Meet the Incoming ACN Board of Directors
Nurse Members
Aviva Gluck, RN
New York
I became a nurse in 2009, and have worked a myriad of jobs in a diverse range of settings. The day after I passed the boards, I began work as a camp nurse and have been there every summer since (including this past year, working in the office and kitchen since the health center and there was family camp due to COVID). I worked in homecare and urgent care for almost four years. I also completed a short stint in a nursing home, taught health, nutrition and CPR at a local high school, and have worked per diem as a flight nurse. I completed my BSN this past December. Currently, I am working full time as a school nurse.
I am passionate about camp. I have been all my life. I have given the last 12 summers to camp as a nurse, and would love to help other camps out.
Matt Hecht, RN
Pennsylvania
Matt just finished his 8th summer as a camp director with his wife, Holly and his 16th as a nurse. He lives at his non-profit camp, Camp Onas, a residential, co-ed camp in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Matt’s nursing background is informed by 14 years of Critical Care nursing (SICU, MICU, Neuro ICU) and he can muddle his way through a shift in the ED as well.
Matt’s camp nursing experience is as one of two nurses for a total population of 210 for 8 weeks each summer. He is a Visitor for the ACA and is finishing his first term on the Board of Directors for the ACN. During his time as his camp’s Health Care Manager he developed standing orders, Health Center guidelines, SOP, checklists, and communication & record keeping guidelines and for his camp.
I really think this organization has a lot to offer. My experience in camp nursing prior to finding this group was isolating. Coming from a hospital background (ICU – no less) I was used to having a large team to bounce ideas/get help from others. Camp nursing isn’t like that for everyone. Many of our camps use only one nurse and when coming across something new, that can be difficult. I want to be a part of any group that will make that experience less intimidating.
Lynne Rodrigues, RN
Pennsylvania
Lynne earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The Catholic University of America in May 1990. In school, she feel in love with pediatric nursing. She has spent the last 31 years caring for children in various places. The bulk of her professional career has been in pediatric critical care. Six years ago she transitioned from nursing primarily in a tertiary care setting to working as a school nurse in the community setting. She still maintains a hospital nursing position but work in the hospital setting only about once per month.
Lynne is a long time camp person. She currently serves as the Health Director for Falcon Camp. Falcon is a private, co-ed, residential, summer camp in central eastern Ohio. She has a long standing relationship with Falcon, her father was a camper and a counselor at Falcon the first years it opened. My grandfather was Falcon’s first insurance agent. She grew up tent camping with my family on weekends on Falcon’s property. She attended Falcon’s sister camp for four weeks each summer for many years as a child and teen. When she was camper age, Falcon was all boys so she was across the same lake with the girls at Firebird. Years later, she wanted to send her daughter to camp and Falcon was first on her list. Ultimately, all four of her children attended camp at Falcon. She began working in the Health Center to help offset tuition costs for her children. Today, although none of her children are camper age, she is still drawn to camp. She continues to run the Health Office and has become a part of camp administration. She cherishs the time she spends at camp each year and the work she does keeping camp communities healthy and going strong.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my first term as a Board Member. I have become involved with ACN’s Research Committee. I have learned a great deal as I have worked with other committee members supporting ACN’s research initiatives. I am hoping I can continue working on the Board as ACN continues its current work and develops new initiatives. ACN has grown remarkably in the last several years. I hope I can continue to be a part of the growth and part of ACN’s future.
Beth Schultz RN, DNP
Indiana
Published for CompassPoint and Speaker at ACN Symposium
Beth Schultz is completing her second term on the ACN Board and has served as the secretary and is an active member of the research committee. She has served as a camp nurse in a variety of camps including all boys, all girls and mixed gender. She recently worked as a camp nurse at Camp Brave Trails, a leadership camp for LGBTQ youth. She has been the Director of the Health Center at two camps and instrumental in their accreditation processes. When she is not at camp, she serves as nurse educator, currently the Nursing Program Director at Manchester University, and until recently maintained an active practice as a bedside nurse. She has taken nursing students to camp for a clinical experience, a great way to show them another aspect of our profession.
