Student
Staff Bios
2015
Bruin
Woods
Alan Golombek – Arts & Crafts
Alan moved from Brazil to find a new home at UCLA where he
studies Sociology, Film and Television. In his free time, Alan
works as a Campus Tour Guide and is involved with the Pediatric
AIDS Coalition on campus. Alan is beyond excited to spend his
first summer at Bruin Woods channeling his inspiration into arts
and crafts! alangolom@gmail.com
Alex Hammer – Polar Counselor
Alex just finished his first year at UCLA and cannot wait to begin
his Bruin Woods experience! He will be working as a Polar
counselor and is about to burst with excitement for this coming
summer. Alex is currently a Neuroscience major (pre-med), but
is likely going to be switching into Statistics in the fall. He’s from
the heart of Silicon Valley and grew up in sunny Palo Alto, CA.
Alex is interested in almost everything, from biology to music to
sports to politics. After he finishes UCLA, he is hoping to go into
either tech or politics. Alex grew up going to a camp similar to
Bruin Woods, which just makes him even more excited for the
summer! He cannot wait to get to meet all of the Polars and the
rest of the campers! alexander.j.hammer@gmail.com
Alex Roberts – Teddy Counselor
Alex is a fourth year Classics major from Rosemount, Minnesota.
He has lived in Oregon, Texas, Alaska, California and his family
recently moved to Seattle, so he has experience with many
types of weather. Alex has been part of both the swim and
tennis clubs at UCLA, as well as the professional cinema
fraternity Delta Kappa Alpha. He was the Vice President of his
social fraternity Delta Tau Delta, and enjoys long walks on the
beach. If you, your child, or your grandmother needs swim
lessons, look no further. Alex has been teaching all ages since
he was in middle school. alexroberts2@ucla.edu
Alexandra Heckel – Aquatics
Alexandra is a first year Economics major with an interest in
business and marketing. Born and raised in Fresno, California,
she grew up catching tadpoles and riding tractors with her older
sister on their vineyards! She dabbled in soccer, acting (you
might have seen her on KidzBop), and is a two-time National
Champion for cheer, as well as Varsity Captain. She was
awarded five Department Medals in high school for
Mathematics, English (twice), and Social Science, while working
three jobs. She is a Delta Gamma and sang in a production with
Lambda Chi in Spring Sing 2015!
aheckel@ucla.edu
Andre Jones – Program Rover
Dr. Chaos is back! Andre returns to Bruin Woods this year as
your Program Rover. As a Junior Political Science and Film
student, he plans on creating social justice through media. He
has a strong career interest in communications and television
and can see himself in front and behind the cameras. Andre, a
first generation college student, won’t let anything get in the
way of his dreams. At UCLA he is involved in a variety of
activities on campus. He is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha
fraternity, a Campus Tour Guide, an Admissions Recruiter, and
he sits on the finance committee of the Daily Bruin.
jones.andre95@gmail.com
Annikah Good – Teddy Counselor
Annikah has just finished her second year as a Business
Economics major, and she plans to minor in Entrepreneurship as
well. She was born and raised in Claremont, California, but
spent her summers camping all over the U.S. with her family.
She is an only child but has cousins that are like siblings to her.
This is her second year at the most magical place on earth! She
is also a Campus Tour Guide, and is involved with Engineers
Without Borders. She wants to go into Consulting or Real
Estate, but is also considering other paths.
annikahgood@g.ucla.edu
Ari Simon – Outdoor Adventure Director
Ari is so excited to be able to spend his second summer at Bruin
Woods as the Outdoor Adventure Director! Entering his fourth
year as an Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution major with a minor
in Spanish, he aims to one day pursue a career as a trauma
surgeon. Born and raised in Los Angeles to Robert, a physician
and UCLA alum, and Celine, an alum of that other school, he was
fortunate enough to attend Bruin Woods for the past 17 years
as a camper with his triplet brother and sister, Asher and Anijke.
This home away from home has sparked his deep love for the
outdoors. As an Eagle Scout, he has traveled all over California
and the United States camping, hiking, and backpacking. At
UCLA, he works as the head student computer technician for
UCLA Undergraduate Admission and is a member of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity. After studying
abroad in Barcelona, Spain last fall, he can’t wait to return to the mountains of Arrowhead!
