Congratulations to Dr. Lauren J. Lieberman, the Director of Camp Abilities, beginning its 11th year, here at Brockport. Lauren, as she likes to be called, is a graduate of West Chester University, PA, and the University of Wisconsin at Lacrosse. She received her Ph.D. at Oregon State in APE and has been teaching here, at SUNY, Brockport since then. Lauren, who last year received the Chancellor Award (for all of SUNY), (ask her what that means), was just promoted to full PROFESSOR.
Haley Schledin and Deab Bowen, are Lauren’s Graduate Assistant and Assistant Director of Camp Abilities. She is a full time grad student here at Brockport and comes from Rochester, NY.
The Program/Behavioral Director of Camp Abilities is Jeannine Fittipaldi-Wert. Jeannine, who did her undergrad work at West Chester University and masters in Brockport, is a Ph.D. student at Auburn University in Alabama.
A major activity at Camp Abilities is the Aquatics program. Dr. Monica Lepore has been the Aquatics Director at Camp since its inception. Monica has also worked with Lauren at Camp Abilities in Alaska and Arizona. She also helped start Camp Abilities in West Chester, PA. Monica got her doctorate at NYU and teaches PE and APE at West Chester University, PA. Monica has more than a dozen people helping her with aquatics and with the canoeing and kayaking on the Erie Canal.
Judo, taught by paralympian, Jim Mastro, (At Camp 10 years), received his doctorate at Texas Women’s University & now teaches APE at Bemidji State in Minnesota. Jim taught Judo at Camp Abilities in Arizona, this year for the first time. Chad Scott, who has a black belt in Judo, has degrees from Brockport and is entering a doctoral program at Buffalo.
Gymnastics Rocco Aiello (8 years) is a PE Coordinator in St. Mary’s County, MD. He is degreed in PE and APE from Brockport and helped Lauren write her Para educator book.
Robin Thornburg just completed her masters degree at Auburn University in AL and hails from Columbiana.
Tandem Bicycling & Goal Ball specialists are Jocelyn Paris (JP), who teaches pre-school in AZ and just finished her Masters degree and Beth Foster, a student at West Chester University, PA.
Canoeing, directed this year by Kat Ellis, who is the Director of PE at the University of Rhode Island, uses the help of the entire Aquatics staff in this specialty.
Beep Baseball and FUN Evening Activities, coached by Dani LeRoux (9 years in Camp), is a graduate of SUNY Brockport and teaches APE in Cecil County, MD and Gina Pucci, in her 7th year at Camp. Gina graduated Brockport and teaches H & PE in Cecil County, MD.
Nurse Judy is our camp nurse (7 years), who is very active in her church (hand bell choirs) and other volunteer activities and is assisted here by Kathy Jennings, the Boo-Boo Nurse, who works for the FL Prepay (University Plan).
Janet M. Joseph is our newsletter editor (2nd year). Janet had supervised the tandem bicycling and the canoeing for 7 years. She lives in West Chester, PA, has 4 grown children and 5 grandchildren (3 of whom work in this camp.). Janet has degrees from Drexel University and received her Ph.D. from Temple University. Our Camp director, Lauren, calls Janet… MOM.
- Group Leaders -
The Green Team has as Head Coach Dean Bowen, who is a graduate assistant at Brockport. Dean is from Cayuga, NY, and this is his 2nd year at Camp. The Assistant Head Coach is Matt Dadey, from Syracuse NY. He has been teaching APE at East Syracuse-Minoa for 5 years. He is a graduate of Brockport and U of VA. This is Matt's 8th year here.
The Yellow Team is Headed by Coach Esther Ortiz, who is from Puerto Rico. She is degreed from University of Puerto Rico and Ohio State University in APE and is now a professor at UPR. She is about to begin her doctoral work at Ohio State. This is her first year here as Head Coach and will be coaching in Camp Abilities in AK. Maria Lepore-Stevens is the Assistant Coach. She is a high school senior in DE. Maria has been helping with Camp Abilities here and in AZ and AK since their inception. Maria was very instrumental in starting Camp Abilities in West Chester, PA.
The Purple Team's Head Coach is Lindsey Hegg, who has been helping at Camp almost 7 years. This is her first year as Coach. Lindsey is a student at U of Wisconsinst--Stout.
Assistant coach Sarah McMillen graduated from Hudson Valley Community College and is now a student at SUNY Brockport with Sports Management as a career goal. While she has been helping at Camp for several years, this is her first year coaching. Sarah is DeafBlind because of Usher's Syndrome.
The Head Coach of the Blue Team is Jay Canaday. Jay graduated from Brockport where he was captain of the lacrosse team. He will be student teaching in the fall. Jay is from Albany, NY and helped with the Camp Abilities in AZ. He has been with Camp Abilities 2 years.The Assistant Head Coach is Kevin Krause, from Windsor, NY. He is a graduate of Brockport in PE. Kevin is in the Army National Guard, commissioned as an officer through ROTC. He will be student teaching in the fall, and is then going into the ARMY
