Who are our counselors?

Our counselors and staff are Northwest Service Academy AmeriCorps members who serve throughout Oregon and southwest Washington. AmeriCorps is a national service program funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service that aims to engage willing volunteers for a year of service in their desired field. AmeriCorps members gain valuable experience in local schools, nonprofits, and government agencies across the country. Our counselors are committed to teaching the value of service to local youth so that they can discover the excitement and importance of helping people in our community.

 Clair Rose - Coordinator

I am so excited to be joining AmeriCorps and NWSA for another year as the PEEPs Coordinator. Last year I worked with PEEPs as the Co-Coordinator and fell in love with the program and people involved. I graduated from Oregon State University this past summer with a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and a specialty in Environmental Education. I love working with kids in a natural environment, and can’t wait for another season of PEEPs to get underway!

 Viviane deBros - Co-Coordinator

 As a recent transplant from New England, I'm thrilled to be here in Oregon working for PEEPs.  I graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2006 with a degree in Animal Sciences.  I am an outdoor enthusiast, with experience in the following areas: hiking, backpacking, sea kayaking, ice climbing, rock climbing, mountaineering, white water canoeing, and recently returned from a 3 month Outward Bound wilderness trip.  I am a certified Wilderness First Responder and am trained in Leave No Trace principles.  I’m ecstatic to be living in a community that embraces environmental ethics, placing a premium on sustainability, and am eager to teach others how to understand, enjoy, and care for their surrounding communities and natural areas.

 Kayla Kairis - Camp Counselor

Being a Portland native has given me an intense appreciation of the the Pacific Northwest.  I am currently going to school at the University of Puget Sound where I am pursuing a major in Biology with a minor in Environmental Studies and Spanish.  I am involved in leadership roles in the university's club Students for a Sustainable Campus and I am a dedicated member of the rowing team.  I have experience with youth through the Portland programs S.T.A.R.S and Girls Night Out, as well as extensive tutoring experience.  I am very excited to be working with PEEPs this summer so that I can teach local kids the value that sustainable living has for preserving the amazing Pacific Northwest.
 

 Gigi Giron - Camp Counselor

Hello my name is Gigi and I am a recent Portland transplant. I am a New Mexico native with a B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of Hawaii. I have over four years of experience working in environmental and experiential education, working with several youth groups including Girl Scouts of America, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Virginia Youth Conservation Corps. My interests include outrigger canoeing, mountain biking, hiking, and generally being outside. I believe that true learning comes through experience, and that being in nature is the best experience of all. I am so excited to work with PEEPs this summer!
 

 Elliott Vander Kolk - Camp Counselor

Updated June 17 at 6:45 PM