MEET THE TEAM

Our dedicated team of professional YMCA Directors work year round to make your camp experience the best that it can be! We take pride in our long history and all of our traditions and are excited to make Y-Koda a part of your family. 

Jeremiah Dentz

Jeremiah Dentz, Executive Director

jdentz@sheboygancountyymca.org

Jeremiah started working at Camp Y-Koda in 2001 shortly after earning his Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Education from the UW-Stevens Point. Jeremiah strongly believes in the value of outdoor experienes as part of a healthy childhood and works to ensure Camp Y-Koda provides those experiences to everyone. He enjoys his job because he knows camp is impacting young lives in a positive way and providing life-long memories. He loves seeing exhausted, dirty, and smiling faces at the end of a full day of playing outside. 

Sarah Dezwarte

Sarah Dezwarte, Director of Education & Maywood Summer Camp

sdezwarte@sheboygancountyymca.org

Sarah has a degree in Biology and Elementary Education, a graduate certificate in Leadership in Natural Resources from the UW-Stevens Point, and a Master's Degree in Educational Policy and Community Engagement from the UW-Milwaukee. She recently started a Ph. D. program in Education, where she plans to focus her research on the growing gap between children and nature. Sarah has a love for Lake Michigan and the learning opportunities it provides. She has studied Great Lakes Ecology aboard the R/V Lake Guardian on Lake Superior and aboard the S/V Denis Sulivan on Lake Michigan. In addition she has a strong passion for citizen science. She believes the key to stewardship is involving the community in hands-on, real-life science. Sarah has engaged the public in data-collection on the Sheboygan River Area of Concern for the past 10 years. When not working Sarah enjoys running, cycling, working out, hiking and spending time with her husband, Todd and her two children Ellison, Ethan and her yellow Labrador, Maggie. Her favorite Wisconsin animal is the Grey Fox. She finds this secretive member of the canine family fascinating because they can climb trees, either to search for prey, sleep, or to escape from predators. They have strong, hooked claws that are unique among canines. This is her 16th year working full-time at Camp Y-Koda. She enjoys her position at camp because she likes working with children and loves teaching about the natural world.

Kaitlyn Emmons (Rautmann)

Kaitlyn EMMONS (RAUTMANN), Program & Summer Camp Director

kemmons@sheboygancountyymca.org

Kaitlyn has been a member of the Camp Y-Koda community from the time she was a camper and volunteer. Since then, she began as a counselor, Arts & Crafts Director, Outdoor Education Instructor, Assistant Director and now your Summer Camp Director. Kaitlyn started working at camp in 2011. She is a certified trainer for Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention and was a volunteer committee member for the YMCA Mid-America Camping Conference from 2020-2021. Kaitlyn graduated from the UW-Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and has a Project Management Certificate from Lakeshore Technical College. She participated in the Disney College Program as a Children's Activities Hostess at Disney's Port Orleans Resort. Kaitlyn loves working with children and teaching our youth the wonders of being outdoors in a safe and positive way. Outside of camp she enjoys shopping, arts and crafts, nature hikes, teaching Zumba classes and spending time with her niece and nephew. Fun Fact: Kaitlyn has a hamster named Blueberry! 

Willa Leannah

Willa Leannah, 4K Nature Preschool Teacher

wleannah@sheboygancountyymca.org

Willa started working for Camp Y-Koda and the YMCA in 2018, as our first Nature 4K Preschool Teacher at Maywood Environmental Park. As a child she attended YMCA camps and grew a passion for being in the great outdoors, which she currently gets to do in this role. Willa has a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from the UW-Milwaukee, a Bachelor's Degree in Education from the UW-Oshkosh and is DPI certified. She was previously a teacher at Kindercare Learning Center and Preschool, and experienced being a Field Trip Coordinator at the Above and Beyond Children's Museum. Her very first real teaching experience was in a one-room school in India. Willa's favorite activity with her students is putting down a big quilt, laying down and watching the wind in the trees. There is nothing better for Willa than instilling an appreciation and adoration for nature in little ones. In her free time she draws illustrations, plays music on her viola (and guitar), and taking her dog on long walks!

