Student Staff Bios - UCLA
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Student
Staff Bios
Bruin
WoodsAidan Ryan – Fishing Aidan Ryan is a second year Marine Biology major from Encinitas, California. For his first summer of Bruin Woods, he will be working as a fishing guide. Growing up ocean kayak fishing with his dad, his is very excited to share his love of fishing with others and to catch some big ones! Along with Fishing, Aidan loves to surf, hike, and cliff jump. He began learning Spanish in elementary school and continues to enjoy practicing during his surf trips to Mexico. His passion for languages has led him to begin learning French and Mandarin as well. At UCLA, Aidan plays rugby and is in the Surf and Chess Clubs. Aidan is so hyped to get out on Lake Arrowhead and meet everyone! aidanryan@g.ucla.edu Allie Hodgen – Kids Group Rover What’s up Bruin Woods? This is Allie Hodgen and she will be spending her third summer here as one of your Kids Group Rovers! All the way from Pasadena, CA, she has been a Bruin fan since birth. Allie just graduated from UCLA with a degree in Business Economics. After this summer, she is moving to Libson to pursue her love of traveling while working for her own web design company. Help her learn Portuguese or throw some travel tips her way while she cartwheels the summer away on the front lawn! allie@alliehodgen.com
Amy Stone – Bear & Grill
What’s cookin’ Bruin Woods?! Coming from the hot desert of
Victorville, California, Amy Stone is super hyped to spend her
first summer at Bruin Woods serving up tasty meals at the Bear
& Grill! She has just finished her first year at UCLA as an
aspiring Ecology & Evolutionary Biology major and African
American studies minor. As a pre-health Bruin, she hopes to
make a difference in women’s health as a Physician’s Assistant
in Gynecology (who runs the world?... GIRLS!) When she
doesn’t have her head in her textbooks, Amy loves exercising
her passion for dance as a funky hip hop dancer of 6 years! If
she’s not movin’ and groovin’ she is probably somewhere
petting a stranger’s dog. If you’re feeling snacky, feel free to
stop by the B & G and say hi to Miss Amy. She can’t wait to see
all of your smiling faces this summer! amystone18@icloud.com
Annie Saunders – Outdoor activities Rover
Hey there! It’s Annie Saunders, a third year majoring in Applied
Linguistics and double minoring in History and Spanish. After
following in her father’s footsteps by studying at UCLA, she
loves getting to one up her dad with her clearly superior 8-clap
skills! Annie is beyond STOKED to be back at the beautiful Lake
Arrowhead for her second summer! When she’s not shooting
arrows, Annie can be found working with other clubs, including
the Pediatric AIDS Coalition, Message in a Melody, and her
sorority, Chi Omega. Annie can’t wait to climb to new heights
and ~jump~ into a new position as your Outdoor Activities
Rover! Let’s have the best week EVER! anniesaun@gmail.comAnusha Shankar – Kodiak Counselor
Anusha is a fourth-year actor at UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film,
and Television and wants to be a working actor in the real world
after she graduates next June(!!!) She’s from India and
Singapore, speaks 4-ish languages, and still has not stopped
talking about her quarter abroad in Paris. When she’s not at
rehearsal, walking to rehearsal, or thinking about rehearsal, she
loves to listen to podcasts, binge watch cooking shows on
Netflix, and have solo dance parties in her living room. Anusha
is STOKED for her first summer at Bruin Woods as one of your
Kodiak Counselors and she cannot wait to meet you all!!
anushashankar@g.ucla.edu
Austin Edwards – Teen Counselor
What’s up Fooligans!! Austin Edwards is back and hyped for his
third summer at Bruin Woods as the new groovy Teen
Counselor. After a summer of smelling like chlorine and
sunscreen, Austin has decided that it’s high time he uses his
Dance major and Philosophy minor to drop some knowledge on
the 10th, 11th, and 12th graders. Born and raised in Solana
Beach, Austin has followed his parents’ footsteps into UCLA and
is now coming into his senior year of college. On campus,
Austin’s the Assistant Commissioner of the Campus Events
Commission and involved in Lambda Chi Alpha, Cultural Affairs
Commission, and is the Co-Director of the dance group
Outspoken, which just performed in this year’s Spring Sing.
