Meet Our Camp Family
Wheaton Griffin
Executive Director
wgriffin@ymcanyc.org
Wheaton came to the New York YMCA Camp in June 2008 from YMCA Camp Cosby, Birmingham, AL where he also served as executive director. Before directing Camp Cosby, he spent 8 years as the executive director of Camp Dudley YMCA, where he went to camp as a young boy, following his father’s footsteps. Before discovering that his life work was directing YMCA camps, Wheaton, with a Ph.D. in psychology, practiced this profession in hospitals, clinics, and in private practice. For ten years he and Eileen had the great fortune to raise their two children, T and Amos, on a farm in Earlville, New York. As T and Amos grew up, Wheaton and Eileen joined the Gesell Institute of Human Development in New Haven CT, and consulted in schools throughout the nation on developmentally appropriate practices that focused on supporting each child’s individual development. This remains the base of Wheaton’s approach to camps, where the goal is to support the joyful, safe development of each individual camper. “If a child is not having fun at camp, then that is a problem we need to solve – what do we need to change for that child to have fun?”
When not involved in growing camp’s resources and staff, Wheaton can be found running the trails of our forested acres, hiking with Eileen, or playing with his children and grandchildren. Around camp he is known for his spirited driving style behind the wheel of the Silver Streak, his colorful Caribbean shirts, and laughing with the kids at camp. He remains active in the affairs of Maho Bay Eco Resorts, which he directed on the island of St. John, YMCA camping, and with various educational endeavors…not to mention cheering on the New York Rangers, New York Giants and New York Yankees.
Chris Scheuer
Associate Executive Director
cscheuer@ymcanyc.org
Chris Scheuer comes to us from Wisconsin and joined our Y family in 1995 as a counselor serving campers with special needs. Throughout the years Chris has held a variety of camping positions such as program director, camp director and his current job as Associate Executive Director overseeing the day-to-day operations. He has a bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University Wisconsin - LaCrosse. Chris holds his Senior Director from the Y of the USA and is active in the American Camp Association and the local Rotary Club. Chris met his wife, Noelle at camp and they have a little boy named Brendan as well as three Labrador Retrievers. Chris can be found most Sundays cheering for the Packers, cooking brats on the grill and eating deep fried cheese curds.
Robin Farr
Business Manager
rfarr@ymcanyc.org
Robin Farr moved to camp in 1968 when her father began his 23-year role as Buildings and Grounds Superintendent. She has been a camper at both Greenkill and Talcott, was an LD at Talcott (Leadership Development Program – now called Counselor-In-Training), summer camp secretary and dishwasher. She began full-time in 1974 when the offices moved permanently from New York City. Robin has seen enormous growth in the use of our facilities and programs, while working her way from office secretary to business manager. Her 2 children, and now many of her 7 grandchildren, have also attended and enjoyed camp.
Chris Rasmussen
Summer Camp Director
crasmussen@ymcanyc.org
Chris Rasmussen has been a camper since 1983. In fact, five generations of his family have been involved with YMCA camping. Chris is a native of Rhode Island where he met his wife, Maria, who herself was an international camp counselor! They have two children, Lukas and Louisa and a shaggy dog named Oscar. New York is Chris’ third camp having previously served at Flat Rock River YMCA Camp and YMCA Camp Fuller.
Hillary Gallacher
Retreat Program Director
hgallacher@ymcanyc.org
Hillary spent 20+ years in the mountains of Southern California. She graduated from Westmont College in Santa Barbara carrying a degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Teaching and Coaching. Life took her indoors to work as a Physical Therapy Assistant, which proved too claustrophobic for her taste. She joined our Y family in 2004, looking for an "outdoor adventure". Hillary has served as an Outdoor Education Instructor, Waterfront Director and Assistant Camp Director. In 2006, she took on her current role as Retreat Program Director. While she does miss In-N-Out Burger, Hillary loves the East Coast and her Miniature Pinscher named Beep.
Jason Marker
Outdoor Education Program Director
jmarker@ymcanyc.org
Jason hails from the 1st state of Delaware but has worked in MN, KY, NY, MA, OH and came back to NY to join the New York YMCA Camp as the Outdoor Education Program Director in August 2008. Previously he was the Outdoor Education Director at a YMCA facility in Massachusetts as well managing outdoor programs in other states. He has a degree in Outdoor Education with an emphasis on Ropes Course Management and a coaching certification for baseball/softball. Jason is married to his wife Jennefer and they have a daughter Aderyn. He loves winter and all of the sports associated with it.
Jenny Caiafa
Camp Registrar
jcaiafa@ymcanyc.org
The New York YMCA Camp has been an important part of most of Jenny’s life. She was a camper, counselor, waterfront director, kitchen aide and store clerk. Jenny left camp for a while to start her family and came back part-time to the Y Family in 2000. She began her current role as Camp Registrar in 2007. All three of her children have been campers and they love camp as much as their mom does.
Phill Bestor
Maintenance Director
pbestor@ymcanyc.org
Phill Bestor, a graduate of Oregon State University, comes to us with over 30 years of work experience at summer camps and residential outdoor schools. Most recently he was the site & facilities manager at a medical specialty camp in Massachusetts, prior to that the site manager at a 4-H camp in Oregon. He met his wife, Janice Watkins, at a camp in Washington, where they got married. They join us with their two dogs and two cats.
Steve Sumnick
Food Service Director
ssumnick@ymcanyc.org
Steve grew up in a small town called Wallington located in New Jersey. He moved to Huguenot when he was fifteen and began working as a camp kitchen-aid at sixteen. After graduating from Port Jervis High School, he continued his education at Orange County Community College and Binghamton University. After college Steve returned to camp as a naturalist and found his calling to work with youth. Currently, he serves as camp's food service manager and youth pastor for his local church. He and his wife Vanessa have three wonderful children, Chloe, Joshua and Caden.
