Staff
Matt Nelson
Director of Fun
For the past eight summers, Matthew has been the Director of Fenster Ranch Summer Camp. During that time, campers have come to expect nothing less than 100% pure fun from this passionate outdoor educator and adventurer. When he is not working on making Fenster Ranch Summer Camp the best program imaginable, Matthew is the Outdoor Education Director of The Fenster School; a ropes course instructor for St. Gregory College Preparatory School; an outdoor educator for Catalina Foothills School District; a professional outdoor guide for Discovery Treks, All Star Grand Canyon Tours, Hydros Adventures, Southwest Trekking and Grand Classroom. He also works seasonally as a field archaeologist for Northland Research, Inc. He is a nature writer whose monthly column is published in The Desert Leaf, and over the past decade has had over 500 articles published in a variety of newspapers and magazines. Matthew is the founder and host of Global Rhythm Radio on KXCI-FM, a weekly world music radio show that airs Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
When it comes to personal adventure, Matthew spends his free time mountain biking, rock climbing, backpacking, caving and mountaineering around the Southwest and beyond. And when the conditions are right, he loves ice climbing! He studies the Classical music of North India, and has played tabla (hand drums) for six years.
Children and nature are his two greatest inspirations, which is why he is dedicated to sharing the joys of Nature with kids.
Matt has a hard time picking a super power, because deep down he believes he is a super hero.
Shauna McGlamery
Assistant Director
This will be Shauna’s second summer as an enthusiastic member of the Dream Team at Fenster Ranch Summer Camp! Born and raised in Tucson, Shauna attended The University of Arizona and graduated with a B.F.A. degree in Studio Art. She received her teaching certification and during the school year Shauna is a Junior High School art teacher in the Flowing Wells School District. She has created a peaceful studio environment where creating, growing, and learning takes place daily.
Shauna’s passions extend beyond the classroom environment and into nature and all aspects of her life. Shauna’s contagious positive energy is felt by everyone around her. She looks forward to creating, enriching, and expressing, but ultimately having fun daily at camp. Shauna has worked in the camping and outdoor world for the past 8 years as an Assistant Camp Director, Camp Counselor, Art Director, CIT Director, Outdoor Educator, and Teacher in Arizona, Wisconsin, and Colorado.
Shauna creates a balance in her life by hiking, painting & drawing, smiling, live music, theater, travel, culture, diversity, creating a peaceful community, living consciously with the environment, and spending time with family and friends…as well as making new ones!
One of her heroes is her mother. “She is a strong, energetic and passionate educator, friend, and mother who has a zest for life.”
Amanda Rutherford
Ropes Course Manager
Amanda is a senior at the University of Arizona studying ecology and evolutionary biology. She has been a ropes course instructor at St. Gregory College Preparatory School for three years, and is currently the assistant manager at Fit at the River: Comprehensive Health Center. She also volunteers at a wild animal rehabilitation center where she takes care of cute and fuzzy animals.
Outside of school and work, her passions are soccer, backpacking, hiking, rock climbing, and basically anything in the beautiful outdoors. She loves interacting with people and learning from them. Amanda spent two weeks in Kenya, East Africa this year as part of a cross-cultural education project through St. Gregory College Preparatory School and Batian’s View.
Amanda is excited to spend this summer at Fenster Ranch Summer Camp. She is looking forward to getting to know all the awesome people there, playing on the ropes course, and laughing a lot!
One of her heroes is Batman because he was able to become a super hero without having super powers. Batman is proof that anyone can be a super hero if they put their mind to it.
Melissa “Fig” Bonfig
Art Queen
The Art Queen returns for another summer of creative fun! Fig was a camper at 4-H camp for five years and has worked at different summer camps for a total of four years. Her favorite part about working at Fenster Ranch Summer Camp are the campers. “…the things they say; the creativity they show in the Art Hut; their smiles; their energy; their growing appreciation of nature. And my fellow staff members. Wow. Their energy is incredible. I also appreciate their jokes, support, patience, open-mindedness, variety of interests, passions and skills working with youth.”
