Barbara Spevak, Assistant Director & Director of Middle Camp Boys
Aunt Barb has been a part of Tall Pines since its inception in 1996. Aunt Barb was originally hired as the Director of Middle Camp for both the boys and girls. After five years of only working at Tall Pines during the summer she joined us full-time. In her role as the full-time Assistant Director, Barb is in charge of hiring the staff and creating the eagerly anticipated, annual Yearbook. In the summer months she heads outside and supervises all of the campers and staff in Middle Camp Boys. She’s also in charge of working with over 100 clients for school and corporate picnics, family reunions, weddings and retreats.
Aunt Barb grew up in Broomall, PA and graduated from Rider University with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. After moving to Cherry Hill with her husband and two children, she began teaching preschool at M’kor Shalom Synagogue in Cherry Hill. She taught there for ten years before joining the Tall Pines staff full-time. Aunt Barb’s children were part of the first class of campers that attended Tall Pines.
Barbara “Buffy” Demain, Program Director
Aunt Buffy began her Tall Pines career in 1997 as a specialist in Cooking. After four years she was promoted to Program Director on a seasonal basis. She had been teaching pre-school at M’kor Shalom in Cherry Hill for many years. In 2003 she joined Aunt Barb as part of the full-time, year round staff. With two full-time staff members named Barbara working in the office Barbara Demain affectionately became known as “Buffy.” Buffy is also known as the “Director of Fun.” She plans and coordinates programming and special events for the entire camp. She also supervises all of the summer specialist staff. In addition to programming, Buffy runs the office, takes care of all the registrations and interfacing with the parents. Buffy also handles the marketing, social media and spends time promoting camp throughout the Delaware Valley. Buffy grew up in New Orleans and thankfully found her way to the East Coast. She currently lives in Marlton, NJ with her husband and has three grown children who all grew up at Tall Pines.
John Deitelbaum, CIT & LIT Director
John Deitelbaum has been the CIT & LIT Director since the camp’s opening in 1996. Each year John and his staff continue to lead and train the future Tall Pines staff members via the Counselor-In-Training and Leader-In-Training Programs. Ninety percent of the staff that work with our bunks have been trained in our CIT & LIT program.
John grew up in Cherry Hill and has been a soccer coach for almost all of his life. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology & Education from Rowan University. He is certified to teach grades K to 8. John has worked in the Cherry Hill Public Schools since 1980. He is currently the Coordinator of the Environmental Education Program at Mt. Misery. The Mt. Misery program is a highly popular, week long overnight program offered to all 6th graders in the Cherry Hill School District. John resides in Voorhees, NJ with his wife and son.
Chris Bennett, Director of Senior Camp Boys
“Bennett” as he is known at Tall Pines, began his tenure in 1999. He has worked in just about every division of the camp. “This camp is more than just a summer job. I have truly grown up here.” He was a Senior Counselor in Junior, Middle and Senior Camp, a co-Director of the Athletics Staff and even worked on the Maintenance Staff. Bennett has worked on weekends for the past sixteen years as a member of our Picnic Staff. He is currently the Director of Senior Camp Boys. He has been here so long that some of his campers are now Senior Counselors and have had his son in their bunk.
Chris earned his Bachelor Degree from Rowan University in Mathematics and Secondary Education. He also has his Master’s Degree from Wilmington University in School Counseling which always comes in handy when working with older boys. Bennett is on a path to earning his Principals’ Certificate. He is currently a School Counselor at Highland Regional High School where he is also the Head Golf coach. He resides in Delaware County, PA with my wife and three children; two of which attend Tall Pines.
Rachel Belville, Director of Middle Camp Girls
Rachel started working at Tall Pines Day Camp in the summer of 1996 as the Archery Assistant. The following summers she spent working as a Senior Counselor for both Junior Camp Girls and Boys before working as a Senior Counselor for Middle Camp Girls. In the summer of 2006, Rachel became the Assistant Program Director. Rachel finished out the summer of 2008 and then began raising her two daughters who currently attend Tall Pines. While Rachel was home, with the girls, her husband David continued to work at Tall Pines. Rachel and David met at camp and made history by becoming one of the first couples to meet at Tall Pines. Rachel returned to Tall Pines in the summer of 2015 as the Director of Middle Camp Girls.
Rachel has a Bachelor’s Degree from East Stroudsburg University in Rehabilitative Services. She also has her Teacher of the Handicapped Certificate from Rowan University. Additionally, Rachel has a Master’s in Reading from Rowan. Rachel currently teaches Special Education at Shawnee High School in Medford, NJ. She resides in Sicklerville with her husband and daughters.
