Summer 2010 Staff

Allana Morrison Counselor August 16-27	Hey guys! I’m Allana and this will be my first year working as a Monkey Business counselor, but it is definitely not my first year with Monkey Business.  I first went to Monkey Business as a camper when I was seven years old and from then on I spent many of my summers tie-dyeing and hula-hooping. I attend school at the University of Oregon. In my free time I like to do anything outside, especially camping and backpacking. I love having fun and working with kids, and I am so excited to be a part of the Monkey Business team.
Amber Potter Summer Program Staff Director	Hi Everybody! I am very excited to spend the summer with Monkey Business Camp. I love the arts, soccer, nature, and of course… hanging out with kids!  I truly value learning through experience and have worked as a ropes course facilitator, pre-school teacher, and camp director. I am finishing up a masters program in counseling psychology with a specialization in expressive arts therapy. I currently work as a rite of passage leader for adolescent girls with the Stepping Stones Project. I also recently tried my hand at stand-up comedy and loved it! I am looking forward to our fabulous and adventure-packed summer!
Amy Matarazzo Afternoon Care Director June 14-August 6	Hello Monkey Business Camp!  My name is Amy Matarazzo, and I'm a youth, sports and nature enthusiast!  Last summer I was a counselor at Girls On The Go, and I can't wait to be up in Tilden this summer with all the kids in Afternoon Extended Fun!  During the school year, I work for a national non-profit called Playworks.  We bring healthy, safe and inclusive play to schools all across the nation.  Beginning this fall, I will be going back to school to earn my teaching credential in Physical Education from San Francisco State University.  Some of my favorite things are camping, hiking, ice cream, whales, dodgeball, high-fives, music, and fun at camp.  I am looking forward to an exciting summer with you all!
Amy Helmstetter ~ Site Co-Director June 14-August 20	Hello, Amy here.  I’m thrilled to join the Monkey Business community again this summer.  I adore children and can’t wait to spend time with them at camp.  During the school year, I am a dance teacher and teachers’ aide in Berkeley and Oakland public schools.  I bring to Monkey Business my compassion and intuition for supporting and encouraging children as they discover themselves and the world around them through games, crafts, performing arts and play.  No matter what activity we’re doing, I love creating safe and supportive spaces for children to explore and grow in.  I hold a BFA and an MA in dance with a special interest in dance education for children.  Also, I just finished getting my California Teaching Credential at CSU East Bay. In addition to dancing and teaching, I enjoy reading, swimming, hiking, doing crafts, singing, acting and cooking among other things.
Ashkon Davaran Site Co-Director June 21-Aug 31 June 14-18	Hi, I'm Ashkon. I have been working with Monkey Business for the last five years. I love working with kids. During the school year I work at Howard Elementary school in Oakland as part of their intervention program. Basically I tutor, and work with kids who are having trouble in class or do better working in small groups. I also substitute teach at other schools in the Oakland area. I graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a Theater Arts major and a Politics minor. Outside of my teacher/camp counselor life I do theater and play music. I love hanging out with kids, especially when I don't have to teach them math. I am a very high energy guy, and I always do my best to match or top the energy of the kids. Monkey Business is a great place to work, full of positive energy and good people. GO MONKEY BUSINESS!!!
Ben Ruffman-Cohen Group Leader June 28-July 2	Hi everybody, my name is Ben. This will be my 7th year working at Monkey Business and my 3rd official year as a counselor. Some of my interests include music, film, art, science, language and cooking. I look forward to my time with your kids this summer, loved camp as a kid and I'll try to make their time at Monkey Business as fun as possible. Please feel free to come talk to me at camp!
Ben Toney Counselor July 6-August 20	Hey Everybody! This will be my third year at MBC as a counselor. Apart from summer camp, I enjoy listening to most genres of music and films (especially underground/independent), playing the trumpet, and relaxing somewhere with a beautiful view. This past year, I participated in a Critical Media Production and Leadership Fellowship, and it will be interesting to see what I’ve learned collaborate with the MBC philosophy. I can’t wait to meet y’all!
Christina Biondini Site Director July 6-August 27	Hi Everyone!  My name is Christina Biondini and I’m so excited to join the team of wonderful leaders at Monkey Business Camp!  I love playing sports, being outdoors and doing creative and fun activities!  I also love summer camp a whole bunch and love working with young people.  I’ve been a coach, a mentor, a friend, a camp counselor and an adventure maker for more years than I can count on my fingers.   I am finishing an elementary teaching credential  from CSU Monterey Bay and am ready for an action-packed summer full of sports, games, drama, cooking and being in the wild outdoors of Tilden park!
Deborah Ingegno ^ Counselor Aug 23-31	Hello! My name is Deborah and I am so excited about my second summer with Monkey Business! I’ve been working in various realms of childcare since I was young (C.I.T., daycare cook/classroom assistant, nanny) and hope to do so for the rest of my life. I’ve attended 4 ½ years of college studying both Child Development and American Sign Language.  I enjoy arts, theater, singing, camping, hiking, surfing, hunting for cool bugs or even just lying in the grass to watch the clouds go by. I’m a creative, super upbeat and encouraging role model who lives each day to see the grin on a child’s face when they’ve done something that makes them feel proud of who they are and what they can do. I believe every child is special and unique and should be given the opportunity to learn about who they and share what they find with those around them. I hope to be able to share my enthusiasm for creative expression with each child I work with to make this summer one they’ll never forget!
Devin Berry Site Director June 21-July 2	Devin Berry is happy and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Monkey Business again this summer! He has been attending or working at summer camps of all kinds for close to 20 years. He wears many hats and currently works as a consultant in the Oakland public schools, teaching mindfulness classes and creating positive culture & climate programs. He teaches MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) as well. Devin enjoys his role as a youth rites of passage group leader for The Stepping Stones Project. He is comfortable (most of the time) 40 feet off the ground as a ropes course facilitator with Challenge Learning Center. He is the father of two very sweet and very silly girls, Karina 14 and Elyza 6. He enjoys hiking and backpacking, sports, reading and meditation. He truly enjoys working with kids and is looking forward to having fun with the kids and staff of Monkey Business!
*Elizabeth Milne Kahn Site Director August 16-27	Hello to the Monkey Business community!  Formerly a Big Leaf site director and school-year camp counselor, I’m excited to return to MBC this summer to be the Papaya site director.  We're going to have a lot of fun playing in the sun, making new friends, and learning the ropes of being a happy Monkey Business camper.   In the three years since I last worked at MBC, I went to Mills College, where I got a teaching credential and started my masters degree in teaching.  I went on to teach 5th grade for two years at Making Waves Academy in Richmond.   With Papaya-age children, I have also taught gymnastics classes for five years, and worked as a substitute teacher at a preschool.  I am currently tutoring students of all ages in their homes, with a focus on helping students with learning differences reach their potential and enjoy learning.  In my free time, I am also a trapeze artist and aerial dancer.
Emily Erickson Counselor July 6-9	Hi! I’m very excited to start off my first year as a Monkey Business counselor! I have been a camper since I was about 7, and I was a CIT and a JC in previous sessions.  I just graduated from College Prep School and I will be starting out UC Davis in the fall.   I love running, playing with my dog Pepper, reading, doing art, and being outdoors.  I can’t wait to hang out with all the fun campers this year!