“One of my more poignant memories from last year is that time of the morning when I drive into camp and my first view is the ropes course with kids dangling from it with the Santa Catalina Mountains in the background.”
During the school year Fig is a preschool teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) at the Arizona State School for the Deaf. She also works part-time as a parent advisor to parents with D/HH children.
Some of her special interests include languages (American Sign Language, Romanian, Spanish), travelling, hiking, roller blading, ethnic food and coffee.
One of her heroes is her grandmother, “because of her extremely caring nature, love of life, and strength when faced with adversity throughout her life.
Martha Lemen
Mountain Bike Instructor
The amazing Martha joins the team at Fenster Ranch Summer Camp! She has been riding bikes for recreation since 1985. “I raced road bikes with a local club for a year and quickly realized racing was no fun, but riding bikes was…especially mountain bikes.
Martha has been a professional mountain bike instructor for over 12 years, and her passion is getting people on the trail, teaching techniques to ride more effectively, and showing new riders how much fun it is to ride in the desert.
Charles Schnarr
Counselor for 10-11 year olds
Charles (aka Choo Choo) returns for his fourth summer of fun at Fenster Ranch Summer Camp. His background is in Elementary Education, and he is currently a high school teacher at City High School. He is also a graphic designer for the Arizona Yoga Association publication, AZ Yoga.
He enjoys creating an environment in which the campers can have fun, be silly, learn something about themselves and have their creativity awakened. He has a wide range of experience in modalities – everything from rock climbing to drama. This summer Charles is looking forward to creative team skits and adventures exploring ancient and recent desert habitats. “We will observe each others creativity and experience the natural world around us, expressing its creativity throughout the desert summer.”
He enjoys getting outdoors for hikes and rock climbing adventures when time allows. When there is spare time, Charles participates in yoga, playing music and likes watching movies.
One of Charles’s heroes is his fiancée, Priscilla. Charles and Priscilla will become parents of a beautiful baby girl this coming fall, and Charles is in awe of the incredible strength and glory of a mother’s process. Jai ma!
Dominique Ruegg
Counselor for 10-11 year olds
Dominique is a 20-year-old college student at Holy Cross in Massachusetts, but has lived in Arizona since she was 11. She enjoys playing sports, soccer especially, and other outdoor activities like hiking, camping, white water rafting and more. This will be her second year at Fenster Ranch Summer Camp. “I absolutely love working here because I enjoy spending time with kids. Children are of course the future, and although I enjoy being a counselor and helping them with various activities, I learn a lot from them about the beauty in life that seems to get lost often among adults.”
Beyond outdoor activities and sports she likes to read, spend time with friends and just try new things.
“My mom is the person that inspires me most because of what she has accomplished from what she was given.”
If Dominique had a super hero power it would be the power invisibility…“that way I could sneak aroud places without anyone knowing I was there, which might be a little bit of an invasion of privacy but I could gather useful information!”
Melissa Dalton
Counselor for 7-8 year old
Melissa has been a part of Fenster Ranch Summer Camp since she was 5 years old! Now, at age 18 she is a Senior at Sabino High School. After high school she will be attending the University of Arizona to study business. “I was a camper until I was 12 and then I volunteered for one year and the next year I was a Counselor in Training. After being a CIT I became a Junior Counselor for a couple of years and now I am about to start my first year as a Counselor. I love spending my time with children because they are so much fun. They could care less about how you dress or how bad your hair looks that day; children genuinely care about making the most out of their lives
Melissa is an all-star soccer player and has been playing since she was about 7 years old
A person that Melissa most admires is her Grandpa. “He worked hard throughout his entire life and really taught me that hard work and perseverance will pay off. He was also a very honest man, which I think is one of the best traits a human can have.
