Our Staff

Our staff are our greatest strength.  All BNC leaders are innovative, creative, and competent people who enjoy children and provide excellent instruction, leadership, and guidance.

Camper to Counselor ratio is 4:1.

Dr. Taylor Brown MD will be the official physician on call for both weeks.

Every counselor has:

• Current Criminal Background Check
• Current American Red Cross Certification in Adult/Child First Aid & CPR
• All swimming, rafting, and canoeing activities are supervised by American Lifeguarding Association Certified staff

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Staff Profiles Summer 2010

Cath Conlon

When I visited my grandmother, Lillian Blackwood, I could relax, laugh and be a kid on the land. This feeling of connectedness with the outdoors has been one of the overarching themes of my life, and it’s been my mission to share it every chance I’ve had.

You might know me from Eco-Ology, the radio show I co-host with Patricia Greer. We highlight what people are doing to create a positive influence in our communities with regards to environmental and social justice issues, health, and spirit. I’ve built 28 straw bale houses (one of which is on the Blackwood property). I’ve been a wilderness and survival instructor, and I’ve educated communities in Third World countries about sustainable development. In addition, I took the point position in bringing a satellite feed of the Bioneers Conference to Texas.

In 1990, I converted a piece of family land into Blackwood Educational Land Institute, and one of my hopes was that the land would be used to educate both children and adults about the beauty and fragility of the outdoors, how we and nature are interdependent, and how we can be better stewards of this planet.

We are proud to be the home to Blackwood Nature Camp, and all the children who come to us to immerse themselves in what the natural world has to offer. Here’s to many more years of helping kids find their way in the dirt!

With gratitude,
Cath Conlon
Executive director, Blackwood Educational Land Institute, the home of Blackwood Nature Camp

Dennis Simshaeuser, Camp Co-Director

On nature walks, Dennis was always seen swinging through the trees while others remained on the path. His enthusiasm for nature was never lost despite him growing up in major cities. Regularly seen rescuing insects in distress, he respects everyone's role in the ecosystem.

Dennis has always had a respect for and interest in living and working in balance with the environment. He has a B.B.A. with concentrations in finance and marketing from the University of Houston. Since that time employment has included the fields of banking, sales, teaching, and real estate.  Dennis holds interests in nutrition, education, and energy usage. He enjoys volunteering for, and climbing trees, at Blackwood Educational Land Institute and the Memorial Park Conservancy. He is currently researching residential and commercial energy consumption and is scheduled to volunteer at this year's Gulf Coast Green Symposium and Expo.

Dennis looks forward to spreading the love of the natural world this summer. The joy of being immersed in life, both plant and animal, must be experienced by everyone. Dennis believes the opportunity to educate while sharing the appreciation for all things green is immeasurable.

Gladys Villareal, Camp Co-Director

Gladys is excited to be back at camp!  Serving as a Senior Counselor and Water Safety Instructor the first two years of camp, she was unable to come to camp last summer, but is back and ready for a fantastic summer.  Gladys loves spending time outside.  She enjoys everything nature has to offer.   Playing soccer, biking, horseback riding, music, painting, and reading are among some of the things that she enjoys.  Gladys is involved with Habitat for Humanity, One.org, Keep a Child Alive, and Action Against Hunger.  A graduate of the University of Houston with a B.S. in Physics, Gladys is enrolled again in school and going for her second degree in Earth Science.

Barbara Sicignano, Camp Counselor

Barbara is a junior at the University of Tulsa majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in music and plans on continuing to veterinary school. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at the local veterinary hospital, playing ultimate Frisbee and spending time outdoors. She has visited Blackwood many times since she was a toddler and is looking forward to this summer!

Elizabeth Asnes, Camp Counselor

Elizabeth is a Montessorian whose penchant for playful inquiry has led to an enduring enthusiasm for Children and for the Natural World.Blackwood Nature Camp is a wonderful playground!

