Eloise Russo
Eloise has been with City Kids Wilderness Project since January 2011. Eloise earned her BA in Peace & Justice Studies from Tufts University, and her MBA from Boston University’s Public and Non-Profit Management Program. She has worked for the Institute for Non-Profit Management and Leadership in Boston, MA, and with Kaplan K12 Learning Services, managing afterschool and summer school programs for 800 DC youth. Eloise has extensive outdoor, youth development, and management experience, and oversees all aspects of CKWP operations. Eloise is a certified Wilderness First Responder.
Sarah Cryder
Sarah joined City Kids Wilderness Project in November 2017. She is responsible for the overall leadership of staff in the development and implementation of short and long term strategic goals, policies, and day to day activities. Sarah has an extensive strategic business planning and project management background. Prior to joining City Kids, she worked with local and national charter and district schools, foundations, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit service providers with a mission focused on improving education and life outcomes for underserved children. Sarah has also consulted with the D.C. Public Schools to implement evidence-based mental health intervention pilot programs, research successful national pilot interventions, and evaluate program outcomes through data-driven metrics. Sarah holds a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s degree from Boston College.
Sara Ghebremichael
Sara first joined City Kids in the fall of 2013 as our Director of Operations after earning a Master’s in Public Administration at American University. She has since served in part-time capacity as our Administrative Director, and as of April 2018 now serves as City Kids’ Director of Administration and Special Projects. Sara completed her undergraduate work at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and is a DCPS alum. Sara has worked at a number of non-profits in Washington, DC and in Berkeley, CA that promote equity, health, and learning for all.
Monique Dailey
Monique joined City Kids Wilderness Project in March 2018. As the Program Director, she is responsible for providing strategic leadership for and management of City Kids’ programs. She sets the goals and priorities for the program team and engages all program staff to ensure this work is of the highest caliber, has the largest impact, and is empowering for both staff and program participants. Prior to joining City Kids, Monique worked for six years at the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in various roles. As SCA’s DC Area Programs Manager, she managed year-round conservation service projects, outdoor recreation, environmental education, crew-based activities and community service projects for 1,000+ youth, young adults and community members in the Metropolitan DC Area. As the national Director of Member Experience at SCA, Monique had oversight over the staff and procedures that improved the connection of all SCA member candidates to SCA through management of SCA’s Recruiting, Admissions, and Member Services and Support departments. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and spent 2 years serving in the Philippines as a Coastal Resource Management volunteer. Monique is a Leave No Trace Master Educator and holds a BA in English from Mary Baldwin University.
Colleen McHugh
Colleen is the WY Site Director working closely with staff across the organization to work towards camp and organizational goals and serving as an organizational leader for staff training, risk management, and curriculum development. Colleen has been with City Kids since 2009 serving previously as Camp Director, High School & Alumni Program Director, and Program Coordinator. Prior to City Kids, Colleen worked as a Program Director for the Living Classrooms educational vessel, the Half Shell. Colleen graduated from American University in 2007 and is a certified Wilderness EMT. Colleen is also a Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder Instructor with the the National Outdoor Leadership School.
Callie Sadler
In her role as Camp Director, Callie is responsible for overseeing and managing our summer programming at Broken Arrow Ranch in Jackson, WY. Callie previously served as the Program Director in 2017, as the City Kids’ Middle School Program Director in 2015, and as our Camp Coordinator in 2013. Callie has an undergraduate degree from Sewanee: The University of the South, and is a certified Wilderness First Responder. Prior to City Kids, Callie ran community service and international service learning trips at Sewanee.
Cassie Degener
Cassie leads our Ranger and Mountaineer programming including our after school program, weekend outdoor adventures, and summer camp. Cassie is also the lead on recruitment and new applicants. She graduated from Shepherd University with her BA in psychology and a minor in education. Cassie is a certified Wilderness First Responder.
Meena Fernald
As the JET Program Manager, Meena oversees the planning and implementation of JET Programming. The JET Program is designed to give experienced City Kids a meaningful job experience while supporting the development of their professionalism and leadership skills. Meena has been with City Kids since 2016, serving as a summer program staff and lead staff before joining the full-time staff team in 2017. Meena graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in Political Science and Education and is a certified Lifeguard and Wilderness First Responder.