If Melissa could have a super power… “It would have to be mind reading. I want to know what people really think and feel.
She is excited for this summer and can’t wait until the first day of cam
Melissa “Bo” Schwabacher
Counselor for 5-6 year old
I am a butterfly, transforming, traveling and existing. I like to dance with the earth creatures as we twirl into our missions of peace, healing and creation. Music is rejuvenation, inspiration and the inner beating of our souls; to dance with family and the people I love is one of the treasures upon earth that I cherish the most. I enjoy meeting people who are kind and help foster growth and learning, opening new doors of thinking and feeling. I like swimming, exploring nature, dancing in Spanish kitchens, eating brownies, exploding in collective creative projects and wishing on shooting stars.
My papa and mama inspire me most. He loves to dance in the streets of Chicago and is quietly and genuinely kind. My mama is a silver fox, zydeco queen of Cajun spice with a twist of celery stick. They make me laugh from the belly and feel protected in the world.
This is the beginning of my experience at Fenster Ranch, and I am excited and grateful to be a part of the community, hoping to absorb the positive light of all its creatures.
If I could embody a super hero power, I would dream of being the essence of freedom.
Michael Cornell
Junior Counselor
Michael is an incredibly outgoing guy with tons of positive energy. He is always ready to have fun, and you will never him without a smile on his face. This will be hi second awesome summer as a staff member of Fenster Ranch Summer Camp. “Last summer I spent three weeks swimming, hiking, rock climbing, and playing games, and now I can’t wait to come back!”
Michael loves just about any outdoor activity, especially playing soccer, which he has been playing since he was four years old.
His greatest inspiration is his brother. “He is smart and passionate, tough and motivated, honest and talented. He is an inspiration in more ways than one.”
If Michael could have any superpower it would be the ability to teleport. “I would want to be able to snap my fingers and just appear magically somewhere else.”
Amanda Kuhn
Junior Counselor
This is Amanda’s first year working at Fenster Ranch Summer Camp, and she is looking forward to an exciting and adventurous summer. She is going to be a junior at Catalina Foothills High School next year, and has attended St. Gregory College Preparatory School for the past two years. She absolutely loves spending time with children and often works as a babysitter during the year. “I am looking forward to helping create lifetime camp memories for young campers!”
Her interests include photography because she feels like every moment should be documented. Other activities she enjoys are spending time with friends, hiking in the outdoors, and expressing herself through music.
The person who inspires Amanda the most is her cousin, Quinn. “I respect his spirit for life and strength for all the life problems he has faced at such a young age.”
Kevin McCoy
Junior Counselor
Kevin has been a part of Fenster Ranch Summer Camp for the last five years, first as a camper then as a Junior Counselor. He is an enthusiastic and responsible young leader who loves to have fun with campers of all ages.
Outside of summer camp, Kevin enjoys
playing lacrosse at Salpointe High School. Lately he has taken interest in making movies and plans to make one this summer. He might incorporate some superhuman powers in it also.
Speaking of which, if Kevin had a super power, it would be the ability to fly. “To just be able to spread your arms and take off and do exhilarating loop-de-loops…”
Counselors in Training (CITs)
Our Counselors in Training (CITs) are outstanding young individuals, ages 13 to 15, who have enjoyed their time as campers at Fenster Ranch Summer Camp and are now taking on a leadership role as CITs. Here they are, in their own words…
Laura DeMers
I am a 13 year-old student at Orange Grove Middle School. My favorite thing to do outside of school is to play soccer. I play all year around, in any conditions. Besides soccer, I also take part in my school’s Student Council, volunteer with my Girl Scout troop, play the flute, and on top of all of that, I always make time to hang out with my friends. Despite my busy schedule, for the last two summers, I have been a part of the Fenster community as both a CIT and a camper. I love working at Fenster because I love kids. Being an older kid myself, I have had really awesome summers, and I want to help other kids to have even better experiences and build life lasting memories. Being a CIT at Fenster gives me this opportunity.
