Meet our 2021 Supervisors
The saying “it takes a village” is especially true at Camp Chi. While the full-time team works year-round to make camp happen, nothing would happen without our supervisors, who are essential in the instrumentation of the camp experience. We have an amazing team assembled who are eager to make this the best summer Camp Chi has ever known, and we want to introduce them to you!
Village Leaders
Maya Parks (Shoreshim)
Maya Parks is back this summer as one of the Shoreshim Village Leaders! This is Maya’s 12th summer at Chi, and as a SIT of ’16 and SIT Staff of ’20 she has a long list of accomplishments at camp. Although one of her personal favorites accomplishments was figuring out how to do a virtual SIT Summer last year, Maya is pumped to be back programming in-person this summer. When not at camp, Maya attends the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Theatre and Jewish Studies and perfecting her “killer cartwheel”. No one will confuse Maya for camper this summer as she has as much Ruach as an entire village!
Matty Vergun (Shoreshim)
Look who it is, it’s Matty Vergun! Matty is returning for his 3rd year at camp this summer as one of the Shoreshim Village Leaders, and we’re thrilled to have him back! Matty, who is a comedian both in and out of camp, is an experienced Village Leader at Camp Chi, and is bringing his funny bone and creative mind to Shoreshim! Matty is a history enthusiast, a Spiderman aficionado, and has officially seen every episode of Top Chef. With those interests, we can’t wait to see what kind of programs Shoreshim will get into this summer!
Alex Arbit (Tsofim)
Arbit is making his return to camp at one of the Tsofim Village Leaders! A SIT of ’14 and SIT Staff of ’18, this marks Arbit’s 12th summer at Chi. Although often associated with hot peppers, Arbit is actually a pretty cool dude. When not at Camp, Arbit is a TA in the Special Education Department at Highland Park High School, and plans to start Grad School in the fall. He can’t wait to bring his mentorship to camp this summer and help out counselors and campers alike. In his free time, Arbit can be found performing his 10,000 pushups and enjoying dark chocolate Milky Ways and diet root beer from the Canteen.
Ely London (Tsofim)
Ely London can’t wait to be one of the Tsofim Village Leaders this summer! It’s Ely’s 12th summer at Chi, and she was a SIT of ’16 and SIT Staff of ’20. Ely has some pretty incredible talents including regularly performing the world’s slowest cartwheel! Wow! She also has some distinctive camp accomplishments, including scoring a point every single time she touches the ball in the SIT/Staff Volleyball Game (SITs of ’21, take note). When she’s not enjoying Grilled Cheese Sundays at camp, Ely is a dance major at the University of Illinois.
Ben Block (Chalutzim)
Ben “Block” Block is excited to be back at Chi this summer as one of the Chalutzim Village Leaders. Block was a SIT of ’16, and this is his 7th year at camp. When he’s not at camp, Ben is a student at the University of Illinois and loves spending time with friends outdoors, which is exactly what he’s excited to do at camp this summer. An avid Cubs fan, Ben has officially called the Cubs winning the division this year (and asks for all the credit when they do). You can find Ben under the gazebo at the Cove, which he helped build, enjoying a Charleston Chew and those sweet summer lake views.
Anna Ramirez (Chalutzim)
Anna doesn’t need much of an introduction at camp considering it’s her 9th summer here, but nonetheless she’s back as one of the Chalutzim Village Leaders this summer! A SIT of ’15, Anna has had plenty of roles at camp including Counselor, Village Leader, and a Lifeguard. Anna started coming to camp when her mom was a Nurse in our Health Center, and hasn’t missed a summer since! With her plant identification skills, lightning quick swimming, and pitch-perfect singing voice, Anna is sure to make Chalutzim unforgettable this summer!
Matt Sturt (Habonim)
Matt Sturt is back at camp, and he’s one of the Habo Village Leaders! A SIT of ’17, Matt can’t wait to be back for his 8th summer at Chi! Matt attends Michigan State University and is unarguably the biggest Chicago Bears fan Camp Chi has ever seen. Some of his strong hobbies include making surprisingly beautiful music by whistling into a blade of grass and playing in the Courtside Pool Basketball League. Matt’s two biggest dreams in life are to own 100 dogs, and to plan the most epic Habo Day ever! We can guarantee one of those dreams will come true this summer!
Katie Kramer (Habonim)
Katie Kramer is so excited to be back this summer as one of the Habo Village Leaders! Katie, a SIT of ’16 and SIT Staff of ’20, is here for her 11th summer. When not at camp, Katie can be found acting in an improv troupe or playing/watching baseball. Katie is famous in camp for being able to climb the zip-line pole, and for being able to light fires with here hands! Catch Katie at the Canteen enjoying a Cove Water Slush Puppy and an M&M ice cream sandwich (and make sure to ask her about her wisdom teeth!)