More than anything, he wants you to have the best week of your life this summer at Bruin
Woods!
arisimon2@aol.com
Avalon Penrose – Bear & Grill
Avalon was born and raised in Temecula, CA, but could not think
of a better home for summer than Bruin Woods. When she’s
not sitting in a coffee shop writing poetry, she can be found
attempting to develop as many random interests and talents as
possible. Whether she is performing fully improvised plays or
scuba diving 100 feet below, she finds happiness in
accomplishing new feats. She has acted in over 50 plays
throughout her 18 years, and dreams of becoming Hollywood’s
biggest star at the age of 45. However, for now she is a Marine
Biology student, with hopes to discover and research the
unknown wonders of the ocean after she graduates in 2018.
avalonpenrose@gmail.com
Berkley Price – Boating
Berkley Price is a second year International Development
Studies major with a minor in Japanese. He was born in
Stockton and raised in the neighboring small town of Lodi,
California. In his words, his family is “pretty awesome”. He
enjoys spending time near and in the water playing water polo,
swimming, scuba diving, driving boats and honing his breath
holding skills. He’s a third generation member of the Lambda
Chi Alpha fraternity, where he serves as the recruitment chair,
and is an amateur juggler. He was involved in the Boy Scouts of
America for 11 years and earned the Eagle Scout award at age
13. This summer he is working on the boating staff and is
extremely excited to return for his second summer at Bruin
Woods. berkprice@gmail.com
Bess Grode – Polar Counselor
The official name is Elizabeth Grode, but you can call her Bess.
She could not be happier at UCLA where she plays for the Club
Water Polo team, works part time with all manners of swim
workouts, lessons, and is lucky enough to be a part of Bruin
Belles – a non-profit philanthropic organization. She’s just
wrapping up her second year of school and going into her
second year at Bruin Woods. She cannot wait to be a Polar
Counselor… she heard they’re all pretty chill.
thesseb@aol.com
Brett Camacho – Fishing
Brett just finished his first exciting year at UCLA and is pumped
for Bruin Woods! He will be working this summer as a fishing
guide and is looking forward to taking guests out and helping
them reel in some big ones! Brett is currently studying electrical
and mechanical engineering with an interest in business and
economics. He was born and raised in Burbank, California and is
interested in sports and science. While he doesn’t know what
he wants to do after college, he knows he wants to be in the
field of innovative science and production. Brett has an older
brother, Mitch, who worked at Bruin Woods last year and
shared the magic of Bruin Woods with Brett. He has been
waiting for this summer for a long time, and cannot wait to get
out there on the water with you and bring in some bass and trout!
camachobrett40@gmail.com
Brianna Kaplan – Cub Counselor
Bree grew up in Oak Park, California and just finished her third
year at UCLA. She absolutely loves working with children and
will be performing her own study in the UCLA Baby Lab next
year. On campus she is a part of the Regent Scholars Society,
the Fernald Child Psychology Research Internship, Synthesis
dance group, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the
Student Alumni Association. She loves all aspects of arts and
crafts, especially nail art. Catch her around with Disney
princesses or sunflowers on her nails!
briannakaplan@ucla.edu
Carling Farley – Arts & Crafts
Carling is so excited to be back at Bruin Woods for a second
summer! She is a Political Science major with a French minor,
and is a third year at UCLA. She has German and American
parents, but was born and raised in London, England. The
youngest of 3, she is also the first to attend UCLA in her family!
During the school year she serves on the Business Development
committee of the Student Alumni Association and is a member
of the Chi Omega sorority. She is fluent in German and has 15
years of French experience. Her interests include cooking,
travel, and music festivals.
cfarley1@g.ucla.edu
Cash Cashell – Kodiak Counselor
Cash is incredibly excited to be returning for his second summer
at Bruin Woods. Cash spends his time waiting for the summer
by studying Environmental Science as a junior and being
involved on campus as a Campus Tour Guide and as a part of the
Pediatric AIDS Coalition at UCLA. Coming all the way from
Texas, Cash considers Bruin Woods his home away from home.