My biggest hero is my cousin, Sofia. She was born with significantly deformed hands and was diagnosed with a very rare life threatening disease. Despite these challenges, she still manages to enjoy life each day, with a smile on her face, which always makes me smile. I guess some of the most important lessons in life are learned from the smallest people.
If I had a superpower, I would have the ability to fly. Ever since I was little, I have always dreamed of soaring through clouds. Flying would give me this ability. So that’s me. Now, are you ready for the best summer ever?
Ami Fiero
An enthusiastic former camper and now CIT, Ami returns for her third summer; to join the fun and excitement. She loves working with all the different age groups and to be able to work with the awesome staff! During the school year she focuses on the mounds of work, and the silly drama that sometimes seems so important. Right now she is finishing up her year of being a high school sophomore. In school her electives are Band (clarinet), Sign Language, and Piano.
Her passions are drawing, writing, and playing music. In her free time she likes to play with her wonderful pets, play games with her family, color, watch movies, and write stories. She recently has gone back to climbing Tumamoc Hill every morning with her father. Every Sunday she babysits an adorable 3-year-old boy name Duncan (she has babysat him since he was just a few months old).
She love’s working at this camp because of the awesome people and because of all the great activities and experiences everyone shares. She loves being with younger kids and really enjoys getting to play with them. She loves laughing, having a fun time, and being silly.
When Ami gets older she wants to be as a teacher (just not sure what age yet).
There are many many different people who are inspirations to her, but the person who she immediately looks up to is her father (aka Pop). Pop is a phenomenal person who she feels so glad to learn from and to be like!
If Ami had one super power she would want to read minds. Ami thinks that this would be a really nice super power to have because she would always know when a person would be happy to have some help, and it would be her honor to help them.
Mira Frenkel
I am going to be an 8th grader at Orange Grove Middle School this coming school year.
I really love working with kids, and doing things in the outdoors. Fenster Ranch Summer Camp offers both, which is a great opportunity for me. Some things I like are biking, swimming, basketball, playing oboe, wood and metalworking, building scale models, and coin collecting.
Who inspires me most? My very close friend, Amy Brown.
My choice superpower would be to be able to fly – fast!
Stephen Lopez
I am 13 years old, my interests are skateboarding with my friends and cooking; I am not that bad actually. I love working at Fenster because when I went there for camp I loved it. It was the best camp I have ever been to. My favorite sport would have to be volleyball because I am good at it, and it is a team sport. My favorite activity is hanging out with my friends.
The person who really inspires me the most is my big brother. He inspires me because he is not afraid to speak his mind and I kinda’ take after him.
If I had a super hero power it would be to fly really fast. I would like to have this because I’ve always wanted to fly.
Tommy Pryor
I currently attend Esperero Middle School. I am easy-going and have a good sense of humor. I am good at interacting and getting along with people. I like to teach and show others things to do. I have good skills at rock climbing and mountain biking. I play several instruments including piano, saxophone, and drums. I like doing cool crafts such as sculpting and building models.
I have attended Fenster Ranch Summer Camp for the past six years; I have enjoyed
it very much! I learned a lot of outdoor skills. Fenster is a great place both because of the people who work there and the location. This will be my first year as a CIT and I am very excited about it. It will give me the opportunity to work with others and I am sure it will be great!
Ferris Ramadan
I like to see people smile. I have a positive attitude toward most things, and can usually see the positive side in most situations. I am also very creative, and can build things out of almost anything. I always like to have fun.
The outdoors is one of my great interests. I like to bike, swim, spelunk and rock climb, with rock climbing definitely at the top. Some of my non-outdoor interests are video games, TV, and books. I also like ping pong, badminton, and soccer. I like ping pong because you can do many tricks, and I feel there are less boundaries in that game than others.
