Annika Heaps

Recruiting & Hiring

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2020
• Hometown: Saint Paul, MN
• Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 3:18
• Drink of choice: Cold brew with a little lavender
• What keeps you busy: Running, yoga, puzzles, and making meals with friends
• The book you go back to over and over: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen or The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence (lots of P alliterations)
• Who do you want to be when you grow up: a stand-up comedian that primarily sticks to awkward humor

Have questions? Contact me! annika.heaps@navigators.org

Carroll Merrand

Emerging Leaders Program – Program Manager of Day Camp at Cornerstone Church

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2022
• Hometown: Orlando, FL
• Life Verse: Psalm 34:4
• What’s your go to hype-song? 
  • Go Buck
• Describe your perfect Saturday in 3 words:
  1. Church
  2. Thrift
  3. Nap
• Nickname you wish would catch on:
  • Carroll Barroll Christmas Carol or Carl

Have questions? Contact me! carroll.merand@navigators.org

Chad Sherwood

Property Caretaker

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2023
• Hometown: Santa Cruz, CA
• Life Verse: The Bible
• What’s your most controversial food opinion?
  • Too much “food”, isn’t!
• This winter, you will be found? 
  • yes, but how long was i lost for?
• Drink of choice: 
  • NingXia Zyng

Have questions? Contact me! chad.sherwood@navigators.org

Chris Wright

Facilities & Culinary Services

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2023
• Favorite Verse: Proverbs 3:5-6
• What’s your go-to hype song?
  • Heaven on this Earth by Forrest Frank
• What’s your ultimate “this should be a candle scent” idea?
  • Fresh Cut Wood with BBQ Sauce
• Drink of Choice:
  • Sweet Tea

Have questions? Contact me! chris.wright@navigators.org

Claire Kurtz

Emerging Leaders Program – Program Manager of Day Camp in Your Community – Yellow Team

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2022
• Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
• Favorite Verse:
  • Hebrews 10:19-25

• What’s your useless hidden talent?
  • Ask me to play the bagpipes
• What keeps you busy?
  • Learning to play guitar, water coloring, going on walks, puzzles, card games with friends!
• Drink of choice: 
  • Iced green tea with no sweetener!

Have questions? Contact me! claire.kurtz@navigators.org

Collin Russ

Director of Staff Recruiting & Hiring

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2008
• Hometown: Woodland Park, Colorado
• Favorite Verse:
  • Psalm 121
• What movie do you quote way too often?
  • The Grinch with Jim Carrey
• What’s your most controversial food opinion?
  • Baked potatoes are NOT an entree!
• What keeps you busy:
  • I’m frequently found being busy with parenting our 3 young kiddos. We love doing anything outdoors together as a family.
• Best place to watch a sunset:
  • Ravens Craig at Eagle Lake!
• Random fun fact about you:
  • I love every Star Wars movie ever made. Anything Star Wars. I. Love. It. All.

Have questions? Contact me! collin.russ@navigators.org

Edie Doorenbos

Emerging Leaders Program – Day Camp in Your Community Red Team Program Coach

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2023
• Hometown: Gretna, NE
• Current Favorite Verse: Psalm 121
• What’s the weirdest thing you believed as a kid?
  • That blinking was a conscious task like winking and that it was really difficult
• Drink of choice:
  • Baja Blast Mountain Dew
• Canoe or Kayak: 
  • Kayak

Have questions? Contact me! edie.doorenbos@navigators.org

Emily Christensen

Emerging Leaders Program – Program Manager of Day Camp at Glen Eyrie

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2025
• Hometown: Eagan, MN
• Favorite Verse:
  • Hebrews 4:15-16

• What’s your most controversial food opinion?
  • Mac ‘n cheese with ketchup is delicious
• This winter, you’ll be found:
  • Cuddled on the couch, watching a mystery movie, sipping hot coca. But now that I’m in Colorado I think I have to try skiing… pray for me
• Best place to watch a sunset:
  • Phoenix Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin!

