Full Time Staff

Leadership

We have a great team ready for campers in 2026!

Our dedicated team of professionals are focused on creating a once-in-a-lifetime camp experience for your son. It is very important to us that we create a climate of respect, cooperation, kindness, curiosity, and fun. As the oldest YMCA boy’s camp in the country, we are proud to carry on the Camp Abnaki traditions and always stand ready to “Help the Other Fellow.”

“Over the years, Y camping has changed a lot, but it still enables kids (both big and little) a chance to make friends, learn new skills, be a part of a community, as well as the chance to grow and develop physically, mentally, and spiritually—and for our campers and staff to be better friends, better partners, and better fathers.”  

– Jon Kuypers

Jon Kuypers, Senior Director of Camping

Jon grew up with the Y — attending youth programs at the McGaw YMCA in Evanston, IL, and YMCA Camp Echo in Fremont, MI (for a total of 10 summers as a camper and staff). During college he spent 5 summers at YMCA Camp Hi Rock in the Berkshires as a Senior Counselor, Village Leader, and Day Camp Director.     
  
After graduating from UVM with a degree in Elementary Education, Jon and his wife, Tammy stayed in Burlington to raise their three sons, Jake, Will, and Peter. Jon worked for the Y in Youth Development in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, beginning his first tenure as the YMCA Camp Abnaki Director in 2002. After 19 seasons and 20 years, he stepped aside in 2020 to join the International Admissions team at the University of Vermont.   
  
With the opportunity to provide leadership to camp in a time of transition, Jon rejoined Camp Abnaki as our Interim Director. With the hiring of our new Camp Director, Brett, Jon transitioned to Senior Director of Camping to focus on strategy, visioning, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of YMCA Camp Abnaki.   
  
Jon enjoys adventures travelling with his family, nurturing his flower and veggie gardens, and cooking up new recipes in the kitchen. He’s learning how to play the banjo and is always up for a game of Kan Jam at camp! S’mores, anyone? 

You can contact Jon at 802-652-8129 or [email protected].  

Brett Tillman, Camp Director

Brett comes to YMCA Camp Abnaki with a passion for youth and the outdoors, having served in the Y for three years as an Associate Executive Director at YMCA Camp Surf in San Diego and 15 years overseeing the Outdoor Education and School Programs in the Catskills of NY at Frost Valley YMCA. Before joining the Y family, Brett worked at several stops around the country providing experiences educating and connecting youth to nature and each other through the wonderful worlds of environmental and outdoor education.  
  
Growing up near Philadelphia (Go Birds! Let’s Go Phillies!), Brett is excited to move back to the Northeast with his wife, Kate and two sons, Evergreen and Sequoia, and explore all that the beautiful Lake Champlain region and YMCA Camp Abnaki have to offer. If you like to play tag and run barefoot through the grass, you’re it. At the Tillman house, you may also get to meet their dog, Maple; cats, Jet and Chewy; tarantula, Head; and crayfish, Meg.  
  
Brett and his family are always down for a good hike through the woods, good ole’ fashioned creek stomping, and exploring for wild critters and edible plants.  
 
You can contact Brett at 802-652-8180 or [email protected]. 

Pronto Parenteau, Camp Advocate

Pronto, a native of Fairfax, Vermont and educated at Lyndon State College, first joined the Abnaki staff in 2000. He received the Spirit of Abnaki award for his work, and that summer served as the launching point for a career in camping. Pronto supports camp in countless ways. His focus is on the well- being of all members of the camp community and he supports this focus through advocacy, brainstorming, and coaching.
 
Pronto brings 30 years of experience in camping and youth development work, including the past 20 years in camp leadership. He has a long history of serving campers with specific medical needs and youth with behavioral challenges. He met his wife working at Paul Newman’s Hole In The Wall Gang Camp, and has also spent time with Vermont’s own Camp Daybreak, multiple sites within PN Serious Fun Network of Camp, SFNC at Victory Junction, NC, Camp Soaring Eagle in Sedona, AZ, and was the Director of Camp Operations for Phoenix Children’s Hospital medically-based camps.
 
During the school year, Pronto serves as a Student Management Specialist for the Essex Westford School District, and continues to support numerous camps around the country working to develop a “community of caring” camp culture focused on achievement, belonging, relationships, safety, love, and respect. He is a proud father to two teenaged children and two awesome kittens. He is thrilled to serve as Advocate for staff and campers for years to come!
 
You can contact Pronto at [email protected].

Bill McFadden, Property Manager

Bill has lived in the Upper Valley Region of VT/NH for most of his life, he is a graduate of Hanover, NH High School and Middlebury College. He brings a variety experiences and interests having been involved in recreational facility and operations management, the solar and alternative energy field and has run his own businesses in design/build construction and service/retail, a bike shop.

Although he never had the opportunity to experience a traditional sleep away camp, he has great appreciation for the value of that experience having witnessed the positive effects that the camp experience has had on his two daughters, both of whom are in there 20’s and still very much involved with “their camp.”

When not working around the camp property, you will probably see Bill walking his dog Chance or heading out or returning from a bike ride.

You can contact Bill at 802-372-6164 or [email protected].

Dan Smith
President
President + CEO, Greater Burlington YMCA

Kelly Cornell
Chair
Vice President Sales & Marketing, April Cornell

Catherine Simonson
Vice Chair 
Retired, formerly Chief Client Services Officer at Howard Center 

PJ McHenry Jr.
Secretary
Branch Manager, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp.

David Seaver
Treasurer
Senior VP Commercial Banking, Northfield Savings Bank

Bashir Abdallah 
Vice President of Product, Mainsail Partners

Noma Anderson Ph.D.
Dean College of Nursing and Health Sciences, UVM

Victoria Bennett 
Retired YMCA Executive

Luanne Cantor
Senior VP of Retail, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union

Jim Cohen 
Financial Advisor, JCohen Financial

Gerald Coleman 
Director of Custodial Services, University of Vermont

Kevin Gallagher 
Co-Founder, Op.ti.ma, LCMHC

Brian Lowry 
Financial Advisor, Hickok & Boardman Capital Management

Scott Paluska, MD FACSM 
Physician, Evergreen Sports Medicine

Carol Y. Pfeiffer
Attorney + Partner, Dinse PC

Victoria Westgate
Attorney + Partner, SRH Law PLLC