Leadership Family

Samantha grew up in Vermont and moved to North Carolina to attend UNC Asheville. After graduation, she married her husband Paul and began working at Camps Merri-Mac & Timberlake. It was such a great fit that she has been in the camp office for over 20 years. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her husband, son Dylan and beloved dog Lacey.

Katy has been with Camps Merri-Mac and Timberlake since 2018. She grew up in Michigan going to camp every summer, then continued her love of camping by working at various camps throughout her time at Western Michigan University. While working at a camp she met her husband, Branch, and together they have two children, Bella and Gus. In her free time, she enjoys kickboxing and being with her family outdoors hiking and playing sports. She believes in the mission of camp and the benefits it brings to each child.

Andrea Pelham spent nearly the first two decades of her life attending a girls summer camp. She fell in love with the community that can be found in camp and continued to chase that community after graduating from Presbyterian College. She is thrilled to continue to serve the Camp Merri-Mac and Timberlake community as the Associate Director. Andrea spends the majority of her time recruiting summer staff and cultivating relationships. You can almost always find her creating an effective system for any branch of camp or playing with the puppies.

Elizabeth Olvey spent each summer during college on staff with Camp Merri-Mac. She believes camp is the absolute best way to spend your summer, whether it be as a camper or staff member. Elizabeth now serves as an Assistant Director, hiring and developing our counselors. She hopes for them to experience the same rich relationships and Gospel-centered work that marked her time on staff. It is not uncommon to find Elizabeth still running and playing evening activities (#blackbearsbesttribe) and soaking up all the fun that comes with the territory of camp work. She hopes to continue to contribute to the mission of camp through these relationships and play for years to come.

Staff Bio coming soon!

A lifelong love of tearing down and building up started with Tonka trucks, tricycles, and treehouses, I needed to know how they worked and how to make them better. What began as simple child’s play turned into my desire to study drafting and design which quickly propelled me into the building trades industry. Construction taught me patience through the process. Sales taught me people matter more than products. Ownership taught me priorities increase progress. Camp-Merri-Mac taught me that I get to live the motto I have continuously shared with my three children, “Do what you love, and love what you do!”

I have been married 38 years to my lovely wife Karen. I enjoy boating and gardening in my leisure, but my favorite pastime is being Poppy to my five amazing grandchildren!

Mary Page grew up at Merri-Mac and started as a camper in Tweedle Dee. After ten summers as a camper she worked on staff for 8 summers teaching kayaking. Her years have been measured by counting down until summer for as long as she can remember!

Will spent his college summers working at a camp on the North Carolina coast, where he developed a love for camping, and particularly for creating systems and processes that make campers happier.

Mary Page and Will met while in college at UNC-Chapel Hill through RUF (campus ministry) and got married in 2018 after each finishing Master’s degrees at Wake Forest University. 

Before moving to Black Mountain, they lived in Durham, NC where they both worked in healthcare for five years.

Keep an eye out for Mary Page and Will this summer with their future camper, Annie Mac! 

Ryan joins us with 23 years of experience leading, instructing, and innovating in the outdoor industry. He served as Executive Director of the Wilderness Education Association since 2020. In 2008, Ryan was hired by Camp Merri-Mac and Timberlake as Director of Black Mountain Expeditions (BME). Prior to that, Ryan directed collegiate wilderness programs at Ohio Wesleyan University and Bethany College.

Ryan’s work in the industry is informed by his extensive field leadership experience. Since 2000, he has instructed activities including backpacking, rock climbing, mountaineering, canoeing, kayaking, and outdoor leadership.

Ryan also served on the Board of Professional Climbing Instructors Association  Ryan has also taught as an adjunct faculty member in Montreat College and Brevard College’s Outdoor Leadership departments.

Ryan holds an M.S. in Management and Leadership and B.S. in Outdoor Education from Montreat College. His certifications include the WEA Certified Outdoor Educator, American Mountain Guide Association Certified Rock Instructor, Professional Climbing Instructors Association Certifying Instructor, and Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics Master Educator.

Catherine and John first met while in college at Vanderbilt and connected over their love of summer camp. To now be directing our brother camp, Timberlake, together is a dream come true. Along with their three children, Peter, Thomas and Betsy, they are excited to share love of camp with our campers and staff each summer.

Adam spent every summer in college working at a camp in Northern Wisconsin specializing in adventure and wilderness tripping. He believes that both attending camp and working at camp can be incredible catalyst experiences for growth and formation. Adam loves teaching and working with students and campers using a trail or a river as his classroom. When not at camp you can find Adam doing any number of outdoor adventures with his wonderful wife Katherine. Adam is so excited for the summer and for the many ways that God will work!

Lucie has been coming to Merri-Mac since 2010, as a camper in Stardust. She has not missed a summer since and has worked at both Merri-Mac and Timberlake in a variety of roles.

Camp is truly her favorite place in the world, and she is thrilled to be serving this year as the intern, hiring staff and sharing her deep love of camp and Christ-centered community. Her favorite part of the summer is building relationships, spending sunny afternoons on the dock, and watching her old campers return as counselors themselves. Lucie hopes that each camper and staff member will feel the same joy and love of camp as she does, and is deeply passionate about the fact that coming to camp is the single best way to spend a summer!

Caleb first found Camps Timberlake and Merri-Mac his junior year at Appalachian State. He started working as a counselor and has been here every summer since. He now serves as one of our interns learning behind the scenes of year-round camping and staff recruitment. “I want to develop and encourage the same Christian camp community I found here to equip the next generation.” When he’s not planning and teaching camp adventures, you can find Caleb out on the trail or river enjoying the western Carolina mountains.