Austin cannot wait to make this summer the best in Bruin
Woods history!! GO BRUINS!!!! austin.edwards858@gmail.comBeckham Ballora – Teddy Counselor Beckham finished up his first year at UCLA as a Business Economics major and is beyond excited to be spending his summer as a Teddy Counselor! He grew up in Culver City, Los Angeles, a devastating 20 minutes away from UCLA (west coast best coast). In his free time, you can find Beckham tearing it up on the basketball court, listening to/playing music, or watching Dodger games. It has always been his dream to work with a major sports organization, given his involvement and passion for athletics. He could not be happier to become a part of the magic that is the Bruin Woods Family! beckhamballora@gmail.com Bella Boshara – Boating Bella is a fourth year Cognitive Science major. She was raised in Washington, D.C. and St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents live in St. Louis, her sister attends graduate school at Washington University, and her brother attends Dartmouth College. She has been studying audio engineering and sound production at UCLA’s film school, and has played violin for fifteen years. She hopes to pursue sound production and environmentalism by composing an album comprised of sounds of endangered species and suffering wilderness to speak out against climate change and promote conservation. isabella725@gmail.com
Bella Stenvall – Grizzly Counselor
Bella just finished her sophomore year at UCLA and is SO excited
to be back at Bruin Woods this summer with the coolest kids on
camp – the Grizzlies! She’s double-majoring in Global Studies
and Dance with a minor in Arabic, and will be studying abroad in
Amman, Jordan this upcoming Fall after having fun at Lake
Arrowhead. On campus, Bella is a part of the Student Alumni
Association, runs a weekly spoken word poetry night, performs
and choreographs with the Dance department, and can be
frequently seen taking long naps in the sunshine on Janss hill. In
her free time, Bella enjoys backpacking through various
dangerous mountain ranges, long beach days, and ABBA dance
parties in her living room. Her dream is to one day find a job
that combines her love of language, travel, international policy,
and boogying. bellastenvall@gmail.com
Caroline Coyle – Outdoor Activities Rover
Hailing from California’s glorious state capital, Sacramento,
Caroline “CC” Coyle just finished her third year at UCLA and is
ecstatic to join the Bruin Woods family for her first summer as
an Outdoor Activities Rover! Back on campus, CC is working
towards a degree in Psychology, with a specialization in
Computer Programming, and a minor in Music Industry. She
hopes to combine her passions for mental health, technology,
and music by pursuing a career in music therapy or music
supervision for film after graduation. CC is involved on campus
as a member of the Campus Events Commission and Kappa
Alpha Theta Sorority. When not at school, she can probably be
found scuba diving, playing her ukulele, or cooking yummy
vegan food! CC recently spent 7 months studying abroad in
Bangkok, Thailand and loves to talk about the 14 countries she visited across Southeast Asia
whenever possible. If you’re looking to hear some crazy travel stories or searching for a
climbing buddy, come find CC at the ropes course.
Go Bruins! ccoyle@g.ucla.eduClaire Glendening – Bear & Grill
Claire is super excited to work at the Bear and Grill as a first year
staffer! Claire is a freshman majoring in Math/Economics and
hopes to minor in Environmental Engineering. Born and raised
in the restless New York City, she was thrilled to trade her snow
boots for Birkenstocks and move to Los Angeles. In high school,
Claire competed on her varsity basketball and soccer teams.
She also worked at a non-profit in the Bronx tutoring and
mentoring middle school students. During her freshman year at
UCLA, Claire covered women’s basketball as a sports reporter
for the Daily Bruin and taught science to elementary schoolers
with the Renewable Energy Association. Claire LOVES eating ice
cream, playing capture the flag, and penny boarding. In the
future, Claire hopes to combine her interests in economics with
teaching. She CAN’T WAIT to meet everyone this summer! P.S. ask her to show you her
signature dish at the Bear and Grill. claireglendening@gmail.com
Danielle Koenig – Program Rover
Hey Bruin Woods families!! Danielle is back and so incredibly
excited to spend the summer with you at Bruin Woods. Danielle
is a fourth year musical theater major and second year staffer
from Los Feliz, CA! Last summer she was flipping burgers at the
Bear and Grill, and this year she is going to be R-R-R-ROVING as
the Programs Rover! She’s a proud member of UCLA ‘s premier
sketch comedy team, Spring Sing’s Company, Rapid Fire Improv,
UCLA’s Pediatric AIDS Coalition, and Act III Theatre Ensemble.
She’s allergic to dogs but pets them anyway, which makes her,
objectively, the most adventurous of the Bruin Woods staffers.
She hopes one day to get to write and perform comedy
professionally, but is content subjecting you to her humor over
meals for now. daniellefranceskoenig@gmail.comDevin Bennett – Polar Counselor
Bringing his East Coast roots from his home in Vienna, Virginia
and a bit of southern charm from his summers with family in
New Orleans, Devin can’t wait to spend his first year at Bruin
Woods underneath the California sun! Devin just finished his
thrid year at UCLA majoring in Cognitive Science (with a
computing specialization) and minoring in Film and Digital
Humanities. On campus, Devin is the incoming executive
coordinator of UCLA Campus Tours, a member of the club swim
team, and a research assistant in a Cognitive Science lab.