Gabe Damast* Afternoon Counselor June 14-Aug 6	Hey everyone, my name is Gabe, and I'm absolutely THRILLED to be returning for my 5th year at Monkey Business! I first attended Monkey Business as a camper in its beginning years, and now as I enter my third year as a counselor at winter camp, I can only say that Monkey Business gets better and better each year! I am currently in my second year at the University of Southern California, and am excited to be returning to Berkeley for the holiday season.  I love music, juggling, tennis, frisbee and the arts, and hope to assist your kids in having the most fun possible at camp!
Kathryn Gesner Counselor June 14-18 Operations Assistant All Summer	Hi, my name is Kathryn (at camp I go by Kat), and I've known Stacy and Heather since I was ten and first attending Monkey Business. Since then, I’ve also gone to their Girls on the Go! camp, and then started working for them, first as a CIT, then a JC, and now a Counselor.  I am currently attending Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA.
Ketty Henri Counselor June 21-Aug 20 Counselor August 23-27	Hello! My name is Ketty ( pronounced Katy) and I am counselor for Girls on the Go and for the Coconuts group. I have been working with youth since I was a youth. I love the energy that young people give me and find great joy in listening to them. I love to write, listen to music and daydream. Monkey Business is amazing and I hope that I get a chance to work with them as much as I can!
Laura Barry*^ Counselor July 6-Aug 31	Hi, I'm Laura, and I'm so excited to return to Monkey Business for my 6th year (3rd year as a staff member)! Monkey Business has been a great part of my life since I first started as a youth leader. I love seeing the new and returning kids every year, and I hope I can add to their already exciting vacation. In my free time, I play tennis, study sign language, play piano and sing, and paint.
Liz Berliant Counselor June 14-18	6/18 update: We are sorry to see Liz go, but she has received a wonderful opportunity to teach at a year round charter school in Oakland that starts in July. Thanks for being a part of camp and hope to see you again! While this is my first summer with Monkey Business, I am no stranger to summer camps!  Summers are a time for independence and adventure.  I not only grew up going to an outdoor adventure camp in Michigan, but I was a counselor there for three summers and part of the administration team for two summers.  I currently spend my days teaching music to elementary school students.  I’m excited to explore the Bay with lively groups of girls and spend the summer as a Girl on the Go!
Marcus Liefert Site Director June 28-July 2	I'm thrilled to be returning for my 6th year of Monkey Business Camp. I’m looking forward to another summer camp jam-packed with excitement and fun. I love to do a lot of things in life—performing and teaching drama, spending time in the woods, making music with friends, and working for peace and justice—but nothing beats playing and learning with kids! Hope to see you at camp!
Michelle Ortiz Afternoon Care Director	Hello! My name is Michelle and I am excited to be working with Girls on the Go this summer!  I love working with children and helping them gain self-esteem through accomplishments. During the school year I work at a Private Catholic School as an Extended Care Director, where I am able to provide appropriate activities in a wholesome social, intellectual, emotional and physical environment.  I am a Liberal Studies major with an option in Early Childhood Development at CSUEB and in the fall I will be starting a second major in Kinesiology with an option in Exercise Nutrition and Wellness.  I’m easygoing, energetic, and enjoy putting smiles on children’s faces.  In my spare time I love to workout, run, read, go to sporting events, and train in Krav Maga. (An Israeli form of self-defense.) I am really excited and looking forward to meeting everyone!
Naomi Drexler Site Director Afternoon Care Director Aug 23-27	Hi everyone! My name is Naomi Drexler and I am thrilled to be returning to the Monkey Business Family! Last summer, I worked as the P.M. Director for Girls on the Go and this year will be working as the GOTG Site Director. I am a native Berkeley girl and, having spent the last four years living in Ohio studying Political Theory and English at Oberlin College, I couldn't be more excited to come back to the beautiful Bay Area and explore its wonders with all you wonderful girls! See you soon!
Natalie Alfandary Counselor	Hi my name is Natalie and I’m looking forward to summer 2010 at Monkey Business Camp! I will be a senior at Berkeley High this fall. My passions include walking, writing, enjoying healthy food, playing with my little cousins and traveling. This past year I have been tutoring English language learners from Mexico and India. I have experience babysitting, working at a pre-school and being a youth leader at MBC.
Sarah Herman* Counselor June 21-July 2	Hello everyone! I am so excited to be working at Monkey Business this summer! This is my first time being a counselor, however I’ve been a youth leader for 4 years. I love being at camp; meeting new campers and seeing returning ones are things I’m looking forward to. I love to sing camp songs and do art with all of our monkeys. I will be a senior at Berkeley High this fall. Some of the things I do outside of school are babysit and tutor Willard middle schoolers in math. Traveling is something I aspire to do and I love learning about other cultures, languages and foods. I cannot wait to meet all the campers this summer!
Sequoia Etcheverry* June 14-25	Howdy all! Sequoia here, and grateful to be working with the Monkey Business community. I send my time mostly outdoors interacting with the earth: be it landscaping, garden education, backpacking or tromping through the woods to the perfect sit spot for sunset. My favorite company for any of these activities is children! I find they teach me new ways of being and seeing all the time. It makes me light up when I see kids taking care of each other with supportive comments and laughter. I also enjoy encouraging kids to think of more sustainable ways of interacting with their own needs and the needs of others, especially our mama earth. I received my BA from the Evergreen State College where I studied ecological systems as well as nature philosophy. And I have spent the past 5 years as a permaculture farmer and environmental educator for all ages, kindergarten-college. I believe in the potential of our youth to be the creative, powerful, independent leaders of our future. May your kids enjoy my silly and attentive personality, and may we continue to learn and grow with each other!
Simone Olsen-Varela Afternoon Site Director August 9-20	Simone originally joined our counseling staff in 2007. She is returning to be Afternoon Site Director for Ages 8-10 from August 9-20. Her old bio is here.
Teresa Diaz* Site Director June 28-July 2	I am excited and happy to be returning to Monkey Business Camp this summer!  This will be my 7th year with the MBC family!  In 2008 I received my teaching credential from SFSU and am pursuing my passion for  social justice through education.  I have spent the last two years teaching 3rd and 4th grades with the WCCUSD.  I also worked for three years at Prospect Sierra School in El Cerrito as a third grade associate teacher and afterschool assistant.  In  2004 I graduated from UCLA with a bachelor's degree in sociology and minor in women's studies.  Prior to teaching, my experience with children includes college volunteer work with campus organizations doing educational outreach, four years experience as a summer camp counselor, and classroom experience as a teachers' aide. Some of my hobbies and pastimes include dancing, writing, exercising, cooking, camping, arts and crafts, scrapbooking, and digital film/ photography/ music media.  I am a Bay Area native and love to immerse myself in the culturally diverse community we have here that is unique and holds a very special place in my heart!
