From Obstacles to Opportunity: How Great Leaders Turn Setbacks into Strength
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room 313
Every day at camp brings the unexpected: storms, staffing shifts, homesickness, or last-minute parent concerns. These obstacles can feel overwhelming, but how leaders respond doesn’t just keep camp running smoothly; it models resilience and mindset skills for the next generation. In this engaging session, resilience strategist Erin Mark shares her story of overcoming impossible odds while living with a terminal illness.
That journey from “training to die” to “training to live” shapes her message about urgency, reinvention, and mindset shifts that fuel resilience. Through humor, story, and practical tools, Erin equips camp professionals to reframe setbacks, turn obstacles into opportunities, and strengthen their own leadership. Attendees will leave inspired and ready to thrive through challenges both at camp and beyond!

From Chaos to Culture: Radical Candor and the Rebuild Year Ahead
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 315
Even the strongest camp cultures need moments of repair and renewal. Drawing on Radical Candor by Kim Scott and more than 15 years of experience leading an overnight camp, Executive Director Jacqueline McDonough explores how honesty, empathy, and accountability can transform leadership communication. Entering 2026 as a rebuild year, Jacqueline shares how she’s using radical candor to repair trust, strengthen staff culture, and model transparent leadership. Participants will leave with practical communication tools, feedback frameworks, and strategies for sustaining trust and morale in the seasons ahead.

Fuel the Fun: Nut-Aware, Kid-Approved Choices
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 308
A practical playbook for camp snack service. We’ll cover nut-aware systems, clear labeling, pars and rotation, and how to keep kid-loved options ready—house granola bars and always-available colorful apples and bananas—alongside higher-protein and some extra special staff snacks. Leave with simple checklists, a weekly rotation, and a printable granola-bar recipe.

Supporting Younger Kids at Sleepaway Camp: Scaffolds for Success
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 415
Younger campers are excited, but often overwhelmed. They’re still developing the Executive Functioning skills needed for independence: transitioning, organizing, and regulating emotions. Without the right support, small struggles can spiral into homesickness or behavior issues. This session shows how to build EF-informed routines that help younger campers thrive-boosting retention, staff satisfaction, and family trust.

Current Challenges and Solutions for Aquatics Directors: A Panel Discussion
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 322
Aquatics Directors are navigating an increasingly complex landscape—staffing shortages, evolving safety standards, rising participant expectations, and the need for inclusive programming are just a few of the pressing issues. This panel discussion brings together experienced aquatics leaders from a variety of camp settings to share insights, strategies, and practical solutions to today’s most urgent challenges.
Panelists will explore topics such as: recruiting and retaining qualified lifeguards and instructors, managing risk and compliance with safety protocols, adapting programming for inclusion, responding to mental health needs in aquatic environments, leveraging partnerships and certifications to enhance training.
Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share their own experiences, and leave with actionable ideas to strengthen their aquatics programs. Whether you’re a seasoned director or new to the role, this session offers a valuable space for collaboration.

Blurred Lines, Big Responsibilities: Empowering CITs and Under-18 Staff in Child Abuse Prevention
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 316
Explore strategies for delivering child and peer abuse prevention training to counselors-in-training (CITs) and staff under 18. Learn how to address their unique roles, clarify boundaries, and equip them with practical tools that help them prevent incidents and respond appropriately to foster a safer camp community.

One Game, Five Ways: Designing Activities with Built-In Progressions
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 202
What if one great game could work for every age group at camp, without losing the fun, challenge, or learning? In this hands-on session, we’ll explore how to design and adapt activities with built-in progressions that grow with your campers. From Pre-K to 8th grade, we’ll show you how to scaffold skill development, rules, and roles so the same core game stays fresh, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate across all levels. You’ll leave with a toolkit of ready-to-use progressions and a framework to make every game at your camp more flexible, scalable, and purposeful.

From Ally to Co-Conspirator: An Anti-Racism Lab for Camp Leaders
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 401
This session is for leaders ready to move from passive allyship to active co-conspiracy in the fight against racism at camp. We begin by clearly defining this crucial shift, which requires using your voice, power, and resources to challenge and change systems. This is a lab, not a lecture, focused on building your practical toolkit for intervention and advocacy. You will practice interrupting microaggressions in real-time, discuss how to advocate for anti-racist policies in hiring, budgeting, and power structures, and policy shifts that you can push out tomorrow that will show your community that you’re walking the talk. Leave this session empowered with the confidence and concrete skills to act as a genuine co-conspirator for your staff of color.

What's Worth Repeating: Building Culture through Program Design
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 302
Every camp has that one thing that hits harder than anything else, that 11/10 program moment that becomes legend. But why? We’ll unpack the anatomy of a truly great program, from the spark of an idea to how it’s planned, staffed, budgeted, and embedded into culture. We’ll dig into the tension between Tradition vs. Expectation, and Sacred vs. Shared. We’ll also look at programming through a modern lens, one informed by parents, staff, and MrBeast’s Manifesto: storytelling, generosity, and overdelivering on the outrageous and unexpected.

Culture of Safety: The Systems that Make Safety Stick
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 417
A Culture of Safety doesn’t just live in people; it’s built through the systems, communication loops, and daily rhythms that hold camp together. This session explores how operational structures, from scheduling and incident reporting to feedback and follow-up, can make safety second nature. Through practical examples and discussion, participants will learn how to design systems that strengthen communication, build accountability without burnout, and help staff stay proactive instead of reactive. You’ll leave with tools to align your operations and team culture so safety isn’t just a policy, it’s built into the bones of your camp.

Camp Legal Crisis Ready: Risk, Response and Responsibilities
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 408/409
When legal crises strike at camp involving staff, quick and informed action is critical. This session explores high-stakes scenarios like abuse allegations, sexual harassment investigations, staff mental health emergencies, and terminations. Attendees will gain practical strategies to respond ethically, legally, and effectively. Through real-world examples and expert insights, camp leaders will leave better prepared to protect their staff, campers, and organization when the unexpected occurs.

From Governance to Growth: Activating Leadership Volunteers and Owners for Success
2026-03-12 10:15 - 11:15 | Room 311
Strong Boards, advisory committees, and non-operating owners don’t just oversee—they lead, advocate, and fuel long-term success. As camps face increasing pressures around philanthropy, succession, risk, and sustainability, the role of board members and owners has never been more critical. In this interactive session, we will explore how to build and activate boards that are aligned with the mission/vision and prepared to meet the trends and challenges ahead. We’ll examine Board lifecycle and structure, clarify roles and responsibilities, identify common governance pitfalls, and share proven strategies for recruiting and engaging effective Board/Advisory members. Special focus will be placed on transforming these individuals into true mission and brand ambassadors. Participants will leave with practical ideas and ready-to-use tools to strengthen partnerships, increase impact, and position their camp for long-term growth.