Eventually, Devin hopes to combine his love for visual art
(bodypaint!) and media (YouTube!) with his coursework to work
as a Product Manager or in entertainment, but all of that can
wait because, POLARS!, it’s time for the greatest summer of our
lives!!! djbrocks@yahoo.com
Emilee Hosking – Teddy Counselor
Emilee just finished her first year at UCLA and can’t wait to
spend the BEST summer with you all as a Teddy Counselor!
After growing up in Lake Arrowhead and spending last summer
on our dining team, Emilee is SO STOKED to be able to share the
Bruin Woods magic with everyone in a totally new way! She
loves spending her time outdoors, hiking, running, rock
climbing, and spending endless days at the lake, so there is no
better place to spend the summer than in her hometown! Back
at UCLA, Emilee is majoring in Public Affairs and minoring in
Applied Developmental Psychology. In the future she wants to
attend law school! She spends her free time giving Cub Tours,
mentoring middle school girls, doodling, eating an absurd
amount of snacks, and taking part in her sorority, Delta Gamma.
Emilee is super excited and can’t wait for a groovy summer with you all!
emilee.hosking@icloud.comEmmet Donahue – Kodiak Counselor Howdy! Emmet just finished his third year at UCLA as an applied mathematics major with a specialization in computing. He is absolutely stoked to be a second year on camp as a Kodiak counselor (who’s got the beat?!?!). When he isn’t proving the fundamental theorem of calculus in his lectures, Emmet spends his days giving campus tours to future Bruins, dancing on stage at UCLA’s Dance Marathon as a part of the Pediatric AIDS Coalition, riding the white wave at Mammoth Ski Resort, and interning in the Business Intelligence wing of the DuMont Project, week one guest Dawn Perdew’s digital marketing consultancy. Emmet has set the goal of doing 100 backflips this summer, so help him out and ask him to do one! emmetdonahue@ucla.edu Erin Spillane – Polar Counselor Erin is overjoyed to back at Bruin Woods this year with the raddest squad on camp, the Polars! She grew up in San Luis Obispo, California, surfing, skiing, and riding horses: the epitome of the California life. She is a sophomore majoring in Human Biology and Society with a minor in Bioinformatics. This year she was a DJ on UCLA Radio, part of UCLA’s Pediatric AIDS Coalition, and was on the club ski team. Her love for Bruin Woods is only rivaled by her love for pickles, sriracha, and The Great British Baking Show. She can’t wait for an awesome summer with all of you! espillane24@gmail.com
George Siberell – Fishing
After taking many a dip in the pool last summer, George is back
and ready to reel in countless amounts of fish! George is a
senior from the small SoCal community of Sierra Madre, and is a
Global Studies and Geology double major! George hopes to
pursue a law degree after finishing school, and a future career in
Foreign Service. At UCLA, George is the tailgate commissioner
of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and is prepped to try out for the
club basketball team. George is ready and will not “flounder”
this summer! (fish pun) georgebruin@yahoo.com
Grace Cutting – Pool
Grace is a third year at UCLA majoring in Psychology and
minoring in Public Affairs. Born and raised in Sonoma,
California, Grace is the first daughter of two UCLA alumni (Fun
Fact: Her dad was the Bruin Woods Athletic Director in 1989!)
and she is so excited to be spending her first summer at Bruin
Woods on our pool staff. She grew up playing all kinds of sports
(basketball is her favorite) and loves to ski, go to concerts, and
watch San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warrior games.
Grace keeps herself busy on campus as a UCLA Campus Tour
Guide and a member of The Bruin Experiment, a service club
dedicated to teaching middle school students about scientific
method and helping them do their own science fair projects.
She is also the business director of her all-female a cappella
group, Random Voices, a sports marketing intern with UCLA Athletics, and a member of Chi
Omega sorority. gracecutting@ucla.eduHarrison Wang – Bear & Grill
A junior at UCLA, Harrison is hyped to come back for his second
summer whipping up the famous Oreo milkshakes at Bruin
Woods! Born and raised in Woodland Hills, California, both his
dad and sister (who just graduated!) attended UCLA. He’s
currently studying Human Biology and Society, and plans on
pursuing a career in medicine after a gap year spent traveling or
getting work experience. During the school year, Harrison is an
active member of the Student Alumni Association where he
facilitates events for the UCLA community like Interview with a
Bruin, inviting famous speakers like Jimmy O Yang to share their
experiences at UCLA, and works at Pauley Pavillion to help set
up basketball games, volleyball games, and gymnastic meets. In
his free time, Harrison loves to catch up on his favorite TV
shows and movies! harrisondwang@g.ucla.edu
Irvin Mason Jr. – Program Director
Big Irv is ECSTATIC to be back for his third and final summer at
Bruin Woods and is even more THRILLED and HONORED to be
your Program Director! A native of St. Thomas, US Virgin
Islands, Irvin has just finished his third year as a Theater:
Directing major at UCLA and is excited to be a senior. Aside
from theater, Irvin enjoys playing sports (volleyball and
basketball), and dancing. He is a member of the Pediatric AIDS
Coalition (PAC), Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., and UCLA’s Club
Volleyball Team, as well as the founder of the Color Box
Production Company, a company founded at UCLA rooted in
inclusive and multicultural art. Irvin dreams to one day open his
own student community center for the arts in his hometown
after having a successful film and theater career. In the
meantime, Irvin is anxiously waiting until he can spend the best summer of his life with you and
remember, Big Irv = Big Programs!
