Rounding Out Rockmont’s Roster

Last week was opening week for Major League Baseball, and that means summer is right around the corner. As we head into the summer, Rockmont is excited to announce some roster changes and new acquisitions.

Leading off is Andrew Ginn, who is now the Assistant Director for Staff Development and our Bear Camp Director. Andrew is a graduate of Mississippi State University, and has been at Rockmont for five years as a counselor, Program Director, and Bear Camp Director. Our summer staff is a big part of what makes Rockmont a great place. Our facility is extraordinary, and the setting is spectacular, but the staff makes this beautiful place come alive. Andrew is now leading the way in recruiting, training, and evaluating our summer staff.

Up next is Daniel Weatherby, our newest year-round staff member, who joins us as Assistant Director for Marketing Coordination, and Deer Camp Director. Daniel’s Rockmont experience began in 1999, and his roots go deep here. He has been a camper in every tribe, a counselor for many summers, and a longtime Buckeye Tribal Director. After years on the road and in the studio with the group, Judah and the Lion, we are thrilled that Daniel is now taking even greater root at Rockmont. Daniel is a native of Atlanta with a degree in Religion and the Arts from Belmont University in Nashville. He looks forward to seeing you on the road and in Deer Camp.

Sarah Becker is now working full time as the Administrative Assistant for Staff Development. She works with staff recruiting, contracts, and also camper placement. Sarah is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Asheville. She started working at camp when she was 14 years old, so she brings experience and insight to this vitally important work. Sarah is the one who makes sure every camper is in the right cabin, and that every staff member is fully supported. We are grateful for the tremendous contribution she is already making to our work.

Michael “Murph” Murphy has also been added to our year-round staff ranks. You may know Murph from his time as a Poplar counselor in 2015, Poplar TD in 2017, and the Sycamore TD in 2018. Murph received a bachelor’s degree in English from Appalachian State University. After school, Murph worked in an outdoor therapy program as a field guide, where he helped people recover from addiction by leading backpacking and canoeing trips. Through this, he received his Wilderness First Responder and is now working towards his Single Pitch Instructor certification. He credits his time working towards his Eagle Scout rank with his Dad as the catalyst for his interest in the outdoors. Murph started on January 1st as our new Intern and will be filling the position of the Camping Climbing Crew Director for the Summer.

New Ventures for Rockmont Family

Rockmont is deeply grateful for the work of Josh Drexler and Shawn Marler, who have each left Rockmont this year to pursue new adventures. Josh and Elise Drexler, and their sons Joseph, Benjamin, and Wendell brought years of life and laughter to Camp Rockmont. Josh expanded our program in many ways, most especially in our Outdoor Adventures. We are a more adventurous camp and a more joyful camp because of his leadership here. We are a safer camp because of Josh’s attention to all the practices and procedures that make it possible for us to venture into the woods.

Shawn Marler has been our Bear Camp Director, Program Director, and most recently Staffing Director. Shawn has been a camp leader around the country, especially in the area of youth development, and he has enriched our program in extraordinary ways. One of Shawn’s many contributions was to help develop and then lead the implementation of our “Fully Connected” policy. We are committed to being fully present to our campers and to each other, and that has meant putting away all the screens and devices that would distract us from our best work.  It takes a strong leader to take on such a challenge.

We are grateful for the leadership and friendship of Josh Drexler and Shawn Marler.