Intentionally Intentional Leaders

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/iil/kate-k

What does it really take to create a culture of belonging at camp?

In this episode, Kate Kelly of Camp Weequahic shares practical lessons on gratitude, intentional staff training, family communication, and the “thousand tiny decisions” that build trust over time. From nightly bunk logs to pre-camp postcards and a 25-year gratitude practice, Kate offers thoughtful ideas that camp leaders can put into action right away. Listen for a refreshing reminder that belonging isn’t created through one big initiative, it’s built through countless small, intentional choices.

• 02:42 How The Game Works
• 03:39 Childhood Freedom Bikes
• 07:27 Leadership Models Coaches
• 11:57 Enrollment Trust Lessons
• 13:44 The Happys Gratitude Book
• 19:57 Insight Voices To Turn Down
• 21:49 Preparing Families Postcards
• 23:55 Demystifying Camp Fears
• 25:20 Efficiency vs Culture
• 25:50 Teen Night Owl Experiment
• 27:05 Why Bunk Logs Matter
• 28:47 Finding the Camp Sweet Spot
• 29:38 Taking It Less Seriously
• 31:07 Training Intentional Staff
• 39:01 Belonging and Small Gestures
• 41:03 Legacy and Gratitude
• 42:27 Saying No for Culture
• 44:09 Parents as True Partners

Your Hosts

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Kate Kelly, Owner and Director - Camp Weequahic

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Thanks to our sponsor!

Camptivities

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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-jane-m

Mastering the "Business" of Camp with Jane McCutcheon

Building a thriving summer camp requires more than just "warm and fuzzy" feelings, it demands rigorous professional standards and an intentional focus on safety. Many leaders struggle to balance the magic of the campfire with the hard metrics of a successful operation. This episode breaks down why treating your camp as a high-level business actually protects the heart of your mission.

Big Ideas

• The Business-First Paradox: Why prioritizing your camp as a business is the only way to safeguard the "soft and fuzzy" outcomes for your campers.
• The Danger of "Homegrown" Hiring: The one interview question you’re likely skipping that identifies if a staff member loves the place or the people.
• The Return Rate Deep Dive: How to use granular camper and staff return data to identify your strongest (and weakest) unit leaders.
• Rethinking Supervision: Why the transition from "free time" to "absolute supervision" is a necessary evolution in modern camp culture.
• The Caring Counselor Metric: What a 1992 focus group revealed about why parents really choose camp—and it’s not what you think.

Your Hosts

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Jane McCutcheon - Jane McCutcheon is a legendary camp owner, author of over 10 industry-standard camp books, and an MBA graduate who has spent decades professionalizing the summer camp industry.

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Thanks to our sponsor!

Whereabouts

Your mission is campers. Ours is making their experience coordinated and connected.

Whereabouts is the only camper management system that keeps Parents, Admin, and Staff in sync in real time — so every camper’s day runs with confidence, clarity, and care. Check them out whereaboutsapp.io/

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/ill-larry-b

Lessons from 80 Years of Camp Robin Hood

Join Travis Allison as he sits down with Larry Bell, Director Emeritus of Camp Robin Hood, Canada’s oldest privately established day camp. In this episode of Intentionally Intentional Leaders, Larry reflects on his legendary career—from becoming a director at just 23 years old to navigating the massive shift from paper-based logistics to modern digital systems. The conversation dives deep into the "why" behind camp traditions, the evolving relationship between camps and parents, and the secret to building a staff culture where everyone feels seen, supported, and personally invested in the mission.

Key takeaways include:

• The Power of "Why": Larry emphasizes that camp staff shouldn't just follow rules; they need to understand the purpose behind every action. When staff understand the "why," they take ownership of their roles, turning a summer job into a high-level professional development experience.
• Scaling Intentional Connection: Despite managing a seasonal staff that grew from 80 to over 300, Larry made it a point to know every individual. By taking photos during interviews to ensure he remembered faces and stories, he built a culture where the Director was approachable and every staff member felt seen.
• Invisible Technology vs. Front-and-Center Logistics: From 21-page carbon-copy bus routes to the custom-built "Larry App," the goal of technology at camp should be transparency. Larry discusses how high-tech back-ends should make the logistics invisible so the staff can focus entirely on the human experience.
• The "Helicopter" Evolution: Larry notes a significant shift in the camp-parent partnership over the decades. He discusses the challenge of modern parenting styles that sometimes "stymie" a child's growth and how camp remains a unique environment for children to build resilience outside their parents' protective bubble.
• The Evolution of Tradition: Rituals like the Camp Robin Hood dance aren't maintained by accident. Larry shares how involving a year-round senior staff in reflecting on "what worked" ensures that 80-year-old traditions remain vibrant and relevant for a new generation of campers.

Your Hosts

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Larry Bell, Director Emeritus - Camp Robin Hood

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/wildcard-chris-rd

TQAMP’s Chris Rehs-Dupin: Failure, Humanity, and the Wild Card of Leadership

Join host Travis Allison for the inaugural "Wild Card" segment of the Camp Hacker Podcast, an interview game show format inspired by the NPR show. He welcomes Chris Rehs-Dupin from TQAMP to tackle a series of spontaneous questions spanning Memories, Insights, and Beliefs.

Chris offers profound and candid answers on what shapes his leadership style, his admiration for his teenage self, and the valuable lessons learned from a massive, hilarious parking meter programming blunder (yes, you read that right!). He also shares the mission of TQAMP: to make camps safer spaces for LGBTQIA+ campers and staff by focusing on inclusion, a practice he believes enhances safety for everyone.

Key Takeaways include:

• Leadership Modeled and Modified: Learn about the trusted, curious, and authentic leadership modeled by his former boss, and where Chris intentionally shifts to balance support with necessary challenge.
• The Power of Accountability: Hear a fascinating (and funny) story of a colossal failure involving city parking meters and the critical moment Chris chose immediate accountability—a core lesson for all leaders.
• A Deep Belief in Humanity: Chris shares his unprovable belief that everyone is fundamentally trying their best, even those we deeply disagree with, offering a powerful, empathetic lens for camp professionals.
• TQAMP’s Mission: Understand why TQ Camp focuses on creating spaces of belonging for campers of all genders and sexualities, and the practical consulting they do around inclusive housing, advocacy, and handling challenging caregiver conversations.
• A Good Summer Metric: Discover Chris’s one-sentence definition of a good summer and the simple metric that tells you it was a success.
• The Camp Time Machine: Find out which electric, hopeful moment from his camp career Chris would go back to and just be in again.

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Your Hosts

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Rehs-Dupin, Founder & President - TQAMP