Carli Kanter (Noar)
Carli is thrilled to be back for her 12th summer as one of the Noar Village Leaders! After being a SIT of’16 and SIT Staff of ’20, Carli can’t wait to be a supervisor and implement all her great ideas in camp. She has a strong track record so far seeing as you can find her art all over camp, including the brand-new Scoreboard at the Cove! When not at camp, Carli attends art school, collects vinyl albums, and loves listening to classic rock and classic alternative music. She holds the both the Camp Chi and World Records in drawing Wanda from the “Fairly Odd Parents” from memory, and we challenge anyone to try and beat it. We so excited to have Carli’s supervisory and art skills at camp this summer!
Jared “J-Lo” London (Noar)
J-Lo is back for his 15th summer at Chi as one of the Noar Village Leaders! Although he never really leaves camp in the offseason (he’s Camp Chi’s Full-Time Program Coordinator), J-Lo can’t wait to have everyone else back in camp this summer! A SIT of ’14, J-Lo has been a Village Leader for many villages before. This summer he’s taking his talents to Teen Camp, where he’ll be running some of his famous programs such as X-treme Noodle Making and Cowboy of the Seas. J-Lo claims to be undefeated at Water Basketball at the Courtside Pool, and is hoping to claim the title at Lakeside Pool this summer as well.
Jacklyn Shur (Session 2)
Jacklyn is coming all the way back from the Land of Milk and Honey to be a Village Leader Second Session this summer! Jacklyn, a SIT of ’15 and SIT Staff of ’19, is currently in Israel teaching English. But she’s coming back to camp, and is excited to help campers safely connect and feel at home again. Jacklyn’s camp accomplishments include winning a Ruach Award back-to-back years and being known for her incredible ear wiggling ability! We can’t wait to have Jacklyn back in the country, and back at camp!
AJ Katzenstein (Session 2)
AJ will be found in many places this summer, including being a Village Leader Second Session. AJ is also interning in Camp Chi’s Human Resources Department, and is helping train our Second Session Staff. Obviously a man of many talents, AJ was a SIT Staff of ’20 and is proud of being able to create an online SIT Summer last year. AJ can’t wait to help counselors transition being back in camp, and is happy to finally have his younger brother at camp as a counselor this summer! Considering it’s his 8th year in camp, AJ is pretty confident in his Canteen order of Shark Attack Slush Puppy, ice cream sandwich, and skittles.
Jori Wineburgh (Session 2)
Familiar face Jori “Jor Bor” Wineburgh is back at camp for her 15th summer as a Village Leader Second Session! Jori, a SIT of ’10 and SIT Staff of ’14 is so excited to be back at camp doing all the activities she couldn’t do last year. Jori has been a Village Leader many times before, and we love having her leadership and experience in camp. Jori loves working with kids in the Jewish Community, and is a teacher at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School during the year.
Our partners at Keshet have also built an incredibly strong supervisory team that will be working hand-in-hand with our supervisors. Their team is headed by Katie Lightner for her 13th summer at Chi, and is made up of Liz Robbin, Ricky Ross, Savana Biagioni, Jessica Rubinstein, and Julie Friedman.
Area Leaders
Micah Cohn (Outdoor Cooking)
Micah is back for her 14th summer as the new Outdoor Cooking Supervisor. A SIT of ’15, this isn’t Micah’s first time in a supervisory role at camp. But she’s taking her talents to Outdoor Cooking this summer, where she’ll be chef-ing up delicious meals in our new fire pits and pizza oven! While the OC can be relatively calm, Micah does have a wild side too. She’s an accomplished Leap of Faith-er at the Ropes Course, and has a “mean” somersault. Micah can’t wait to be at her new position, and we’re excited to have her back!
Zach Klein (Waterski)
Catch Zach rocking the wake this summer as the Assistant Waterski Supervisor. Zach, a SIT of ’17, is back for his 11th summer at Chi, and is passionate about all things wakeboarding. He can’t wait to be at the docks, meeting new and returning campers, and teaching them how to wakeboard. Outside of camp, Zach can be found wakeboarding and skateboarding with friends. He’s got a perfect 10 backflip in and out of the water, and isn’t afraid to show it off – for the price of a Slush Puppy and Charleston Chew from the Canteen of course.
Brandon Hults (Waterski)
Brandon is back at the docks this summer as the Waterski Supervisor. A SIT of ’12, this is Brandon’s 17th year at Camp Chi. Brandon is as skilled as they come; he’s a sponsored kneeboarder, a skilled plant identifier and nature enthusiast, and works with the JCC’s J at School program during the year. Brandon has a great programming mind, and we love his ability to build storytelling and ideals into his sessions. Find Brandon driving and riding down at the docks this summer, and make sure to stop by for a Ski-BQ!
