Camp Tawonga CEO Becca Meyer is leaving to join a national organization that supports Jewish camps, and longtime Tawonga leader Ryley Katz will step in as interim CEO on March 1.
“I am filled with gratitude for this community and for the privilege of leading Tawonga, and I am humbled to support more than 300 Jewish camps through my new role,” Meyer said Wednesday in a press release of her new role as chief impact officer at the Foundation for Jewish Camp.
Jamie Simon, CEO of the foundation and former CEO of Camp Tawonga, told J. that Meyer was hired in a national search with nearly 500 candidates. Meyer will work directly with Simon, and her role will include overseeing training, grantmaking and research.
“There’s really no better person to drive our strategy forward,” said Simon, who left Tawonga in 2023 after 17 years. “She’s done it at Tawonga and has done it with great success, and we’re excited for her to do it on the national stage.”
Katz is what Tawonga affectionately calls a “lifer.”
She arrived from Arizona as a camper in 1993. She continued as a summer staffer through college before joining the team full time in 2006. After nearly a decade, Katz left to raise her three daughters. She returned in 2022 as senior director of programs and innovation.
“Her deep knowledge, values-driven leadership and love for Tawonga make her the ideal person to guide the organization through this next chapter, along with camp director Aaron Mandel and our veteran leadership team,” said Meyer.
Simon said it speaks to Tawonga’s “deep bench” that Katz has been named interim CEO.
“Tawonga has such skilled talent that it can actually have such good succession plans and really talented people coming up through the ranks to be able to carry the torch,” she said.
Katz has a dual degree in public policy and sociology from Pomona College and a background in nonprofit administration.
“I am honored to take on this role and to steward this transition alongside an exceptional leadership team,” Katz told J. “I will deeply miss working day to day with Becca. Our partnership and her wisdom have meant so much to me, and I step into this next chapter with gratitude, confidence and deep care for the Tawonga community.”
Meyer has worked on Tawonga’s year-round team since 2007, including three years as chief executive officer after Simon’s departure and seven years as camp director.
“I think that this only says great things about Tawonga,” said Simon. “It’s a great place to work and is raising leaders that are now on the national stage, representing everything they’ve learned and bringing that to other camps.”
Last summer, nearly 200,000 campers and young-adult staffers attended a Jewish camp in North America, marking a record high, according to Simon.
“Becca’s move to Foundation for Jewish Camp is a win for the entire Jewish camping field,” Lena Brook, Tawonga’s board president, said in a press release. “As CEO, Becca has strengthened Tawonga in profound ways, and we are grateful for her vision, heart, and impact. As we begin this new chapter, we have full confidence that Ryley, alongside our experienced team, will provide steady leadership, continuity, and a deep commitment to Tawonga’s mission and values.”
Mandel, who has served as camp director for the past three years, will continue to lead summer programs at Tawonga, which was founded in 1925 and is located near Yosemite National Park.