Emily Cameron, Camp Counselor

Emily is currently a senior in high school attending basically 3 different schools at once. She spends spends most of her time at Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, then transfers over to Spring High School for ROTC (Reserved Officer Training Corps), and is taking one class online through the Spring ISD Virtual School. She is taking my virtual school class as an 8th hour so she has the freedom to do lessons where ever and whenever she has the time.

When not working on school work or trying to have a life (spending time with friends...) she and her Dad sell Orchids. He's been growing them for about 11 years now and they have been selling for almost 5 years. At the moment they have 1 show on Saturdays and 2 on Sundays. The 2 Sunday show runs simultaneously so her dad does one of them and a friend of hers (Justin) do the other one.

On the complete other side of her life, she spends 4 days a week staying after school for ROTC. She has a leadership position that requires her to be there that much. One of her main reasons for staying so involved this year is that she is looking into joining the military sometime this year or soon after she graduate, but don't worry, she says “I am most definately going to college. I wouldn't miss it.”

Shekkola Barnett Gray, Camp Counselor & Registrar

Shekkola graduated from Rice University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. She worked for eleven years as a process engineer and an environmental engineer for Rohm and Haas Chemical Company before deciding to pursue her life-long dream of becoming an educator. Shekkola believes that students achieve excellence in education by applying what they have learned to real-world experiences. She is the mathematics teacher at the Post Oak Montessori School in Bellaire, Texas. She is also a youth instructor at His Way Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Shekkola has three children. In her spare time, Shekkola enjoys desktop publishing, scrapbooking, digital photography, reading, and writing essays and short stories.

Her experience with data systems and organizational skills served her well in her role last year as Blackwood Nature Camp Registrar. She is happy to take on the role for another year and looks forward to interacting with campers and parents alike.

Taylor E. Jones, Camp Counselor

I spent enough time at Blackwood growing up to call it a second home. During this time I explored every nook and cranny on the property and loved every minute of it. In doing this I developed a passion for the outdoors that stays with me to this day. I acquired enough knowledge during this time to accurately identify nearly every piece of flora and fauna in the state of Texas.  I participated in the first 2 summers of the Blackwood Nature Camp when my mother Cynthia Jones was the camp coordinator and returned again this past summer to teach the children about their surroundings and the creatures that inhabit it.

I received a full Montessori education, graduating from School of The Woods High School. I am also an Eagle Scout and performed my scout project at Blackwood in 2003 building ramps for handicap access.  I am currently working towards BA’s in Geology and Environmental Science at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. I am very active in Ducks Unlimited, the leader in wetland conservation having participated in the conservation of 12,000,000 acres of land since 1937.

In 2008, I became certified as a licensed captain in the state of Texas. Shortly thereafter myself and a friend started the Producers Outfitters, a company specializing in Duck Hunting, Fishing, and Birdwatching trips on the mid Gulf coast. I divide my time between my business and school. The outdoors is my passion and I share my passion with anyone who will lend me an ear for even a minute…lend me yours I almost guarantee you will hear something interesting.

Hilda Alejandra Martinez, Camp Chef

Hilda is a young woman who has a passion for her family and making sure that she feeds them right! Hilda is from Hempstead so she keeps us very local. Since marrying and having two beautiful little girls, nutrition has become a big priority for her - especially when she knows she can have an affect on many young peoples lives and broaden their pallet. Hilda has been a part of the team at Blackwood and cooking healthy meals for large groups thru "A Morning in the Country" and other events that occur on site for years. We are so thrilled that she has agreed to share her artistic cooking skills with us this summer!

Dr. Taylor Brown MD, Camp Physician

Dr. Taylor Brown is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder, elbow, and knee. His scientific and spiritual beliefs support appreciation, preservation, and restoration of the natural world to its most native and intended form. He is a runner, hiker, cyclist, sailor, and hunter. He practices medicine in Houston at the Texas Medical Center, teaches orthopedic residents from Baylor College of Medicine and University of Texas Medical Branch, and serves as a team physician for the Justin Sports Medicine Team at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as well as the Power In Motion running group.  Curriculum Vitae