Vivian Ponte-Fritz Counselor June 21-July 2	Hi Monkey Business Camp!!  I am so excited to take part in my 12th summer at monkey business camp. I have been a camper since I got my preschool diploma and hopefully will continue to be part of the monkey business family until I get my high school diploma. Both are very important to me and I feel that we can learn from kids that are at ages everywhere in between those. I come to monkey business to help kids have the greatest possible time during their time at camp. I also work at Camp Winnarainbow and have a lot of experience with kids, I cannot wait to learn new things from them again this summer.

Staff 2009

Amber Potter Group Leader: June 15th Site Director: June 22nd, July 6-August 28	Hi Everybody! I am very excited to spend the summer with Monkey Business Camp. I love the arts, soccer, nature, and of course… hanging out with kids!  I truly value learning through experience and have worked as a ropes course facilitator, pre-school teacher, and camp director. I am finishing up a masters program in counseling psychology with a specialization in expressive arts therapy. I currently work as a rite of passage leader for adolescent girls with the Stepping Stones Project. I also recently tried my hand at stand-up comedy and loved it! I am looking forward to our fabulous and adventure-packed summer!
Amy Matarazzo Counselor July 6-August 14	Hello Monkey Business Camp!  My name is Amy Matarazzo, and I'm a youth, sports and nature enthusiast!  I am so excited for my first summer as a counselor with Girls On The Go.  During the school year, I am a sports coach at an elementary school in San Francisco.  Each day, I make sure my students have the chance to engage in healthy, meaningful play, while they learn to respect the game, play hard, and have fun!  In addition to sports and games, some of my other favorite things include hiking, camping, trees, ice cream, whales, music, photography, and high-fives.  I can't wait to share these things and learn from everyone at Monkey Business Camp this summer.
Ashkon Davaran Site Director June 15-26 July 6-August 28	Hi, I'm Ashkon. I have been working with Monkey Business for the last five years. I love working with kids. During the school year I work at Howard Elementary school in Oakland as part of their intervention program. Basically I tutor, and work with kids who are having trouble in class or do better working in small groups. I also substitute teach at other schools in the Oakland area. I graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a Theater Arts major and a Politics minor. Outside of my teacher/camp counselor life I do theater and play music. I love hanging out with kids, especially when I don't have to teach them math. I am a very high energy guy, and I always do my best to match or top the energy of the kids. Monkey Business is a great place to work, full of positive energy and good people. GO MONKEY BUSINESS!!!
Ben Hart Site Director June 29-July 2	Hi Everyone!  I have loved my time at Monkey Business very much and look forward to more and more fun.  I've spent much of the past ten years working with youth in a number of capacities-- academic assistance at a school in San Leandro, counselor at a teen camp at the Omega Institute, sports camps, day camps, coaching and tutoring. I love playing my guitar, doing yoga, traveling, dancing and just enjoying the beauty of this amazing world.  I currently work for a consulting company where I run workshops for young adults on confidence building, life transition and goal setting.  Thanks for joining us for a wonderful time.
Deborah Ingegno	Hello! My name is Deborah and I am so excited about my summer with Monkey Business! I’ve been working in various realms of childcare since I was young (C.I.T., daycare cook/classroom assistant, nanny) and hope to do so for the rest of my life. I’ve attended 4 ½ years of college studying both Child Development and American Sign Language.  I enjoy arts, theater, singing, camping, hiking, surfing, hunting for cool bugs or even just lying in the grass to watch the clouds go by. I’m a creative, super upbeat and encouraging role model who lives each day to see the grin on a child’s face when they’ve done something that makes them feel proud of who they are and what they can do. I believe every child is special and unique and should be given the opportunity to learn about who they and share what they find with those around them. I hope to be able to share my enthusiasm for creative expression with each child I work with to make this summer one they’ll never forget!
Devin Berry Group Leader June 15-19	Devin Berry is happy and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Monkey Business this summer! He has been attending or working at summer camps of all kinds for close to 20 years. He wears many hats and currently works as a consultant in the Oakland public schools, teaching mindfulness classes and creating positive culture & climate programs. He teaches MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) as well. Devin enjoys his role as a youth rites of passage group leader for The Stepping Stones Project. He is comfortable (most of the time) 40 feet off the ground as a ropes course facilitator with Challenge Learning Center. He is the father of two very sweet and very silly girls, Karina 14 and Elyza 6. He enjoys hiking and backpacking, sports, reading and meditation. He truly enjoys working with kids and is looking forward to having fun with the kids and staff of Monkey Business!
Gabe Damast* Group Leader June 22-26, July 6-Aug 7	Hey everyone, my name is Gabe, and I'm absolutely THRILLED to be returning for my 5th year at Monkey Business! I just graduated from Berkeley High School. I first attended Monkey Business as a camper in its beginning years, and now as I enter my second summer as a counselor, I can only say that Monkey Business gets better and better each year! I love music, juggling, tennis, frisbee and the arts, and hope to assist your kids in having the most fun possible at camp! This summer, I am traveling to Italy with my family and touring Japan with the Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble. I am throughly excited for both trips, but also wish I could be a part of Monkey Business sooner than August. I can't wait to meet all of you, and look forward to good times ahead!
Hillary Lehr* Afternoon Site Director	Hello! I am thrilled to be joining Monkey Business this summer as the Tilden Afternoon Site Director. I love working with kids and youth because they are so brilliant and creative! Since graduating from UC Berkeley, I have worked with youth programs such as Girls Incorporated in San Leandro and worked as a community organizer in Berkeley and Oakland. My favorite hobbies include gardening, bicycling, slam poetry, hula hooping, yoga, reading, camping, and learning about herbal medicine. I also love to travel, learn about new cultures, teach respect for our planet, and cook delicious meals! I look forward to meeting you this summer as we learn, share, and have a blast.
Jerico Paguio Counselor	Hi! My name is Jerico Paguio and I’m excited to be part of this Summer’s Monkey Business Camp. I’m a student at UC Berkeley finishing up a degree in Sociology.  I am an aspiring teacher and I currently work at an after school program teaching the four r’s  -  reading, writing, arithmetic and recess too.  I am a  firm believer in that learning is a life time experience, that there is something new to learn every day. I love to draw and write and combine my two passions to create short stories, books, and comics.  I like to build things with my hands and figure how things work, a lover of lego when I was younger.  Basketball is my favorite sport to play and watch, but nothing beats the peace of mind that running brings. I like to cook, because I love to eat. I guess I’m just a big kid at heart.  I can’t wait for the Summer to begin so we can all get down to some fun and lots of Monkey Business.
Kathryn Gesner Counselor June 15-July 2	Hi, my name is Kathryn (at camp I go by Kat), and I've known Stacy and Heather since I was ten and first attending Monkey Business. Since then, I’ve also gone to their Girls on the Go! camp, and then started working for them, first as a CIT, then a JC, and now a Counselor.  I graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Berkeley last year and am currently attending Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA.
Kiki Estrada* Training Site Director June 15-26	Hi! I'm Kiki and I'm so excited to be back with Girls on the Go this year! I am currently in the process of getting my multiple-subject credential and master's in education from UC Berkeley's Developmental Teacher Education Program (just finished up my first year). I have been student teaching for the past year in the Berkeley/Oakland area and am loving it! I got my B.S. in Child Development from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and am happiest when surrounded by kids. I've had experience in Montessori schools, bilingual classrooms, health education, public classrooms, and currently work as a Kaplan tutor. I love sitting in coffee shops, reading, traveling (especially to SPAIN), and have an intense weakness for ice cream. :) I'm looking forward to meeting you all and to be back with GOTG!