N’Dea Stewart
As Elite & Leadership Program Coordinator, N’Dea works with City Kids 8th and 9th graders in DC and WY. She has served in many capacities at City Kids including past roles as the JET Program Associate, Afterschool Educator, Weekend Trip Instructor, and Lead Program Adventure Staff. N’Dea started with City Kids in 2004 and has made a lifetime commitment to always be part of the program in any way possible. She also spent three summers working in Jackson as a Front Desk Associate with Mad River Boat Trips. Over the years, N’Dea has gained a passion for the outdoors and promoting diversity in the wilderness. N’Dea is excited to share her experiences and skills to be a selfless, productive and unique contribution to the program.
Vidya Dwarakanath
Vidya joined City Kids in September 2018 to help support High School JET programming. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Mary Washington where she earned a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology. Post-graduation, Vidya backpacked solo across Europe for three months, her first time alone in another country. After traveling, she completed a 10-month service year with AmeriCorps NCCC, where she, along with a team of eleven others, traveled the United States in a 15 passenger van, supporting non-profits on a variety of projects, like rebuilding disaster-stricken homes, trail building and maintenance, farm and wildlife environmental sustainability efforts, and working with educational non-profits, like Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Club. Vidya is so excited to spend her time at City Kids and work to change the inclusivity and accessibility of the outdoors.
MaryBeth Maeder
MaryBeth Maeder joined City Kids in November 2015, where she provides administrative support. MaryBeth enjoys working with children and young adults—she worked as a Montessori School teacher for five years and has spent many hours volunteering in DC public schools, including counseling high school students at the Wilson High School College and Career Center. MaryBeth has over a decade of experience in commercial banking, and in addition to City Kids, she continues to work as the CFO of her company, Healthcare Design Builders. She is thrilled to be a part of City Kids!
Cindy Bartz
Cindy has operational responsibility for City Kids Wyoming fundraising events, donor cultivation and stewardship, and support of the Jackson Advisory Council. She brings a wealth of experience in many aspects of nonprofit work including project management, fundraising and communications. Early in her career as a social worker, she worked with families in D.C. and northern Virginia as a program manager with Big Brother/Big Sisters. In Jackson, she serves on the board of GAP! and works with Becoming Jackson Whole, a community-wide mindfulness initiative, and the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Cindy holds a BS in Political Science from Texas A&M University and an MSW from the University of Texas at Austin.
Jane Hopkins Carey
As a strategic fundraising consultant for small non-profits, Jane began leading City Kids Jackson, Wyoming Fundraising initiative in June of 2017. In that capacity she works with the CKWP leadership team, the Board of Directors and the Jackson Advisory Council to raise funds in support of City Kids programming in both Washington and Jackson.
Jane’s fundraising career has spanned more than three decades. A 19-year professional career at Georgetown University has been complemented by volunteer leadership positions there, including chairing Georgetown’s 100-person Board of Regents, and serving on Georgetown’s Board of Directors. Jane also worked for nearly a decade as a Grants Consultant for the MBNA Education Foundation in Wilmington Delaware. Currently Jane is a member of the Grants Committee of the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole and the Board of the St. John’s Hospital Foundation in Jackson. Jane has a degree in Government from Georgetown University.
Guy Trautman
Guy has been the Ranch Manager since 2001. Guy returned to his family home, Broken Arrow Ranch, after an engineering career in the aerospace industry. He is a graduate of the University of Wyoming. Guy resides on our ranch year round and manages all aspects of the 62 acre property. In the summer he not only takes care of the property, but is also involved in our Job ExperienceTraining and horseback riding programs.
Ian Garland
Caitlyn Valadez
Caitlyn served as an Outdoor Adventure Program Staff in Summer 2019 and continues to work with youth throughout the school-year as a Weekend Trip Instructor. Caitlyn received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin where she earned a B.A. in Government and certificate in Higher Education Policy and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration at the George Washington University. During her undergraduate career she led a group of 20 college students on the longest annual charity bike ride from Texas to Alaska to raise money for cancer research for the non-profit organization, Texas 4000 for Cancer. Post-graduation, Caitlyn worked on enrollment and access policy at DC Public Schools and was a volunteer for the College and Career Prep Program at Coolidge High School. In her spare time, you will find her on a bike path or a hiking trail.
