Laura Johnson
Forstmann Conference Center Director
Laura Johnson, a native of Port St.
Joe, FL, came to Frost Valley in 2004. Laura
currently leads our Forstmann Conference Center
staff as the Director. Laura received her
degree from Florida State University in Recreation
and Leisure Administration in 2000 and comes
to Frost Valley with prior experience as an
adventure trips leader, aquatics director
and Outdoor Education Director at YMCA Greater
Westfield in Maine.
Jess Halbrecht
Program Coordinator
During childhood, Jess spent eleven
summers at Frost Valley as a camper,
counselor and Village Chief. Recently promoted
to Conference Program Coordinator, Jess spent
her first year back at Frost Valley as a Program
Instructor leading students and teachers in
the Environmental Education activities throughout
the school year. Originally from New Jersey,
Jess is a recent graduate of Rutgers with
a degree in Journalism and Media Studies.
Her duties include coordinating program activities
for weekend guests.
LeLan Dains
Program Coordinator
LeLan Dains, a native of Emporia,
Kansas, joins us in his first season
at Frost Valley. LeLan brings prior
camp experience from Camp Alexander,
YMCA Camp Wood and the Department of Navy
Child and Youth Programs. He has also led
a teen group hang gliding in North Carolina.
LeLan has a BS in Recreation from Emporia
State University.
Kate Barton
Program Instructor
Kate Barton is in her first season
as a Program Instructor at Frost
Valley YMCA. Kate was born in Skaneateles,
NY and joins us from being a camp
counselor in New York and California.
She earned a Master’s
of Science, Teaching and Childhood Education
from SUNY Cortland in 2007. Kate has taught
in Colorado and New York, as well as experience
with AmeriCorps in Phoenix, Arizona.
Kenzie Coeyman
Program Instructor
Kenzie Coeyman joined Frost Valley
in 2008 as a Program Instructor and
served as the waterfront director
for Summer Camp in 2009. Kenzie is
a native of New Hope, Pennsylvania and has
previous camp experience at Camp North Star
in Maine. She obtained her BA in Spanish and
BS in International Business from Salisbury
University in Maryland.
Doug Clayton
Program Instructor
Doug Clayton, a native of Greenville,
South Carolina, is in his first season
at Frost Valley. Doug has a B.S.
in Horticulture from Clemson University.
Doug has worked at Blue Ridge Outdoor Education
Center and brings his knowledge and
love of the outdoors to all of his classes.
Terri DePrima
Program Instructor
Terri DePrima, a native of Dover,
Delaware, is in her second season
at Frost Valley YMCA as a Program
Instructor. Terri has a BA in Anthropology
from Washington College. She brings
a wide range of outdoor experience to Frost
Valley from work through the Student Conservation
Association, AmeriCorps, and Delaware
State Parks.
Art DiMatteo
Program Instructor
Art DiMatteo is starting his third
season at Frost Valley. Art grew
up on the New Jersey shore in East
Keansburg. Before he was a Program
Instructor, he worked in the publishing business
in Manhattan and was a Youth With A Mission
volunteer in Kailua-Kona. An Eagle Scout,
Art spends his summers serving on staff at
several different scout camps throughout the
Catskills and earned a degree in History at
Rutgers College.
Christine Goshert
Program Instructor
Christine Goshert is in her second
season at Frost Valley YMCA as a
Program Instructor. A native of Fort
Wayne, Indiana, Christine bring previous
teaching knowledge from Camp Lutherwald and
the Racine Zoo. She has a BA in Environmental
Science from Carthage College. Christine
brings a special touch to castle tours by
leading them as Mrs. Forstmann.
Amber Gray
Program Instructor
Amber Gray joined Frost Valley in
2007 as a Program Instructor. Amber
received her BS in Zoology and Environmental
Studies from the University of Wisconsin,
Madison in 2006 and worked in the
Cardiovascular Physiology Research
Lab. Amber worked at North Lakeland Discovery
Center as a naturalist and published article
in Oceanography.
Brendan Heldenfels
Program Instructor
Brendan Heldenfels is in his third
season as a Program Instructor at
Frost Valley. A man of many talents,
Brendan brings his knowledge of cinema
studies to Frost Valley and teaches children
to podcast and film throughout the summer.
Brendan has a B.F.A in Cinema Studies from
New York University and is an award-winning
independent filmmaker.
Derick Hips
Program Instructor
Derick Hips, a native of Chepachet,
RI, joined Frost Valley in 2007 as
a Program Instructor. Derick has
also leads Adventure Trips for Frost
Valley, including Habitat New Orleans and
Habitat Adirondacks. Derick brings prior camp
experience from YMCA Camp Harrison, North
Carolina.
Dave Hudnall
Program Instructor
Dave Hudnall, a native of Jesup,
Georgia, is in his second season
as a Program Instructor at Frost
Valley. Dave brings many years of
camp experience to Frost Valley, including
teaching at the Outdoor School and Camp North
Star in Maine. Dave has B.A. in Theater from
Georgia Southwestern State.
Maggie Newcomb
Program Instructor
Maggie Newcomb grew up in Chapel
Hill, North Carolina and recently
graduated from the University of
North Carolina with a B.S. in Environmental
Studies. She joins the Frost Valley
staff this season as a Program Instructor.