Have questions? Contact me! emily.christensen@navigators.org

Farren Laptad

Overnight Camps

• Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
• Favorite person to sit next to: My dog Odie, my Grandpa David, and my husband Colton.
• Die-hard fan of: Mac and Cheese Bites
• The book you go back to over and over: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and Hinds Feet on High Places
• Canoe or Kayak: Canoe
• Who you want to be when you grow up: A firefighter who also happens to be a florist

Have questions? Contact me! farren.laptad@navigators.org

Gabe Fletcher

Emerging Leaders Program – Ascent Program Coach

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2024
• Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
• Current Favorite Verse: Isaiah 26:3
• What movie do you quote way too often?
  • Lego Batman
• Describe your perfect Saturday in three words:
  • Sleep. Church. Football.
• What’s your useless hidden talent?
  • Chess

Have questions? Contact me! gabe.fletcher@navigators.org

Grant Soderstrom

Program Safety & Equipment

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2017
• Hometown: Minneapolis MN
• Life Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
• Favorite outdoor activity:
  • Backpacking or Hammocking
• Favorite indoor activity:
  • Reading a book with a cup of coffee
• Best way to get to know you:
  • Drink coffee together

Have questions? Contact me! grant.soderstrom@navigators.org

Hannah Kienzle

Emerging Leaders Program

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2016
• Hometown: Gillette, WY
• Life Verse: Hosea 6:6
• If you could instantly master one hobby, what would it be?
  • Crocheting, I am equally young and old at heart.
• Describe your perfect Saturday in three words:
  • Morning Cat Cuddles
• Who do you want to be when you grow up? 
  • Reba McEntire

Have questions? Contact me! hannah.kienzle@navigators.org

Jasmina Martinez

Emerging Leaders Program – Program Manager of Day Camp in Your Community – Red Team

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2023
• Hometown:Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Current Favorite Verse: Philippians 3:13-14
• If you could instantly master one hobby, what would it be? 
  • Slight of hand card tricks (and/or close up magic)
• What’s the weirdest thing you believed as a kid?
  • That people in photographs could actually see me. Like that person somewhere in real time could see me as I looked at a photo of them. Um does that make sense?
• Drink of choice:
  • Pamplemousse La Croix!! Or any sparkling water really

Have questions? Contact me! jasmina.martinez@navigators.org

Jenny Dordal

Director of Eagle Lake Camps

• Years at Eagle Lake: January, 2002
• Hometown: Faribault, Minnesota
• Life Verse: Isaiah 43
• Best place to watch a sunset:
  • My Patio
• If you could instantly master one hobby, what would it be? 
  • Photography
• Describe your perfect Saturday in three words:
  1. Bike
  2. Watercolor
  3. Grill
• What’s the weirdest thing you believed as a kid?
  • Porcupines would shoot quills out as a way to protect themselves
• What’s your useless hidden talent?
  • Blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do

Have questions? Email eaglelake@navigators.org  

Jessica Cothran

Customer Experience

• First Year at Eagle Lake: 2020
• Life Verse: 2nd Timothy 1:7
• What’s your go-to hype song?
  • Where Were You by Ghost Ship
• Most underrated snack of all time?
  • Olives & Cottage Cheese
• What’s your ultimate “this should be a candle scent” idea?
  • Queen Lilac ~ A fresh vanilla, black tea, lemon, and lilac blend ~ to transport you to a dreamy flower filled field of a family-inherited castle.
• Favorite person to sit next to:
  • Jon Cothran, my beloved husband!
• Best place to watch a sunset:
  • The Rolling Hills of Nebraska

Have questions? Email me! jessica.cothran@navigators.org

Jon Cothran

Recruiting & Volunteers

• First Year at Eagle Lake: 2020
• Favorite Verse: 1 Thesselonians 4:11
• If you could instantly master one hobby, what would it be?
  • Mountain Biking
• What keeps you busy?
  • Reading quality literature
• Best place to watch a sunset:
  • Top of Mount Uncompagre

Have questions? Email me! jon.cothran@navigators.org

Kallie Cox

Emerging Leaders Program – Program Manager of Day Camp at Mile High Academy

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2020
• Hometown: Silverton, TX
• Life Verse: Psalm 4:8
• What’s your go-to hype song?
  • Man or Muppet
• Most underrated snack of all time? 
  • Chocolate covered pretzels
•  What’s your useless hidden talent? 
  • I can imitate an opera singer.

Have questions? Email me! kallie.cox@navigators.org

Kirsten Carper

Emerging Leaders Program – Program Manager of Base Camp

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2021
• Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
• Life Verse: Romans 1:11-12
• Most underrated snack of all time:
  • cold crisp black olives
• If you could instantly master one hobby, what would it be?
  • Surfing
• This winter, you will be found:
  • In a heated blanket with hot coffee and a book in my reading chair.