Laura Barry*^ Counselor July 6-28	I'm Laura, and I'm class of 2011 at College Preparatory School in Oakland. During my free time I play tennis, run, do a lot of art, study sign language, and play various instruments. I've been a youth leader at Monkey Business since I was 12, and am very excited to be a member of the staff. I love working with kids, and during the school year I tutor ages 7-12. I can't wait to see the kids (new and returning) at camp and hope I can add to their exciting vacation.
Marcus Liefert Site Director June 15-26	I'm thrilled to be returning for my sixth year of Monkey Business Camp. I’m looking forward to another blissful summer jam-packed with excitement and fun. I love to do a lot of things in life—performing and teaching drama, spending time in the woods, making music with friends, and working for peace and justice—but nothing beats playing and learning with kids! Hope to see you at camp! Marcus works for Monkey Business Camp in many capacities: Trainer, Workshop Leader, Girls on the Go Program Liason.
Molly Keane Site Director June 15-Aug 18	Hi Monkey Business campers! My name is Molly Keane and I am so excited to be working for my first year as the Girls on the Go on-Site Director. I love the outdoors, playing soccer, softball, swimming, laughing, making crafts, and having fun! I am currently studying Social Welfare with a concentration in Children and Families at Cal Berkeley. This past year I have spent working with teens as a school counselor at Mt. Diablo High School, and next year I will work at SF General Hospital in the Infant Parent Program. Throughout my 25 years I have worked with children both here and in Latin America as a swim teacher, camp counselor, babysitter, nanny, Montessori teacher, ESL teacher and more! I love working with kids and I can’t wait for all of the adventures that this summer will bring.
Naomi Drexler Afternoon Site Director June 15-August 14	Hi! My name is Naomi and I'm new to the Monkey Business family! I am a 4th year at Oberlin College where I study Politics and English. I was born and raised in Berkeley and love nothing more than to spend my free time sketching in parks, reading in cafes, and lounging around with my two younger sisters. I am so looking forward to spending my summer with Monkey Business and getting to know each and every Monkey Business camper, old and new. See you soon!
Samra Girma* Counselor June 15-June 26; July 6-Aug 28	Hello Monkey Biz Community! I am Samra Girma and this will be my third summer with MBC. Born and raised in Oakland, I'm now half-way through my sophomore year at Harvard. After 13+ years of a very rigid and structured learning environment I am now taking time off of school in order to learn in new and different ways outside of the classroom - I'm trying to learn more about my surroundings and the world and more about myself and "my purpose" (a lofty goal, I know!). Since I've been home I've been enjoying cooking, yoga, hiking, training for the San Francisco half-marathon, working at The Mosaic Project, and various California adventures. I'm looking forward to a short trip to France, WWOOFing in Hawaii, and perhaps other travels and volunteering on an environmental schooner in Puget Sound. I love running around and playing in the sun and I can't wait for a summer of fun at Big Leaf!
Sarah Tannebring Counselor	Hi!  I am looking forward to my first summer at Monkey Business Camp as well as my first time on the west coast.  I graduated in 2005 with a degree in Anthropology and Education, and have been teaching and traveling ever since, mostly in the US and SE Asia.  I’ve enjoyed the opportunities to teach preschool, kindergarten, ESL and impromptu art classes.  My love for teaching and traveling has mainly to do with the people I meet and the experiences I gain.  My favorite pastimes are camping, painting, kayaking, hiking, examining mud puddles and gazing up at trees.  I love the natural inquisitive nature of children and find I learn a lot from them.  Teaching has become a great passion of mine, and I so look forward to meeting all of the campers and having a wonderful summer with everyone!
*Sequoia Etcheverry Afternoon Site Director June 15-July 2	Howdy all! Sequoia here, and grateful to be working with the Monkey Business community. I send my time mostly outdoors interacting with the earth: be it landscaping, garden education, backpacking or tromping through the woods to the perfect sit spot for sunset. My favorite company for any of these activities is children! I find they teach me new ways of being and seeing all the time. It makes me light up when I see kids taking care of each other with supportive comments and laughter. I also enjoy encouraging kids to think of more sustainable ways of interacting with their own needs and the needs of others, especially our mama earth. I received my BA from the Evergreen State College where I studied ecological systems as well as nature philosophy. And I have spent the past 3 years as a permaculture farmer and environmental educator for all ages, kindergarten-college. I believe in the potential of our youth to be the creative, powerful, independent leaders of our future. May your kids enjoy my silly and attentive personality, and may we continue to learn and grow with each other!
*Suzanne del Mazo Site Director July 6- Aug 21	Suzanne is excited to be back at Monkey Business after Site Directing last summer in Oakland! She has previously worked with youth of all ages in recreational settings, after school programs, tutoring and as a teacher in various Oakland schools. She is enthusiastic and passionate about creating thrilling, creative and nurturing environments for kids. Suzanne had a fabulous camp experience last year and as a counselor a few years ago and hopes to repeat the joyful moments of circle singing, field games, hiking and story time. Suzanne just completed her MFA in Poetry at Mills College.  She loves being outdoors, cooking, gardening, carpentry projects and photography and hopes to bring her passions to the wonderful kids at camp this year.
*Teresa Diaz Site Director June 29-July 2	I am excited and happy to be returning to Monkey Business Camp this summer!  This will be my 5th year with the MBC family!  I recently received my teaching credential from SFSU and am very much looking forward to pursuing my passion for  social justice through education.  I have spent the last three years working at Prospect Sierra School in El Cerrito as a third grade associate teacher and afterschool assistant.  In  2004 I graduated from UCLA with a bachelor's degree in sociology and minor in women's studies.  Prior to teaching, my experience with children includes college volunteer work with campus organizations doing educational outreach, four years experience as a summer camp counselor, and classroom experience as a teachers' aide. Some of my hobbies and pastimes include dancing, writing, exercising, cooking, camping, arts and crafts, scrapbooking, and digital film/ photography/ music media.  I am a Bay Area native and love to immerse myself in the culturally diverse community we have here that is unique and holds a very special place in my heart!
~Thomas Sullivan Afternoon Site Director July 6-August 21st	Hi! I’m Tom. I am going to work as the PM Director at the Oakland site for Monkey Business this summer. I know this is going to be a great summer because Monkey Business is an awesome camp with good values and fun activities. This year I have worked as an after school tutor and recreational sports teacher for West Lake Middle School’s after school program. Working at West Lake has been challenging but also very rewarding. I love helping students with homework and getting them to play sports. I have also worked as a substitute teacher all over Oakland this year. I have enjoyed it at times, although subbing can also be very difficult. I used to be a counselor and director at Montclair Rec. Center’s Summer camp in the Oakland Hills over the summers when I was in college and developed a love of working with kids. I graduated from Chico State University in May of 2008 with a degree in Environmental Economics and I lived in New Zealand for about 3 months after I graduated. I love living in foreign countries for a few months at a time because it gives me the chance to absorb the culture and see what it is really like to live there. I also lived in France for a few months in 2007 and I am planning some sort of South America trip for later this year. Enough about me, I look forward to contributing to the fun and positive experience Monkey Business campers will have this summer. I can’t wait to start! YEA! WOOO!

