Her brothers, Tom and Jim, nephews, Scott and John, are all Kooch-i-ching alumni. She attended Camp Northland in Ely, MN for 10 years and is a NOLS alumnus.

Hugh Haller, PresidentHugh is the President of the Camping and Education Foundation and Camping and Education, LLC. He spent 20 years in the restaurant business in Chicago, and ten years as the president and co-founder of Webster Management Group, a private commodity trading firm. Hugh began his association first with Wasaka Boy’s Club and later Kooch-i-ching, attending as a camper and staff man in the 1960s and 1970s.

Tom Martella, SecretaryTom is a senior management consultant based in Washington, D.C. who helps Federal government and international clients modernize business processes and implement information technology solutions. Tom was first associated with Kooch-i-ching as a counselor and trip head in the 1970s.  His son Chris is a Kooch-i-ching alumnus and current trip head.

Jeff PattersonJeff is a partner at Minnesota Brokerage Group, a regional commercial real estate firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He specializes in providing real estate services to a variety of corporate clients. He is a Kooch-i-ching alumnus and his children Tory (Ogichi Daa Kwe) and Steve (Kooch-i-ching) are as well. Jeff was part of the Ogichi Daa Kwe Founders Committee.

Jim Shook, Senior EmeritusJim is President of Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty Services, a full-service commercial brokerage firm located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jim is a Kooch-i-ching alumnus and his daughters, Stephanie and Natalie, have attended Ogichi Daa Kwe and his son, Creighton, has served on the staff at Kooch-i-ching.

Jay StoehrJay is President of Robbins Sports Surfaces, Inc., a family owned and operated supplier of high performance maple and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. Jay is a Kooch-i-ching alumnus and his children, Jamie, Sydney, Maddie, and Gretchen have all attended Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi Daa Kwe.

Steve Eha, Chairman, Chair - Executive CommitteeSteve is a Senior Manager, National Accounts with Philips Consumer Lifestyles. Steve is an alumnus of Kooch-i-ching and helped found the Kooch-i-ching Alumni Association.

Hugh Haller, PresidentHugh is the President of the Camping and Education Foundation and Camping and Education, LLC. He spent 20 years in the restaurant business in Chicago, and ten years as the president and co-founder of Webster Management Group, a private commodity trading firm. Hugh began his association first with Wasaka Boy’s Club and later Kooch-i-ching, attending as a camper and staff man in the 1960s and 1970s.

Carrie Alt, Chair - Ogichi Daa KweCarrie Alt has been involved in the ownership and governance aspects of her family’s business, Seaman Corporation, for the last 15 years. She developed the role of family council leader for the organization and served in this position for six years. She has also served on the Board of Directors for Seaman Corporation. For seven years, Carrie worked as a registered nurse at Children’s Memorial Hospital, specializing in the care of critically ill infants. While at Children’s, she helped develop the role of outreach educator for the Northwestern Perinatal Network. Carrie’s interest in fitness led her to discover Pilates 10 years ago. She completed her certification through Stott Pilates in 2011. In addition to teaching Pilates, Carrie enjoys running, skiing and sailing on Lake Michigan with her family. Carrie graduated from DePauw University in 1993 with at BS in Nursing. She lives in Winnetka, IL with her husband Ken and two daughters Jessica and Kylie (both Ogichi Daa Kwe campers!).

Henry "Hank" BrightwellHank is a Senior Vice President with Stifel Nicolaus and Company. Hank and his wife, Linda have been dedicated supporters of the Camping and Education Foundation, Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi Daa Kwe for many years. Hank is an alumnus of Kooch-i-ching from the 1960s and 70s, having been a camper and staff man. Linda is an Ogichi Daa Kwe Women's Tripper. Daughters Sidney and Carly have been involved in the Ogichi Daa Kwe program.

