Counselor Bios 2016

Tori was a head counselor last summer and senior counselor two years ago. She will be returning this summer to be a head counselor for the first three sessions.  She graduated in the spring with a double major in Communications and History with a minor in Spanish.  She was on the varsity basketball and track & field team in high school and was the MVP in both sports.  She was a heptathlete on the UC Davis track team, making it into the school’s all-time top ten for the heptathlon. Tori volunteers as an assistant coach for a special kid’s camp called Team Davis and works as a teacher’s assistant at Gibson Elementary School.  She was also a camp counselor in the Dominican Republic during her junior year spring break where she worked on labor projects to improve the camp’s physical needs as well as play sports with the kids of the Monte Plata orphanage.

Alec graduated this spring, majoring in American Studies and minoring in Public Policy. He has 9 years of bike racing experience, including racing both mountain and road bikes for two years for the Cal Cycling Team. Alex played baseball in high school and competed on a fast-pitch travel softball team while studying abroad in France. In addition to playing his two main sports, Alec enjoys ultimate Frisbee, hiking, traveling and salsa dancing.

Shannon just finished her freshman year at UCLA and is pursuing a major in Environmental Sciences.  She is on UCLA’s rowing team. In high school, she was on the rowing team for two years and was a forward and midfielder on her high school’s soccer team for four years.  She was a soccer referee for four years for Seattle’s Park & Recreation youth soccer league and was a referee mentor to new referees for two years. Each summer, Shannon volunteers 30 hours for various community projects such as food banks and youth programs in her hometown through the Mercer Parks & Recreation Department. She was a member of her community’s hometown choir for seven years.

Savannah graduated this spring with a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology. She is on the track team, specializing in the triple jump.  In high school, Savannah participated in volleyball, basketball and track. She led her high school track team to win the State competition by taking first place in the triple jump and long jump. Savannah was her class secretary, played the saxophone in the band, and graduated as her class Valedictorian. She was an All-American Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Scholar Athlete.  Savannah maintained a 3.75 GPA in college. Savannah volunteers at a local retirement home where she assisted with physical therapy and sensory stimulation.  She plans to continue her education in graduate school with hopes of getting her Doctorate in Physical Therapy.

Matt graduated this spring with a degree in accounting. He played singles and doubles for Arizona’s men’s tennis team for four years, earning All PAC 12 Academic Honorable Mention in the spring of 2015 and Student Athlete of the Month in March, 2104. He led his high school tennis team to two state Arizona titles. He is a member of the Student Academic Advisory Committee and Peer Athletic Leaders at Arizona. Matt will be entering the Eller College of Management at Arizona in the fall to pursue a Master of Accounting.

Erin Graduated from Wright State University in Ohio last year with a degree in Sports Science. She is an instructor for the NDA (National Dance Alliance.)  She was captain of the dance team in college and earned All American honors two years in a row. In high school, in addition to competitive cheer and dance, she played volleyball.  This will be the first time she travels outside the U.S. and she is very excited about exploring all the amazing things Japan has to offer.

Naivasha has a degree in psychology and is currently a member of Washington's track and field team, specializing in the 100 m hurdles. She was a Junior Olympic competitor as well as a PAC 12 Championship finalist. In high school, in addition to track, she was on the gymnastics team and cheer team. She currently coaches preschool gymnastics in Seattle.  Naivasha enjoys traveling, arts and crafts, sports of all kinds, and spending time outdoors with friends.

Jarett majored in philosophy at Washington and was a defensive end and linebacker on the football team, making 5 postseason bowl appearances.  He coached elementary and junior high kids in football and was a Boy Scout in elementary school. He is planning on going to law school. Jarett loves movies and recently started training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Dani graduated this spring with a degree in communication and plans to pursue a career in marketing and development with a sports team. She was a member of the Davis gymnastics team, competing in all 4 events: Vault, Bars, Beam and Floor. She was on the 2013 & 2015 MPSF Championship teams, and the 2014 Regional Qualifying team. Individually, Dani was the 2015 MPSF Beam Champion.  She was teammates with Katie Nogaki, a SCOA senior camp counselor from last summer, Katy Nogaki.  Dani has coached kids in gymnastics for many years. She enjoys being with friends, hiking, traveling, trying new foods and photography.

Pattriana is a sophomore majoring in psychology. She is a sprinter and hurdler on UCLA’s track team. In high school, she was captain and MVP of her track team and was a member of the shuttle hurdle relay team that set a national record. She also played basketball and cross country in high school. She is a member of the Student Athletic Mentor program at UCLA. Pattriana coached kids in hurdles throughout high school and was a counselor at UCLA’s track summer camp.

Finn graduated in the spring with a degree in Economics and a minor in International Studies. He was a member on the Men’s Varsity Rowing team that has won sixth national titles in a row for Washington.  Finn rowed all through high school and earned 3 medals from U19 and U23 World Championships. Finn has volunteered as a youth rowing coach during the summer in Germany and comes from a large family. He enjoys hiking, skiing, windsurfing and has spent the majority of his summers rowing and traveling abroad. With a passion for all things International, he enjoys immersing himself in new cultures and plans on a career in foreign affairs.

Leon is a sophomore majoring in psychology. He is a sprinter on UCLA’s track team and was a member of Team USA that went to the University Games in South Korea last year. He was captain of his high school track team and was a 5-time state champion in Texas. He also played football and basketball. During the summers, he was a lifeguard and last summer he was a counselor for UCLA’s summer track camp. He is a member of the Student Athletic Mentor program at UCLA.

Pearl will be a sophomore majoring in international business. She is a member of the national champion USC beach volleyball team. She was captain of her high school team that won three district championships. She coached junior high school kids in beach volleyball for four years in high school and was a member of the National Honor Society. She is fluent in Portuguese and was a volunteer working with kids in impoverished areas in Rio de Janeiro.

Danica is a sophomore double majoring in International Studies and Law, Society and Justice. She is a sprinter on Washington’s track & field team, competing in the 100 meters and 200 meters. She was a counselor at the Boys & Girls club in Seattle for three years and has coached kids for the Evergreen Storm Track Club in her hometown.

Danielle will graduate this fall from UCLA with a B.S. in Environmental Science and a double minor in Spanish and Conservation Biology.  She was a three-year member of UCLA's club team, Midas, which is ranked second in the nation.  In high school, Danielle was a member of both the track and cross country team. She has taught environmental science in local elementary schools and has served as a camp counselor with UCLA Unicamp, a summer camp for inner-city youth. She hopes to join the Peace Corps in Central America next year where she can utilize both her Spanish and research skills to assist communities in need.