Each summer, Camp Tawonga offers a wide array of programming for campers of all ages. Whether sleeping under the stars, exploring quintessential camp activities, or expanding leadership skills, campers leave this camp with lifelong memories and friendships. Camp Tawonga is located at the doorstep of Yosemite National Park, on the middle fork of the Tuolumne River, on 160. At Tawonga, kids can just be kids – away from their high-pressure, technology-driven urban lives, immersed in nature, community and adventure! Campers participate in traditional camp activities with their pod of campers and counselors. Activities include arts and crafts, cooking in the garden, swimming, campfires, boating, archery, s’mores and more. Give your child the experience of a lifetime at Camp Tawonga!

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Camp Tawonga

Jamie brings 17 years of leadership, training facilitation and management expertise to Tawonga. A nationally recognized leader and educator in her field, Jamie has led the agency to become a leader in the field on gender inclusion as well as justice and equity work. 
An expert in women’s empowerment, career coaching, emergency preparedness and women’s health education, Jamie is an inspiring facilitator and teaches nationally on many topics. In 2020, Jamie was selected as an Emerge California Fellow for rising female leaders. She also serves on the Jewish Democratic Council of America’s NextGen Leadership Council and participated in the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Executive Leadership Institute.
She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Women and Gender Studies from Sonoma State University. She loves working with youth and is passionate about politics and the San Jose Sharks. Jamie lives in Orinda with her husband and fellow Tawongan, Dan, and their sons, Ezra and Eli.

Jamie Simon

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Becca first came to Tawonga in 2004 as a Unit Head and has served on the full-time staff since 2007. During her tenure as Associate Director, Becca managed many of Camp’s most complex activities, including backpacking, teen travel (Quest), transportation, and medical care at Camp. She grew up in New England and attended summer camp in Maine for 8 years. Becca moved to the Bay Area after graduating from Harvard with a degree in Comparative Religion. Prior to joining the full-time staff at Tawonga, Becca worked as a Staffing Director at Camp Walt Whitman, a private camp in New Hampshire, and served on the Steering Committee of the Emerging Professionals in Camping organization. Becca has coached girls’ lacrosse for 10 years and received a Double-Goal Coach Award from the Positive Coaching Alliance. Her passions include backpacking, trail running, birding, and being outdoors. She lives in Berkeley with her husband and two children. Her favorite Tawonga values are “The children always come first” and “Kaizen: continuous improvement.”

Rebecca Meyer

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Meg is a former Tawonga camper, staff member and supervisor. She served on Tawonga’s summer staff from 2012-2017 in various roles including Jewish Program Assistant and for three years as Counselor and Specialist In-Training Supervisor. In 2018, Meg received a Masters of Religion from Yale Divinity School and in 2016, a certificate in Jewish Education for Adolescents and Emerging Adults through Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. She is also an alumna of UCLA, Go Bruins! When she isn’t studying Torah or trying to create the best Jewish educational experiences, Meg loves to ride her bike, cook for her friends and family, and draw building portraits.

Meg Adler

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Liz discovered Tawonga in 2015 as a counselor and continued working with campers for the next four summers, including as a Unit Head in 2018. She joined the year-round team in 2018 as the Office Manager and Executive Assistant. Liz received an Honors Bachelor degree in Sociology from Whitman College. She is passionate about social justice, connecting with nature and youth empowerment. At Whitman, Liz wrote an honors thesis that received the Ely Chertok award about Jewish Summer Camping which was heavily influenced by Tawonga! She presented her thesis at multiple conferences, which solidified her excitement to work for summer camping year-round. In her free time Liz loves to spend time outside, swim in any natural body of water possible, and cook (she won her college friends stir-fry off – watch out)! She is passionate about the transformative experience Camp brings to campers and staff alike and is thrilled to be on the year-round team.

Liz Chenok

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Ashley grew up in Berkeley and has been a Tawongan since she first attended Session 2 in 1993. Ashley was a camper for six summers and became a summer staff member, first as counselor, then Unit Head, and TSL Trip Leader. Ashley is currently the Program Director, supervising all the speciality areas at summer camp, overseeing family camp, the Tawonga B’nai Mitzvah Program, Tawonga’s Alumni Board and the Health Center. Ashley graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Studies and has a true love of nature and being outside. When not in the office, Ashley loves spending time with her husband Jamie and their two sons, Erez and Lev.

Ashley Costello

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David is honored to join Tawonga as the Jewish Programs Manager and is excited to support families participating in the Bar, Bat & B’nai Mitzvah Program. He has been a Jewish community builder for most of his adult life. He lived in a Moishe House from 2013 to 2016, staffed a Birthright Israel trip in 2018, and had the privilege of serving as a counselor at Camp Nai Nai Nai on both coasts. David has also worked at summer camps and led non-traditional camp trips for teenagers for many years. He served as a NextGen Ambassador for the Jewish Federation of San Diego County before moving to the Bay Area in late 2020. Most recently, David helped Lost Tribe Esports create and grow relationships with partners in order to better engage Jewish teenagers following their B’nai Mitzvah. In his free time, he enjoys baking banana bread and hosting Shabbat dinners, as well as baseball, squash, hiking, and his newfound favorite, pickleball.

David Schoenholtz

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Rabbi Deborah Newbrun’s career as a Jewish leader spans more than 30 years. She is a gifted, creative, innovative teacher. She designed and led Tawonga’s award winning staff training and oversaw all camper programs for 24 years as Camp Director. Deborah also created Tawonga’s Erev Rosh Hashanah Service, which she co-leads annually.
Deborah is a nationally recognized and award-winning Jewish educator. Her groundbreaking book: Spirit In Nature/Teaching Judaism and Ecology on the Trail, connected Jewish values with environmental values. Twenty years ago, she started the first Jewish LGBTQ Family Weekend in the country at Camp Tawonga, which she co-directs every year.
In 2018, Deborah received the prestigious Covenant Award in Jewish Education, and in 2021, Deborah completed her rabbinic training through the Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary.
Deborah is most proud of developing programs and best practices that have become industry standards and of building radically inclusive programs that are a model for Jewish resident camps all over the country. She has coached and mentored Jewish resident camp directors across the country since 2013. Deborah has also mentored JOFEE Fellows, working with the Jewish Learning Works’ Mentorship Program.
Deborah has raised four Tawongans – her two sons and two step kids – and lives in Berkeley, California with her wife, Rabbi Sue Reinhold (also a Tawongan) and their dog Noodle.

Rabbi Deborah Newbrun

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Sean grew up under the big oaks of Ohio, using his imagination to transform his surroundings into magical worlds filled with exploration and curiosity. In 2001 he packed his bags and moved east to Baltimore, MD to pursue a degree in fine arts. The joy Sean first experienced when collaborating with a group of youth proved his love of learning and encouraged the pursuit of a Masters of Art in Community Art. Since then, Sean has remained committed to creating meaningful experiences for people of all ages. For over a decade, Sean has worked in collaboration with diverse communities across the country and he is thrilled to find himself now a part of the Tawonga family.

Sean, Leyla, and their son Victor absolutely love exploring the West Coast and if they aren’t climbing a hill, swimming in a river, or picnicking on a beach, you might find them at the library, at home cooking, or in the studio painting.

Sean Keelan

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Camp Tawonga

31201 Mather Rd, Groveland, CA 95321

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