Have questions? Email me! kirsten.carper@navigators.org

Kyle Bourgault

Staff Development

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2010
• Hometown: Littleton, Colorado
• Life Verse: Psalm 40:31
• What’s your go-to hype song? 
  • Diggy Diggy Hole by Wind Rose
• What movie do you quote way to often?
  • Parks and Recreation
• If your personality were a breakfast food, what would it be?
  • Yogurt and Granola – not flashy but solid
• What keeps you busy? 
  • Wife, 4 kids and 2 dogs

Have questions? Email me! kyle.bourgault@navigators.org

Matthew Pierce

Program Operations & Fleet

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2025
• Hometown: Tomball, TX
• Current Favorite Verse: Luke 18:13
• If you could instantly master one hobby, what would it be? 
  • Surfing, it’s taking a while to get decent at it
• Describe your perfect Sunday in 3 words. 
  1. Outside
  2. Community
  3. Rest
• What do you want to be when you grow up? 
  • Old Theology Professor

Have Questions? Email me! matthew.pierce@navigators.org

Michael Renga

Marketing

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2023
• Hometown: York, PA
• Life Verse: Acts 15:28
• If your personality were a breakfast food, what would it be? 
  • Savory Crepes
• Best Place to Watch the Sunset: 
  • Samuel Lewis State Park in York, PA
• Drink of choice: 
  • Chocolate Milk. Straight up.

Have questions? Email me! michael.renga@navigators.org

Minnie Zehr

Day Camps

• First Year at Eagle Lake: 2020
• Life Verse:
  • Psalm 40:17
• What’s your most controversial food opinion?
  • Strawberries dipped in sour cream and brown sugar!
• Best place to watch a sunset:
  • Lake Waubesa in McFarland, WI
• Drink of Choice:
  • Lavender Matcha Latte

Have questions? Email me! minnie.zehr@navigators.org

Peter Whatley

Emerging Leaders Program – Day Camp at Flying Horse Program Manager

• Years at Eagle Lake: 2021
• Hometown: Rockhill, SC
• Life Verse: Hebrews 12: 1- 2
• What’s your go-to hype song?
  • Dreams by Van Halen
• What movie do you quote way to often? 
  • Lord of the Rings
• What’s your most controversial food opinion? 
  • Sardines on pizza is the best topping

Have questions? Email me! peter.whatley@navigators.org

Roger Hamilton

Ministry Partner Development & Support Raising

• Year started at Eagle Lake: 2020 (but started with The Navigators in 1988).
• Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
• Life verse: Romans 15:13
• If your personality were a breakfast food, what would it be?
  • Bacon
• Nickname you wish would catch on:
  • NaviGeezer
• Favorite person to sit next to:
  • My wife, Lynn!

Have questions? Email me! roger.hamilton@navigators.org

Sarah Greenstreet

Administration & Communications

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2019
• Hometown: Woodland Park, CO
• Favorite verse: 
  • Psalm 33
• Most underrated snack of all time?
  • Cheese Ritz Bitz
• What movie do you quote way too often?
  • Storks
• Favorite Person to Sit Next to?
  • My Dad 🙂

Have questions? Email me! sarah.greenstreet@navigators.org

Shane Klackner

Director of Programs

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2013
• Hometown: St. Cloud, Minnesota
• Favorite Verse:
  • Deuteronomy 8:3
• What’s your most controversial food opinion?
  • That green bean casserole should be a normal year-round food dish!
• What’s your ultimate “this should be a candle scent” idea?
  • Freshly Mowed Grass
• What keeps you busy:
  • Spending time with my 3 year old son!

Have questions? Email eaglelake@navigators.org

Silas Renodin

Emerging Leaders Program – Assistant Program Manager of Day Camp at Glen Eyrie

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2022
• Hometown: Carver, Minnesota
• Favorite verse: 
  • Romans 8:38-39
• If your personality were a breakfast food, what would it be??
  • Eggs
• What movie do you quote way too often?
  • The Princess Bride
• Best place to watch a sunset?
  • Random parking lot in the midwest

Summer Wright

Camp Store

• Year Started at Eagle Lake: 2023
• Hometown: Boise, ID
• Favorite Verse: Proverbs 3:5-6
• Favorite Snack:
  • Chips & Salsa
• This winter, you’ll be found:
  • Up on the mountain worshiping the Lord while watching the snow fall
• The book you go back to over and over:
  • Excellence Wins by Horst Schultz

Have questions? Email me! summer.wright@navigators.org