Meet our Staff
Directors
Jacob Publicover - Executive Director/ Camp Manager/ Boys Camp Director
At 12 years old, after my first summer at Camp Bow-Isle, I came home and told my mom that I wanted to be Canadian! I guess I just assumed that all of Canada was just as wonderful as Camp Bow-Isle. I spent the next 10 summers partially realizing this dream as a camper, counselor, kitchen helper, and merlin (maintenance staff). I'm so excited to join all of you for our first ever online Camp Bow-Isle experience!
Besides working at Camp Bow-Isle, I've also enjoyed working multiple summers at other camps in Maine and Colorado. I've spent the past five years in the San Francisco Bay Area working on commercial plumbing projects - both in the field as an installer, and in the office as a detailer and project coordinator. This unique opportunity to detail and coordinated commercial projects has prepared me well to coordinate our new online camp programming. In addition to my work, my wife and I are very involved in our local church and have had the opportunity to take on some leadership roles which have been quite rewarding.
I'm so grateful to be able to take these experiences, along with many others, and apply it to my new position here at Bow-Isle. When I'm not working to make Camp as awesome as possible for all our campers and staff, you can find me spending time outside hiking, running, or going on a tandem bike ride with my wife and 15 month old son! While I am grateful to be able to join you all virtually from California, I can't wait to meet you all on Bowen Island in years to come!
Vanessa Ramirez Jasso - Assistant Director/ Camp and Program Leader/ Girls Camp Director
Vanessa is overjoyed to be returning to Camp Bow-Isle as the new Assistant Director and Girls’ Camp Director. To Vanessa, camp has been a foundational place for deepening her understanding of God through Christian Science. In the ten years Vanessa has attended Bow-Isle, she has been a camper, counselor, sous-chef, photographer, and videographer– committing many of her summers to Camp's mission.
Vanessa holds an Educational Studies bachelor’s degree specialized in classroom teaching and outdoor education. She has significant experience as an outdoor educator at the Leelanau Outdoor Center in Maple City, Michigan, and has studied various Outdoor Education models abroad in St. Lucia, Grenada, and New Zealand. Most recently, she is joining us from the San Francisco Bay Area where she finished her second year as an art teacher at an all-boys school, teaching grades K-6.
Vanessa is so excited to take on this role and welcome you up the camp driveway!
Women's Staff
Kathleen Moyer C.S. Practitioner – Session 1
Hello Everyone! I'm Kathleen Moyer and I hail from the great state of Michigan in the USA. I currently live and work as a Christian Science practitioner in Maple City, MI- quite near beautiful Lake Michigan. Before going into the full time public practice of Christian Science, I studied History and Communication at Denison University, and I was a camp counselor and eventually camp director for the CS camps here in Michigan. I have a deep love for the outdoors, for character growth and education, and for working with young people. Most of all, I acknowledge and recognize that camp work has always been a focused and fun way to express and experience with others my all time favorite thing- the study and practice of Christian Science and the resultant deep love of God, the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings. It's a joy to work with young people (and all people) on appreciating their true sense of self and reality based on understanding God and His creation. I look forward to working with as many people as possible this summer through our CBI online programming! Much love to you all and see you for virtual camp!
Amy Joy Dehnert C.S. Practitioner – Session 2
I am looking forward to meeting you all at camp!!
A little about me: I have a long history with Camp Bow Isle. I was a camper in junior high and all four of my children attended camp and/or worked as staff. Now, my grandchildren are campers. I love camp!!! It’s a wonderful setting and supportive atmosphere for growing and learning more about God. I have been in the full time practice of Christian Science since 2008 and listed in the Christian Science Journal since 2011. Prior to raising our children, I trained and worked as a Christian Science Nurse. I enjoy hanging out with my husband, kids, & grandkids, gardening, taking long walks, and paddle-boarding. But most of all I love discovering more about God’s Allness and goodness and applying what I am learning by healing.
See you soon!!!
Clarice Bruch
Hi! My name is Clarice and I’m originally from Bellevue, WA. I have been a part of the Camp Bow-Isle family as a camper, and as a staff member, for many years. The loving, nurturing atmosphere of Christian Science felt at camp has been a huge blessing in my life. Though I love making my way across the ferry to Bowen, this year I’m excited to be a part of the adventure that will be camp in your home! We are all so grateful that you are coming on this adventure with us, and I look forward to getting to know you all during the session. A fun fact about me is that I’ve spent this last year living in Scotland. What’s a fun fact about you? I hope to learn it soon!
Tay Marples
Welcome to Camp Bow-Isle: online edition. This is my 5th year on women’s staff at Bow-Isle and I am so excited to be on this virtual adventure with you all! I’ve been a long time camper at Bow-Isle and always look forward to the fun, love, and sisterhood at girls camp. I'm currently studying theatre and dance at Principia College. I love to sing and be goofy and would spend all day outside playing games every day if I could. This summer camp is coming to you. I look forward to seeing each one of you online and can’t wait to see how we all bring a little bit of home to camp this summer.
Bree Calkins
Hello! My name is Bree, and this will be my fourth summer as a staff member at Camp Bow-Isle. I have attended camp nearly every summer since I was 8 years old, and I definitely consider it to be a second home. I am currently majoring in Education at Principia College and I love working with kids and families. I grew up playing a lot of sports and am now on the track & field team at Principia! When I'm not running around I like reading, singing, and going to school events with my friends. Although camp is going to look a little different this summer, I am so excited to still have the opportunity to connect with you and your camper! It is going to be a creative, uplifting, and joy-filled experience.