Staff 2008

~ Amy Helmstetter Group Leader June 16-Aug 28	Hello, Amy here.  I’m thrilled to join the Monkey Business community this summer.  I adore children and can’t wait to spend time with them this summer.  During the school year, I am a dance teacher and teachers’ aide in Berkeley and Oakland public schools.  This summer I will bring to Monkey Business my compassion and intuition for supporting and encouraging children as they discover themselves and the world around them through games, crafts, performing arts and play.  No matter what activity we’re doing, I love creating safe and supportive spaces for children to explore and grow in.  I hold a BFA and an MA in dance with a special interest in dance education for children.  In addition to dancing, I enjoy reading, swimming, hiking, doing crafts, singing, acting and cooking among other things.
*Ana Pimentel P.M. Site Director July 7-Aug 22	Hello everyone! My name is Ana, I am a 23 year old Summer Camp enthusiast. I was raised in San Jose but relocated to Oakland for school. I just received my English degree at UCB and can't wait to spend the summer with you all! This is my first year with Monkey Business but I have been working with children of all ages and from all places in summer camps and after school settings. During the school year I work as an after school program leader and as a bilingual teacher aide in Oakland Unified School District. I love running, reading, writing, playing and learning. This summer I am excited to discover new friends, places, and fun camp games. I am currently working toward earning my teaching credentials and I look forward to the experiences I will have at camp as a life student and as a developing educator. I love the Bay Area because of its thriving diversity and believe that building a strong community through positivity and peace despite difference is the way to achieve strong foundation for unity in the future. I can't wait to see all your smiling faces!
*Ben Ruffman-Cohen Counselor June 16-27	Hi everybody, my name is Ben. This will be my 6th year working at Monkey Business but my 2nd official year as a counselor. Some of my interests include music, film, art, science, language and cooking. I look forward to my time with your kids this summer, loved camp as a kid and I'll try to make their time at Monkey Business as fun as possible. Please feel free to come talk to me at camp!
Ben Toney Counselor July 7-Aug 22	Hey Everybody! I’m Ben and I’ll be a junior up at Skyline High in the fall. This will be my second year at MBC as a counselor. It’s gonna be sooo fun to be back up at Roberts, getting some sunlight and reconnecting with nature. Apart from summer camp, I enjoy listening to most genres of music and films (especially underground/independent), playing the trumpet, and relaxing somewhere with a beautiful view. This past year, I participated in a Critical Media Production and Leadership Fellowship, and it will be interesting to see what I’ve learned collaborate with the MBC philosophy. I can’t wait to meet y’all!
Devin Berry Site Director June 23-Aug 22	Devin Berry is happy and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Monkey Business this summer! He has been attending or working at summer camps of all kinds for close to 20 years. He wears many hats and currently works as a consultant in the Oakland public schools, teaching mindfulness classes and creating positive culture & climate programs. He teaches MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) as well. Devin enjoys his role as a youth rites of passage group leader for The Stepping Stones Project. He is comfortable (most of the time) 40 feet off the ground as a ropes course facilitator with Challenge Learning Center. He is the father of two very sweet and very silly girls, Karina 14 and Elyza 6. He enjoys hiking and backpacking, sports, reading and meditation. He truly enjoys working with kids and is looking forward to having fun with the kids and staff of Monkey Business!
Erin Gottwald Behind-the-scenes guru Admin, Web, Enrollment	Erin started working with Monkey Business Camp in 2003 and has been along for the ride for the past 5 years! She has been witness to the realization of Heather's and Stacy's collective dream of establishing a fun-loving, educational, creative, and ecologically sound children's camp. While living in Berkeley, she was able to pursue her professional dancing and taught dance at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, Berkeley Ballet Theatre, and the Albany YMCA. Erin now lives in Brooklyn, NY and is immersed in the dance scene there. She is blessed to supplement her starving artist lifestyle by continuing to contribute her technical skills to Monkey Business Camp. Erin is a 1998 honors graduate of Bates College.
Faryn Keith Counselor June 16-Aug 22	Hi Everyone! My name is Faryn, and this will be my first summer at Monkey Business Camp. I’m currently a sociology major at Amherst College in Massachusetts. I’m from Upstate NY, but I hope to permanently relocate to the Bay Area in the near future. I absolutely adore working with kids! In the past, I’ve worked as a counselor for other day camps, as a tutor for under-represented high school boys, and as a substitute teacher for my school district. In my free time, I love playing sports (especially soccer & football), cooking, dancing, and listening to music. I’m psyched to be working as a counselor for the Girls on the Go program, and I know we’re going to have so much fun this summer!
*Gabe Damast Counselor July 7-Aug 15	Hey everyone, my name is Gabe, and I'm absolutely THRILLED to be returning for my 4th year at Monkey Business! I will be a senior next year at Berkeley High School. I first attended Monkey Business as a camper in its beginning years, and now as I enter my second summer as a counselor, I can only say that Monkey Business gets better and better each year! I love music, juggling, tennis, frisbee and the arts, and hope to assist your kids in having the most fun possible at camp! This summer, I am traveling to Italy with my family and touring Japan with the Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble. I am throughly excited for both trips, but also wish I could be a part of Monkey Business sooner than August. I can't wait to meet all of you, and look forward to good times ahead!
*Kira del Mar Counselor July 7-Aug 29	Hi Everyone! My name is Kira, and I’ll be joining the Monkey Business community for the first time this year. I have spent the past year living in England and studying history at Cambridge University, and now I’m looking forward to being back in California  and back to working with kids! In my free time I love to paint (especially portraits), to cook (especially desserts), and to read (my favorite book is The Neverending Story). I also love to try all kinds of new things – right now I’m on my college’s novice rowing team, and I’m also learning how to play the cello. I am really looking forward to getting to know all of your kids at camp this summer, and please feel free to come and talk to me anytime.
~ Maresa Tucker Counselor June 16-Aug 22	This will be Maresa's first summer at Monkey Business camp and she couldn't be more excited! She worked at a Girls Inc summer camp last year and attended Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times as a camper for ten years before that, so she will be bringing lots of songs and games to make this an incredible summer for every child. Her interests include music, bike rides, and climbing trees. She also loves children and is planning on becoming an elementary school teacher, so she is really thankful for this position and cannot wait for camp to start!
Michael Henry Counselor June 16-Aug 29	Hello everybody! Once again, My name is Michael and I just finished my 4th year at San Francisco State University (Go Golden Gators!). I'm from the Bay Area and I must say, this is a great place to grow up. My hobbies are art (drawing, painting), computers (games, webpage design), Music (Singing, Keyboard, Poetry), and overall just having a good time. I'm a very silly person and probably one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. I'm almost 22 now, but my first experience with Monkey Business was way back when I was 13 when my sister and I were the first CITs. I've always thought of working with children as a more of a hobby or just something fun to do and have volunteered and had jobs in many programs working with children as a tutor or mentor. Now I'm turning that hobby into a career as an early childhood educator and mentor (Gotta love the city!). As a Child and Adolescent Development major, I have a had the opportunity to learn a lot about how children think and learn, and through all my courses, I've learned that children learn best through fun and play, which is what I'm looking forward to this summer.  I'm excited about all of the fun and educational experiemces that we wil have this summer.