Dani Roscovius

Dani Roscovius, Program Coordinator & Assistant Summer Camp Director

droscovius@sheboygancountyymca.org

Dani has been working at Camp Y-Koda since the summer of 2022. She has been attending camp since she was a little girl. Prior to Y-Koda she worked as a Med Tech in a Nursing Home Facility, and at a YMCA Summer Camp in Alabama for 3 years as a counselor and as the Aquatics Director, and there she participated in the “Raggers” program to build leadership within herself and change in the community. She strongly believes in the “I Am Third” value and the 4 core values of the YMCA. She enjoys working at camp to see the impact of that nature and friendship can have on a child’s life. Dani is studying for her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a certificate in Autism Studies. She likes to spend her free time outside hiking or paddle boarding with her two dogs, spending time with her family, and taking road trips and camping with friends.

Nicholas Bielski

NICHOLAS BIELSKI, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR

nbielski@sheboygancountyymca.org

Nick started working at Camp Y-Koda in September 2022. During the school year, Nick serves as an Environmental Educator and in the summer Nick leads our Summer Camp Adventure Trips. Nick grew up with Boy Scouts by going to different summer camps, weekend trips, back country experiences and engaging in community service projects, to become an Eagle Scout. During High School, he joined his local fire & rescue department as a Cadet and explored the field of fire fighting, and became a certified firefighter from Gateway Technical College. After transferring to the UW - Stevens Point, Nick received his Special Education Degree and Wildland Fire Certifications with the UW-SP Fire Crew. During the summers, Nick would go help the Wisconsin Lions Camp made for children with special needs & disabilities for three summers serving as a Counselor and Outfitting Director. In Winter he would visit Florida to work along side with the Florida Park Service and assisted with Controlled Burns. Nick believes to be a successful educator you need to have an open mindset while looking and listening to different ideas brought to the table. During his time off he enjoys spending time with family and friends, photography, running and swimming. 

"It is important to draw wisdom from different places. If you take it from only one place it becomes rigid and stale." - Iroh (Avatar the Last Airbender)

Terese Koene-Carroll

Terese Koene-Carroll, Administrative Assistant

tcarroll@sheboygancountyymca.org

Terese began working at Camp Y-Koda in 2007 as an Outdoor Educator. With her love of camp, she became our Administrative Assistant and a Lifeguarding CPR & First Aid Trainer for the Outdoor Education and Summer Camp Team. When she was 7 years old, she saved her 4 year old brother from drowning. She has been a lifeguard instructor for over 20 years and a swim instructor for more than 30 years. The best part she loves about working at camp is taking walks around our grounds and seeing our campers every morning with pure energy and excitement they have for camp. She enjoys working with her family on a small hobby farm taking care of their ever-changing menagerie of animals. During her down time, Terese enjoys a good cookout with her friends and family. Her favorite activity at camp is anything to do with water either at the lake, river or swimming pool.

Mackinzi Beaty

Mackinzi Beaty, Summer Camp Director - Maywood Site

mbeaty@sheboygancountyymca.org

Mackinzi is an Environmental Education Specialist and the Maywood Summer Camp Director with Camp Y-Koda. Mackinzi has been working at camp since 2015. For the past several years she has been focused on a career in environmental education. Before coming to camp she worked for the Wisconsin DNR as a Naturalist and Outdoor Educator. She has earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. She enjoys working at camp because she loves being able to share her passion for nature with students and campers. Mackinzi enjoys educating the public and hopes to create awareness and appreciation for our environment. Mackinzi has many outdoor interests including gardening, kayaking, hiking, and camping. She also has many creative hobbies like drawing and painting, crafting, and nature photography.

Jason Braun

Jason Braun, Maintenance Technician

jbraun@sheboygancountyymca.org

Jason has been working for camp since 2017 as our Maintenance Technician. Prior to Camp Y-Koda, he worked as a Journeyman Carpenter, and at the YMCA of Metro Milwaukee for 5 years. This will be Jason's 20th year with experience in construction and maintenance fields. His favorite activity at camp is playing Gaga ball and loves seeing the kids have fun learning about nature and the environment. When Jason was younger he earned the honor of becoming an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. In his free time, Jason enjoys camping, and spending time with his family and friends, and kayaking around the area.