Camp Echo : Our Leadership

Jay Pilnick, Associate Director, has been at Echo for more than 30 years! From counselor of 8-year-olds to Division Leader to Associate Director, and many positions in between, Jay’s areas of expertise are camper life and program. Jay has raised his two sons at Echo since they were three months old. Sam is now in an LT, and Noah is a Trailblazer. During the off-season, Jay is assistant principal at Roslyn High School on Long Island. He holds a BA in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from NYU, an MA in Special Education from Syracuse University, and a Professional Diploma in Administration and Supervision from Queens College.

Lisa Hallinan is the year-round Operations Manager with more than a decade of experience at Camp Echo. She is a New York State certified teaching assistant (SUNY New Paltz). A familiar name at camp, whether in the office or on the grounds, she ensures that all operations at camp function efficiently and professionally. She heads all the support services at camp. Along with husband Chris, she has two daughters who have grown up at camp – Courtney and Layla, both Trailblazers.

Chris Hallinan is the year-round Site Manager with more than 10 years at Echo. He is an expert in commercial and residential wiring, a wiz at carpentry (a Union carpenter), and a Certified Pool Operator. With wife Lisa and daughters Courtney and Layla, they truly are the First Family of Camp Echo!

Bernd Foecking, Assistant Director and Adventure Supervisor, returns to Echo for his fourth summer. He joined Camp Echo year-round in May 2007, leaving the position of Academic Dean of a small, traditional New Hampshire boarding school. Bernd’s expertise lies in experiential learning, evidence based programming, and challenge course management. He currently is finishing an advanced degree in Adventure Learning. Bernd comes to camp with his wife, Kat, a Division Leader, and their daughters, Elisabeth and Ronia, who are Pioneers at Echo.

Lisa Silkowitz is Division Leader of the Trailblazers for the Girls. Lisa used to run youth travel programs together with Herb during the summer break before she joined the Echo family. Lisa will return to Echo for her fourth year. A middle school special education teacher in Oceanside, she has a BS in Health and Physical Education from Ithaca College, an MS from NYU, an MA in Special Education from Hofstra University and a Professional Certificate for Administration and Supervision from Touro College. Lisa is also an EMT. She and Herb have four grown children.

Herb Silkowitz is Division Leader of the Trailblazers for the Boys. Herb looks back on a career of education and youth development. He will spend his fourth summer working at Echo. Recently retired as assistant principal of a middle school, Herb has a BS and an MS in Health and Physical Education from City College, an MS in Guidance and Counseling from Brooklyn College, and a Professional Certificate for Administration and Supervision from Queens College. He and Lisa have four grown children.

Gail Jordan-Gold is Division Leader of the 49ers Girls. Gail has many years of experience working in summer camps, and is an Echo veteran of five years. She is a first grade teacher in the New York City School system. She has a BS in Elementary Education and an MS in Special Education from Hofstra University. Gail says she loved camp so much that she even talked her parents into working there (Gene and Sue run the Echo ceramics program) Gail has three daughters at Camp Echo, Abby is a three year old and in the Pioneer division, Amy is an LT and Victoria a Trailblazer. (Our Pioneer campers have their very own counselors, so that their parents can devote themselves exclusively to our campers.)

Brandon Cloyd is the Division Leader for the 49er Boys. A veteran counselor and “Lead” at Camp Echo, he spent all his summers throughout his college years being a role model to our boys. He hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and he holds a B.S. degree in theater and business institutions from Northwestern University in Chicago, where he currently works during the off-season. As a performer, Brandon especially enjoys working with outreach programs in theater for young audiences. He was recently seen in a production of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, and he had a huge success in directing a children’s theater production. As one of the founders of the famous “Echo-Prov,” Brandon brings this and other talents to our camp community.

Sherryl Garry is Division Leader of the Explorer Girls. An Echo veteran, she teaches middle school math during the year in East Meadow, NY. Before that, she was a nursery school teacher at the East Meadow Jewish Center. She has a BA from Queens College and an MS in Education from Queens. She and her husband Leigh have three children: Jason, a Trailblazer; Ashley, an LT; and Matthew.