Jamie Secula, Director of Junior Camp Girls
Jamie began at Tall Pines as a camper in 2000 at the age of 10. In 2005, she started her career as a Junior Counselor and won the Junior Counselor of the Year Award in 2006. After her freshman year of college she became a Senior Counselor and won the Senior Counselor of the Year Award in 2011. Jamie has worked in Junior Camp Boys every year of her career except one, in which she worked in Middle Camp Girls. She is the first camper to have ever been promoted to a Director’s position
Jamie graduated from the University of Maryland in 2012, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. She is currently working at Our Lady of Hope Regional School in Blackwood as a General Music teacher.
Paula Cattell, Food Service Director
Paula lives right here in Williamstown, NJ. This is her 14th year at Tall Pines. Before coming to Tall Pines she worked at another camp for thirteen years. Paula is ServSafe Certified and has taken numerous state and local courses on food safety, sanitation, allergies and Celiac disease.
When she started at Tall Pines her son worked with her in the kitchen and her daughter was in Sorority Club. Last year her daughter helped her run the kitchen. During the school year she is employed as a nursery school teacher in a private school.
Each year Paula looks forward to adding a few more healthy food choices.
Ed Douglas, Athletic Director
Ed began working at Tall Pines in the summer of 1998, as a Middle Camp Senior Counselor. After six years, he became the Soccer Specialist before eventually taking over as Athletic Director. Ed met his wife Karrie, our former Lacrosse Specialist, at Tall Pines.
After growing up in Williamstown, Ed earned his degree in Health and Physical Education from the University of Delaware. He is currently a Physical Education teacher and Athletic Director at Beck Middle School in Cherry Hill. He continues to coach as well. He resides in Marlton, NJ. His family has had many connections with Tall Pines over the years. He met his wife here, his brother worked here, and his two children currently attend camp and love every minute of it!
Karen Jacobs – Director of Horseback Riding
Karen’s commitment to Tall Pines began in 1996, the first year, when she was part of the horseback riding staff. The following year she became the Horseback Riding Director. She credits Tall Pines for keeping her young at heart and giving her the opportunity to make many wonderful friendships with her dedicated staff members over the 21 years that she has directed the program. Her daughter Holly grew up at Tall Pines, spending every summer since she was six months old there. Her daughter is now a Junior Counselor at Tall Pines.
As an Air Force brat, Karen had the opportunity to travel and attend Girl Scout camps in many different places. While living abroad she was also able to foster her love of horses and horseback riding. After settling in upstate New York, she attended SUNY Morrisville and dual-majored in Equine Studies and Agricultural Business. Later, moving to New Jersey, she attended Rowan University where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education. Later, she earned her Master’s Degrees in Student Personnel Services (Guidance). Karen has taught special education at Voorhees Middle School for 21 years. She enjoys seeing many Voorhees Middle School students attend camp and mature into counselors. Karen continues to pursue her own riding goals with her horse of a lifetime, Dewey, who spent the summer of 2009 as a Tall Pines horse.
TJ Rich, Director of Facilities
Prior to TJ’s commitment as the Facilities Director at Tall Pines, he was an entrepreneur to say the least. TJ graduated high school from Clearview in 2006 and shortly thereafter he graduated from Pennco Technical School as a mechanic. He also thrived as an EMT in the ER at Cooper Hospital and enjoyed his summers working as a lead bartender at The Borgata. When TJ isn’t busy with making repairs at camp, he enjoys building motorcycles, ATVs, and old-fashioned trucks.
TJ is happily married to our Assistant Facilities Director, Amanda, and they are expecting their third child at the end of 2021. He can’t wait to see all his little one’s running around and enjoying camp just as much as he does! In addition to his family, TJ also is the caretaker of all our farm animals at our petting zoo. He raised all our ducks, chickens, mini pigs, and goats from birth. He enjoys working year-round at Tall Pines to help make camp more and more fun for the kids each year.
Sara Redfield, Office Manager
Sara is currently the Office Manager at Tall PinesDay Camp. Sara began working at Tall Pines Day Camp in the summer of 2003 as the Dance Specialist. That’s when she began working at the school and corporate picnics, family reunions and birthday parties. By the summer of 2009 she was promoted to the Picnic Director. On the weekends Sara was busy running our weekend events which included; corporate picnics, family reunions, and birthday parties.
Sara has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Stockton University. She also has her Teacher of Students with Disabilities Certificate from Rowan University. She currently teaches Special Education Mathematics at Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, NJ. She resides in Mount Laurel with her husband and twin sons.
