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Eugene BellSenior Director Gene joined Summit in 1999 after 19 years as the founding director and administrator of a program quite similar to Summit's. He holds a Master's Degree in Special Education from Rutgers University. Since 1972 he has been involved full time in Special Education, first as a classroom teacher, resource teacher and then as a Camp Director and Administrator. His experience includes typical settings as well as experiential.As a camp director, Gene was recognized by the American Camp Association as a Certified Camp Director (CCD) and has conducted seminars and workshops about special-needs campers, camp administration, and staff training. He is also an accreditation visitor who consults with and visits other camps as they seek American Camp Association certification. He serves on the professional advisory board of the Learning Disabilities Association of New Jersey. Gene and his wife Sally have two boys and their dog, Sadie. They met at camp and worked together for many years. Sally teaches at a special education school in New Jersey, visits camp each weekend during the summer and works on special assignments and is the director of camp's Weekender Programs. Leah LoveAssistant Director
Kim DaumTravel Director Kim Daum joins the Summit Camp Travel Program as Travel Director. Kim previously served as an Integration Specialist and School Psychologist in a residential setting in New York with children and young adults with a range of developmental disabilities. Most recently, Kim has worked with school age population diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and their families in Philadelphia. Kim has been interested in different cultures since her first tour to Italy after high school. Since then, she has driven across the United States, backpacked Europe and traveled to Central and South America. Originally from the Hudson Valley area in New York, Kim graduated with a Masters in Community and Counseling Psychology with an advanced certificate in School Psychology from Marist College. Additionally, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from State University of New York at Albany. She has also been an active volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Maryann SantoraClinical Social Worker & Admissions Director Maryann comes to us with over 25 years of clinical experience. She has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Early Childhood Education. She received her Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work, and then went on to become a Psychoanalyst after studying at an eight-year psychoanalytic institute. She has a solid understanding of Psychoanalytic, Behavioral and Cognitive treatment modalities.Maryann started at Summit Camp in the 2007 season. She serves as camp's social worker and is involved in all aspects of our clinical work. She sees our campers on an as-needed basis and provides support to our staff. She is often the first line contact for our parents during the summer. During the off season, Maryann focuses on Clinical Intake Evaluations for camp and reviewing all clinical materials on our campers. Maryann is also in Private Practice where she treats children, adolescents and adults in individual, couple and family therapy. Maryann is the proud mother of two children, one of whom has special needs. Debs HugillHead Counselor/Program Director Debs joined the Summit community in 1981 and has been with us ever since starting as a counselor and having served as camp’s Waterfront Director since 1985. Debs is uniquely equipped to serve as Head Counselor. Each summer she has gotten to know all of camp's campers and staff in her work at the waterfront and throughout camp. She has been the designer of numerous Camp programs through her years at Camp, is a superb developer and supervisor of staff, and is consistently enthusiastic about the value of our Summit Camp experience to our campers.Debs lives year round in Florida with her husband Graham and enjoys a very diverse background. A native of Leeds, UK, she has a degree in business and was introduced to the States through advanced studies in sports and aquatics at the University of Miami and her early days as an exchange counselor. She revels in traveling, served for a time as a staff member to her local MP (Member of Parliament), and often found assignments that enabled her to return to camp each summer. Her passions include diving, squash, tennis, and aquatic pursuits. She shares "I am optimistic, energetic, have high expectations of myself, and am (I hope), caring (which comes from my Mum – she is a nurse)". Sally BellWeekender Director Sally Bell works with us as our overall Weekender Director and takes specific responsibility for our program that serves metropolitan New York, New Jersey, and suburban Philadelphia. Sally earned her BS in Elementary Education from the University of Maryland and Special Education certification from William Paterson University. She has worked in a range of roles from the classroom to director.In 2002 Sally moved to special education and now serves as the Head Teacher at the Gramon School in Fairfield, NJ. Sally has also worked in residential and day camping since 1980 with typical and special populations. She is known for her nurturing ways and creative approaches to program design. Stephanie AdamsRegistrar/Office Manager Stephanie Adams is camps' Registrar/Office Manager. She was a member of the administrative staff of the Morris County, NJ, Camp Deeny Riback .She first worked as a unit leader who supervised some 100 campers and 23 staff for four seasons. She then joined their full-time staff as an assistant director who helped plan and supervise all aspects of their camp program. She has significant skills and experience in marketing, outreach, and parent and family communication. She also facilitated new camper enrollments and often led tours of the camp grounds.Stephanie is Summit's conduit to our campers and their families - an area of great success for her at her prior camp. Her enthusiasm is infectious and concern for the campers is well documented. Stephanie earned an Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education at Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ. She is currently pursuing her BA in Business Administration through the University of Phoenix. Stephanie has three sons - one of whom is a camper at Summit. Glynis ConyerManaging Partner Glynis is a native of Johannesburg, South Africa where she received her degrees in Psychology and Communications. She was involved for many years in the Youth and Camp Programs of South Africa. Her professional experience was in human resources, staff placement and career counseling. In 1982 she came to the United States to study the US Camping Industry. Glynis became the Assistant Director of the Kutz Camp, a program for teens, in Warwick, New York, and Director of Winter Programming for the Camp. In 1991 Glynis entered the Hebrew Union College and was ordained as a Rabbi in June of 1996. She became the Director of the Kutz Camp, the teen leadership Camp of the Reform Movement. As Director, Glynis developed a fully funded program for children on the Autistic Spectrum and also a mentoring program for teens to volunteer in working with children with autistic behaviors. She became the Director of Staff Development and Training and Program Development for the Camps of the Reform Movement, where she initiated a program to place inclusion coordinators camps. Together with Allan Smith, Glynis is the managing partner of Summit Camp, LLC – Camp & Travel Programs.
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Leah Love joins Summit after years of working in Philadelphia and the surrounding area providing a variety of services for youth with autism spectrum issues and their families. Leah has a Master's Degree of Counseling Psychology and has experience providing group therapy, social skills training, and behavioral treatment for youth with a wide range of abilities and diagnoses in school, home, and community settings. Leah formerly served as counselor, site director, and camp director for Philadelphia County’s summer therapeutic program, a day program servicing youth with autism diagnoses throughout the city.