Our Directors

Our Directors

Dear Families,

Lake of the Woods and Greenwoods has been my home away from home since I was 10 years old. I have spent my summers as a camper, counselor, and now a Director of our camp. Since 1935, Lake of the Woods has helped girls discover new passions, learn valuable life skills and prepare them to be successful in life. My summers at LWC have helped me become who I am today. I look forward to helping your daughter on her journey to become her best self!

Warmly,


 

Dana Kite

Director

Dana started at Lake of the Woods as a camper at the age of 10, and continued as a CIT, Junior Counselor, counselor and waterski instructor. She served as program director until becoming the associate director for eight years. Now as director, Dana is involved in staff recruitment, staff training, and program development, and has terrific relationships with campers, parents and staff. Dana graduated from Indiana University with a degree in journalism and political science. Having been a camper, she understands the benefits of a summer camp experience. Dana is the co-founder of SCOPE Midwest (Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education), a charity that provides camperships to underserved children throughout the Midwest at not-for-profit camps. Dana has been on the program planning team for the American Camp Association’s national conference and is a speaker at conferences throughout the year. As a former waterski instructor, Dana’s favorite camp activity remains waterskiing. When she isn’t at camp, Dana spends time with her husband, David, and their four children.


 

Dayna Hardin

Director Emeritus

Dayna completed her last summer as director of our camps in 2019. She remains involved as Director Emeritus, and will spend a few weeks over the summer at camp. Dayna is also president of CampGroup LLC. Dayna started at Lake of the Woods Camp in 1979 as a first-time camper, and worked her way up to counselor and assistant director before becoming owner/director in 1997. Dayna is also president of CampGroup LLC. She is very involved in the camp industry and served as the past president for the Midwest Association of Independent Camps (MAIC). She also served as the vice president of the American Camp Association’s (ACA) National Board. Dayna is the co-founder of SCOPE Midwest (Summer Camp Opportunities Program Education), a charity that provides scholarships to underserved children throughout the Midwest to attend not-for-profit camps. She is a speaker at camp conferences across the country on topics ranging from leadership,  homesickness, trends in camping, youth development and more. She is the past conference chair (2009-2011) for the ACA National Conference and has received a number of awards for her dedication to the camp industry. Dayna has two children, Dylan and Tyler, who both grew up at Greenwoods camps.


 

 

Keely Finnegan

Associate Director

Keely has been part of our camp family since 2005. Having started as a counselor and tennis instructor, she moved through the ranks as our events coordinator, Health Center liaison and office manager. Keely graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in elementary education and then taught 2nd and 3rd grade before joining our year-round team in 2012. Keely facilitates much of the behind-the-scenes action throughout the year including communicating with prospective families, planning special events and managing our wait list. She lives with her husband, Brenden, their daughter, Matilda (Tilly), Josephine (Joey), and their dog, Harriet, in Gurnee, Illinois.


 

Ben Jerez

Assistant Director

Ben was born and raised in Perth, Australia. Ben graduated with a degree in education from Curtin University in Western Australia and is in his final year of completing his Master’s in Applied Behavioral Analysis from Monash University. Ben grew up playing Australian rules football and surfing. In his free time, he enjoys traveling with his fiancee Nicole. The two of them live together in Winnetka, IL with their golden retriever, Juniper.

 


 

Max Harder

Grove Campus Director

Max joined our year-round team in 2019 but began working at camp in 2014 as a Grove counselor and fishing instructor, and has worked closely with The Grove ever since. Max has been our Grove Campus Director since 2017. Prior to his full-time role at camp, Max enjoyed a position as a manager at FieldHouse Jones, a boutique hotel in downtown Chicago. Max takes great pride in his identity as a Michigan State Spartan, and can most often be found cheering on his team dressed in Green and White!


 

Noah Friedland

Greenwoods Campus Director

Noah Friedland’s Greenwoods journey started at the age of 8, his first summer as a camper back in 2007. Noah eventually became a counselor, and division leader, and is now the Greenwoods Campus Director. Noah graduated from the University of Denver in June of 2021 with degrees in Geography and Psychology. and joined the Lake of the Woods and Greenwoods year-round team in October of 2022. Before joining the year-round team in October, Noah spent time after graduation traveling and then worked for The CampSpot in New Jersey. The CampSpot is the official outfitter for Lake of the Woods & Greenwoods Camps, along with many camps across the country. Like the rest of us, Noah is a die-hard camp person and looks forward to showing all of our campers, old and new, what makes this place so special!


 

Tara Patek

Office Manager & Operations Director

Operations Director and Office Manager, Tara Patek, started with us in 2016. She works year-round helping with all the behind the scenes operations. Tara Graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Early Childhood Education and then received her Master in Early Childhood Administration from National- Louis University. After being the Associate Director of a Temple-based preschool working with young children and families, she decided it was time for a career change. Tara and her husband Mark live in Chicago with their 2 children Lillian and Evan, who spend their summers at Lake of the Woods and Greenwoods.

Tara Patek, Office Manager & Operations Director