John ClagettJohn is the Owner and President of Q4 Wealth Management, Inc., a firm dedicated to assisting families with their advanced planning and wealth management needs. Through the years John has relied upon the many life lessons learned through his experiences as a camper and counselor at Kooch-i-ching. Be it raising a family, running a business, coaching a youth soccer team or being involved in the local community; the values instilled at that young age run deep and still prove to be relevant. A few years ago, John was asked to assist with a backpacking trip in Wyoming for a group of young Kooch-i-ching campers. It was an experience that reignited his Kooch-i-ching flame and motivated him to actively engage with the Camping and Education Foundation. John lives in Fort Collins with his wife, Kris, and three daughters, Allie, Katie, and Carly.

Jeff Coleman, Chair - Camp Kooch-i-chingJeff currently works as the personal/property manager for Walt Bettinger in Menlo Park, CA. He previously was a college basketball coach for 19 years in Ohio. Jeff was a camper and counselor at Kooch-i-ching from the late 70's to the early 90's.

Kathy Dix, Director – Ogichi Daa KweKathy is the Director of Ogichi Daa Kwe and has served in that capacity since the formation of the Founders Committee in 2001. She is a former trustee of Kooch-i-ching and her two boys, Stephen and Jamey, are Kooch-i-ching alums and her two daughters, Libby and Emily are alumni at Ogichi Daa Kwe.

John Grate, Senior EmeritusJohn is an educational consultant in private practice, working mostly with school boards and public school systems across the country. John is an alumnus of Kooch-i-ching and his involvement with the organization dates back 60 years.

Tim Heinle, Senior EmeritusTim is Director Emeritus of Kooch-i-ching, having served as the camp’s director from 1982 until his retirement in 1995. Since then, Tim has stayed involved, helping the fundraising efforts as the president of the Camping and Education Foundation. In 2008, he formally retired from that role and continues to be connected with the organization’s alumni, parents, and friends.

Harold Rockwell “Rocky” KroegerBorn and raised in St. Louis, MO, Rocky was a Prep, Junior, and Intermediate camper at Kooch-i-ching from 1980-1983. After college Rocky moved to Aspen, where and his wife Heather have three wonderful daughters; Grace, Kaelyn, and Rocky. The two older girls are campers at Ogichi, where they have had a positive and transformative experience. One of Rocky’s main reasons for devoting time and resources to the organization is his fervent hope that Ogichi Daa Kwe can thrive and become the sister institution to Kooch-i-ching that both camps deserve. Rocky has had a successful and diverse career in the financial services industry and currently is President of TowerHill Wealth Management Relevant, which specializes in marketing financial products to institutions and high net-worth families.

Steve Luebkeman, Chair - Long Range Planning CommitteeSteve’s connection with Kooch-i-ching began in 1980 when he attended as a Senior camper on the recommendation of John Grate. In 1986, Steve joined BASES, a specialized marketing research and consulting firm. Steve currently manages Nielsen’s relationship with the Kraft Foods account in two areas: Marketing Analytics, which advises Kraft on pricing, promotions and advertising expenditures and BASES in the area of innovation and new product optimization. Steve and his wife Sara reside just outside Chicago and have two great children, Ben and Meg who are in 2nd and 3rd grade.

Gary MachakGary comes to the CEF board by the way of George K. Baum and Co. where he works as Executive Vice President Manager, and has worked for over 30 years, specializing in public finance. Gary and his wife Mary have three children, Michael and Nick, who have attended Kooch-i-ching for years and Megan, who has been at Ogichi for the past three years. They live in Dallas, TX. Gary enjoys skiing, fishing and golf and made his debut appearance at the Bugsy Invitational in 2009. That golf score is still under review.

David Mesker, Chair - Finance CommitteeDavid is a First Vice President - Investment Officer with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. He is a Kooch-i-ching alumnus and legacy following in his father’s experience at camp in the mid ‘40s. David’s son, David III, is a six year alum at Kooch-i-ching. David attended Webster University in St. Louis where he earned a Marketing/Photography degree. He is an avid boatsman, skier and holds a martial arts third degree black belt.

Bob Park, Chair - Governance CommitteeBob is a Kooch-i-ching alumnus where he began as a Junior camper and served as counselor. He and his brothers, David and Tim, were a part of Kooch-i-ching from the mid-80s to the early 90s. Bob is Principal at Deloitte Consulting where he focuses in supporting his clients’ technology and human capital transformation initiatives. Bob and his family reside in Troy, MI.

