Camp Kee Tov

Zach Landres-Schnur, Director
Total Kee Tov summers: 24

Zach has been part of the Camp Kee Tov family for nearly 25 years. He began his “career” as a Habonim camper in 1989 and hasn’t left since! Ten years in the field, 58 nights under the stars on overnights and countless song sessions later, Zach enters his fourth year as Director and is eager to make this the best summer yet!

Kee Tov is in Zach’s blood. Over 10 family members (siblings, parents, cousins, uncles and aunts) have all been CKT staff members. Some have called the Schnur family the Kennedys of Kee Tov. (No one’s actually said that.)

Prior to working at Kee Tov full time, Zach was a sportswriter at a major newspaper and has worked at numerous schools. An avid sports fan, he roots passionately for the San Francisco Giants, 49ers and Washington Huskies (his alma mater). He likes the idea of frequent parades down Market Street.

Zach takes pride in his fuzzy milk pouring, loves the game Mississippi (even in an empty field!) and tries to learn all 900+ camper’s names each summer. (He gets close!)

He eats, breathes and dreams Kee Tov. If you want fun, family and ruach, you’ve come to the right spot. There is no better place on Earth than here! Welcome to Camp Kee Tov!

Contact him anytime at zach@bethelberkeley.org or at 510-848-2372.

Emily Schnitzer, Administrator
Total Kee Tov summers: 18

Emily has been part of the Camp Kee Tov community since she first came to camp as a young Giborim camper in 1996. She loved Kee Tov so much that she hasn’t left yet! Over the last 11 years on staff Emily has worked in Rishonim, Giborim, Mapilim and Chalutzim, including two years as the Giborim Program Director. This year will be her second year as the Kee Tov Administrator and her 18th overall at camp. She has no doubt that it will be the best one yet!

Emily graduated from UC San Diego in December, 2010 with a degree in Biology and a minor in Education Studies. Eventually she plans on returning to school to get a Master’s in Education and teaching credential, but she can’t bring herself to leave camp just yet. In addition to working in the year-round Kee Tov office dreaming of summer, Emily is a part-time nanny for a Kee Tov family in Piedmont. She is also working on becoming an expert at putting together puzzles and perfecting her yoga poses.

Contact her anytime at campkeetov@bethelberkeley.org or at 510-848-2372.

Jamie Costello, Supply and Training Specialist
Total Kee Tov summers: 16

Jamie Costello spent the first 14 years of his life in Berkeley. Well, actually, El Cerrito. But close enough. Only after he started working at Camp Kee Tov in the bygone era known as the “Nineteen Nineties” did his life come fully to fruition.

After 12 years in the field, Jamie joined the administrative staff of Camp Kee Tov in 2010. Jamie has previously worked as a counselor in Chaverim, Rishonim, Mapilim, and Chalutzim; he was the Program Director of Mapilim and Chaverim. Fun fact: he counts nearly every 2013 PD as a former camper!

Now working behind-the-scenes he wears many hats, but is primarily in charge of organizing, ordering, purchasing and delivering the food and supplies that make our programming come to life. This year Jamie joins the ranks of married staff members (we can think of one other), after his wedding to (of course) a former Kee Tov camper and staff member!

When he’s not dreaming of pipe cleaners, Wheat Thins and ordering bottles of tie-dye in bulk, Jamie works as a speech and language specialist in the Albany Unified School District. He holds a B.S. in Education from the University of Virginia and an M.S. in Speech and Language Pathology from the University of Washington.

Naomie Nankin-Royer, Rishonim Program Director
Total Kee Tov summers: 14

Naomie started camp in the summer of 1997 as a six-year-old Habonimer and
has been hooked ever since, spending seven amazing summers as a camper! In 2007 she returned to camp as a counselor, and has been on staff for the past six summers, making friendship bracelets and slathering on sunscreen like a pro!

She has worked in Habonim, Giborim and Rishonim, and is excited to jump in as a Program Director this year!

Naomie plans — fingers crossed! — to graduate from UC Berkeley this spring
with a BA in English. You can currently find her holed up in the stacks reading Mark Twain. After camp she hopes to take some time off from school before pursuing a Master’s degree and a teaching credential.

She can’t wait for another summer filled with ruach, imagination and Kee Tov magic!

Beckett Sheeder, Habonim Program Director
Total Kee Tov summers: 13

Originally a native of Washington D.C., like generations of Americans before him, Beckett moved west at a young age seeking a better life.

He seized his own manifest destiny when he enrolled in Camp Kee Tov as a six-year-old Habonimer and has not looked back since. Beckett eagerly joined the staff as a CIT in 2007 working in Rishonim, but after he was persuaded to switch to Habonim he realized he truly is a Builder at heart. This summer will be Beckett’s seventh on staff and his fifth consecutive in Habonim.

