If you are interested in working for Ageya, please contact us. You may also download the staff application to apply.
Meet the Incredible AWE Camp Staff !
Patty Dolese
Program Director/Natural History Instructor
Patty is one of the founders of Ageya and oversees the program and curriculum elements for Ageya. She designed the program for AWE Camp and especially enjoys teaching the tracking activities and leadership components during camp and seeing the faces of happy campers enjoying the many exciting opportunities AWE Camp provides. (Refer to founders for more info.)Kevin Dee
Camp Director
Kevin Dee specializes in leadership development, organizational development, management coaching, mediation, and change management.
Dee holds a master’s degree in education from Vanderbilt University with an emphasis in administration. Prior to starting his own management and consulting business, Dee held a variety of leadership positions in Business, Education and Healthcare. In his own 22 year management consulting practice, Dee has conducted training workshops throughout the U.S. and internationally in both traditional and wilderness settings. Dee has also facilitated strategic planning and company-wide re-organizational projects for both small and large-scale organizations. In these efforts, Dee’s emphasis is always on creating successful measurable results.
Kevin Dee
Dee is sought out for group facilitation and training, re-organizational efforts, conflict resolution, team development and as a coach. Dee’s training approach is direct, experiential and engaging with a focus on what works and how to create the results you want.
Dee is a member in good standing of: The American Society of Quality, The Society for Human Resource management, Experiential Education Association, Council of Management consultants, The Employee Management Association and The International Coaching Federation.
Don V. Honea Sr.
AWE Camp Native Elder
Don V. Honea Sr.
Born in Ruby on August 20, 1931, to the late Margaret and Bill Honea, Donald grew up both in Ruby and Fairbanks. He attended school in Eklutna from 1943-1947. Don married Clara McCarty, and they had 14 children as well as adopted their granddaughter.
Together they raised their family through the subsistence lifestyle until he was hired by the State of Alaska. He was employed for 35 years with the State of Alaska Department of Highways until his retirement in 1997. Along with his employment for the State, he also contributed his time and expertise to many organizations and businesses by serving on various boards and committees. He is a past board member of Doyon Limited, the Tanana Chiefs Conference, Koyukon Development, and RurALCAP board.
Don V. Honea Sr.
His many years of service on these boards shows his interest in making things better for the people of the region. In June of 2007, Donald was selected by the Elders to be the Second Traditional Chief of the Interior. He served in this capacity until March 2008 when he became the First Traditional Chief due to the passing of David Salmon of Chalkyisek, the prior First Traditional chief. Don has also served the public as a representative on many other boards, Native Councils, and school district groups.
While Don’s accomplishments stand out as a fine example of a good provider and family man, an active community member and a strong, dedicated advocate and spokesperson for Native affairs, social issues and quality education, he also enjoys sled dog racing and history. In fact, he has raced in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race seven times!
Corey Freedman
Master Boat Builder
Corey Freedman
Corey is one of the foremost proponents of traditional Native skin boat construction. He has diligently researched the literature and museum sources for the specification and construction methods of these crafts and has actively shared this material as an instructor and lecturer. For twenty years, he has overseen the building of over 1100 skin boats. As an avid paddler for over 25 years, he has become an experienced sea kayak instructor. He is also the founder of Spirit Line Kayaks, The Skin Boat School and Umiak Adventures. Corey worked with AWE campers to build a 30-foot Umiak, paddles and two bidarkas, which students were able to take out and paddle during the 2009 camp.
Dana Witucki
Natural History Instructor
Mark Heysell and Dana Witucki
Dana spent her childhood in Michigan finding adventures in nearby farmland, catching insects at local ponds, stomping around the snow, and searching for four leaf clovers in open fields. No weather was too hot or too cold for her to be in the outdoors. In her early adulthood, she visited the Arizona desert and heard her first coyote call and fell in love with nature all over again. Dana began to explore the outdoors; climbing, mountain biking, hiking and swimming in any open body of water she could find. In 2003, Dana moved to Alaska and was introduced to this supreme state with a seven-day kayaking trip in Prince William Sound. She was immediately hooked by the adventure and Alaska’s profound beauty. Dana received her Masters in Counseling Psychology from Alaska Pacific University and has recently completed her Forrest Yoga Instructor Training. When not at work, she can be found on her yoga mat or exploring the Alaskan wilderness via bike, boat or skis with her husband Mark and their two dogs, Maggie and Willow, and a camera in tow.
Mark Heysell
Natural History Instructor
Mark grew up in Southern Oregon enjoying the outdoors that surrounded him. He quickly learned that his passions were to be found outside. After years of being a fly-fishing guide and ski instructor in Montana and Colorado, Mark moved onward to Alaska and continued to live his passion of being in the outdoors. Since coming to Alaska, Mark has completed a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Alaska Pacific University, and was hired by the Anchorage School District as an elementary classroom teacher and more recently a PE teacher. Mark is an active member of the Denali Ski Patrol and is on the Denali Ski Patrol Board of Trustees. Mark recently married his lovely wife, Dana, on a sunny January day in the Chugach Mountains. When not working with students, Mark can be found floating a river, fishing, skiing or playing rugby around the great state of Alaska with his wife and two dogs.
