Tom VanHammen is the Center Director. His main focus is finances and facilities, but oversees the whole operation, including Summer Camp. Tom first came to Circle Pines during the fall of 1985, as a participant in a meeting of the Great Lakes Bioregional Congress. He was back the following spring, interviewing for a job as the Physical Plant Manager. He got the job and lived and worked at Circle Pines for 7 years (1986 to 1993). He was part of a Management Team that ran the center during those years. (He met Kat the first summer he was on staff). He became Summer Camp Co-Director from 1988 to 1992. After leaving CPC, he got elected to the Circle Pines Center Board of Directors, where he served for 11 years, the last three as President. He returned to be on staff in May 2005, as Facilities Manager. Prior to first coming to CPC, Tom worked as a solar heating installer in Lansing, MI (working several years for the Solar & Insulation Co-op, a worker owned business). In between stints at CPC, Tom ran his own residential remodeling business, Abode Building & Remodeling, in Grand Rapids, MI. Tom loves the outdoors, and enjoys gardening, hiking, canoeing, and cross country skiing. He has volunteered at the Grand Rapids Community Media Center, as a DJ (On Air Programmer) on community radio station WYCE. Tom enjoys leading work projects with both children and adults, sharing his knowledge of tools and the construction trade, as well as gardening, orchard tending, maple syrup making, cross country skiing, and his love of the outdoors and cooperation.
Tessa Simonds first attended Circle Pines as a camper during the summer of 1999, and soon fell in love with the place and the mission. After being a camper, she joined the staff in 2003 as an Acorn counselor. For the past two summers she has been the summer camp co-director with her twin brother, Kevin. This summer she really looks forward to co-directing with Kristen Stone. Tessa grew up in Chicago with her brothers and parents. She graduated from Earlham College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in peace and global studies and plans to get her master’s in education. During her free time, Tessa enjoys spending time with her family and friends, experimenting in the kitchen and, most recently, has developed an interest in web page design.
Kristen Stone served as Youth Unit Head for the past two summers and is thrilled to make her home at Circle Pines in the coming months. She grew up in Ormond Beach, FL, and has a bachelor's degree in anthropology and women’s studies from Rollins College. She is very excited about planning summer camp during the snowy months and excitedly awaits the arrival of Tessa and the rest of the summer camp staff. Currently, Kristen is pursuing her Master of Fine Arts in poetry at Goddard College, a low-residency school in Vermont, and she’s going to incorporate her teaching practicum into this year’s Youth Institute. Riding bikes, making books and having agrarian daydreams fill her free time. She also likes letters, coffee and farm animals.
Rachel Zegerius , program director, is working hard to expand year-round programming at Circle Pines, as well as helping to actualize existing programs. Although Rachel grew up in Kalamazoo, MI, she has been introduced to CPC only in the past year. During ‘09 summer camp, she worked on kitchen staff and pioneered a goat program. Her educational and professional backgrounds include a focus on environmental activism, nonprofit management and program development. Rachel has a Master of Science degree in environmental resource management and administration from Antioch New England Graduate School. She spent several years living and working in Vermont and moved back to Michigan to be closer to family. Most recently, Rachel (and Kevin) lived and worked on a cooperative farm in Kalamazoo where they were responsible for animal husbandry and caring for dairy goats and other livestock. She is passionate about food and farming and looks forward to helping develop related programs here at CPC.
Kevin Greene recently came to Circle Pines from Kalamazoo, where he spent the past two years farming at Lake Village Homestead. He is originally from Hartford, CT, and has lived most of his life on the East Coast, exploring the Green Mountains of Vermont. Kevin trained at the New England Culinary Institute and worked for several years as a chef, spending many hours in the kitchens of ski area restaurants. He is a strong addition here at CPC, helping part time to maintain the grounds and facilities.
Ron Knutson, a previous crew member from the 1980s ski weekends, has joined the current staff part time to assist with maintenance this winter. Ron has 15 years of experience in a variety of camp tasks and is looking forward to working with Tom and others on the team to provide hospitality to all CPC guests. There is a substantial list of facility needs and general repairs he will be tackling to improve the camp's appearance and usability. The remodel of the Honeymoon cabin is a current high priority along with “other duties as assigned.”
Kat VanHammen is currently on sabbatical for a year to pursue her artwork full time. She will continue to cook for events, work in the garden a bit and be on call to help in other capacities as needed. Kat was a summer camp counselor (Acorn Unit Head) at Circle Pines in 1986 and returned in February 2006 when she married Tom. In between, she worked in a natural foods store and was a vegetarian cooking instructor and caterer, ran a small shop selling local art and developed herself as an artist. After discovering the healing quality of art she moved to Massachusetts to pursue a master's degree in Expressive Arts Therapy. She received her degree in 1996 and worked for seven years with people with mental illness as well as creating and selling her own art. For the next several years she maintained a private practice and founded Spacious Hearts Healing Arts to promote art-making in community. She is also an avid gardener and taught gardening to children in the Cambridge public schools and was, for many years, a volunteer with the Somerville Community Growing Center. Most recently, Kat lived and worked at Starseed Healing Sanctuary, a retreat center in the Berkshire Mountains of western Mass. Kat is happy to return to Circle Pines Center and is excited to bring her skills to a place that is aligned with her values and interests.
