Meet GRP's New Programs Director

Heya, friends! My name’s Lauren Betz and I’m joining the team as GRP’s Programs Director. You’ll see me working closely with Catherine to take the helm of summer camp right away, and learning the ropes of our SEE & KALE programs to eventually lead as well.

Though it’s been a while since the last time I walked the Preserve, it’s not my first year in this magical place. GRP was my first-ever camp job and truly a catalyst for my career after a memorable summer as a counselor in 2016. Since then, I’ve been in a few different camp and camp-adjacent roles that I believe have made me a well-rounded, curious, and enthusiastic young leader in camping!

Ultimately, my career has always centered around connecting people with their environment, for the benefit of both our world and each individual, though my path has twisted and turned. Some of my highlights include training marine mammals and providing conservation education at New England Aquarium, supporting children and their families in mental health coaching sessions with the assistance of horses and other animals, teaching tropical ecology courses in Ecuador, co-owning a small sustainable farm, and most recently, directing a diverse international staff team at a lakeside summer camp in Minnesota . . . it’s been a journey! I am so excited to bring my various lenses to the programming at GRP and serve our mission of inspiring environmental stewards through a joyful connection to nature.

As you might imagine, North Carolina can be a bit of a culture-shock coming from Minnesota - that being said, I’m from Kentucky and it feels a bit like coming home. Though we may miss the snow in winter, my fiancé, Bo, and I are not-so-secretly jazzed about having a longer bikejoring season with our German shorthaired pointer, Balin. Originally from Michigan, Bo is a brewer and cook by trade and is excited to embrace Carolina barbecue and the local food scene. Oh, and we’ve both been axe-throwing coaches at one point or another, so you’ll definitely want us on your team in a zombie apocalypse.

As I dive headfirst into all things GRP and summer camp, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to reconnect and catch up on the continued progress here at the Preserve. I am surrounded by a top-notch leadership team and have full confidence that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. I look forward to meeting our camp families and hope to consider myself a local before too long. Seek the joy!