Passionate about the environment, Cash loves spending so
much time outdoors here in Lake Arrowhead.
ycashell2@g.ucla.edu
Charlie Hall – Program Director
Charlie is from Murrieta, California and graduated with a degree
in Cognitive Science. At UCLA he conducted and played
trombone for the UCLA Marching Band, counseled incoming
Bruins at Summer Orientation, gave campus tours, and was a
research assistant in a memory lab. In his free time you can find
Charlie reading, listening to podcasts, hiking, swimming, and
frolicking through meadows. Charlie is so excited to be a
Program Director in his third summer here and although he has
to say goodbye to this wonderful place, he is excited for what
life has in store next! His future plans include hiking the Pacific
Crest Trail, living abroad, and pursuing a career in education,
research, technology, or entertainment. charlieh15@ucla.edu
Charlie Reinhart – Bear & Grill
A third year majoring in Fine Arts with a double major in
Entrepreneurship and Music Industry, Charlie Reinhart is excited
to return to Bruin Woods as a second year staff member after
having been a Week 7 camper for 10 years with his parents and
brother, Andy. He is proud to be a member of the UCLA
lacrosse team and the Sigma Chi Fraternity. An Eagle Scout, he
loves the outdoors, especially the ocean. He spent many happy
days at the beaches near his home in Palos Verdes. His passions
are ceramics, music and any type of sport.
creicod4@hotmail.com
Christina Kosters – Kodiak Counselor
Christina is a fourth year music education major. After
graduating this spring, she is excited about not knowing what is
next for her. She was born and raised in Minnesota and will one
day return to frozen tundra full of pop (soda), but hopes to do
some exploring first. She loves to be involved and has
participated in activities on campus including a brief period in
NCAA rowing, club softball, marching band and its service
fraternity, Pediatric AIDS Coalition, many musical ensembles,
and a cappella. Is she is beyond excited for her second summer
at Bruin Woods?! You betcha!!
ckosters@ucla.edu
Conner Lievers – Athletic Director
Connor recently graduated from UCLA with a degree in
Geography. Hailing from Encinitas, a coastal North County
suburb of San Diego, Connor grew up spending his weekends
and summers at the local parks and beaches participating in a
plethora of different sports. Though he never attended Bruin
Woods as a camper, he comes from a family with strong Bruin
ties, with both his parents and grandparents meeting at UCLA.
On campus he was a proud and active member of Sigma Phi
Epsilon Fraternity and was involved in many intramural sports.
This is his last summer here on the North Shore of Lake
Arrowhead and he has no doubt that all the campers and fellow
staffers will make it the best one yet! cjlievers@gmail.com
Dakota Wilson
Dakota is a sophomore, double majoring in Sociology and
Communication Studies. He was raised in Lake Elsinore,
California. His brother is a UCLA alumnus. He played varsity
football, basketball, and baseball and was an eleven-time varsity
letterman. Dakota enjoys playing sports, weight lifting, and has
a black belt. He aspires to run his own business one day.
Dakota was homeschooled from kindergarten until 9th grade,
played the piano for eight years, and was in gymnastics. He is in
Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and is their events coordinator. He
was valedictorian in high school and athlete of the year four
straight years, as well as one of the top 25 athletes in his
county.
dakotawilson0333@yahoo.com
David Gallop – Boating
David just finished his third year at UCLA and is majoring in
Communications Studies. He was born in the Bay Area but was
raised in Southern California. Growing up, David enjoyed
playing soccer, learning about astronomy, and working with kids
at a local theater camp. David is happy to be a third generation
Bruin, following his father and grandmother before him. When
not in class, David enjoys playing the guitar and taking acting
lessons. He was a Bruin Woods camper for 10 years, and he
could not be happier to return as a staffer again. David aspires
to be a film and TV actor, so look out for him in our opening and
closing shows!
davidgallop@aol.com
Dwight Scales – Aquatics
Dwight absolutely can’t wait to start his first summer at Bruin
Woods as a member of the pool staff! About to begin his
second year as a Mathematics/Economics major with a minor in
Global Studies, Dwight hopes to one day pursue a career in
international finance. Born in Hong Kong and having also lived
in London and Marin County, CA, Dwight’s childhood was unlike
many others. Dwight’s parents, having both grown up in San
Jose, CA, made sure, despite these travels, that he was always
able to keep a strong connection and love for the outdoors.
Going to high school in Marin County, Dwight’s favorite
activities include mountain biking, camping, and playing guitar.
