Our Team
We hire only energetic, innovative, and CREDENTIALED teachers to ensure that campers learn from the best.
We hire credentialed teachers from local schools to provide project-based, common core-aligned curriculum. These teachers are supported by college-student “Adventure Guides” (counselors) that assist campers and teachers while contributing their creative, zany personalities to the camp experience. The day-to-day operations are overseen by a Site Administrator, who is typically a current or retired teacher or school administrator. Think you’ve got what it takes to join the team? Click here to learn more and apply! The profiles below cover our “home office” team.
Meet Our Home Office Team!
Jennifer Hartvickson
Jennifer travels the country speaking to schools, art associations and after school programs about the importance of setting goals and making plans.
Hans Hartvickson
Hans is the author of books including the award-winning “Mister Lemur’s Train of Thought” and “It Will Take a Lot of Us to Lift a Hippopotamus,” and the founder of the educational band “The Scheming Lemurs.”
Zee Smith
Zee organizes and manages the recruiting process that brings together AIW Camp’s awesomely amazing team of instructors! As Senior VP, People and Innovation, she is also highly involved in identifying new opportunities to help students progress in their journies as writers.
Zee grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania (home to boxer Larry Holmes… and Crayola Crayons). She went on to study Drama at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and worked as an actress in film, tv, and theatre. Alongside these creative pursuits, she worked privately with families coaching their children in theatre to build stronger self-esteem. When the number of families she worked with grew larger than she was able to cover, she started finding other people to work for them. She then officially started her own company recruiting other performers to work with children as babysitters, tutors, and full charge nannies. Zee’s love of working with children also led to taking on a Founder and Director role in Esteem Preschool in Los Angeles. In her free time, Zee chases after her 4th grader on the Soccer field as a Rec Coach, and takes long walks or runs with her husband or dog.
Erica Zatarain
“Electric” Erica has been delighting and and inspiring AIW Campers for years. Having started as an Adventure Guide, Erica has worked in almost every camp position and now shares her enthusiasm for and knowledge of AIW Camp with parents through phone and email correspondence. Erica is an operations ninja, and her super-power is bringing a smile to your face on even the most challenging of days!
Victoria Diener
Victoria handles payroll and onboarding for AIW Camp. She has a B.A. in Leadership Management from Rochester University and over 8 years of payroll experience. She loves being able to offer support when someone needs an extra push and problem solve to clear up uncertainty before they cause concern. Located in Metro Detroit, Michigan Victoria stays busy with her two young daughters. Before children Victoria’s hobbies were sprint triathlons and 5Ks. Her current hobby is staying outside to try to complete the 100k Hour Challenge each year from spring to fall before hiding from Michigan winters.
Zoe Bader
“Zany” Zoe leads curriculum and staff development for AIW’s online camps and after-school programs.
Blake Foss
Blake manages the web presences, handles IT needs, and generally oversees all things technical in the organization.
Jonny D. Williams
Jonny is the musical director for Adventures in Writing Camp.
Sam Korobkin
Sam otherwise known as Soo Sam, is a Los Angeles based actor, collaborator, and educator. Over the past two years he has helped bring the “technoverse” to life through his engaging lessons and zany videos. Sam is the lead Entertain Ranger for Adventures in Writing Camp Online and After-School Adventures and our head content creator, bringing writing to life through fun and engaging stories. “A Day without laughter is a day wasted”-Charlie Chaplin