Our Team
Meet Our Year Round Staff!
Our summer programs thrive because of the dedication of our committed counselors each year, but the team highlighted below supports our mission year-round. They work to cultivate an environment where every camper is safe to laugh, play, and learn to love like Jesus – regardless of the program you choose.
Director of Eagle Lake Camps
Director of Programs
Day Camps
Overnight Camps
Administration & Communications
Customer Experience
Marketing
Director of Staff Recruiting & Hiring
Recruiting & Hiring
Recruiting & Volunteers
Facilities & Culinary Services
Program Operations & Fleet
Program Safety & Equipment
Camp Store
Property Caretaker
Ministry Partner Development & Support Raising
Staff Development
Emerging Leaders Program
Emerging Leaders Program
Emerging Leaders Program
Emerging Leaders Program
Emerging Leaders Program
Emerging Leaders Program
Emerging Leaders Program
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
Carroll Merrand
Emerging Leaders Program
- Years at Eagle Lake: 2022
- Hometown:
- Life Verse: Psalm 34:4
- What’s your go to hype-song?
- Go Buck
- Describe your perfect Saturday in 3 words:
- Church
- Thrift
- Nap
- Nickname you wish would catch on:
- Carroll Barroll Christmas Carol or Carl
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
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
Claire Kurtz
Emerging Leaders Program
- 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, watercoloring, going on walks, puzzles, card games with friends!
- Drink of choice:
- Iced green tea with no sweetner!
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.
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
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
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
Jasmina Martinez
Emerging Leaders Program
- 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
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:
- Bike
- Watercolor
- 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
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
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
Kallie Cox
Emerging Leaders Program
- 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.
Kirsten Carper
Emerging Leaders Program
- 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.
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
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.
- Outside
- Community
- Rest
- What do you want to be when you grow up?
- Old Theology Professor
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.
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
Peter Whatley
Emerging Leaders Program
- 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
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!
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 🙂
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!
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
Our Commitment to You
Eagle Lake Camps is where your camper is safe to laugh, play and learn to love like Jesus!
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