Tom VanHammen is the Center Director. His main focus is finances and facilities, but oversees the whole operation, including Summer Camp. Tom first came to Circle Pines during the fall of 1985, as a participant in a meeting of the Great Lakes Bioregional Congress. He was back the following spring, interviewing for a job as the Physical Plant Manager. He got the job and lived and worked at Circle Pines for 7 years (1986 to 1993). He was part of a Management Team that ran the center during those years. (He met Kat the first summer he was on staff). He became Summer Camp Co-Director from 1988 to 1992. After leaving CPC, he got elected to the Circle Pines Center Board of Directors, where he served for 11 years, the last three as President. He returned to be on staff in May 2005, as Facilities Manager. Prior to first coming to CPC, Tom worked as a solar heating installer in Lansing, MI (working several years for the Solar & Insulation Co-op, a worker owned business). In between stints at CPC, Tom ran his own residential remodeling business, Abode Building & Remodeling, in Grand Rapids, MI. Tom loves the outdoors, and enjoys gardening, hiking, canoeing, and cross country skiing. He has volunteered at the Grand Rapids Community Media Center, as a DJ (On Air Programmer) on community radio station WYCE. Tom enjoys leading work projects with both children and adults, sharing his knowledge of tools and the construction trade, as well as gardening, orchard tending, maple syrup making, cross country skiing, and his love of the outdoors and cooperation.
Tessa Simonds first attended Circle Pines as a camper during the summer of 1999, and soon fell in love with the place and the mission. After being a camper, she joined the staff in 2003 as an Acorn counselor. For the past two summers she has been the summer camp co-director with her twin brother, Kevin. This summer she really looks forward to co-directing with Kristen Stone. Tessa grew up in Chicago with her brothers and parents. She graduated from Earlham College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in peace and global studies and plans to get her master’s in education. During her free time, Tessa enjoys spending time with her family and friends, experimenting in the kitchen and, most recently, has developed an interest in web page design.
Kristen Stone served as Youth Unit Head for the past two summers and is thrilled to make her home at Circle Pines in the coming months. She grew up in Ormond Beach, FL, and has a bachelor's degree in anthropology and women’s studies from Rollins College. She is very excited about planning summer camp during the snowy months and excitedly awaits the arrival of Tessa and the rest of the summer camp staff. Currently, Kristen is pursuing her Master of Fine Arts in poetry at Goddard College, a low-residency school in Vermont, and she’s going to incorporate her teaching practicum into this year’s Youth Institute. Riding bikes, making books and having agrarian daydreams fill her free time. She also likes letters, coffee and farm animals.
Rachel Zegerius , program director, is working hard to expand year-round programming at Circle Pines, as well as helping to actualize existing programs. Although Rachel grew up in Kalamazoo, MI, she has been introduced to CPC only in the past year. During ‘09 summer camp, she worked on kitchen staff and pioneered a goat program. Her educational and professional backgrounds include a focus on environmental activism, nonprofit management and program development. Rachel has a Master of Science degree in environmental resource management and administration from Antioch New England Graduate School. She spent several years living and working in Vermont and moved back to Michigan to be closer to family. Most recently, Rachel (and Kevin) lived and worked on a cooperative farm in Kalamazoo where they were responsible for animal husbandry and caring for dairy goats and other livestock. She is passionate about food and farming and looks forward to helping develop related programs here at CPC.
Kevin Greene recently came to Circle Pines from Kalamazoo, where he spent the past two years farming at Lake Village Homestead. He is originally from Hartford, CT, and has lived most of his life on the East Coast, exploring the Green Mountains of Vermont. Kevin trained at the New England Culinary Institute and worked for several years as a chef, spending many hours in the kitchens of ski area restaurants. He is a strong addition here at CPC, helping part time to maintain the grounds and facilities.
Ron Knutson, a previous crew member from the 1980s ski weekends, has joined the current staff part time to assist with maintenance this winter. Ron has 15 years of experience in a variety of camp tasks and is looking forward to working with Tom and others on the team to provide hospitality to all CPC guests. There is a substantial list of facility needs and general repairs he will be tackling to improve the camp's appearance and usability. The remodel of the Honeymoon cabin is a current high priority along with “other duties as assigned.”
Kat VanHammen is currently on sabbatical for a year to pursue her artwork full time. She will continue to cook for events, work in the garden a bit and be on call to help in other capacities as needed. Kat was a summer camp counselor (Acorn Unit Head) at Circle Pines in 1986 and returned in February 2006 when she married Tom. In between, she worked in a natural foods store and was a vegetarian cooking instructor and caterer, ran a small shop selling local art and developed herself as an artist. After discovering the healing quality of art she moved to Massachusetts to pursue a master's degree in Expressive Arts Therapy. She received her degree in 1996 and worked for seven years with people with mental illness as well as creating and selling her own art. For the next several years she maintained a private practice and founded Spacious Hearts Healing Arts to promote art-making in community. She is also an avid gardener and taught gardening to children in the Cambridge public schools and was, for many years, a volunteer with the Somerville Community Growing Center. Most recently, Kat lived and worked at Starseed Healing Sanctuary, a retreat center in the Berkshire Mountains of western Mass. Kat is happy to return to Circle Pines Center and is excited to bring her skills to a place that is aligned with her values and interests.