irvinmasonjr@gmail.comJake Takakjian – Bruin Counselor Jake is going to be a second year Classical Civilizations major and is from Pacific Palisades, California. He has been a Bruin all his life and all of his family are Bruin alumni. Jake loves his 4-year- old Rottweiler Cali (feel free to ask for pictures) and is interested in pre-law as he is on mock trial at UCLA and is hoping to work in appellate law when he’s older. Jake was a camper at Bruin Woods back in the day and is excited to see what life on staff is like giving y’all the best week of your summer. johntakakjian@gmail.com Jared Fernandez – Bear & Grill Jared is going into his junior year as an Economics/Psychology double major at UCLA, and he is absolutely stoked to return for his second summer at Bruin Woods! After kayaking, hiking, and climbing his way through last summer as an Outdoor Activities Rover, Jared can’t wait to spend this year sipping milkshakes at the Bear and Grill. When he isn’t at Bruin Woods or at home in Anaheim, you can find Jared skiing or snowboarding down the slopes of Mammoth Mountain with the UCLA ski and board club, bonding with his brothers in the Sigma Nu fraternity, and working on consulting projects with the Tamid investing and consulting club. jareddf@sbcglobal.net
Jeilani Rhone-Collins – Teen Counselor Jeilani Rhone-Collins just closed her first year as a Musical Theatre major at UCLA and is opening her first year as a Teen Counselor at Bruin Woods! Jeilani lives in Mount Washington, CA and cannot wait to spend her summer up a more fun mountain. Jeilani spent her first year at UCLA performing, performing, and performing some more. Her dream is to continue performing the rest of her days, specifically as Rose Granger in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. If you need someone to sing, dance, or rave about Harry Potter with this summer, Jeilani is your gal! jeilanisol7@g.ucla.edu Jess Grimes – Arts & Crafts Coming off a jam-packed summer with the Bruins, Jess is beyond excited to return to Bruin Woods for her second summer! Find her reapplying sunscreen indoors at Arts & Crafts, and make sure you ask her if cereal is soup while you’re at it. Hailing from the beautiful sea-side community of Dana Point, CA, she spends her time at UCLA double-majoring in Dance and Gender Studies and staying involved with the Student Alumni Association as the Talent Director (and next year’s Executive Director!) for Spring Sing. She can’t wait to see some familiar faces and meet some new friends! jessie.lynn.grimes@gmail.com
Kalena Tamura – Arts & Crafts
Having recently graduated, Kalena could not be more thrilled to
spend another summer at Bruin Woods! She can’t wait to
rekindle her love for lanyards by returning for a second year in
Arts & Crafts. Kalena is from Manhattan Beach and just earned
a degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and
a minor in Film, Television, and Digital Media. She has spent the
past four years serving as a member of Alpha Phi and
contributing to three of UCLA’s literary magazines. She hopes to
pursue a career in literary management or the publishing
industry. She can’t wait to spend the summer getting crafty!
kalenatamura@verizon.net
Katie Byrne – Boating
Katie Byrne is SO STOKED to be coming back for her second
summer at Bruin Woods, and she will be back on the water on
the Boating staff after fishing last summer! Her family has a
cabin in Arrowhead, so she is no stranger to the lake life. Kate
can’t believe she is approaching her last year at UCLA, but can
think of no better way to spend her time than working at the
happiest place on earth, Bruin Woods. She was born and raised
in the beach town of Ventura, CA to a family of Bruins, as both
of her parents and most of her extended family attended UCLA.
Katie enjoys reading (English major), wake boarding, volleyball,
and long walks on the beach… She also LOVES movies and
television hoping to one day have a career in entertainment.