I only discovered Fenster Ranch Summer Camp a year ago, but loved it right away. It was really fun; my only regret that it wasn’t longer. I signed up for the position as a CIT immediately following my first year there, and was thrilled to be accepted.
This last year, I joined 4-H Adventure Leaders. During this past year, I’ve been involved with many activities similar to those at Fenster Ranch Summer Camp. This included working with younger children, as well as the occasional teenager. We belayed them, which is making sure they don’t fall or slip during climbing, as well as other activities.
The person that inspires me most is Abraham Lincoln. The reason is because he was determined to improve himself and to make the world better. Many books have been written on all the great things about Lincoln, but I’ll just name one. While others still thought that African Americans were second class citizens, Abraham Lincoln saw things differently. He knew slavery was wrong, and he gave everything to end it in his lifetime.
Of all the superpowers that would be cool to have, there’s one that definitely outdoes the rest – shape shifting. It would be so awesome to shape shift, because you could be anything, anyone, at any time. You could fly, impersonate others, the options are unlimited. Instead of just having one superpower, why not all of them?
Michael Raneri
I will be going into the eighth grade this year and I have been going to Fenster Summer Camp for four years. I am looking forward to my fifth year in a new role as Counselor in Training. I am really glad I get to work here because I have had such fun experiences and learned so many things. I have learned mountain biking, rock climbing, rappelling, belaying, and something new every week with special activities. I want to help others have a fun and exciting time.
Currently I am most interested in exercising and skateboarding. I also like swimming, hanging out with friends, listening to music, and watching Jackie Chan movies. I also like to travel and see different places. My dream is to go to Italy next year.
The people that most inspire me are my mom and dad. My mom and dad are very smart, have a lot of common sense, and a great sense of humor.
If I could have a super hero power I would like to have Spiderman power to give me great strength, acrobatics, and web capability.
John Stark
I am in 8th grade and live at home in the vicinity of Fenster Ranch Summer Camp with my mom, dad, two sisters, and brother. I am the oldest sibling at 14 years old and currently go to Esperero Canyon Middle School. This will be my first year as a counselor in training and I have attended the summer camp once before. I have been a counselor at multiple church summer camps for kids around 3-5 years old. I’ve always enjoyed working with kids this age because my two youngest siblings, my brother Will and my sister Quinn are 4 and 5 years old, and I feel comfortable and understand pretty much anything they can throw at me.
I think that kids at this age are fun and full of energy and enthusiasm, making it pretty hard no to get them to love whatever it is they are doing. Even with the occasional temper tantrum I feel confident that I can always brighten their day. Being the oldest sibling I feel that over the years my siblings have come to enjoy being around me and I hope that whoever is in my group will feel the same.
I am also an athlete and my favorite sport is football. This year I participated in track and field. I enjoy spending my free time reading (I’m not kidding, READING) or hanging out with my friends.
I look up to my parents because of the patience and kindness they exhibit even when having the stress of four kids.
If I had the chance to choose a superpower I think it probably be will power, because with will power you can do anything.
Nicholas Underwood
I am going to be a Freshman at the end of the summer. I love to learn about science and history. I also enjoy sports and other outdoor activities. I try to do a little rock climbing occasionally. I have been going to Fenster Ranch Summer Camp for three to four years. I always loved this summer camp, so I want to help make it enjoyable for other kids. I love to run track, play baseball, and rock climb. And I like to go camping and hiking.
My brother is the one who most inspires me.
If I was a super hero I would want to have super speed.
Zac Whitney
I love going to Fenster Ranch Summer Camp! I have gone there for the last three summers. My interests include playing soccer, basketball and playing addictinggames.com on the computer. I also love to go hiking, camping, fishing and caving with my dad and my friends.
My favorite sports are soccer and basketball. I have played soccer for the last seven years and I love it.
The person who inspires me most is Christino Ronaldo because he plays soccer for Italy and that has been my favorite team for a long time.
If I could have a superpower it would be the ability to become invisible because I could goof off and never get in trouble.
