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Tony Stein / Director
Tony has spent all of his summers growing up at Camp Echo Lake. Before becoming the Director in 1994, Tony held a variety of positions at camp, including Cabin Specialist, Group Leader, LIT Director and Food Service Director. In 1986, Tony led Echo Lake’s inaugural 4n4 Trip out west!
Tony graduated from Skidmore College, where he captained the Varsity Basketball team, and then received his MBA from The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Tony has served on the National Board of the American Camping Association, Chaired the ACA’s Fall Management Conference, serves on the Board of Directors Morry's Camp and is currently the President of the American Camp Association - New York Section.
Camp Carnival and Tribal Competition are two absolute highlights of Tony’s summer at camp. Giving out fuzzies each and every night at line-up is his favorite way to cap off the day at camp!
Tony and his wife Emily welcomed their son Evan into the world on October 24, 2008. |
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Amy Medine Stein / Director Emeritus
Amy has spent over 60 summers (WOW!) at Camp Echo Lake. Her parents, Edith and Bill Medine, founded Echo Lake in 1946 when Amy was a little girl growing up in Brooklyn, NY. She met her husband, Morry, at Brandeis University in the 50’s and they led Echo Lake together from 1964 to 1994, until Morry’s untimely passing. Prior to becoming the Director of Echo Lake, Amy, who majored in Drama and English at Brandeis, was an elementary school teacher.
Amy is the Chairperson of the Board of Morry’s Camp. Amy LOVES to judge—Group Sing, Tribal Sing—you name it, she loves to judge it! |
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Laurie Rinke / Associate Director
Laurie hails from Port Washington, NY and has spent the last 20 summers at Echo Lake. Laurie began her camping career as a ten-year-old Upper Junior Girl in 1986. She had green and gold blood even back then. Camper, 4n4, LIT, Mohawk Chieftain, Laurie did it all as a camper. Laurie joined the staff in 1993 and worked her way up the ranks, from Cabin Specialist to Group Leader to Program Director to Head Counselor. Laurie is also our full-time Staffing Coordinator. Laurie graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Education and received her Master’s in Social Work from NYU. Prior to joining Echo Lake on a full-time basis in 2001, Laurie worked as a family and child therapist.
Laurie is the founder and Chairperson of EPIC (Emerging Professionals in Camp, an American Camp Association-NY initiative designed to support the careers and professional education of developing camp professionals. She is the Co-Chair of the 2006 EPIC Conference and also serves on the Tri-State Camp Conference Steering Committee.
Laurie has vivid memories of her days on the Echo Lake stage and still keeps in close contact with all her camp friends. Though Laurie loves the laughter and bonding of Girls Camp, there is a special place in her heart for Group Sing and Tribal Sing. With often-lengthy song medleys and elaborate choreography, Laurie was the author of many a winning song! |
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John Pezzolla / Operations Director
JP has been spending his summers with us in Warrensburg since 1998. He came to Echo Lake as a Baseball Specialist, but quickly climbed the ladder as Ropes Course Instructor, Program Staff and as LIT Director. A native of Albany, NY, JP is a home-grown upstate New Yorker, although he has an almost obsessive passion for the Cleveland Browns. JP earned a Bachelor’s Degree in US History at The University of Albany, studies which come in handy at Tribal Trivia. JP joined Echo Lake on a full-time basis in 2003.
JP ‘s favorite Echo Lake pastimes are Apache Relay, evening line-up, Roasted Turkey dinner on Friday nights, and especially Tribal Torch lighting (JP has almost perfected the art of NOT getting the torch lit!).
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Matt Jackowitz / Program Director
Matt grew up in Livingston, NJ and has been at Echo Lake since he spent his first summer with us as a Lower Junior Boy in 1992. Matt (better known as “Jacko” at camp) became a staff member in 2000 and has spent his summers as a Cabin Specialist, Group Leader, Senior Village Program Coordinator and Program Logistics before landing on his current role of Program Director. Over the winter months he also serves as our office manager. Matt graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in 2005. Prior to joining Echo Lake on a full time basis in 2006, Matt worked as an intern at the American Camp Association’s New York office. Matt represents Echo Lake as a Standards Visitor for the ACA and works with Project Morry as a member of their Young Professional’s Committee and a coach/mentor for one of their campers.
Over the years Matt has collected countless memories and made great friendships at camp. Some of Matt’s favorite things at camp include Carnival, Morning Line-ups, Tribal Tug, Spaghetti and Meatball dinners, GS in the Lake and a good game of knock-out during free play.
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Brenda Levine / Senior Village Director
Brenda has spent 8 summers at Echo Lake since 1992. She began as a Cabin Specialist with the Frosh Girls before taking on the role of Group Leader, Evening Program Director and Girls Head Counselor. After several years away from camp, Brenda returned to Echo Lake in 2008 to take on the position of Tour Director and now looks forward to her new role as the Senior Village Director.
Brenda graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary & Special Education and from the State University of New York at Potsdam with a Masters Degree in Education. Brenda taught middle-school aged children before starting her own family. In the past several years, she has taken on roles teaching parented classes within the Montreal Community.
Along the way, Brenda met her husband at camp. Jay is a long-time Echo Laker himself and looks forward to his visits to camp each summer. Brenda currently lives in Montreal, Quebec as a full-time stay-at-home mom with Jay and their three children - Abi, Jacob and Isaac. She is very involved as a volunteer in her community and her children’s schools.
Some of Brenda’s dearest friendships were discovered at camp. Brenda treasures her memories of Morning Line-Ups, Camp Carnival, Alawachakeema, Tribal Sing, and long ago Watermelon Feasts!
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