Izzy Becker-Bogan (Office)
Izzy is “SO PUMPED” to be back at camp this summer as the Office Manager! A SIT of ’16, Izzy has been (self)-described as a baby corn because she’s short, fun, bubbly, and her favorite color is yellow. (If you really want the inside scoop though, pickles are her favorite food EVER.). Izzy is a Communications Major at the University of Illinois and is going to be using all the skills she’s learned running the Office this summer. When not in the office, you could find Izzy drinking a blue raspberry slush puppy through blue raspberry punch straws, talking about her two dogs and 30 fish!
Jessie Lankford (Program Manager)
Jessie is back where she belongs as the Program Manager at Camp Chi! This is far from Jessie’s first time in the position, or at camp for that matter; she’s a SIT of ’11 and SIT Staff of ’15. When she’s not helping the world as a Outpatient Clinical Therapist treating anxiety, depression, and OCD, Jessie love being the brains behind the day to day function of camp during the summer. If she’s not in the Office, you can probably find Jessie doing a REALLY long head stand or enjoying and Oreo ice cream sandwich at the Canteen (but not both at the same time!)
AJ Teplinsky (Staff Life Manager)
AJ “Sand” Teplinsky is a true veteran of Camp Chi. A SIT of ’13, AJ has been a Village Leader for numerous villages at camp. This summer AJ is starting off as Camp Chi’s first ever Manager of Staff Life, and we know he’s the perfect fit for the position. AJ will oversee our staff recreation area, ensuring all staff are recharged and reenergized from their time off. AJ holds the most Camp Chi Records in history including Most Hats Worn in a Day (22 at once!) and Fastest Staff Member Alive. An Elementary School Teacher in the off-season, AJ is also an accomplished Battle Rapper, loves sweet breakfasts, and has never once been hit by rain. Nice going, AJ!
Scott Harris (Athletics)
Scott “Scooter” Harris is excited to be at camp his 12th summer as the Athletics Supervisor. Scott, a SIT of ’16, can’t wait to see all his camp friends and past campers, and to meet all the new-comers this summer! An accomplished wrestler in his own right, Scott volunteers with his high school’s wrestling program when he’s not at camp. If he’s not sportsin’ in up on one of the Athletic Fields, you can find Scott enjoying a Cove Water Slush Puppy and an unfrozen (that’s right, unfrozen) Charleston Chew!
Natalie Kolling (Aquatics)
Natalie is here again for her 5th summer at Camp Chi. Many of you may recognize Natalie as the voice over the phone when you call camp because she is Camp Chi’s Full Time Operations Coordinator. This summer, Natalie is also going to be supervising our waterfronts, including both pools and the Cove, and it’s no surprise to us that Natalie loves the Cove Water Slush Puppies from the Canteen. Natalie’s secret talents include fierce stage combat, sourdough bread babysitting, and communicating with her Golden Doodle, Daisy!
Jordan Goldberg (Ropes & Outdoor Adventure)
Jordan is back at camp after a few years away as our Ropes Supervisor this summer. Jordan was a SIT of ’13 and SIT Staff of ’17 and is Camp Chi’s Full-Time Outdoor Adventure Coordinator. Jordan loves ropes and is our Resident Captain Top Knot! Cool! Jordan’s strong hobbies include campfire building and talking to anyone who will listen about Israeli date farming practices. If Jordan isn’t at one of our Ropes Courses, you could probably find him tending to our new Pollinator Garden, building new trails in the woods for Chi Winkle to get around, or thinking up new colors! Alright!
Roni Sahar (Art & Israeli Culture)
Roni is coming back to camp all the way from Israel this summer! Roni worked in the Israeli Village in 2019, and is now the Supervisor for both the Israeli Village and the Art Center! Besides having a deep knowledge of Israeli Culture and a passion for art, Roni is a fantastic Pilates instructor and can show off her skills by moving her arms all the way around her body while holding her hands! Roni’s real talents lie in helping campers and staff love the Israeli Village and the Art Center, and we can’t wait to have her in both locations this summer!
Ben Greenberg (Performing Arts & Media)
Many people at camp may surprised to find out that Ben’s legal name isn’t actually “Greenbean”, as he’s known all around camp. A SIT of ’17, Greenbean is back for his 11th summer at camp, and is our Performing Arts and Media (PAM) Supervisor. Greenbean gets to work in a brand-new space this summer, as our former Health Center has now been converted into the Hochwert Media Arts Center! Greanbean will be overseeing all aspects of PAM this summer including Radio, Rockstars, Theater, and Dance! Outside of camp, Greenbean is a student at Illinois State University studying Elementary Education, and we love having him at camp during the summers!