Camp Ondessonk Camping Services Director Brian Croft
Recently Camp Ondessonk Camping Services Director Brian Croft presented at the AEE– Association for Experiential Education Conference in Denver CO. The Association for Experiential Education (AEE) is a nonprofit, professional membership association dedicated to experiential education and the students, educators, and practitioners who utilize its philosophy. A wide variety of members make up our association including ropes course operators; school, college, and university staff and faculty; therapists; outdoor education practitioners; organizational development specialists; experience-based professionals working in nonprofit, private, and academic settings; and members of other areas of experiential education.
Camping Services Director
Email: brian.croft@ondessonk.com
Phone: 618.695.2489 x129
Hometown: Teutopolis, Illinois
Education: B.S. in Outdoor Recreation from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale; M.S. in Education in Recreation Resource Administration from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale
Brian grew up in and around camps and the outdoors as an avid summer camper. After working as a counselor at Boy Scout Camp and at a camp for children with disabilities, Brian became an Outdoor Programmer for Southern Illinois University’s Touch of Nature Environmental Center. Working specifically with the Underway Adventures Program, Brian performed many administrative duties and oversaw several adventure activities, including rock climbing, ropes courses, and camping expeditions. He got the call in 2011 for his dream job and became the new Program Director at Camp Ondessonk, overseeing summer activity areas, all Camp Ondessonk specialty programs, and the Ondessonk Outdoor Education Program during the school year. Brian is also responsible for hiring, training, and mentoring the Seasonal Program Staff. When not booking school group visits or facilitating a challenge course program, Brian can be found hiking the beautiful trails of camp, playing guitar, or spending time with his wife Denise and their dogs Riley and Charity.