Fun fact: Her favorite movie, Parent Trap ft. Lindsay Lohan, was
partially filmed in Arrowhead! Stop by the docks and say hi! katiebyrne@g.ucla.eduKatie Mann – Cub Counselor
Katie is a second year staffer returning to camp as your new Cub
Counselor after an amazing first summer with the Teddies! She
is from Temecula, California and is entering her senior year as a
Human Biology and Society major with a concentration in Public
Health and Medicine, as well as a newly added minor in the
Applied Developmental Psychology program. Katie plans on
applying to nursing programs this fall and eventually specializing
as a certified nurse midwife. At UCLA, she works as a campus
tour guide, and interns for the UCLA Women’s Health Research
and Education Center, and is also part of the UCLA cheese club.
Katie is ECSTATIC to be back at Bruin Woods and feel the magic
all over again with the Cubs! katiejeanmann@gmail.com
Katie O’Connell – Kodiak Counselor
Katie O. is back for round two and could not be more EXCITED!
Last summer was the best summer of her entire life, and she
can’t wait to top it! Katie had so much fun last year roving
around with all the kids groups, from Teddies to Teens, but is
ready to settle down this summer with the coolest kids group on
camp, the Kodiaks!! While saying goodbye to her hometown of
Long Beach, California is hard, getting to spend a summer under
the sun at Bruin Woods is more than worth it. Katie is a senior
(WOW that went by fast) studying Communications with a
minor in Film & Television, and active member of the Chi Omega
Sorority. When she’s not studying her heart out in Powell or
laughing the days away at Lake Arrowhead, you can find Katie
playing volleyball, reading, or spending time with her very best
friends. Let’s make Summer 2019 the best. summer. ever!!! kathrynoconnell@gmail.comKayla Wisnowski – Bruin Counselor Kayla just completed her first year as an Environmental Science major, which she hopes to put to good use in the textile industry one day. She is an active member of Chi Omega and participates in a wildfire recovery research project in the Santa Monica Mountains. She was born in Colorado Springs but her family quickly packed up their bags and booked it to Washington D.C. for a brisk two years before they settled down in the Lone Star State. She now considers herself a Texpat, as the California Coast coerced her away from the comfort of her not-so-small town, San Antonio. She spends her time skiing, figure skating, writing, hiking, admiring art, and traveling. Kayla is beyond pumped to spend her summer with the coolest kiddos around, the Bruins! kaywisno7@gmail.com Luke Johnston – Fishing Luke just finished his fourth and final year at UCLA and is extremely excited to be working his third summer at Bruin Woods as a Fishing Guide! Luke grew up in Huntington Beach, California with his parents and older brother where he enjoyed playing baseball and soccer, running cross country, going to the beach, and backpacking/camping. Luke loves the outdoors and cannot wait to continue the outdoor experience that Bruin Woods offers. At UCLA, Luke just earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and is very interested in math, science, and technology. Luke is so eager to lead cruises, catch a lot of fish, and most importantly, do BELLYFLOPS!! lukejhb24@gmail.com
Mackenzi Elias – Kids Group Rover Mackenzi is absolutely ecstatic to be back at Bruin Woods for her second summer! She is from Temecula, CA and is studying Political Science with a concentration in Political Theory. When she’s at UCLA waiting to come back to Bruin Woods, she hosts a comedy radio show and writes for a campus-based satirical magazine. Her plans after graduating are to travel and then pursue a career that combines her array of interests in TV, politics, comedy, and writing. If you see her around camp, ask her how her hair got so curly! Go Bruins! eliasmackenzi@gmail.com Madelyn Davis – Pool Staff Madelyn Davis, a second year Theater-Acting major, is joining Bruin Woods for the first time as a member of the pool staff. Madelyn grew up in San Jose, California and is the oldest of four girls. At UCLA, Madelyn can always be found doing things she is passionate about. She is a member of YouthPhonics a Cappella, a service-oriented vocal group, and is grateful to have performed in several productions within her first year at school. Contact Madelyn if you (or your child) are looking for voice lessons, Acting lessons, or just a super fun babysitter! madelynrose04@g.ucla.edu
Makena Kane – Frontier Village Howdy y’all! Makena is a freshman Film and Television major and so excited to end her first college year at Bruin Woods as your Frontier Village Cowgirl! She was raised in California, but has lived in Colorado, Virginia, and Texas. With actor parents and her younger brother in the business, she has been surrounded by the arts all her life and loves being a part of TFT UCLA. Makena can’t wait to grab her boots and meet you all this summer at the Frontier Village! makenamkane@gmail.com Max Cosmides – Fishing Max just completed his first year here at UCLA as an Economics major. Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, there is nothing more he loves to do than be outside surrounded by friends— which is why he is so ecstatic to be working at Bruin Woods this summer. At home some of Max’s favorite activities include going to the beach and playing sports like basketball, wrestling, and baseball. An angler all his life both recreationally and competitively, he is thrilled to be on the fishing staff and cannot wait to help this summer’s guests haul in the biggest catches in Lake Arrowhead history. Max is on the rugby team at UCLA and also thoroughly enjoys weekly evening walks around Westwood. mcosmoshes@gmail.com
Maya Partha – Bear & Grill
Maya just finished her sophomore year and is so stoked to
return to the Bruin Woods team this summer! At school, she is
the Director of Campus Relations for a music club, a DJ for UCLA
Radio, a consultant for a sustainability club, and is a member of
the Delta Gamma sorority. She spends her free time creating
oddly specific Spotify playlists, singing and eating mashed
potatoes. Maya is an Economics and International Development
double major and Music Industry minor and hopes to work for a
nonprofit or record label!! Come say hi at the B&G and she
might even do the Gummy Bear Challenge with you!!