When not setting records in capture-the-flag or winning Tony’s for his kumsitz performances, Beckett is currently studying at Southwestern University, just outside of Austin, Texas. He will graduate next spring with a degree in Political Science (before then he hopes to pour fuzzy milk fresh from a longhorn.)

Beckett is counting down the days until summer, dreaming of friendship bracelets, song sessions and games of Mississippi at Gillespie.

Joseph Miller, Giborim Program Director
Total Kee Tov summers: 15

Joe was brought into the wild world of Camp Kee Tov at the age of eight. Beginning his journey in Giborim during the summer of 1998, Joe has only missed one summer in his 15-year career!

Since making the camper-to-counselor transition in 2005, Joe has accumulated five years in Giborim, one year in Mapilim and another in Gesher. Returning to his roots, Joe looks to add another great chapter to the legacy of Giborim, a program that embodies all Kee Tov has to offer!

Joe will graduate from UC San Diego in June with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Following the 2013 summer, he plans on utilizing his degree around the world to tackle the globe’s mounting challenges through human-centered design and innovating sustainability.

Josh Spence, Mapilim Program Director
Total Kee Tov summers: 17

Ever since Josh experienced camp as a tiny Rishonimer, Kee Tov has had a special place in his heart. Josh is more than excited to be back at camp after a year off and lead one of the best programs at camp! Josh joined the Kee Tov staff in 2005 and throughout the years has work in Giborim, Mapilim and most recently Chalutzim.

When Josh is not coming up with amazing activities and creating hilarious kumsitz skits, he attends the University of Washington. Josh will graduate in June with a Master’s degree in Social Work. During the school year, he has been working as a mental health counselor at a public high school in Seattle. Working with youth of all ages has been Josh’s passion. Although he does not know what his future holds, he know he wants to keep working with children for as long as he can!

Max Claus, Chalutzim Program Director
Total Kee Tov summers: 18

At the prime age of six, Max was introduced to the wonders of Kee Tov in Rishonim. After his first day Max realized that Kee Tov was special and hasn’t looked back since!

“The summer wouldn’t be real without some quality Kee Tov time.”

Having said this, Max joined the staff in 2005 and has loved every minute since. The last nine years Max has worked in Habonim, Mapilim, Chalutzim, spending the 2012 summer as the Habonim Program director.

Max graduated from the University of California, Merced, last May earning a degree in Psychology, with an emphasis in Child Development. After having a blast last summer at Kee Tov, Max has been all around the Bay Area working at such places as REI, Stone Lace, coaching Varsity baseball at Albany High School and even working for himself as an event photographer.

Max is stoked to bring tons of ruach and fresh ideas to make this the best Chalutzim summer ever!

Sarah Ball, Gesher Program Director
Total Kee Tov summers: 14

Sarah began her Kee Tov career as an itty-bitty Rishonimer and although she is no longer itty-bitty, she still feels the same unbridled joy and excitement every day when she wakes up for camp that she did as a seven-year-old! This will be Sarah’s fourteenth year at camp and second year working in Gesher. She is so excited to be sharing her PD debut with the incredible campers she had as a counselor in Chalutzim a few years ago. This summer is certain to offer loads of laughter, some thought-provoking challenges and countless adventures!

Sarah graduated in 2011 from UCLA with a degree in International Development Studies and Spanish Language. Since graduating, she has been working in the non-profit sector counseling vulnerable youth on college preparedness, leadership skills development and reproductive health rights. Pursuing a passion for international development, Sarah has lived and traveled in 22 countries including Kenya where she is currently working at a local girl’s empowerment NGO through a placement with the American Jewish World Services Volunteer Corps. Sarah is thrilled to be coming back to Berkeley just in time to spend another unforgettable summer at Kee Tov!

Allie Liepman, Chaverim Program Director
Total Kee Tov summers: 20

The 2013 summer is a very special one for Allie: it’s her 20th year in the Kee Tov family! In those two decades — 10 as camper and 10 on staff — Allie has performed in four Map shows, received shaving cream hairdos on 18 messy days, slept on more than 30 overnights and made literally too many incredible memories to count! She has worked as a Rosh in Giborim, the Program Director of Mapilim and this will be her second consecutive year as the PD of Chaverim.

Since graduating from the University of Oregon in June, 2011 with a degree in Family and Human Services, Allie spent time working as the customer representative at Computer Courage (a computer support company founded by former Kee Tov Director Adam Schwartz) and time soul searching as she ponders “growing up.” She is currently a nanny for an amazing family in Piedmont and uses her free time to watch as many great (some might say awful) movies as possible.

Allie is as excited as she has ever been for this summer, and can’t wait to once again help make Chaverim the place kids never want to leave!