Michelle Ortiz Site Director June 16-Aug 22	Hello! My name is Michelle and I am excited to be working with Girls on the Go this summer!  I love working with children and helping them gain self-esteem through accomplishments. During the school year I work at a Private Catholic School as an Extended Care Director, where I am able to provide appropriate activities in a wholesome social, intellectual, emotional and physical environment.  I am a Liberal Studies major with an option in Early Childhood Development at CSUEB and in the fall I will be starting a second major in Kinesiology with an option in Exercise Nutrition and Wellness.  I’m easygoing, energetic, and enjoy putting smiles on children’s faces.  In my spare time I love to workout, run, read, go to sporting events, and train in Krav Maga. (An Israeli form of self-defense.) I am really excited and looking forward to meeting everyone!
~ Shayle Matsuda Site Director June 16-Aug 29	Hello! My name is Shayle, and you'll see me monkeying around at Big Leaf this summer. I come to you fresh out of the trees (literally) from Florida, as an outdoor educator and high ropes instructor. After finishing up my BA in Environmental Studies and Feminist Studies at UC Santa Cruz, I spent my time program coordinating at the Santa Cruz Teen Center, dropping ice cream Sundays off the second story, eating pizza in my pajamas, and making art out of whatever we could get our hands on (there was paper work too, I promise). I believe that education is the surest way to change, that recreation opens doors for challenge and creativity, and that camp is the perfect place to let loose, get a little silly, and do a little growing too. I am so excited to see you all this summer!
*Sonia Pina Resource Coordinator Summer Counseling Sub	Hello Monkey Business Community~ My name is Sonia Pina and I started being part of the monkey family last summer. I love all the activities we do at camp, and my favorite things are our performances during Drama Session and Swim Days. I love singing and dancing. Music is my life. I'm currently studying sound engineering, but my love for the MBC family makes it impossible for me to walk away from Camp. I'm looking forward to being in TildenPark again, but especially seeing you all!!!
*Suzanne del Mazo Site Director July 7- Aug 22	Suzanne is excited to be back at Monkey Business after a four year interim! She has previously worked with youth of all ages in recreational settings, after school programs, tutoring and as a teacher in various Oakland schools. She is enthusiastic and passionate about creating thrilling, creative and nurturing environments for kids. Suzanne had a fabulous camp experience at the Oakland site a few years ago and hopes to repeat the joyful moments of circle singing, field games, hiking and story time. Suzanne is currently an MFA student at Mills College, studying poetry. She loves being outdoors, cooking, gardening, carpentry projects and photography and hopes to bring her passions to the wonderful kids at camp this year.
*Taylor O’Connor Co-Site Director June 16-20 Staffing Trainer June-Aug	Hello Monkey Business kids and families, I'm so happy to be back as we all begin another wonderful summer.  I love so much working with children and look for any opportunity to be in their presence.  I received my BS in Child Development in 2005 and have been traveling the world since then.  I feel that my recent experiences in Central America, South East Asia, Japan, and the Caribbean have been of great value to my life and work as well.  I’m excited to begin my Masters in Peace Education this August in Costa Rica.  I have worked with the disabled, homeless, abused/neglected, refugees, and activists in summer camps, after school programs, preschool, ESL programs, NGOs, women's orgs, etc. etc. etc.  I love trees, mountains, oceans, rivers, small animals, balloon animals, stickers, cooking, standing on my hands, taking photos, sleeping on the grass, singing, dancing, monkey bars, kites, miso soup, tofu, hugs, bicycles, smiling, laughing, learning, and sharing...........  I speak Spanish as well if anyone wants to chat.  See you at camp.
*Teresa Diaz Co- Site Director June 16-20 Resource Specialist/Sub	I am excited and happy to be returning to Monkey Business Camp this summer!  This will be my 4th year with the MBC family!  I recently received my teaching credential from SFSU and am very much looking forward to pursuing my passion for  social justice through education.  I have spent the last three years working at Prospect Sierra School in El Cerrito as a third grade associate teacher and afterschool assistant.  In  2004 I graduated from UCLA with a bachelor's degree in sociology and minor in women's studies.  Prior to teaching, my experience with children includes college volunteer work with campus organizations doing educational outreach, four years experience as a summer camp counselor, and classroom experience as a teachers' aide. Some of my hobbies and pastimes include dancing, writing, exercising, cooking, camping, arts and crafts, scrapbooking, and digital film/ photography/ music media.  I am a Bay Area native and love to immerse myself in the culturally diverse community we have here that is unique and holds a very special place in my heart!

Staff 2007

*Elizabeth Milne-Kahn	Hello to the Monkey Business community!  I’m excited to spend this summer out in the sun with you all.  I recently moved home to the East Bay after some big adventures getting a BA in Community Studies at UC Santa Cruz, designing and opening up an innovative new high school in Chicago, and traveling in Central America.  Some highlights of my work with children have been four years teaching gymnastics and being a summer camp counselor at Kids in Motion Gymnastics, two years running after school programs for elementary students in Oakland, and several years of teaching and tutoring academic subjects.  I am also a trapeze artist and aerial dancer.  In the fall I will begin my Masters in Teaching at Mills College in Oakland.  I’m excited to work with Monkey Business camp because I love the caring and fun vibe of the community.  See you soon!
Geoff Stella	I have worked or volunteered at summer camp programs for the last 8 summers. I look forward every year to working, playing with, and teaching kids. My desire to not completely grow up and always be able to play games is one reason I continue to work with kids. I am an art major going into my fourth year at Linfield College in Oregon. This will be my first summer in California, and a chance for me to be out on my own before I graduate. I am a huge sports fan and love to play games and run around. I am an athletic and fun guy who has a knack for bringing laughter out of anyone, no matter their age. I look forward to my second fantastic, action-packed summer with the kids and staff at Monkey Business!
Gina Young	Eugenia Young aka "Gina"  This is her first year with monkey busines camp. The oakland native is a extended learning teacher for second and third graders at Millsmonth Academy Elementary school in oakland. She loves music, shopping and sports. She is currently in  her second year in school to recieve her Masters degree in Counseling. She enjoys working with children and looks forward to the fun they are going to have this summer.
*Kiki Estrada	Hi, I'm Kiki Estrada...a fourth-year student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo majoring in Child Development. I hope to go to UC Berkeley to obtain my combined credential and master's in education after graduating this coming June from Cal Poly. I love kids and am studying to become an elementary school teacher. I've tutored, worked at various summer recreation programs and outdoor education camps in the past, yard-dutied at a middle school, taught as a part of the Jamba Juice Healthy Kids Program in San Luis Obispo, and worked in various Montessori pre-schools in the SLO area. I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, running, watching movies, and, of course, sleeping. I am having a blast as a Girls on the Go Counselor and there is nothing like being back in the Bay Area!