John PryorJohn hails from Winnetka, IL but has been living in Colorado for 30 years. John attended Kooch-i-ching in the late 60s and his son, Thad, and daughter, Coco, are now thoroughly enjoying Kooch-i-ching & Ogichi Daa Kwe. John's desire to serve on the board stems from his desire to see Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi Daa Kwe thrive and continue to transform young people’s lives in meaningful ways. John has served on numerous boards and commissions over the years including 10 years on The Nature Conservancy of Colorado's Board of Trustees. John is a principal at Telluride Venture Partners, an early stage investment company.

Joan Pesek-Marshak, Chair - Development CommitteeJoan joined the board in August 2009 and brings extensive experience in all aspects of fundraising. She has worked at small and large non-profit organizations in Tennessee, New York and Maryland. Currently, Joan has joined her husband, Dan, in Shanghai, China, where he is President of PerkinElmer. They have two sons, Michael and Andrew, who are Kooch-i-ching alumni.

George Simmons, Senior EmeritusGeorge is Managing Director of Hat Creek Energy; an oil and gas company in Denver, Colorado. George has over 42 years of experience in both domestic and international oil and gas exploration and production. He is a Kooch-i-ching alumnus as are his two sons, Geoff and Curt. His daughter, Kris is an Ogichi Daa Kwe Women's Tripper and his grandsons have attended Kooch-i-ching.

Amy StoehrAmy is the mother of four children, all of whom have been campers as well as staff at Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi Daa Kwe. Amy and Jay have been supporters of Kooch-i-ching and the Camping and Education Foundation for many years. Amy and Jay, and their daughters, have been intimately involved at Ogichi since its inception, beginning with the Inaugural Trip in 2004. Amy has participated in all seven annual Ogichi Daa Kwe Women's Trips.

Peter TesterPeter Tester, a Kooch-i-ching alumnus from the mid '70s, lives in Minneapolis, MN with his wife, Maya. Their daughters are juniors in college in the New England area, and the whole family enjoys camping, canoing and hiking throughout the U.S. Peter is building his first (and perhaps last!) cedar strip canoe in his garage, and hopes to float the boat to Kooch-i-ching in time for the last week of camp festivities. He was at Kooch-i-ching for six years, and his father, a professor of ecology at the University of Minnesota, spent time teaching the staff about the ecology of the canoe country during pre-season. Peter is Senior Corporate Counsel at Ecolab Inc. in St. Paul, in charge of environmental and regulatory legal matters for the company. He previously worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Natural Resources Division of the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, working on natural resource and Indian treaty rights cases.

Richard Thompson, Community LiaisonRichard's family owns and operates Northern Lumber Yard, Inc in International Falls, MN. Richard is a Kooch-i-ching alumnus and staff during the 1960-70s. The Thompson family has supported the Foundation in various ways for decades.

J.R. Verkamp, Director - Camp Kooch-i-chingJR Verkamp started his Kooch-i-ching career at age 9. Working his way through all camper age divisions and most staff positions, JR took on the role of Associate Director in 2006. JR and his wife Tenney live in Cincinnati with their three beautiful daughters Sidney, Charlotte and Greta.

Sharon Pohl WalshSharon Pohl Walsh lives in Chicago with her husband and five daughters, twins Lucy and Sally, Margot, and twins again! Anna Marie and Rosie. She grew up in the Kooch-i-ching family as her brother, John, and father, Rich, were both campers and staff at Kooch. Her brother John led the first CIT trip for Ogichi Daa Kwe. Sharon followed in her brother and father's footsteps on a women's trip with her mom and sister as well as a family trip with three of her daughters. Her daughters Lucy, Sally and Margot will be campers at Ogichi Daa Kwe this summer. In her free time, Sharon enjoys spending time boating on Lake Michigan with her family and friends, playing guitar with people who are better than she is and running a small landscaping business in Chicago. She is excited to share the Ogichi Daa Kwe and Kooch-i-ching experience with everyone she meets.