Hailee Pipes
Hailee joined City Kids as the Afterschool Program Coordinator in 2018 and then as Lead Program Staff at our summer camp in Jackson, WY. Hailee loves getting to know our students and families while sharing her love for nature and the environment with City Kids youth. Hailee received her Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science from Texas Christian University (go frogs!). She is a returned Peace Corps volunteer and spent two years living in Ethiopia working as an agriculture and environment volunteer.
Arii Sylvers
Arii is from Tucson, Arizona but currently attends Howard University in DC! Arii loves to teach and teaches high school English while also writing her own novels! Arii’s favorite time outdoors is spent camping and hiking, where she loves to eat lots of pasta. Arii joined City Kids in 2018 as Summer Outdoor Adventure Program Staff and has worked with campers through the school-year as an Afterschool Educator and Weekend Trip Instructor.
Elizabeth Westbrook
Elizabeth is from West Lafayette, Indiana and has worked in non-profit management in Washington, DC. She first joined City Kids as a DC-based volunteer, then a Summer Outdoor Adventure Program Staff. She believes that everyone can gain something from the outdoors. Elizabeth can’t go a day without coffee, even when campers dare her to! She loves kayaking and enjoys a nice sweet potato hash on camping trips.
Mike Ross
Mike is a veteran when it comes to City Kids and Wyoming. Mike started as a camper when he was in 6th grade and has been backpacking and exploring Wyoming ever since. He has kayaked the Snake River, canoed on Jackson Lake, and even climbed the Grand Teton. Mike has worked with middle school youth in the afterschool program and this summer he coordinated internships for high school youth in Jackson. Mike loves helping our students develop a relationship with the outdoors and have fun while doing it!
Em Morrison
Em Morrison has been working with City Kids since 2014 when she served as an after school educator in the Peacemakers content area. She now works as a weekend trip leader. She loves sharing meaningful, silly, fun, difficult, and intense outdoor and classroom experiences with young people and holding space so they can be their most true selves.
Tyrone Lofton
Tyrone is a native of Washington, D.C. who is a current college student at Towson University studying biochemistry and bioinformatics. He was introduced in 2014 to City Kids through an AmeriCorp program called Public Allies, an organization which believes in capacity building. He worked as the After School Program Assistant and during the summer as the Camp Coordinator Assistant and last summer as a Trip Advisor for City Kids. In his down time he like playing chess, basketball, hiking, and reading.
Tyrhee Moore
Tyrhee has worked in many capacities at City Kids and currently is a Weekend Trip Instructor. He previously worked as the Elite & Leadership Program Coordinator and worked with youth in DC and in Wyoming. Tyrhee was part of Expedition Denali in 2013, and is featured in the documentary film, An American Ascent. He is an alum of the City Kids program and prior to his current role, served as a weekend trip leader and summer program staff with City Kids. Tyrhee graduated from West Virginia University, is a NOLS instructor, and is a certified Wilderness First Responder.
Martinae Irving
Martinae is an alumni of the City Kids Program and a recent college graduate. She has worked as an Afterschool Educator and Weekend Trip Instructor at City Kids, and also served as a summer counselor at Broken Arrow Ranch.
Photo Credits
City Kids staff and volunteers take all of the photos used in City Kids’ materials. We are very grateful for our talented team members and for their incredible contributions as a part of the City Kids community. 2017-2018 photo credits include all year-round, school-year, and summer staff and volunteers:
Anya Lagasse, Ben Gorman, Cassie Degener, Callie Sadler, Charlie Martin, Charlie Wang, Colleen McHugh, Crystal Baker, David Holzworth, David Prehn, David Wilson, Eliza Mott, Elizabeth Westbrook, Eloise Russo, Em Morrison, Emily Scharff, Eric Newsom, Guy Trautman, Hanna Koerner, Jacob White, Jen Spencer, Jennifer Sokolower, Jessie Hook, Joe Sadler, Jordan Haferbier, Katiya Gombar, Kiersten Van Houten, Martinae Irving, MaryBeth Maeder, Mattison Boyer, Max Rawson, Meena Fernald, Michelle Howell, Mick Wang, Montae Franklin, Moriah Petty, N‘Dea Stewart, N’Jiri Hunter, Nia Abram, Philip Rogers, Rohan Chaudhary, Ryan Sarafolean Banning, Sara Ghebremichael, Theresa Meyers, Tyrhee Moore, Tyrone Lofton, Will Marshall