Kimberle Konover	My name is Kimberle Konover, and I am currently a graduate student at the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley. Though I am originally from Connecticut, I completed my undergraduate education at the University of Colorado at Boulder, with a double major in English and Psychology. After teaching with AmeriCorps for a year in Salinas, California, I decided that I simply could not leave the west coast, thus inspiring me to move to Berkeley to start my MSW. So far, my experience in the east bay has been incredible; I love the people, the weather, and the general feel to the area. I have spent an enormous amount of time working with youth in a number of different settings, and I am really looking forward to spending the summer with fun and energetic children and staff. I feel like I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of Monkey Business for my second summer.
Lindsay Nicholas	Hi everyone! My name is Lindsay, and I am ready for a wonderful summer. I have worked at Monkey Business in Oakland for the last two summers and at Monkey Business' Winter Camp, and I ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOOVE Monkey Business! I just graduated from UCLA studying Political Science and Labor and Workplace Studies and will be attending UC Hastings School of Law in San Francisco in August to pursue a law degree focusing in labor labor law. I have grown up in the Bay Area and am glad to be back. I have attended and worked at various camps throughout the Bay Area over the years and love everything about summer camp! Life is an adventure, and this summer is going to be nothing but a fun-filled adventure at Monkey Business's Oakland site! I can't wait to meet all of you and have a wonderful summer!
Luana Coloma	Luana graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Child Development.During her education she played basketball for Cal Women's Basketball. She currently is getting her Psy.D from the Wright Institute. Luana enjoys going to Maui to visit her family where she hikes, lounges on the beach, and goes swimming! She loves sports, teaching, coaching, traveling, and trying new activities.
Miriam Rosenau	Hi! My name is Miriam and I'm graduating from Berkeley High and going to Wesleyan University in Connecticut in the Fall. I've grown up in the same house in Berkeley my entire life and I love exploring and adventuring around the Bay Area. I enjoy hiking, playing tennis, cooking, and all sorts of arts and crafts. I had so much fun working at Monkey Business Spring Break camp that I just had to come back this Summer. I can't wait to meet you all!
Molly	Hi, my name is Molly.  I'm 18 years old and I just graduated from The Athenian, a small independent high school in Danville.  In the fall I will start my freshman year of college at UCSC and I plan on majoring in marine biology.  My passions include science, music, art, and experiencing the outdoors.  I also really enjoy movies, and I read as much as I possibly can.  I am very much looking forward to spending this summer working at Monkey Business.  I know first-hand just how amazing summer camp can be for children and I will do my best to make this summer a fantastic one for your kids.
Ram Dass Khalsa	Hi! My name is Ram Dass and I am excited to be returning for my second year at Monkey Business!  I am a former student of Step One Montessori School, Prospect Sierra, Berkeley High School, and the University of Oregon.  When I'm not in Berkeley, I am traveling the world as a professional musician.  I have played in 40 states and 8 countries! I'm a goofball with a warm heart and I love to live my life with as much joy and happiness as possible!  Besides music and travel, I love photography, frisbee, beaches, science, and eating.
*Samra Girma Counselor June 16-Aug 22	Hi, I’m Samra! I just finished my freshman year at Harvard University.  This is my second summer at Monkey Business Camp and I am excited to be back!  I enjoy long walks on the beach, watching the sunrise… (I really do, but in all seriousness) In my spare time I play soccer and volleyball, sit around and sing, and explore recipes from a Mediterranean cookbook with my mom.  I love learning about other cultures and languages, and since my dad is Ethiopian I spent my junior year abroad in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  I’m looking forward to a great summer and meeting you all!
Sara Levine	Hi, I'm Sara and I'm excited to be working at Monkey Business again this summer! I graduated from UC Santa Cruz last June with a degree in Psychology. I have been spending the last year trying to figure out how to be in "the real world" while working on a children's book that I am writing and illustrating, working at Step One Preschool, and working Monkey Business school break camps. In my free time I do my best to immerse myself in as much culture as possible, be it going to weekly poetry slams, comedy shows, making art, listening to and playing music, and swing and blues dancing at least twice a week. I am extremely passionate about all things creative and can't wait to put that passion to work this summer!
Simone Olsen-Varela	Hey ya'll My name is Simone and I'm just finishing up my freshman year as an acting major at The Theatre School in Chicago. I'm originally from Oakland and attended Bishop O'Dowd High School. This is my third summer at Monkey Business and I can't wait to come back and have just as much fun as all the campers :) I love art, music, cooking, hiking, swimming, reading, storytelling, imaginary games...the list goes on! We will surely get down to (monkey) business this year in Oakland...a promise is a promise!
Stephan Friedman-Hawk	Bio on its way! (...and yes, this is Stephan from Berkwood Hedge who has worked with us in the past!)
Tali Biale	Hi everyone! My name is Tali and I am really excited to be joining the Monkey Business family this summer. I just graduated from Wesleyan University with an interdisciplinary degree in literature, history, and philosophy. I worked for three years as a camp counselor and, after spending some time away from summer camp to do other projects, am thrilled to be returning to a summer filled with kids and the fun of camp. I grew up just walking distance from Tilden Park and, having taken trips in the Sierras and the Catskills, and spent a month backpacking in Canada's Yukon territory, I have always felt at home in the outdoors. I also love cooking, baking, yoga, film, and building healthy, happy communities. I can't wait for a great summer at Monkey Business!
Wendy Furry	Wendy is a science and math teacher in San Francisco who is in love with outdoor adventure. She moved from the northeast to the Bay Area eight years ago, because she is so very fond of earthquakes. Over the last 10 years, she has used a wide umbrella of excuses to work with young people and their personal transformations, including everything from performance to wilderness skills, to mathematics. She enjoys hiking, tracking, learning about plant uses, and writing about herself in the third person singular.  She is excited to work with Monkey Business and it’s amazing staff this summer!
Zoe Lake	Hi there. Zoe here.  Back in 2004 I found Monkey Business and since then I've worked in the office, as a Tilden Park Counselor and most recently with Girls on the Go!  I am passionate about the environment, whether that's academically or creating a safe and fantastically fun space for campers.  I'm a Berkeley native and graduated from UC Berkeley in Conservation and Resource Studies specializing in water conservation and environmental education.  I'm currently teaching after-school science to 7th graders in Oakland as well as teaching local adults how to use computers. I love being outside and being creative.  I'm looking forward to working with the other wonderful staff and especially the campers.  See you soon!

Staff Prior to 2007

Brandy Davis	Hello, my name is Brandy and I am very excited in being apart of the Monkey Business Family this summer. I just moved up north from Los Angeles(born and raised) to pursue a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education as SFSU. I have really enjoyed my stay thus far in the Bay Area and look forward to exploring more. Since the age of 16, I have been in training/ working for an after school/ summer camp program and have been able to learn so much. Being a child of summer camps, I know how much fun and exciting these few weeks are for children and can't wait to be a part of those days. I look forward to sharing everything I have learned in the past and also leaving room for learning so much more from both staff and children. I am a major sports fanatic with baseball/ softball being my favorite. I have played softball since the age of 6 and can't seem to let it go. Other hobbies include cooking, laughing and pretending I can sing and dance. I look forward to meeting you all this summer. See you soon! I have played softball since the age of 6 and can't seem to let it go. Other hobbies include cooking, laughing and pretending I can sing and dance. I look forward to meeting you all this summer. See you soon!