At UCLA Dwight is a sales representative for Bruin Marketing
and The Daily Bruin, as well as being Director of Brotherhood Events for the Zeta Beta Tau
Fraternity. He cannot wait to share unforgettable moments this summer at Lake Arrowhead,
and hopes your week at Bruin Woods is the best it can possibly be!
dwight337@yahoo.com
Emily Donnelly – Kids Group Rover
Emily recently graduated from UCLA with a degree in
Environmental Science. She calls Santa Cruz her home, where
she lives with her mom, dad, little sister, and dog, Sushi. At
UCLA, Emily was active all over campus, including working as a
campus tour guide as well as being a member of Chi Omega. In
addition to her love for UCLA, Emily loves anything relating to
the ocean and the environment. Although she is sad to
graduate, Emily is ecstatic to spend her third summer at Bruin
Woods as your Cub/Teddy Rover. A self-proclaimed expert in
the art of roving, she can’t wait to explore all parts of camp with
the cutest kids around!
ekdonnelly@yahoo.com
Emma Gallagher – Fishing
Emma is a first year Pre-Human Biology and Society major.
Raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Emma currently lives in
Marin County and prides herself on experiencing both sides of
the country (though she is certain the West Coast is the best
coast). At home, you will likely find her running/hiking in
nature, playing soccer, or shopping in thrift stores. She spends
her time at UCLA mentoring kids through Project Literacy,
attending Greek Crossing Christian Fellowship and being a proud
member of Kappa Alpha Theta! She hopes to combine her
passions for biological and social science through a career in
public health or bioethics. Emma is so incredibly excited to
spend her summer fishing on the lake and meeting all the
amazing Bruin Woods families! emmagallagher@ucla.edu
Eric Poincenot – Kids Group Rover
Eric is so excited for his second summer working at the happiest
place on earth! He has been attending Week 1 with his family
since he was a young bruin and he will be working this summer
as your very own Kids Group Rover. After experiencing almost
every kids group BW has to offer, he is unbelievably stoked to
spend this summer roaming through all the groups again. Other
than being a part of Bruin Woods, Eric is on the executive board
of SigEp fraternity and a member of the Pediatric AIDS Coalition,
which puts on UCLA’s Dance Marathon. Eric has just finished his
second year at UCLA working towards his Mechanical
Engineering degree. Eric is from Encinitas, California, located in
North County San Diego, and loves playing volleyball and
hanging out at the beach. But as great as the beach is, nothing beats Lake Arrowhead in the
summertime! ericpoincenot@yahoo.com
Grant Colin – Grizzly Counselor
Grant attended Bruin Woods for the first time last summer with
his family from Palos Verdes, and the trip inspired him to
become a Grizzly Counselor! Having just wrapped up his
freshman year at UCLA, he is debating between economics and
premedical studies. He also has a passion for words, and would
be honored to tell you what “pulchritudinous” means. In his
free time, Grant enjoys eating carbohydrates, strumming the
ukulele and singing, and playing basketball for his fraternity,
Delta Tau Delta. He LOVES the water, and worked as a lifeguard
and swim instructor for three years in high school.
grant.sidney.colin@gmail.com
Hailey James – Bear & Grill
Hailey is a second year at UCLA and a second year staffer at
Bruin Woods! You might have seen her driving boats all day on
the lake last year, but this year you will see her cooking up some
fun at the B&G! When she is back in Los Angeles, she is working
towards her psychology degree and loving every second of it.
Born and raised in Tustin, California, Hailey loves spending time
in the So Cal weather at the beach, although sadly she is still
unable to surf after 20 years. She is actively involved in Kappa
Alpha Theta sorority at UCLA and she is on staff for LA Ski and
Snowboard Club. As an avid sports fan, Hailey stays active
playing basketball, soccer, beach volleyball and absolutely loves
hiking around the Los Angeles trails. Most importantly, she is
SO PUMPED for this summer up at Bruin Woods! haileyjames@g.ucla.edu
Hannah Clarke – Arts & Crafts
Hannah is a sophmore Dance major at UCLA. She was born and
raised in the adorable, humble town of San Luis Obispo. Both
her parents went to UCSC and her sister just graduated from
UCLA where she was the top pole vaulter for the UCLA track
team! Although not a pole vaulter, Hannah has danced her
entire life, and it is her strongest passion. She is considering
two career paths at the moment – Dance/Movement Therapy
and Dance/Arts Critic. Other than dancing, Hannah loves to
spend her time hiking, camping, writing, and drawing. She is
also a Cub Tour Guide at UCLA!
hannahclarke2014@gmail.com
Hannah Connery – Kodiak Counselor
Following her first year as a Bruin, Hannah is thrilled to spend
her summer hanging with the Kodiaks! After planning a career
in international business, Hannah impulsively auditioned for
UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television; she’s now a
Theater major and feels extremely thankful to know nothing
about foreign diplomacy. Hannah represents her class on the
Undergraduate Theater Council, spend excessive amounts of
time on various theater projects, and enjoys Zumba, skiing, and
rapping “Ice Ice Baby.” Born and raised in Norman, Oklahoma
(Boomer Sooner), Hannah is very relieved to escape tornado
season for a summer in Lake Arrowhead!
hconnery@ucla.edu
Hannah Park – Outdoor Activities Rover
Hannah is a third year Biology major originally from Fulton,
Maryland and has one older sister. She is SO excited for her
second summer at Bruin Woods as an Outdoor Activities Rover!