Camille Richardson
My name is Camille Richardson, and I am so grateful to be a part of camp online. Camp is where I feel most at home, where it’s easiest to glimpse my God-like self, and I love the opportunity to help others see themselves the same way. I know that experience can be felt no matter the location! Some of my favorite things are designing games and helping people learn. I look forward to seeing you all!
Ruby Johnson
Hello there! My name is Ruby, and I hail from Southern Oregon. I just returned to the United States after spending a semester studying Nordic education in Denmark, where I taught English in a Danish grade-0 classroom. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience, and it has given me so many ideas to bring to Camp this year. I'm also a singer, pianist, and preschool music teacher, which means that you can usually find me humming a song or practicing my music at the piano.
I've spent five wonderful summers at Camp Bow-Isle--three as a camper and two as a counselor--and I'm so excited to be returning as a staff member again this year. Though this summer is certainly going to be different, I know that we will find ways to make it fun, uplifting, and soul-fulfilling together. I'm excited to get to know you and to share a wonderful Camp experience this summer (hopefully with lots of singing around the virtual campfire). See you soon!
Ashleigh Helms
Hi all! My name is Ashleigh Helms and I am thrilled to be working as a Counselor. I am 19 years old from Bellevue, Washington where I attend the Second Church of Christ Scientist. I am currently a freshman attending the University of Washington where I hope to study Community, Environment and Planning in the College of Built Environments. I am also a pole vaulter on the track team at UW. I love all things outdoors like hiking, camping and photography. I also love all sorts of crafts, animals, and spending time with my family and friends. I am so excited to be at camp this summer to share my love for Christian Science and help the campers grow in their identities as the children of God. I look forward to watching the joy, Love and friendship that each camper experiences throughout their time at camp. Thank you for sending your kids to camp this summer, I cant wait to meet everyone!
Men's Staff
James Shepherd CS Practitioner – Session 1
My name is James Shepherd and I'll be the practitioner for Camp's first Boys' Online Session this year, July 6-17. I've been the practitioner at many Camp sessions in the past and am looking forward to the 2020 Online Session. I'm sorry we won't be meeting in person at Camp this year, but this forces us to a higher sense of Camp. I'm so grateful that Camp is able to move forward in the form of online Camp. Every quality and every action that we have seen from Camp, the Staff, and the Campers will continue to be expressed, though perhaps in different forms. I look forward to seeing this expressed through the creativity, resourcefulness, joy, dominion, power and love of God in this summer's Boy's Session.
Nathan Herrington
Hi! I’m Nathan and I am so excited to have to opportunity to take part in online camp this summer with you! I am a student at the University of British Columbia here in Vancouver. I grew up in the deserts of the Middle East and have spent many of my summers participating in adventures at Camp Bow-Isle. This summer, I am looking forward to coming together with you all for this new adventure and feeling the camp spirit no matter where we are in the world! I’m excited to learn some new things, have lots of fun, and see you all soon!
Henry Rasco
Read as a poem
Hi I’m Henry Rasco. I like to hike, paint, sit in the sun.
People know me because I play piano.
I’m looking forward to online camp because it’s going to be different and fun.
Colin Herrington
Hi everyone! I am super excited for camp this summer with all of you. I just finished my third year of university, and I am now living at my parent’s house on Bowen Island for the summer. I have been helping maintain the camp property for these past few months, and I look forward to making some videos on the property that I can share with you - like how to clean a biffy during duties! I really enjoy being outside, photography, playing ultimate frisbee, and serving others. Camp has been a staple part of my summer for many years now, and I can’t wait to continue being apart of it.
Jake Erickson - 1st Session Only
I am really looking forward to meeting all the campers this summer. I have worked the past two summers at Camp Bow-Isle as both a counselor and a Merlin. Some of my favorite things to do are camping, water activities, hiking, and fishing. I also love working out and playing sports. I love meeting other Christian Scientists and sharing thoughts. I had a blast last summer working at Bow-Isle, and I can't wait to see new and returning faces this summer!
Max Bruch - 2nd Session Only
Hi! My name is Max. I enjoy spending time with my friends, playing soccer, swing dancing, playing video games, and camping. I’m excited for Bow-isle online because we all get to interact with each other in a different personal way as we share a bit of our homes and lives away from camp but still get to feel the camp spirit!
James Weiser - CIT
I’m James Weiser and I enjoy playing many different types of video games and dnd with friends. I just finished up my freshman year in college at Linfield and am excited to go back next year. I love camp because of the sense of adventure and brotherhood it brings each year. It’s something deeper than the connection I have with my other friends and it’s really special. I’m excited for online programming as we get to bring this feeling back home more tangibly than in previous years. I'm grateful our families will both see and take part in our shenanigans during the Family Fridays!
Nathanael Perdomo - CIT
Hi, my name is Nathanael Perdomo. I love to play baseball, soccer, and to just get outside and go for a walk. It’s my first time on staff this year and I couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming camp session because I know how fun it will be. Hope to see you there!
Caleb Cleland - CIT
Hi, my name is Caleb Cleland.
I spend my free time playing music and being creative. This summer, I am looking forward to the opportunity to connect with campers online and help to create a uniquely special adventure.