The Hampton Country Staff

Second to None in Attracting, Training, and Retaining Outstanding Camp Staff

Hampton Country Day Camp’s formula is unique. We take pride in a professional staff development program that includes an extensive recruitment and interview process, background checks, and an ongoing, comprehensive training program unsurpassed in the camping industry.

The Highest Standard of Professionalism

Our Leadership Team is a highly trained and dedicated group of exceptional professionals. Group counselors and specialists, joining us from all around the world, are carefully selected utilizing a thorough interview process, complete with reference and background checks.

Year-round staff training programs employ the services of top psychologists and child development experts for both our Leadership Team and general counselor staff.

Our innovative evaluation process enables our Leadership Team to work closely with their counselor staff. Our staff salaries, amongst the highest in the industry, ensure a wide pool of quality applicants and keep our quality staff returning year after year.

Small Groups With Exceptional Supervision

gymnasticsHampton Country Day Camp is committed to small groups and high staff to camper ratios so that we can best supervise your child and keep YOU informed. Division Leaders and counselors review each camper’s day, EVERY day. Phone calls are made home regularly by Division Leaders to keep you up to date regarding everything from your child’s swim progress to new friendships to what they ate for lunch. We feel that communication is essential in facilitating the most secure environment for our campers and we look forward to partnering with our camp families every summer.

Hampton Country Day Camp’s commitment to the health and safety of every child is unsurpassed. At HCDC, a child’s emotional safety is as important as his or her physical safety. Every member of our staff undergoes an extensive training program to ensure that your child is being supervised while having the best summer possible.

2023 LEADERSHIP TEAM

STEPPING STONES

 

Allie Barilla – 2.5 & 3 Year Olds

Allie is thrilled to be working with our youngest campers this summer as the Stepping Stones Mini-Day Division Leader.  This will be Allie’s eleventh summer at Hampton Country Day Camp and her fifth summer working with this age group.

During the school year, Allie teaches voice on faculty in the BFA Musical Theatre program at Molloy Universtiy.  She also maintains her private voice and piano studio, Premier Voice and Performance.  Allie holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Concordia College and a Master’s in Music Education/Voice Pedagogy from Columbia University, Teachers College. She is a proud mom of 3 boys: Roman (7), Miles (6) and Cole (6 months)!

Allie is so excited to spend the summer with our newest campers and camp families as they experience the joy of an HCDC summer for the very first time!


Sammi Strahl –
2.5 & 3 Year Olds

Sammi is thrilled to be returning to Hampton Country Day Camp for her third summer as a Stepping Stones Division Leader! During the school year, Sammi is a licensed social worker at a private elementary school on the Upper West Side. She has developed expertise working with children with special needs and is sympathetic to the individual needs of her students. She can’t wait to translate these skills to camp and establish new and meaningful relationships with her campers and their families.

Sammi holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from NYU. She attended sleep away camp for many summers as both a camper and counselor and believes that camp has helped to shape her into the person she is today. Sammi is so excited to combine her love of children with her love of camp as she spends the summer with our youngest campers. She is looking forward to welcoming our 3 year olds for the first of many fun and exciting summers at HCDC!

 

Barbara Marder – 4 Year Olds

Barbara, returning to HCDC for her fourteenth summer, comes with many years of both professional and life experience with young children. Barbara has always stayed closely connected to camp, especially while raising her two daughters who both attended day camp as well as sleep away camp for many years. Barbara is the proud mom of two professional elementary school teachers and a proud grandma to an 8 year old grandson, 6 year old granddaughter and 2 year old granddaughter!

Barbara has taught several years of kindergarten in the Half Hollow Hills School District on Long Island where she currently teaches 4th Grade. She holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and School Administration. With over twenty years in the field of childcare, Barbara is invested in getting to know each child and responding to his/her individual needs.

Barbara prides herself on establishing close relationships with her counselors as well as developing consistent and attentive communication with parents. Barbara provides a safe, happy and nurturing environment for our younger campers and is looking forward to welcoming our 4 Year Old campers and their families to camp this summer.

 

 

Danielle Levine – 4 Year Olds

Danielle is so excited to be returning to camp this summer as a 4 Year Old Division Leader! Danielle has worked at HCDC for the past 9 summers as a Sports Specialist, Senior Counselor, and Division Leader. She is thrilled to be able to combine her passions for working at camp and working with children in the 4 year old division!

Danielle holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education from SUNY Cortland and a Master’s Degree in Health Education from Touro University. During the school year she is an Adapted Physical Education Teacher in Queens, NY where she works with students with disabilities.

Danielle takes great pride in creating a welcoming, nurturing environment for her campers- one in which they will grow and have fun each day! She is so excited to welcome our 4 year old campers to Hampton Country Day Camp and see their growth throughout the summer!

 

 

GIRLS SIDE

 

Angelica Gonzalez – 5 Year Old Girls

Angelica is so excited to be returning to HCDC for her sixth summer as a Division Leader!  During the school year, Angelica is a 1st Grade teacher in New York City and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology as well as a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education.