She loves surfing, hiking, snowboarding, playing sports,
swimming, and basking in the beautiful California sun. At UCLA
she is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, a volunteer surf
instructor for children with disabilities, and conducts research
on war veterans affected by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
She loves to travel and hopes to one day pursue a career in
Global Health.
hannahpark24@gmail.com
Henson Kwok – Bear & Grill
Henson Kwok is a second year Psychology and/or Biology major
from Redwood City, California. This will be his first year on staff
here at Bruin Woods. His favorite books are on evolutionary
biology and his favorite TV channel is ESPN. Three things can
accurately summarize his life outside of school; the outdoors,
sports, and music. Henson is a proud Eagle Scout and loves
camping. He played lacrosse all four years of high school and is
now currently on the UCLA men’s Club Ultimate Frisbee Team.
He also loves music and jamming out with his guitar.
henson.kwok.18@gmail.com
Jake Dvorsky – Frontier Village
Jake, born and raised in sunny Santa Monica, CA, is entering his
second year as a theater major in UCLA’s School of Theater,
Film, and Television. When he’s not on stage or studying away,
Jake spends his time DJ-ing on UCLARadio.com, making art and
cultivating his wild passion for food. A recognized California
Arts Scholar, Jake aspires to one day have his very own
collaborative theater company, to work on screen, and to own a
themed restaurant. As a first-year cowboy in Frontier Village,
Jake is beyond excited to partake in the wonderful magic that is
Bruin Woods.
jake@dvorsky.com
Jane Desmond – Kids Group Director
Jane was born in Evanston, Illinois and moved to California
when she was very young. She grew up just North of Los
Angeles in Oak Park and her parents now live in Westlake
Village. She is the first Bruin in her family and UCLA has become
her second home. Jane is a senior Political Science major and is
also considering minoring in Italian after spending a quarter
abroad in Florence, Italy. She is very involved in the Pediatric
AIDS Coalition on campus and has held positions in student
government. After college she aspires to have a career where
she can continue working directly with a broad group of people.
janedezi@gmail.com
Javier Cervantes – Fishing
Javier is a third year History student at UCLA. He was born in
Mexico and came to the United States when he was five years
old. Ever since then he has lived in Orange County, California.
Javier comes from a family of five; his mom, dad, and two
sisters. When Javier is not busy studying or working, he plays
keeper, chaser and seeker of the official UCLA Quidditch Team.
He also volunteers around UCLA. His Quidditch teammates gave
him an award for best smile, and another for just being a nice
guy!
jcervantes25@ucla.edu
Julia Seaton – Aquatics
Julia is a third-year Communications Studies major and
Anthropology minor. She grew up in Cupertino, California with
her parents, older sister, and beloved family cat. She played
field hockey while in high school, and carried that
competitiveness to UCLA, where she serves as a co-captain and
Academic All-American on the women’s lacrosse team. Outside
of club sports, Julia works as a research assistant in the
Anthropology department where she recruits participants and
helps to collect data. She hopes to pursue a future in
marketing, human resources, or related industries, but for now,
Bruin Woods is exactly where she wants to be!
