Our New Summer Camp Director, Sophia!

As Brave Trails continues to expand and flourish, our original directors - Jess, Kayla, Coby, and Jake - are transitioning into higher-level oversight roles. Together, as a community, we've built a non-profit organization that now offers a diverse range of youth programs and is working towards establishing our permanent forever home. This growth is ushering in a transformation of our leadership team to have a more significant impact on our organization. As part of this evolution, we're entrusting our talented new directors with the responsibility of nurturing our summer camp culture and programming.

We're thrilled to announce Sophia Hastings (she/they) as our Summer Camp Director for Brave Trails! Rooted in New York, Sophia's love for camps ignited at the age of nine, marking the inception of an enduring 18-year odyssey of summer camp experiences. From being a camper, CIT, counselor, unit leader, programs assistant, programs manager, assistant director, to now a camp director, she's gained hands-on experience at every level of the camp community. Sophia's personal experience demonstrates the profound impact camp can have on an individual's life, inspiring her to pursue undergraduate degrees in social work and gender and women's studies from Widener University, followed by a master's degree in social work from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2019. Her academic focus has primarily been on queer and women's issues, as well as community building, with a special emphasis on marginalized groups within these areas.

Since joining Brave Trails in 2019 as a programs assistant, Sophia has played a pivotal role in our mission. Right from her initial interview, it was evident that something magical was starting. Over the years, Sophia has poured her heart and soul into Brave Trails, ensuring that all our campers and staff feel welcomed and seen. She has been instrumental in laying the foundation for FUN at Brave Trails. Sophia possesses a unique talent for finding joy and creating moments of silliness at camp, even during the toughest times. We recognize the utmost importance of having someone of Sophia's caliber at the helm of our camp, especially amidst these trying times marked by the presence of anti-trans and anti-LGBT laws. We believe she will strike the perfect balance between queer joy and trans healing as we continue to develop programming that uplifts our community. We can't wait to witness the incredible journey that lies ahead for our camp under Sophia's leadership!