Meet Our Staff

Kara started at Camp Ketcha in 2014 as a senior camp counselor (she was also a camper when she was in elementary school). After graduating from UNH with a degree in music education in 2015 she stayed on with us in the summers as a head counselor and spent 4 years working in the Portland Public Schools as an ed-tech and music teacher. We welcomed her on year round in June 2018 as the Director of Youth Development. In this role she runs our summer camp, after school, vacation camp, and adventure challenge programs. When Kara is not at camp she can be found hiking, climbing, or running with her dog, Casco.

Ainsley began working with Camp Ketcha as the Portland Gear Hub’s 1st Shop Manager in 2014.  Ainsley brings over 10 years experience working in community bicycle shops and bike advocacy from Minneapolis, Michigan, and now Maine. Ainsley enjoys repairing bicycles as much as she loves riding them and you can find her riding the local trails with her 2 dogs and husband in her free time. Stop by the Portland Gear Hub and she’ll help set you up with outdoor gear or put you to work repairing all of our incoming donations!

After moving to Maine, Emma was drawn to Ketcha’s mission and started working in the preschool as a teacher. She has since been growing the program into the Farm and Forest Preschool we have today. Emma has 13+ years of experience working with kids 3-14 and a great love of art and nature. She hopes to pass on this love and appreciation of our natural world to the next generation to be great stewards of the Earth. Emma is originally from Minnesota and moved to Maine in 2017 after receiving her BFA from Lesley University.

Mary Ellen began working at Camp K in 2006 as the part-time Camp Registrar.  In 2010 she took over as the Facility Rentals Director. She enjoys helping each and every bride & renter make Camp Ketcha a special place for their event. Mary Ellen can often be found washing windows & dusting while answering summer camp questions and calls! Mary Ellen lives in South Portland with her husband.

Kristen spent the start of her adult life in various health-related roles including working in a family practice and the emergency department. She spent a stint of time focused on mental health in both residential and in-patient psychiatric care. For several years, she staffed 911 ambulances as an Advanced EMT in both small, rural towns of Southern Maine and bustling, never-sleeping cities of Central Maine. Prior to starting at Ketcha, Kristen assisted local school nurses in navigating the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kristen was hired as Ketcha’s Camp EMT in between the school year season. She immediately was drawn to Ketcha’s mission to keep children connected to the natural beauty that Maine has to offer. She gratefully accepted a full time position as the After Care Coordinator as well as the Behavior, Health and Safety Coordinator. As a Ketcha parent herself, she understands the need for safe, quality children’s programming. When she is not at Ketcha or studying to become a Licensed Practical Nurse, Kristen can be found with her family raising their rescue rabbits or hiking the various trails of Southern Maine.

Elena grew up in Portland and attended Camp Ketcha as a child. She started as a staff member in the summer of 2021 as a senior counselor. She was then hired as an assistant Pre-K teacher at Ketcha in April and worked as head staff during summer 2022. Her experience includes daycares/preschools, Montessori schools and starting a private academy in Nevada. She is currently finishing her Bachelors in History and Masters in Education at USM. Elena is a big fan of animals, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift. In her free time you’ll find her reading, traveling or at a concert. She hopes to share her love for the environment, the outdoors and inclusivity with kids.

Forrest moved to Scarborough in 2020 and was very excited to discover Camp Ketcha practically in his backyard!  He began working as a preschool teacher at the Farm and Forest School in 2021.  With over a decade of experience working as an educator with people ranging in age from preschoolers to retirees, he brings his focus on mindfulness and nature-based education to Ketcha Outdoors.  Forrest has worked in a variety of settings such as schools, educational farms, and retirement communities.  Forrest’s interest in books and music led him to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature with a music minor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He enjoys sharing his love of books and music with his students. Camp Ketcha’s beautiful natural areas provide an ideal environment for Forrest to showcase his passion for different forms of mindfulness like meditation, forest bathing, qi gong, and tai chi.  He loves using Camp Ketcha’s woods, wetlands, and fields as outdoor classrooms for studying ecology and nurturing a love for nature! 

Billy began working at Camp Ketcha during the summer of 2018 as the Archery Instructor. He grew up on Peaks Island, ME and holds a B.S. in Marine Biology from UNCW. Billy has worked at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and in Connecticut’s Diadromous Fisheries Program. In his spare time Billy enjoys running, traveling, and learning how to play the banjo. During the school year he has been helping to maintain the facilities and teaching in the After School program. And this summer he will be the Environmental Educator at camp!

A native of Scarborough, Liz has worked at Ketcha Outdoors since the summer of 2000, first as a counselor, then working her way up to Camp Director in the summer of 2004 and then moving in the Director of Operations. She is a member of the American Camping Association and formerly served on the American Camp Association New England Standards Committee and the Emerging Camp Professional Committee. Liz is passionately committed to youth development and public service. She has worked with children in a variety of capacities throughout her career, including as a nanny, a volunteer with the Special Olympics, and as a summer camp counselor. Liz began her work with nonprofits leading the United Way’s Youth Engaged in Service group and participating in the Day of Caring as a Youth Site Supervisor.  She holds undergraduate degrees in sociology and criminology from the University of Southern Maine in Portland.  Liz continues her  professional development through courses, training, and conferences. She lives in South Portland with her husband and three children, who all love Camp Ketcha summer camp and school vacation camps!