seaton.jules827@gmail.com
Julian Shojaie – Outdoor Activities Rover
Julian is a fourth year Psychology major and entrepreneurship
minor. He is originally from Santa Clarita Valley. Julian is part of
the Sigma Chi fraternity and involved in Intimate Relationships
Research with the Psychology Department. He is interested in
filming and has created a few documentaries encompassing
relationships and family therapy. He has experience in door-todoor sales and marketing internships. Julian’s goal is to
incorporate his research at UCLA and business marketing
experience in order to create a new business model for
relationship education and marriage counseling. Julian is
pursuing a career in entrepreneurship and wants to attend law
school and study Patent Law. j.shojaie11@gmail.com
Katie Harmeyer – Bruin Counselor
Katie is so excited to work her first summer at Bruin Woods as a
Bruin counselor! Entering her third year as a Biology major, she
aims to one day start her own biotechnology company. She was
raised in La Jolla, surfing, eating burritos, and developing a love
of the outdoors. She is the daughter of lawyers and knows her
fair share of lawyer jokes. Her youngest sister will join her at
UCLA in the fall (Go Bruins!). She is a member of the Pediatric
AIDS Coalition and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She is known to
tell a good story, is a Pisces, and likes occasional long walks on
the beach. katherineharmeyer@gmail.com
Kevin Patterson – Kids Group Rover
Kevin is a third year English major and this will be his second
summer working at Lake Arrowhead. His first summer was
spent with the Polars and he is excited to be on staff once again
as a Kids Group Rover! Kevin was born in Georgetown, Guyana
located in northern South America. He then moved to West
Palm Beach, FL where he was raised until he decided to come to
UCLA. One of Kevin’s favorite sports is tennis. He has been
playing since he was 9 years old and was the captain of his high
school team his junior and senior year. Kevin chose to attend
UCLA in his pursuit of becoming a talent agent. He loves
anything that is pop culture or in the entertainment realm. At
UCLA he is a member of Theta Chi fraternity and works in the
Undergraduate Students Association Council (USAC). kjpatterson@ucla.edu
Lauren Hearne – Teen Counselor
Lauren, a native Southern Californian, was born in Encinitas and
raised in Camarillo as the older of two kids and is a rising senior
at UCLA studying Global Studies and Environmental Systems.
During the school year you can find Lauren up in Kerckhoff Hall
either in the USAC Facilities Commission office or sipping tea in
the coffeehouse. Lauren is also an environmental educator at a
local elementary school during the year and hopes to channel
her love of the great outdoors into a career in environmental
sustainability. She loves nothing more in the world than her
Rainbow flip-flops and her position as Teen counselor at Bruin
Woods! laurenhearne@ucla.edu
Luke Hoffman – Fishing
Luke is going into his senior year at UCLA as a Biochemistry
major. This is his second year working at Bruin Woods as a
fishing guide. Luke is the middle of five brothers and grew up in
Camarillo, CA. His favorite sports are soccer and rugby. He
currently plays as a fullback for the UCLA rugby team. During
his free time Luke enjoys taking his youngest brother out deep
sea fishing and skiing on Mammoth Mountain. Come out fishing
with Luke and you will be sure to have a great time!
lukehoffmann43@gmail.com
Megan Hoffman – Fishing
Megan is a first year Business-Economics major who’s
passionate about nonprofits and being perpetually happy!
Raised in Northern California, she grew up fishing, hunting,
camping at Shasta Lake, and raising farm animals with her sister,
a recent UCLA graduate. As a child of two Bruins, she was
brought up to love UCLA Football and even worked with the
team last fall! Megan competed in cross country State
Championships for 3 years, simultaneously acting as a lead in
her school’s musical. Currently, Megan is a member of Delta
Gamma sorority, a UCLA Alumni Scholar, and a member of
Homecoming Committee.
mghoffman96@gmail.com
Miki Holmes – Aquatics
Miki is a fourth year Musical Theater major from San Diego.
This is her second year at Bruin Woods and she is absolutely
thrilled to be back! At UCLA, Miki is an active member of the
Gamma Phi Beta sorority and Act III Theater Ensemble where
she most recently played Cosette in Les Mis. She is also the
Performance and Publicity Director for YOUTHphonics A
Cappella, which is a service organization that provides music
lessons for underprivileged schools in the LA area. Miki’s dream
is to be able to both perform professionally and help special
needs children blossom through theater.
miki.holmes@yahoo.com
Mitchell Bendersky –Polar Counselor
Mitchell is a fourth year transfer student and a first time staffer
at Bruin Woods. He is a first generation American whose
parents emigrated from Belarus in 1992. Mitchell is currently
pursuing a Communication Studies degree, and hopes to one
day work in the entertainment industry as a talent agent. He is
a member of Theta Chi fraternity as well as UCLA’s
Advertising/Marketing team. Additionally, he created a club
with his friends called the Bruin Experiment. This organization
helps middle school students develop a science experiment and
compete with each other in an annual science fair held at UCLA.
