2024 Camp Staff

New Staff

Alyssa B.: HI 😀 my name is Alyssa, my Pronouns are anything you want to call me!  This will be my first year as a Camp Counselor for MFC!!! I have been attending Tempe Meeting in Arizona for 11 years , since I was about 13 years old! Hearing about this camp for the first time made me so excited to start here for this new experience and adventure! A little about me : I am 22 years old , on my free time I love to get crafty! Listen to music , or spend time with my family! I’m obsessed with Spider-Man, DnD, All things nerdy 🙂 and anything that sparkles! I am so incredibly excited to be able to share my knowledge/Ideas with staff , and campers this year! I know this year is going to make it in the books 😉 see you there!

Adya R: My name is Adya, and I’m from Albuquerque. I’ll be attending New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico in the fall to study Fine Arts. I like birdwatching, playing guitar, and searching for forgotten ’60s 45’s. I love the outdoors and look forward to working in a mountain setting.

Skye S: My name is Skye (they/he), I am 18 years old, and this will be my first year as a counselor at Mountain Friends Camp. I am from Ithaca, New York and just finished my first year at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, planning on concentrating in education. I love singing (I’m currently in a vocal jazz group which is really fun), reading (recently I have been really into the Discworld books), theater, and sometimes do a bit of creative writing in my free time. I also play the violin and have been trying to learn a bit of piano, though so far all I know how to play is Memory from Cats: The Musical (my favorite musical). I love nature and being outdoors and am really excited to see what New Mexico is like, as this is my first time being there and I have heard about how beautiful it is!

Tomas R: My name is Tomas and I attend weekly Quaker meeting in Albuquerque. I am a college English teacher who also has experience teaching high school, middle school, and at a mountain preschool. My youngest daughter, Maeve, is attending camp for this first time; and my oldest daughter, Adya, will be working as a camp counselor. In addition to hiking and observing wildlife in Albuquerque’s Rio Grande Bosque and Sandia foothills, I enjoy watching Maeve play roller derby and listening to Adya play her favorite 60s rock covers on guitar.

Charlene W: Will be our camp medic, Charlene has decades of experience as a Quaker, RN, backpacker and research professor.

Returning Staff

Gretchen R.: I grew up in Boulder Friends Meeting, at the base of the spectacular Rocky Mountains. I left home for the California beaches and Redwoods (and to study Politics, art, Women’s Judo and see how a University can support diversity at Oakes College, UCSC and Santa Cruz Meeting). From the west coast, I headed to the east coast for a MS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution and to discover eastern Quakers at Friends Meeting of Washington. I raised my family (Adriana is one of my two children – Dario is the other) in Tempe, AZ in Tempe Friends Meeting. These days I am mostly a climate action advocate. I was a camper parent that first year of MFC 15 years ago, and have had the pleasure of helping Beverly & Lois in the kitchen a few of those years (including last year). I’m delighted to continue supporting building this supportive community. Like so many of you, I am looking forward to hikes, art, cooking (and eating), playing, reading stories out loud (anyone interested in listening?), building Quaker community, and having a great time with friends new and old this summer.

Neil N.: Hello everyone! Looking forwards to meeting you! I’ll be traveling up from Santa Fe, New Mexico, so I’m sort-of a local. Same state, at least! I’ll be a Handyman and help with more camper programs at Mountain Friends Camp this year, and I’ll also be waking everyone up in the morning – if you like music, feel free to volunteer and you can tag along to wake everyone else up (joyfully, of course). I’ve been staff at MFC for a while, but this’ll be my first time helping more with the counselors- so wish me luck!

Dave W: Will be returning as a volunteer in 2024!

Adriana P.-R.: Hello! My camp name is Moony (she/they) and I will be serving as your Program Manager this year! A longtime Quaker, I grew up attending Tempe Monthly Meeting in Arizona, but now I live in Puna on the Big Island of Hawai’i. My passions are reading mystery books, hiking and backpacking in the glorious mountains of New Mexico, and making art! I have been a part of Mountain Friends Camp for over a decade and I am looking forward to making sure everyone has the fun, safe, and supportive camp experience that they deserve. Let’s have a great summer together!

Lois H.: Growing up in my family we traveled around the United States camping at different places. During one of those camping trips is where I met my husband Larry. I currently live in Winterhaven CA where I taught young children for many years, and helped found the Children’s Museum of Yuma County. In 1999 I moved to Santa Fe New Mexico where I worked with my sister Beverley at the Tree House Camp. I love being in the outdoors and I’m looking forward to working as a camp cook and getting to know everyone at Mountain Friends Camp this year.

Beverley W.:  I have been part of summer camps for 50+ years, starting with Girl Scouts, ‘way back when’! During the rest of the year I sew, make quilts and work with pre-schoolers to adults doing art therapy and re-evaluation co-counseling. Although I was raised Catholic, and still go to mass each week, I also have been attending the Santa Fe, N.M. meeting for about 30 years! I have been cooking for crowds since childhood and I’m looking forward to year #11 at MFC; sharing my energies and skills in the kitchen and during arts and crafts times.

Heather B.: I was born in Washington State, but I have lived in NM for a long time with my aunt Beverley. I like music, traveling, pen pals, collections, coloring and puzzles. I have a disability called Asperger’s so you might think I’m shy, but it just takes me a while to get used to things. I really like watching ‘American Idol’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on TV. In March, I went to the DWTS tour show in Albuquerque.  I have been practicing my singing this year and look forward to sharing and learning some new songs. I go to Quaker Meeting in Santa Fe, and I help with the First Day school almost every week.

Camp Director, Anastacia Ebi: I grew up in Logan Friends Meeting, in beautiful northern Utah. Now I live in DC, with my husband and two kids, and am lucky I get to bring my family out to summer camp. During college I spent a great summer as arts and crafts director and cabin counselor at Friends Camp in Maine. I talked it up so much to the IMYM Senior Young Friends that we decided to form a committee and start our own summer camp. Now here we are, getting ready for the FIFTEENTH season of Mountain Friends Camp! I am looking forward to hikes, art, building Quaker community, and having a great time with friends new and old this summer.  See you soon!