I believe every child should have a camp experience. I have four children, all attended camp when they were young. My oldest son is deaf and was a camp counselor at a camp for both hearing and deaf children. A rich experience for him and his campers. Every summer he attended camp from the time he was seven, until the summer prior to his last year of college I could see what a positive impact camp had on his personal growth.
I have seen ACN grow and become even more widely recognized as a leading organization in health care in recent years. I have enjoyed being a part of the research committee and part of a great research team. I have worked on the fatigue and COVID research initiatives, both supported by ACN. I promote our organization every opportunity I get and was recently a mentor for a student at the University of South Carolina who received a research grant from ACN. We still have much work to do and I would like to continue my support of our organization, and camp nurses by continuing to serve on the Board.
Katie Swain RN, BSN, COHN-S
Oregon
Katie began her lifelong love of summer camp in the mid-80s, finding joy in goofy skits, late-night hikes, and friendships made around a campfire. She worked at YMCA Camp Reed, as a camp counselor while attending nursing school at the University of Portland in the mid-90s. She served as a Nurse in the U.S. Air Force and later in the private sector. Katie returned to Camp Reed in 2015 to share her band-aid skills with campers and staff as the Camp Nurse and transitioned to her current role of Summer Camp Director in 2018. Additionally, Katie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and is a Board-Certified Occupational Health Nurse.When Katie is not at camp with her husband, 3 kids, and dog; she is on the coaching staff at Farmgirlfit, sharing her passion for teaching and lifting heavy things. She is also a certified USA Weightlifting Instructor.Katie’s favorite things at summer camp are the lake view at dusk, singing silly camp songs, and the look of pure joy on kid’s faces as they pour their hearts out on the dance floor at the weekly camp dance.
Rachel Waszczak RN, BSN
Pennsylvania
Rachel has been working in camping for over 20 years. Along with her husband, she is the owner and director of Camp Oneka, an all girls, overnight camp located in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Rachel spent 10 years at Camp Timberlane in Northern Wisconsin, working as a counselor, activity instructor, waterfront director and camp nurse. After her 10 wonderful years there, she moved on to accept the year round role of Health Center Director and Executive Director for a three camp operation in Northeast Pennsylvania (Pine Forest Camp, Camp Timber Tops and Lake Owego Camp) She is a board member for the Association of Camp Nursing. She speaks frequently at local and national camp conferences about health and safety. She holds her BSN and has been a nurse for over 14 years serving as camp nurse, school nurse, a nurse in various hospital departments and, currently, as a labor and delivery nurse.
I would like to serve on the board because I think I have a lot to offer. In camp nursing you have to think on your feet, you are a “mom”, pharmacist, physical therapist, nutritionist, and nurse. With changes in our camp population we need to continue to chart our future!
Non-Nurse Board Members
Barry Garst PhD
South Carolina
Non-Nurse Participant
Published for CompassPoint
Speaker at ACN Symposium
Dr. Garst is an Associate Professor of youth development leadership at Clemson University and the former director of program development and research application with the American Camp Association. His applied research focuses on critical and emerging issues within out-of-school time settings such as summer camp. Recent projects have explored parent anxiety associated with camp experiences and factors impacting injuries and illnesses among camp participants.
Why I want to continue on the ACN Board? The short answer is, “the work isn’t finished.” After serving 2 terms as Chair of ACN’s research committee, I feel that much has been accomplished yet there’s so much more to do. Over the next 3 years I want to continue to advance work that our committee has started, including research into camp-related workplace fatigue among camp healthcare providers and the impact of COVID-19 on camp health care practices.
The longer answer is, “the work isn’t finished…AND…the experience of working with ACN’s staff and Board is awesome!”
John Hamilton MA
New Hampshire
Non-Nurse Participant
Published for CompassPoint
Speaker at ACN Symposium
John Hamilton is the Director of Camp HOPE America. He collaborates with the Camp HOPE America team, human services organizations, and camps or conference centers to bring a hope-filled experience to children around the country. John works with experts in several industries, learning from their perspectives, and working to bridge the gap between the camp industry and social work field to incorporate trauma-informed care in the camp setting. John holds a master’s degree from Western Seminary. He specializes in forging unlikely partnerships, developing unified teams, and moving people from theory into practice.