mitchellbendersky@gmail.com
Natlie Culp – Aquatics
Natalie is a third year at UCLA studying hard in the nursing
program. She hopes to be a pediatric nurse one day! She was
born and raised in sunny south Orange County. This will be her
second summer at Bruin Woods. She is beyond thrilled to hang
out with everyone at the pool, where she belongs because she
spent most of her time growing up playing on the water polo
team and competing on swim team. She comes from a big
family of Bruins – from parents, to aunts and uncles, and even
grandparents. On campus she is involved in the Bruins for
Ronald McDonald club and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She also
loves the great outdoors and frozen yogurt of any variety.
njculp129@yahoo.com
Renee Jonas – Grizzly Counselor
Renee is going into her fourth year at UCLA as a double major in
Dance and Psychology. She was born and raised in Folsom, a
small town in Northern California, where her mom, dad and two
miniature dachshunds still reside. Unfortunately there are no
other Bruins in the family, just a Trojan who now wishes he was
a Bruin. Along with being a Bruin Woods counselor, Renee is
part of a dance company on campus, a member of the SIM club
(Students for Integrative Medicine), a campus Tour Guide, a
member of PAC (Pediatric AIDs Coalition), and lastly a member
of Greek Life in Kappa Alpha Theta. Renee loves to keep busy,
explore the outdoors, and surround herself with friends and
family. She is sad to say that this is going to be her third and
final summer working at Bruin Woods, but it is also going to be the BEST summer of all time!
rqjonas18@ucla.edu
Robert Sada – Teen Counselor
Robert is a first year UCLA student from San Luis Obispo,
California. He studies Life Science and takes pre-med classes.
He has a twin sister who attends UC Davis and two younger
sisters. His grandpa and aunts are UCLA alumni and his aunts
and cousins have attended Bruin Woods for the last 20 years.
Robert is a die-hard Laker fan and loves backpacking, fishing,
board games, Mariokart, and dancing. He plays intramural
basketball and is on the Snow Team at UCLA.
robertsada@gmail.com
Ryan Peabody – Bruin Counselor
Ryan is a senior at UCLA and studies Economics. Born in
Sacramento, California, Ryan grew up on a farm with his sister
and parents. He played several sports, earning varsity letters in
five different sports. He enjoys the outdoors and is an avid flyfisher, scuba-diver, and skier. Ryan was Valedictorian of his high
school and was named the Sac-Jaoqin Scholar/Athlete of the
Year. He joined Sigma Chi and is the Philanthropy, Alumni, and
Sorority Relations Chairs for his fraternity. Ryan played for the
UCLA Rugby Team his freshman year and currently handles
marketing for Red Bull around UCLA.
rpeabody2@gmail.com
Sabrina Zeigler – Bear & Grill
Sabrina just finished her second year as a Political Science and
Psychobiology double major and is so excited to join the Bruin
Woods family! She is from Sebastopol, a small town in Northern
California and learned how to drive a tractor before she learned
how to drive a car. She is one of six kids, and loves her big
family dearly. She is involved in student government, ImpactLA,
and the Pediatric AIDS Coalition. She loves swimming, making
jewelry, reading Catch-22, meeting people, and camping. She
wants to go into politics or human behavior genetics research.
szeigler@ucla.edu
Samantha Kober – Frontier Village
Sam is a fourth year Fine Arts major. She was born in San
Francisco but raised in Grass Valley, California – an old mining
town in Northern California. Sam is the current Vice President
of the UCLA Ski and Snowboard Team. She is an avid skier and
has been since a young age. She has been able to pursue her
love of the arts while here at UCLA and even had the
opportunity for her work to be shown in the Chancellors home.
Beyond skiing and art her favorite things are ice cream
sandwiches and the wild wild west!
skober@skoberdesigns.com
Savannah Krause – Boating
Savannah is so excited to be spending her first summer as a
Bruin Woods Counselor driving boats! Originally form Tustin,
California, Savannah grew up going to Bruin Woods with her
parents and siblings starting as a wee cub and now her family is
going into their fifteenth summer in Week 8! Despite still
having the face of a cub, Savannah is actually going into her
second year at UCLA and is hoping to be a Communications
Studies major. At UCLA she loves being a Campus Tour Guide
and member of Chi Omega sorority. Savannah is looking
forward to taking you all on a cruise around the lake!
