Mission Springs is led by a dedicated team of Christian men and women who desire to serve God in this unique camp ministry. Read more about each staff member below. You may also contact them directly.
Executive Director
Husband, dad, friend, old surfer, golfer and love to read and lead! I am a communicator and have spoken to NFL chapels, NBA chapels, all school assemblies, weddings and special occasions. I now serve as the Executive Director of Mission Springs Camps and Conference Center here in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Scotts Valley, CA.
Associate Director
I first fell in love with Mission Springs the summer of 2003 while working at one of our summer kids’ camps. I spent two more summers at Mission Springs while completing my Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees at Trinity Western University in British Columbia, Canada. Excited to teach outside the classroom, I became a Naturalist at Mission Springs for the 2005/6 & 2006/7 seasons. I then moved to New Zealand for 2.5 years where I coordinated school groups as the Education and Activities Manager at a camp. I then returned to Mission Springs as the Assistant Director of Frontier Ranch and Adventure Programs Coordinator, serving in that role for three year. I’ve had the honor of being the Director of Outdoor Education since February 2013. I love combining my passions for education and camp as I guide our amazing Naturalists in providing a vibrant outdoor education experience for students. I personally come alive when in nature, as I am often found trail running, surfing, hiking, and traveling.
Director of Guest Groups
Rachel grew up in Orange County, CA attending camp throughout her youth. She is an alumnus of Humboldt State University where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Administration. After college she worked for Marriott and Wyndham resorts in various departments. Rachel served as an intern at Mission Springs 2011-2013 during which time she met her husband. Following her internship, Rachel served as a youth pastor at a local church then came back to Mission Springs full time in 2016 in group sales. She lives at Mount Hermon with her husband Matt, daughter Alexandra, sons Landon and Ashton where she enjoys reading, baking cookies and a good cup of coffee.
Programs & Communications Director
Jeff grew up the in small town of Clymer, New York. He went to school in Rochester, NY to study design and photography and then moved to California to pursue ministry. Jeff and his family have lived in the area for ten years and love hiking, skiing, watching/discussing great movies, and eating amazing tacos.
Frontier Ranch Director
I was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I grew up spending my summers swimming in the Great Lakes (Fresh Coast Best Coast) and my winters snowmobiling in below zero windchills. I attended Michigan State University (go green) where I studied both psychology and criminal justice. During college, I spent three summers on summer staff at Frontier Ranch and I fell in love with camping ministry, redwood trees, and the west coast. My favorite part about working at Mission Springs/Frontier Ranch is that I get to create an environment where kids get to be kids AND I get to sing/dance/talk about the Gospel. This job rules. In my free time, I can be found looking for sea glass, working on a puzzle, or watching crime shows.
Program Assistant / Camp Registrar
I joined the Mission Springs team in March of 2007, the days of paper registrations and mailing out of registration information to parents and conference attendees. What changes have been made to the registration process and how my position has evolved throughout the years! Born on the east coast, I still miss the changes of the seasons but am able to enjoy a smidgeon of color changes through my corner office window. A studio art major in college with an emphasis in bronze casting, I have had a varied career starting with customer service to inside sales, outside sales, back to school for an ECE degree to teach 10 years at Mount Hermon Playschool, and I’ve spent since 2007 here at Mission Springs! It is a joy to work with wonderful people God has put in my life.
Facilities Director
Matt grew up in Antioch, CA, and has been coming to Mission Springs for as long as he can recall. He was a camper at Frontier Ranch from 1988 to 1995 and in the summer of 1996, he was given his camp name: “Camo” when he served as one of the first LITs. He officially moved to Santa Cruz full-time in 1999 and continued to work at Mission Springs in various capacities until 2003. He met his now wife, Heather, at the Wagon Wheel many moons ago and they now have two children. Matt worked full-time in construction from 2004 to 2011 and became a licensed General Contractor himself in 2012. He served at another local camp on the Maintenance team from 2012 to 2019. In the fall of 2019, the Lord brought Matt and his family back to Mission Springs and they are happy to be back “home”! In his free time, he can be found coaching Water Polo and Swimming at San Lorenzo Valley High School.
Food Service Director
Bryan started working as a summer staffer at Mission Springs in 2011 in the kitchen of all places. He came back for the next five summers and in 2016, found a way to work and live at Mission Springs. He continued working in the kitchen as a dishwasher and eventually started cooking at Frontier Ranch and the Conference Center. He continued to cook at Mission Springs until the pandemic when he moved back to Kingsburg, CA. In the summer of 2020, he returned back to cook in the kitchen and eventually took on the Director of Food Services position. He hails from Kingsburg, CA, and enjoys spending time working on computers and reading all Marvel and Star Wars lores and theories out there.
Senior Bookkeeper
As a Santa Cruz native, Wendy grew up swimming in the ocean, hiking in the redwoods, and bicycling throughout this county. Over the years her family has attended camps at Mission Springs and she always felt tremendous inspiration from being in this sacred place. Wendy is a puzzle solver, who loves to plan and organize. Working with computations and details is fun for her. Wendy’s accounting background includes banking, construction, property management, agriculture, and churches. It is truly a pleasure for her to serve with the Finance Team at Mission Springs. Wendy also enjoys bread-baking, beach walks, photography, and spending time with her family. Her greatest passion is to connect with people and help them know God‘s redeeming love.
Outdoor Education Director
Associate Director of Outdoor Education