mayapartha14@gmail.com
Megan Leigh – Kids Group Director
Yo yo yo! Megan cannot believe it is her third and final summer
in Lake Arrowhead, but she knows it’s going to be the best one
yet! After hanging out with the Polar and Grizzlies her first and
second years, she’s now beyond stoked to be the Kids Group
Director and oversee all the kiddos on camp! Megan is going
into her last year at UCLA as a History major and hopes to
pursue a career where she can put her wicked organizational
skills to work. At school, she is a part of the Pediatric AIDS
Coalition, is a Campus Tour Guide for UCLA Undergraduate
Admissions, and is a member of the Chi Omega sorority. She
loves running, especially down the coasts of her hometown in
San Diego, creating rad Spotify playlists, and the color yellow!
She is super-duper hyped to make memories with all of you and
she can’t wait to make this the best summer ever! meganleigh@ucla.eduNoah Hoffmann – Outdoor Activities Rover Noah just finished his third year at UCLA and is majoring in Atmospheric and Oceanic sciences. As a cadet in UCLA’s Air Force ROTC detachment, Noah is looking forward to a career as a pilot or weather officer in the United States Air Force. He is the youngest of five boys and grew up in Camarillo, CA. He enjoys playing rugby, football, and basketball and is currently on the UCLA rugby team. He has been an avid fisherman for as long as he can remember and spent his first summer at Bruin Woods on the Fishing staff. He also enjoys spending time outdoors and is super excited to be an Outdoor Activities Rover this summer! noah.hoff.noah@gmail.com Oscar Revelins – Pool Oscar is so excited to cap off his first year at UCLA by having the best summer ever at Bruin Woods as a member of the pool staff! Oscar is going to be entering his second year of Musical Theater at UCLA’s TFT department in the fall. He is originally from Melbourne, Australia, but moved out to sunny Venice Beach in 2011. When he’s not performing in three shows a year, you can find him writing away in his dorm (plays, short stories, novels) or binge-watching HBO drama series. He hopes to one day write and star in his own material, or travel the world and eat great food. okierev@gmail.com
Owen Braithwaite – Bruin Counselor Owen is ecstatic to be returning to Bruin Woods for his second summer as a Bruin Counselor! He is an upcoming third year UCLA student pursuing a Communications major and a French minor, but he recently discovered a passion for dance after taking one hip hop class. Originally from Philadelphia, Owen grew up sheltering himself in the cold winter months by playing music – learning guitar, piano, accordion, and really anything else that would make a sound. At UCLA, Owen is involved in both a capella and improve/sketch comedy, but he has also tried his hand at entrepreneurship by founding the club “Owen’s Oreos”, in which he researches the delicious taste of Oreos by eating them. odbraithwaite@gmail.com Patrick French – Kids Group Rover Patrick just finished his third year at UCLA and is unbelievably stoked to be back to Bruin Woods for his third summer! After two years of enjoying the lake as part of the Waterfront staff, Patrick is excited to spend his final summer as a Kids Group Rover. He is a Political Science major and is minoring in Film and Television, with hopes of starting a career in the entertainment industry. Having grown up in Encinitas, CA, Patrick loves spending time at the beach and going on hikes. Back at school, when he’s not thinking about Bruin Woods, Patrick enjoys being an active member of UCLA Rugby, making nachos, and hanging out with friends. As Patrick would say, “Get HYPED for Bruin Woods 2019!!!” pat.mfrench@yahoo.com
Petra Silvey – Arts & Crafts
Petra just finished her second year at UCLA as a Sociology major
and cannot wait to spend her first summer at Bruin Woods in
Arts & Crafts. She grew up in Athens, Greece and then moved
to Berkeley, CA when she was in elementary school. She is
currently training to become a birth and postpartum Doula and
Midwife. She is also interested in music festival production. On
campus, she is on the staff for the Jazz Reggae music festival,
has a radio show on UCLA Radio, and is on the Entertainment
committee for the Pediatric AIDS Coalition. She spends her free
time doing yoga, meditating, camping throughout California,
and painting. petrasilvey@gmail.com