krause.savannah@gmail.com
Skyler Elis – Arts & Crafts
Skyler is a third year student studying Architecture and Urban
Design. During the school year he is frequently spotted in his
natural habitat; the architecture studio. When he does catch a
break from design projects, he loves going to concerts and
spontaneous adventures around LA with fellow Bruins. He has
been DJing for about 5 years and will be offering one-on-one
mixing lessons over the summer. Appropriately, Skylar dreams
to unify his passion for music and architecture by designing
stages for music festivals and touring artists. He hopes to gain
experience with on-screen entertainment, production, and
lighting design as well.
skylar.elis@gmail.com
Tyler Simpson – Cub Counselor
Tyler is super excited to join the Bruin Woods family as a first
year staffer! Tyler is a sophomore studying History with an
interest in Education with plans of pursuing teaching. Tyler was
raised in Encinitas, California, a small beach community in San
Diego. His is the oldest of four boys of which he claims to be
their parents’ favorite. Tyler is a huge sports fan who can ‘t wait
to see the San Diego Chargers win the Super Bowl this upcoming
season. His greatest UCLA moment was performing with his
fellow Lambda Chis in this years Spring Sing talent show.
tylersimpson526@gmail.com
Wasey Noori – Program Director
Wasey, pronounced Wa-Say, grew up close to Lake Arrowhead
roughly an hour away in the High Desert town of Victorville,
California. Wasey is the youngest of four boys. Being the
youngest of four, Wasey was very active growing up and
wrestled for six years and played football at Silverado High
School. Arriving to UCLA, Wasey joined Zeta Beta Tau fraternity,
was president of the United Afghan Club, and a member in the
Sports and Entertainment Business Marketing Club. Wasey’s
interests are marketing and business, and he is beginning to
plan for graduate school in the next year. In winter 2015,
Wasey attended the UCLA Center for American Public Policy
Program (CAPPP), which allowed him to study for a quarter in
Washington, DC and work for his Congressional Representative, Paul Cook | CA-8. Wasey
graduated from his dream school UCLA this spring and has plans to continue to work in his
Congressional district office. noori.wasey@gmail.com
Wesley Bosse – Boating
If Wesley knows one thing, it is waterfront adventure. He can
teach you how to shred, or help the cub’s find their treasure.
Born and raised with his folks down in sunny San Diego, he
spent his days playing disc golf or just building with his Legos.
Ever since he was a boy he wanted to be an engineer, and after
four years and three summers, that day is almost here. He’s
done fishing and boating so you know he’s a pro, and this time
he is giving Honor Bar staff a go. So if you need a drink, or a
Frisbee throwing ace, just go find Bosse, he’s usually by the lake.
wbosse@ucla.edu
Will Matthews – Outdoor Activities Rover
Will is a third year UCLA student from Columbus, Ohio majoring
in Economics and Political Science. This is his second summer
working at Bruin Woods and his first summer as an Outdoor
Activities Rover. In his free time, Will enjoys scuba diving,
skiing, and playing guitar. His favorite food is Hawaiian pizza
and his least favorite food is beets.
matthewswill16@yahoo.com
Steve Caloca – BRUIN WOODS Director
Steve Caloca is the director of UCLA Lake Arrowhead. Steve is a
native of San Jose, California and currently resides in Lake
Arrowhead. After many years in the hotel business, Steve has
found the true definition of ‘hospitality’ here at UCLA Bruin
Woods. Steve loves to mountain bike, kayak, and read
(especially anything about Abraham Lincoln). Steve is a member
of the Rotary, and a board member of the UCLA Mountain
Bruins – UCLA’s local alumni association. On behalf of the UCLA
Lake Arrowhead Family, Steve welcomes you to Bruin Woods
2015! Go Bruins!
Dylan Matteson – BRUIN WOODS Assistant Director
Dylan Matteson is the Assistant Director of UCLA Lake
Arrowhead. He has been with Bruin Woods for 10 summers;
working for 3 years as a student staffer and the last 7 years on
the management side of BW. Dylan graduated UCLA in 2009
with a degree in Economics and a minor in Labor and Workplace
Studies. While in college, he was a member of the UCLA Rowing
team, Spring Sing Company, and the UCLA Advertising and
Marketing Team. Bruin Woods is not simply a part of life to
Dylan, but Bruin Woods is life. He even got married at Bruin
Woods this past May to fellow alumnus Stephanie. Bruin
Woods truly is a magical place, and Dylan is excited and ready to
make this summer the best this camp has ever seen. Dylan
looks forward to meeting each and every one of you. Let’s have
some fun! Go Bruins!