The Jack and Buena Foundation

_The Jack and Buena Foundation, through Camp Jack Hazard, is building a new generation of leaders by providing summer camp and wilderness adventure experiences for youth from the Central San Joaquin Valley and northern California more broadly. We provide safe but challenging adventure-based education to build character and self-reliance in youth. We make camping fun to connect young people with the outdoors and foster environmental stewardship.     

The Jack and Buena Foundation manages operations at the Camp Jack Hazard in the high Sierras and is committed to providing scholarships for under-served youth so that camping experiences will be accessible to all members of the community. The Jack and Buena Foundation is also committed to building a community of Camp Jack Hazard alumni and foster connections with the local communities served by Camp Jack Hazard.

The Jack and Buena Foundation Board of Directors is comprised of a dedicated group of CJH alumni, past directors, parents and community members.

 Jason Poisson is an educator and founding member of The Jack and Buena Foundation. He has been working in and around YMCA summer camps and residential camping for the last 24 years. Jason began working at Camp Jack Hazard in 1992, and continued working with the camp  in various roles, including Site Director, until 2003. Jason's work at Camp Jack Hazard gave him a wealth of experience in  education and character building, and led him to a teaching career. Jason has been teaching English and character education at Valley Charter High School since 2005.
In 2009, with growing concern for the health of the YMCA Camp Jack Hazard program, Jason and Loren “Skippy” Williams began a 501c3 not-for profit: The Jack and Buena Foundation.

Erlinda joined the JBF board in June 2009. She worked for the YMCA of Stanislaus County for 17 years with her last job position as the Senior Director of Membership and Fitness. Prior to the YMCA, she managed a home-day care, employed as a computer educational technologist for Manteca Unified School District, retail assistant manager at Vintage Faire Mall and store manager in San Francisco. Regarding Camp Jack Hazard, she has seen CJH change the lives of campers and staff. As a parent, Erlinda acknowledges the value and character-building of Camp Jack Hazard. She sent her two daughters Camille and Marie Bourcier to Camp Jack Hazard which has had a positive effect on their lives.
Erlinda has an AA degree from City College of San Francisco and BA degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Health and Wellness Promotion from California State University, Stanislaus.

Skippy has a long history with CJH as a camper, counselor, and a two-year stint as director.  He credits Camp Jack Hazard for much of his own personal development and has watched numerous other kids grow physically and emotionally because of camp.
Skippy has a bachelors degree in Computer Science and works at Granicus, an internet company devoted to making government more efficient and transparent.

Emily joined the JBF board in April 2010. Camp Jack Hazard started changing her life in 1996 when she first attended camp. She was an LIT in 2001 and continued coming back on staff (taking a couple of summers away) until 2008, when she was an Assistant Director. She has seen the difference that a week at camp can make for a child; seeing a dear for the first time, backpacking for the first time, learning how to make new friends and so much more. Emily absolutely treasures the relationships that developed during her time at camp, including that of her sweetheart, Skippy.  Emily works at the California Bar Foundation, which provides scholarships for law students going into public interest careers or from underrepresented racial groups in the CA State Bar membership.  They also provide grants to legal services organizations throughout CA. She enjoys biking, seeing the stars at Pioneer Rock, yoga, kitten snuggling, veggie burritos, rock climbing, cooking and Italy.

Stephanie Brown is a cultural anthropologist who studies American childhoods. In addition to teaching Human Development and Women's Studies at California State University, East Bay, she conducts program evaluation for youth-serving organizations across California. Stephanie is a strong advocate for experiential and outdoor education. She served as LIT Director at Camp Jack Hazard in 1994, where she saw the inspiring effect that outdoor challenges can have on young people. Stephanie joined the JBF board in 2011.

A board member since inception, Tana brings over 50 years involvement with CJH as a camper, staff, parent of campers and volunteer. As a homeschool parent she believes that wilderness and the camp community are ideal classrooms for teaching core values and life skills. Her camp experience definitely changed her life. She currently works for the Great Valley Museum of Natural History in Modesto and looks forward to sending her grandchildren to camp.

 Gretchen is currently working on the perfect bio - check back soon!