Kat Foecking is Division Leader of the Explorer Boys. A seasoned Echo leader, Kat has been working at resident camps for ten years. In fact, she met her husband Bernd at camp and got married at camp! Kat is a NY and NH certified Elementary teacher and currently works as a TA in the Roslyn school district. She has a BA in psychology from Dickinson College. Four-year-old daughter Elisabeth and one year old Ronia attend camp as Pioneers, our youngest division exclusively for children whose parents work at Echo! (Our Pioneer campers have their very own counselors, so that their parents can devote themselves exclusively to our campers.)

Elena Bacon is the Aquatics Supervisor at camp. Elena spent her summers at camp either as a camper, or working, for as long as she can remember. She will return to Echo for the eighth summer. She is a New York State certified special education teacher with Nassau BOCES and a teacher in a contained classroom of middle school students. She holds a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies from Molloy College, an MS in Elementary Education and Special Education from Adelphi University, and currently is working on her post-graduate degree in school administration at Dowling University. Her niece, Nicole, will be a cabin counselor at Echo this summer.

Quinton Buckley returns as Supervisor of the Arts at Echo. He graduated from Wilmington College in Delaware with a degree in elementary education and he is currently teaching in Honduras. He has gathered much experience as the arts coordinator at the Georgetown Boys and Girls Club, where he planned and taught programs in drama, choir, drawing, painting, and cooking for 4th - 7th graders. He has extensive experience at resident camps, including the Ott YMCA in Delaware.

Njoli Brown is one of our Athletic Supervisors. He comes with vastt experience with campers and students of all ages and backgrounds, both nationally and internationally. Njoli has worked with YMCA camps and Morry's Camp. He currently teaches for the The Leadership Program in New York City. In addition, Njoli makes music and teaches Capoeira and NinJiutsu.

Andy Toback is one of our Athletics Supervisors, he returns to Echo for his 4th summer. This will be Andy's first summer as part of the Leadership Team. During the school year, he is a Physical Education teacher in the Newburgh Enlarged City School District. He currently coaches football and baseball at the high school level. He has also coached basketball and lacrosse at the high school level. He has a Bachelor of Science in Education Degree from SUNY Cortland and a Masters Degree in Special Education from the College of New Rochelle. He is currently enrolled in advanced coaching courses from Drake University. His wife Aileen and 9-month old son Sullivan will be around this summer to enjoy Camp Echo.

Geri Cohen is Camp Mom for the Boys, a position she has held for the past few years. Previously, she was a counselor of boys at Coleman Country. During the off-season she is a kindergarten teacher in Floral Park, Queens. Geri has a BS in psychology with a minor in child and family studies from SUNY Stony Brook, and a Master’s in Early Elementary Education from Hofstra. Geri’s children are campers: Ilyssa, a 49err, and Matthew, trailblazer.

Amy Cyrulnik is Camp Mom for both Boys and Girls Division, a position she has held for the past four summers. She specializes in the Dining Room and Nest. She monitors and coordinates food and allergy needs. She works very closely with our Camp Chef as well as our Health Center Staff. Amy has been with the camping industry for many summers. Her love and devotion for being a "Camp Mom" stems from her own wonderful experiences as a camper. Amy has a B.A. in Marketing with a minor in Child Development. Amy is the mom of three very active boys, twins Benjamin and Nathan are Explorers and Jesse a Trailblazer.

Jill McKeon is Camp Mom for the Girl's division. This will be her first summer at Camp Echo. Jill is a registered nurse and certified nurse midwife. She has experience leading women's groups, and enjoys yoga, drumming, writing and tennis. Her two children will be attending camp as well: Sam, a 49er, and Miranda a six year old pioneer.

Jennifer Ely is the supervisor for the Pioneer Program. This is Jennifer's second summer in this position. Jennifer is an Elementary Teacher at Hampshire Country School in New Hampshire. Jennifer has a BA in Elementary Education from Elmira College in New York. She has a tremendous amount of experience working with children diagnosed with non-verbal learning disabilities. For our Pioneer Program she can utilize years of experience as a pre-school teacher in her early career.