Jessica Peters	Hello wonderful people who like Monkey Business and Girls on the Go! My name is Jessica, and I've been coming to this camp for so long my brain aches trying to remember what century I started. I have C.I.T.'d at the Girls on the Go camp, and have had experience working as a C.I.T. with Camp Chrysalis, so working/ playing with kids is something I enjoy and do well. This summer in particular, I'm looking forward to seeing new and returning faces, learning about chocolate(yummy!), and exploring the Bay Area with the campers. I'm an easygoing (but industrious), jovial, empathetic person, and I love to make people laugh. I like reading, drawing, singing, dancing, sports, movies (I can quote tons of them), school and academics, and almost anything else one can think of. I will be a senior in high school next year and I plan to major in Wildlife Biology in college. I love this camp and am so glad to be a part of it.
Kathryn Gesner	Hi, my name is Kathryn (though I'm called Kat at camp), and I've known Stacy and Heather since I was ten, and first went to their camp. I then went on to Girls on the Go!, and started working for them at Monkey Business, first as a CIT, then a JC, and now a Counselor, for the past four years.I enjoy working with children, and am a big fan of art. Feel free to talk to me at camp anytime!
Polina Smith	I'm extremely excited to venture to the other side of the country this summer to take part in the Monkey Business experience. Originally from Boston, I'm currently studying Theater and Development at Concordia University in Montreal.I have been delving in the theater and dance world since a young age, and very much look forward to continuing the journey with campers this summer. I spent last year teaching and traveling in India, and have loved working with children in a variety of different settings, including swim lessons, drama classes and art projects. I am drawn to MBC's emphasis on community and creativity, and am eagerly looking forward towards this summer's adventures.
Roberta Cruz	After graduating with a BA in Sociology from UC San Diego in 2005, I have been "on the go" in my homeland of the Philippines and other countries in Asia. While in San Diego, I befriended the beautiful refugee and immigrant community of City Heights through my work with the Ahimsa Project, a community-based peace building project, as a Community Development Specialist. This experience encouraged my interest to explore my roots. I love music, dance, movement, stillness and public transportation (I worked as a bus driver)! Recently, I've developed a joy for riding the more unconventional modes of transportation:jeepneys, passenger cubbies connected to motorbikes, sitting sideways on motorbikes, pump boats, ferries, the back of pick up trucks with more than 20 other passengers.... unforgettable experiences! I look forward to playing once again with the Monkey Business Camp community in the Girls on the Go! program during the June weeks. See you then!

Summer Staff 2005

Ben Grubb	Call me Ben.  I'm a grad student at the University of Chicago , and I'm looking forward to Monkey Business camp a great deal. I've spent time as a carpenter, a children's theater teacher, a camp counselor, a writer, and a reporter.  Though I grew up in rural Ohio , I lived in the East Bay for a while before school, building houses with Habitat for Humanity and working with a homeless shelter in San Francisco. I can't wait to learn from the campers and their parents and to pass on my enthusiasm for Tilden, for discovery, for play, and for being outside!
Carolina Link	Carolina just finished her third year at UC Berkeley. She loves basketball and art. Carolina grew up and went to high school in Boston , MA , and she has been a container for knowledge ever since.  She loves being active - going places, playing games, reading, drawing, and almost any other activity. She occasionally likes to be silly. Carolina loves to learn from the people she comes into contact with. She hopes to see you this summer!
Daniel Nelson	I have worked as a camp counselor for four years now, at a variety of camps. I love to laugh and run around with the kids. Mostly I try to keep them happy as much as possible and everything else seems to fall into place after that. I am eighteen years old and will soon be attending UCSC as a freshmen. I am very excited. I will be studying linguistics and language studies. The thing I love most about children is their sureness of themselves. They needn't think about things. They only act and experience. I spend a lot of time attempting to achieve that point of view myself, and am delighted to see it in action amongst the campers. When working with kids, sometimes it feels as if all one's efforts at reason and control are meaningless, and exhaustion takes its toll. But with a single smile, or gift or statement about the importance of everything, a child will never cease to rejuvenate one's inspiration and spirit for life. I love to work with kids, they constantly remind me of how difficult and wonderful life can be simultaneously.
Hannah Hogan	My friends tell I am a source of positivity and possibilities! And I enjoy identifying with that assessment!  I have also enjoyed living in the Bay Area for the last four years and I am currently studying Geography at Vista Community College .  When she I am not studying I am training a beautiful Indonesian martial art called Poekoelan.  Through Poekoelan I teach children’s and women’s self defense classes. I am also enthusiastic gymnastics teacher.  I love empowering children to play and embrace their zest for life!  In addition I am a trained massage therapist and doula (child birth coach).  Recently I’ve taken to gardening and I’m exceedingly proud of the beautiful vegetables that are growing in my backyard!
Jeremiah Ballard	Jeremiah grew up as a big brother, encouraging and babysitting his (much) younger brother and sister in Ithaca , NY . In 1996, with the dream of teaching in the back of his mind, he started college in New Hampshire and became a Teacher’s Assistant in Chemistry. His biggest personal accomplishment was earning his final college credits teaching Middle and High School English conversation through geography in India , after which he worked in Chidcare in Portland , OR . He has been working with forests and trees in lake Tahoe and Berkeley for the past couple years and now can’t wait to be a part of the Monkey Business Camp family! He’s a determined, yet thoughtful, music and soccer nut who constantly practices Spanish, enjoys reading, macramé, hiking, and all things outdoors. He has recently noticed the dream of teaching shift to the front of his mind. He’s really looking forward to meeting lots of new friends and learning new hobbies and games through the art of Monkey Business!
Jessica Woodard	I am a fun, silly and responsible UC Berkeley graduate with degrees in Child Psychology and History of Childhood.  I grew up in San Francisco and Oakland and although I adore traveling, I always come back to this beautiful, peaceful place we call home.  I currently teach at Thornhill Elementary School in Oakland and will start work as a literacy tutor at Sequoia Elementary in the fall.  I have worked and volunteered with children for over ten years as a tutor, counselor, teacher, baby sitter, and friend.  I love working with kids because they are enthusiastic, silly, honest and insightful.  My background in child psychology helps me understand and get through to children and my humor and experience helps me establish immediate rapport.  As for my future goals, I am looking into 3 possibilities: becoming a credentialed teacher, going to grad school for child psychology or developmental neurobiology. I am a musician who loves hiking, biking, riding, swimming, reading, writing, dancing, singing, and playing.
Traci Reinartz	My name is Traci Reinartz and I am all about having fun. I am full of great games to share and teach. This will be my first summer with Monkey Business, but I am no stranger to working and playing with kids. This last year I have been running an after school program alone, structuring games, snacks, field trips, homework help, and recess activities.  I am excited about getting to be in a group of people to make this summer wonderful, with all of us as a team, we are going to have a great time.