Kimmer Ball
Natural History Instructor
Kimmer Ball
Kimmer Ball was raised in Alaska. It wasn’t until she was a teenager that she found the real Alaska. When Kimmer was 18, she met Patty Dolese and began adventuring into the wilderness. Together they explored with sea kayaks the pristine coastlines of Kachemak Bay, Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords National Park. Kimmer ventured to warmer climates like Baja, Mexico and Chile, South America in the winter. She also worked for the Anchorage School District as a teacher assistant and interpreter for kids with hearing impairments. Summer rock climbing led to winter ice climbing, and summer biking kept her in shape for winter skiing. When she had children, she knew they would love Alaska as much as she does if she taught them how to access it and take care of it. They are now doing just that. Kimmer’s children are kayakers, bikers and skiers. They respect the limitations and exaltation that being outdoors teaches us. Kimmer has over 20 years experience working with kids of all ages in the classroom and in the outdoors. She is an eager learner and is always excited about the discoveries that are made each day. Her energy is astounding and her enthusiasm infectious.
Melody Vahl
Camp Nurse and Camp Counselor
Melody Vahl
Melody grew up in Eugene Oregon where She discovered her love of water sports and the ocean. After high school Melody guided river tours on the Deschutes River based out of Maupin, in Eastern Oregon. While guiding, She hosted guests on both day floats and overnight trips.This is where She met her husband Ricky. After the summer ended, they moved together to Alaska so Melody could go to nursing school. After graduating from UAA with a BSN in Nursing She pursued her passion of community nursing. Melody currently works as an Elementary School Nurse in Kodiak , and is very interested in Nautropathic Medicine and weaves those health care practices into how she cares for people. Melody tries to see each person as a whole instead of their symptoms. She has worked as a camp nurse the past two summers at “Camp Challenge”, based in Wasilla Alaska. This year Melody started surfing and enjoys doing Pilates and yoga. Melody looks forward to meeting each and every camper who will be attending this summer.
Jarrid Huckfeldt
Camp Counselor
Jarrid Huckfeldt
Jarrid was born in Florida but grew up in England and Germany spending a total of 14 years between the two. After he graduated from High school he took a year off traveling around the world spending time in Africa volunteering at a missionary hospital and in Italy working at a summer youth camp. Jarrid graduated from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida with a Degree in Psychology and a minor in Environmental Science. During college he spent his first three summers working as an outdoor guide in Colorado working for Noah’s Ark Co. leading whitewater rafting and Backpacking adventures. His last summer he spent working at Sea World Orland as a summer camp counselor in their summer adventure camps. Jarrid moved to Anchorage to continue his education as a student at Alaska Pacific University working towards his Master of Science in Outdoor and Environmental Education. In addition to school he has also spent the last 6 months working as a clinical associate in a residential facility for Alaskan native youth. He enjoys all activities that get him outside to experience the beauty of the natural world and fresh air and sunshine is his medicine for just about everything.
Rebecca Brewer
Camp Counselor
Rebecca Brewer
Rebecca was raised in Alaska and would find it hard to live anywhere else. She loves to forage, hunt, fish, grow big gardens, and generally live outside. Rebecca is a crafts person and enjoys tanning, felting, basketry and wood working. You may also find her making tracks on her telemark skis or messing around on boats. Sharing her love for nature with others is one oh her favorite things to do.
Tyler Katzmar
Camp Counselor
Tyler Katzmar
Tyler was born in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, where he spent much time kayaking and boating on lakes and playing ice hockey. He moved to Alaska in 2009 to attend Alaska Pacific University. Tyler is currently a sophomore going into his junior year at APU studying marine biology and environmental sciences. Since coming to Alaska, Tyler has become an avid sea kayaking, skier, hiker, and natural scientist. He has developed a true respect for the outdoors and hopes to extend his enthusiasm of nature and knowledge of the marine ecosystem to all those around him.
Jenna Danner
Technical Support
Jenna Danner
Jenna is a Native Hawaiian who was born and raised in Barrow, Alaska. Growing up in Barrow instilled a deep sense of community in her and taught her the importance of investing in others. She moved to Hawaii in 2003 to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she got her Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology with a Certificate in Peace and Conflict Education.
In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, going to the beach and spending time with her family. She is passionate about travel, music and experiencing other cultures.
One of her favorite quotes is:
“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”
-Forest E. Witcraft
Aria Thomases
Camp Cook
Aria Thomases
Aria comes to Ageya with a variety of experiences at her back. She has lived throughout North America and abroad studying sustainable development and green design, working on small farms, and learning through experience how to find Home! She has instructed courses for the National Outdoor Leadership School in the sea kayaking & horsepacking programs and Visions Service Adventures, a cross-cultural community service summer program for teens. She has experience guiding sea kayak tours in Washington, filming & editing independent documentaries about seabirds in the Canadian high arctic and recently co-founded Wild Alpine, a small Alaskan mountaineering guide service with her partner Eli. In addition to her love of education and everything outdoors, Aria has a passion for food – growing, cooking, baking, and sharing with friends, especially! She is very excited to join the Ageya staff and to share her passion for good-tasting nutrition with everyone.