Ryan Smith – Grizzly Counselor
It took him four years of hard work to get his English degree, but
Ryan Smith finally has the skills to write himself a bio! Ryan was
raised in Huntington Beach, California, to a family of Bruins. He
made his first human contact at age 7 when workers from the
Santa Ana Zoo took him into the zoo’s custody. His parents
were sedated by blowdart and relocated to the forests north of
Monrovia. He sees them every Thanksgiving. Ryan enjoys fly
fishing, trail-running, and cataloguing. He is a member of the
Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. He hosts two shows on UCLA
Radio. He spent a year volunteering with JusticeCorps, assisting
self-represented litigants in the self-help center of the Torrance
courthouse. He is excited to enter the wild that is the
workforce, but he is even more excited to spend his first
summer at Bruin Woods as your newest Grizzly Counselor! ryansmith24@g.ucla.eduSabina Selzer – Athletic Director Sabina just finished her first year at UCLA and is thrilled to continue her college experience as the Bruin Woods Athletic Director this summer. She’s double majoring in Public Affairs and Environmental Studies/Geography, and grew up in Arroyo Grande, California. Like her dad who when to UCLA on a pole- vaulting scholarship, she loves sports and grew up playing soccer, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, and running track and field. At school she works at Kerckhoff Coffee House, is a member of the Den Operations Club, and helped fundraise for UCLA Unicamp. You can always find her on the sand, and she can’t wait to see you on the courts this summer! sabinaselzer@gmail.com Sam Jones – Pool Sam Jones is a third year Sociology major and is looking forward to senior year. He was born and raised in Manhattan Beach, California. Sam has played volleyball for three years at UCLA and has been a scholar athlete with the team. He is a brother of Alpha Rho ZBT. Sam’s parents, Chris and Kim Jones still live in Manhattan Beach. His dad, Chris received his Master’s Degree in Education from UCLA in Education from UCLA in 1988. His brother works for Bain in the LA area. Sam is excited to join all of you at the pool for a fun and safe summer! sjonessam2@gmail.com
Samantha Wieske – Kids Group Rover
Sam/Sammy is a fourth year at UCLA, studying International
Development Studies and Geographical Information Systems
(Maps are cool!). Outside of her academics, Sam spends her
days at UCLA giving campus tours, participating in Delta Gamma
sorority and recruiting dancers to the Pediatric AIDS Coalition’s
Dance Marathon. Ask her about her time abroad in Buenos
Aires, Argentina! This past year she interned at the social
impact firm, Propper Daley, working on John Legend’s Free
America campaign. Sam’s dream job is to become a professor
at UCLA. She grew up in Lake Forest, California and both of her
parents are alumni of UC Irvine, but everyone knows Bruins beat
Anteaters so she opted to attend UCLA instead. Sammy can’t
wait to hang out with all the kiddos, from the Teddies to the
Teens, as a Kids Group Rover! samwieske@g.ucla.edu
Sean Babcock – Fishing
“Babby” is a senior studying Communications at UCLA, and is
hyyyyped for his first summer at Bruin Woods! Sports have
always been a large part of Babby’s life, and he currently plays
on the UCLA rugby team. He is also a proud member of the
Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, where he has served as the House
Manager and Philanthropy Chair. When he’s not working out or
studying, you can find him eating an industrial amount of food –
it may be summer, but Babby is always stocking up for winter.
seanbabcocksb@gmail.comSean Tasse – Sloth Counselor
Sean just graduated from UCLA with a major in Economics and is
stoked to spend his third and final summer up at Bruin Woods
as the Sloth Counselor! A member of the Sigma Nu fraternity,
Sean contributed as part of the scout team for our UCLA
Women’s basketball team, helping them reach the Sweet 16 for
the third straight year. Sean is a twin! He grew up in Fullerton,
CA, where he was a standout high school basketball player who
also found his passion for making music! This past May, Sean
performed an original song in UCLA’s annual Spring Sing
competition alongside another former Bruin Woods counselor
as he pursues a career in the music/entertainment industry.
