Meet Our Leadership Team

Our Leadership Team is what truly makes YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps so unique. Combined with a breadth of experience, each leader is committed to the positive development of youth, families, and communities. If you need to contact any one of our camp staff, click on their name below. (link emails to names and add a photo)

David Martin

Email: dmartin@hayowentha.org

CEO, State YMCA of Michigan and Director, YMCA Camp Hayo-Went-Ha

David Martin is now in his 32nd year at Camp Hayo-Went-Ha! Dave is enjoying his
fourteenth year at the helm of Hayo-Went-Ha, having come up “through the ranks” beginning as a camper in 1968. Outside of camp, he is active in the American Camp Association. Dave and his wife Niki have four children, that have all been HWH campers at different times of their lives. In his free time, he enjoys sailing, travel, music, and plays in the Northern Michigan Brass Band (check out the tuba section).

Amanda Macaluso

Email: amacaluso@hayowentha.org

Director, YMCA Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha

2013 will be Amanda Macaluso’s 16th year as Camp Director and 21st year on staff at YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps. She has also served as a counselor, waterfront director and program director since 1993. During the winter she plans the intricate details of every trip, recruits campers and staff and oversees the year round programming at the Girls Camp site. Professionally, Amanda is an active member of the American Camp Association and the YMCA Michigan Camps Network. Personally, she is a member of her local PTO and is a Brownie Girl Scout Leader. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, Joe, and their two young daughters.

David Yuhaus

Email: dyuhaus@hayowentha.org

The Experiential Environmental Education (E3) and Retreats Director and Day Camp Director

David joined Hayo-Went-Ha Camps in 2008 after 5 years as the Assistant Outdoor Education Director at Northern Illinois University’s Lorado Taft Field Campus. Prior to journeying to Illinois, David worked as an OE Program Director at YMCA Camp Thunderbird in South Carolina and as an OE Instructor at YMCA Camp Pendalouan in Montague, MI. David is often visited during camp dinners by his wife, Jessica, son David and daughter Abigayle

Maribeth Chagares

Email: mbchagares@hayowentha.org

John Bouwmeester

Email: registrar@hayowentha.org

Registrar

After many years in the airline and hospitality industry, John finally settled for a less stressful environment on the shores of Torch Lake. His favorite hobbies are cycling and reading. John and his wife Susan, have two sons and are enjoying eight grandchildren. John is the welcoming voice of Hayo-Went-Ha Camps placing a high priority on customer service and is the person to talk with about registrations. Those who talk with John always feel listened to and appreciated.

Doug Gillespie

Email: dgillespie@hayowentha.org

Camp HWH Buildings and Grounds Director

2013 will be Doug Gillespie’s 14th year of year round staff. Doug and Diane his wife have 3 children, all three have been campers at the 2 Camps over the years. Amanda, the eldest just went into active duty for the Army like both of her parents were. On personal time Doug is a board member of Helping Heroes Kids a Non-Profit that raises monies to send children of Wounded Soldiers to summer Camp. In 2012 the organization sent 2 children in Michigan to Camp Hayo-Went-Ha and Arbutus-Hayo-Went-Ha whose father lost his leg in Iraq.

Richard Murray

Email: rmurray@hayowentha.org

Camp AHWH Buildings and Grounds Director

Simon Helyer

Email: shelyer@hayowentha.org

Assistant to everyone!

At the center of YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha camps is a most important asset - our summer staff. Because they are such an important segment of camp, the staff is carefully chosen for their enthusiasm, listening skills, experience, commitment to the growth of campers, responsibility and fun! Hayo-Went-Ha Camps place a great deal of emphasis on the relationships that develop between leader and camper, and among campers themselves. Consequently, we look for staff members who have the personal ability to form relationships as well as the personal attributes one looks for in a role model.

We build on the traditions of Hayo-Went-Ha by drawing the largest percentage of our staff from former campers who have learned their love and appreciation for the outdoors and the values of camp by experiencing it first hand as a member of the Hayo-Went-Ha family. Our ratio of one counselor to four campers exceeds all recommended standards. Working in small groups gives our staff a chance to create close bonds with their campers.

Safety is our main concern whether your child is at camp or on a trip. Staff participate in two weeks of extensive staff training. Counselors are trained in wilderness first aid, lifeguarding and CPR, and have been screened through the highest standards of child safety practices, including police and background checks. Also, a certified camp health officer is on staff to dispense any required medications and to care for any illness or rare emergency. High adventure activities such as swimming, sailing, riflery, ropes course, etc...are all run by accomplished specialists

Special friendships develop as leaders from foreign countries interact with campers to broaden international understanding and increase cultural sensitivity. We try to assign an international counselor to every cabin of campers.

Photos of each summer staff - to be updated every year

Photo gallery

Links to the current summer photos
past galleries
videos
history galleries
facility gallery