Through these experiences, Angelica has learned to create a fun and nurturing atmosphere for young children. She is committed to ensuring that every young child experience social, physical and creative growth this summer!  Angelica can’t wait to meet all of her campers for another fun-filled summer at HCDC.

 

 Jenny Speicher – 6 Year Old Girls

Jenny is eager to return to Hampton Country Day Camp for her eleventh summer and sixth as the Division Leader for our 6 Year Old Girls!

During the school year, Jenny teaches 4th grade in New York City.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from SUNY Cortland in Childhood Education and has her Master’s Degree in Special Education from Molloy College. Jenny cannot wait to put her spirit and energy into her leadership position and to help create a summer to remember for her division of 6 Year Old Girls!

 

Aoife O’Reilly – 7 Year Old Girls

Aoife is so excited to be back as a Division Leader this year having worked at HCDC for the ten summers in a variety of leadership roles!

Aoife has a degree in Science Education and is a math and physics teacher, having worked in a Dublin High School for the past 5 years.  This year, Aoife spent the year coaching multi-sports with FAST Sports in Port Washington.

Aoife can’t wait to meet all of the girls in the 7 year old division and is looking forward to a fun and memorable summer!

 

Mollie Rosen – 8 – 12 Year Old Girls

Mollie is looking forward to returning to HCDC for her thirteenth summer. Having previously attended our sister camps, North Shore Day Camp , Timber Lake West, and returning to North Shore as a counselor for four additional years, Mollie maintains that she holds the record for most years accrued at the Timber Lake Family of Camps.  She will tell you that there is no place on earth that she’d rather be!

Mollie is a 1st Grade teacher at a public school in New York City and holds a Master’s Degree in Childhood Special Education. Mollie is thrilled to bring her spirit, drive, and passion for camp back to HCDC this summer!

 

 BOYS SIDE

 

Andrew Hindle – 5 Year Old Boys

Andrew is so excited to be returning to HCDC this summer as the 5 Year Old Boys Division Leader having spent the past two seasons as a Program Coordinator on the leadership team.  Whether it’s dressing up as spiderman, leading cheers on stage, or helping campers conquer their fears on our ropes courses, there’s nothing he won’t do to ensure everyone has the best summer they can at camp!

Andrew holds an Honor’s Degree in Medical Biochemistry, and during the school year he takes on a wide variety of roles caring for and coaching children and vulnerable adults in Ireland.  Andrew believes that there is nothing more rewarding than being responsible for enriching the lives of those around you!

Coming from the UK, summer camp wasn’t something Andrew ever expected to be involved in, but after spending his first year here with us back in 2017, Hampton Country Day Camp became his new “home away from home” and returns each year to spend his summers with our camp family.

 

Jarrett Culotta – 6 Year Old Boys

Jarrett couldn’t be more excited to return to HCDC for another amazing summer! Having spent the first six summers as a Senior Counselor on “boys’ side”, Jarrett is looking forward to returning for his fifth summer as a Division Leader…this year, following his boys up from last summer into the 6 Year Old Division! Although Jarrett never attended summer camp growing up, he immediately connected with HCDC during his first summer and it is always the highlight of his year!  During the school year, Jarrett is a 2nd Grade teacher at St. Davids in NYC!

Whether at school or at camp, Jarrett emphasizes the importance of establishing and maintaining a meaningful, personal connection with his students and campers. This helps to ensure that each camper has the absolute best summer experience possible!

 

Cabel Alfriend – 7 Year Old Boys

Cabel is one of our veteran Division Leaders at HCDC, returning for his ninth summer at camp and seventh on the Leadership Team. During the year, he is a Learning Specialist at the Trevor Day School in Manhattan, where he works with students who have various learning disabilities or experience academic challenges.

Summer camp has been a constant throughout Cabel’s life, and his ultimate goal at HCDC is to facilitate an environment where every child can feel comfortable to play, learn, have fun and make some great friends! 

Cabel is looking forward to a great summer full of fun and excitement!

 

Paul McDermott – 8 – 12 Year Old Boys

Paul will be joining us this summer for his eleventh year as a part of the HCDC family! 

 

During the school year, Paul runs his own sports and recreational coaching company in Dublin, Ireland which provides fun, targeted physical activity programs for all ages, sporting types and levels of ability.  This past year, Paul has been living in NYC coaching multi-sport and basketball programs for all ages with FAST Sports.

 

Along with this, Paul is also a sports and wellness coach focusing on youth and special needs groups in Dublin & is a credited basketball coach across multiple outlets in Ireland. He is qualified to work with children with Autism and additional needs and is Red Cross CPR certified. Paul has received the CIPD Award in coaching and mentoring from the National College of Ireland professional diploma in Sports and Exercise Psychology & a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. 

 

Paul is super excited to bring his experience, big energy, creative ideas & activities to HCDC summer of 2023!