When younger, Sean was fortunate to previously enjoy Bruin
Woods as a guest of the Bruin family of his best friend (Sellens
Family – Week 5) and is stoked to be back once again! seanmtasse@gmail.com
Shane Taleisnik – Boating
Hello! Shane Taleisnik is a junior Economics major born and
raised in Orange County, California. His dad attended UCLA for
medical school and he has been going with him and his two
older brothers to watch basketball games in Pauley Pavilion
since he can remember. Shane is ecstatic about all aspects of
life, but especially everything involving basketball, traveling,
spending time with good company, being outdoors, and having
the most fun possible each and every day. He would love to
pursue a career that involves business development (involving
anything sports related is even better!) Now and forever, GO
BRUINS! staleisnik@gmail.comShelby Ravetch – Arts & Crafts Shelby is a third year double majoring in World Arts and Cultures & Psychology. She grew up in Oak Park, California with her Bruin parents and two brothers. After falling in love with Bruin Woods as a camper, she is so thrilled to be back as a counselor! Shelby is passionate about education and is the Co- Director of Education for HOOLIGAN Theatre Company. She loves creating fun events as a Program Director for ResLife and is looking forward to being an RA in the fall. Shelby can’t wait to see you all in the A&C. sravetch@gmail.com Sophie Landeck – Boating Once upon a time there was a second year counselor, Sophie. Who, formerly a Bay Area native (go dubs), has now just finished her sophomore year at UCLA. But she had an enchantment upon her of a fearful sort which could only be broken by a summer camp of the utmost fun. She was locked away in a castle guarded by a terrible fire-breathing Trojan. The brave boating staff of Bruin Woods eventually saved her, and here she is. Sophie is an active member of Kappa Alpha Theta, director for UCLA’s Shakespeare Company, a DJ for UCLA Radio and is currently pursuing a B.A. in Theater with a double concentration in acting and directing. (And yes, that was her interpretation to the opening of Shrek.) sophie.landeck@gmail.com
Tiernan O’Neill – Frontier Village
Howdy y’all! Tiernan is so excited to be the Frontier Village
Cowboy this summer! But don’t worry folks, this isn’t his first
rodeo up at Bruin Woods, it’s his third! Originally from
Berkeley, Tiernan spent the second part of his childhood in
Athens, Georgia. Not only does this mean he’s a bona fide
Cowboy, but is also means he can cook up a mean bowl of
shrimp and grits. At UCLA Tiernan majors in Art History and
hopes to go into the museum world after graduation. Tiernan
also is in leadership positions for several clubs on campus,
namely serving as the Assistant General Manager for UCLA
Radio, the Events Coordinator for the Graphite Arts Journal and
as the Community Relations Director for the Pediatric AIDS
Coalition. Aside from extracurriculars, riding his horse and
studying hard, Tiernan loves to sightsee around Los Angeles and is always on the hunt for a
good new podcast. So giddy up y’all because this summer is gonna be the best one EVER!
Yeeehaw!!! tiernanoneill98@gmail.com
Zach Lewis – Cub Counselor
Zach Lewis is a first year Bruin Woods staffer as well as a second
year Business Economics major. He grew up in sunny San Diego,
but ironically hopes to one day move to Seattle. When he’s not
chowing down on Mexican food, he is an avid climber in the
climbing club, loves playing IM’s, and is constantly trying to get
to the beach. His favorite movie is “Wreck it Ralph” (it makes
him cry every time), and will always say yes to playing mancala.
Zach is so excited to be living in Lake Arrowhead for the first
time ever, and can’t wait to spend his summer belly flopping
and playing with the Cubs! zachlewis2219@gmail.comBruin Woods Management
Dylan Matteson – BRUIN WOODS Director
Dylan Matteson has been with Bruin Woods for 14 summers;
working for 3 years as a student staffer and the last 11 years on
the management side of BW. He graduated 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 4 years ago to fellow alumna 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!
Wasey Noori- Assistant Director
Wasey is thrilled to return to the best place on earth with
former Co-Counselor Charlie at Bruin Woods! While at UCLA,
Wasey worked for former Dean Olian at UCLA Anderson School
of Management, was a member of ZBT Fraternity and President
of the UCLA Afghan Club, and spent three summers as a
student staffer! After graduation, Wasey worked for four years
for the Congressman of the Eighth District of California. He
began his career in Washington, D.C. and relocated to be closer
to home in Apple Valley, CA. He became integral in the local
government of San Bernardino County and was involved in
local campaigns. He is excited to return to his true passion of
providing a great guest experience to make this summer better
than ever!Charlie Hall – Bruin Woods Manager Charlie is so excited to be back at Bruin Woods! As a Bruin, he was drum major of the UCLA Marching Band, a tour guide, and spent three summers on our student staff. After graduating with a degree in Cognitive Science in 2015, he worked for a market research firm in Los Angeles before moving to Busan, South Korea. There, he taught English and traveled through Asia. He is thrilled to be back in Lake Arrowhead as the Bruin Woods Manager to help Bruin Woods continue to be a magical and meaningful experience for everyone.
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