Founders
Kate and Rob Bauer
Kate and Rob Bauer met volunteering for the Arthritis Foundation in 1998 participating in the Dublin Marathon in Ireland to raise funds to support children with rheumatic diseases. Their commitment to volunteerism has been an integral part of their lives individually and as a couple. Their work with Camp To Belong began in 2002 in Colorado. Their passion for supporting the sibling connection motivated them to bring CTB to Wisconsin. Rob worked as a Case Manager in Milwaukee County for over 10 years.
Since 2007, Rob has been supervising child welfare on-going case managers and foster care licensing coordinators for Fond du Lac County Department of Social Services. Kate is the mother of six children and has a BA in Psychology and Communications from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Behavioral Health Counseling from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. In 2012, Kate was presented the Newman Civic Fellows Award in recognition of her civic leadership and dedication to finding solutions for challenges within her community.
Kate & Rob are passionate about Camp to Belong – WI because of the impact the program has on not just the campers but the volunteers and themselves. Rob’s first experience with camp in 2001 changed his practice as a case manager in the foster care system. He viewed the importance of the sibling connection so significant that he began to maintain those connections with the youth on his caseload. Kate grew up in a large family of seven brothers and sisters. Often times it was her siblings who cared for and protected her. Her siblings are her best friends, her confidants and her advisors. Volunteering at CTB has been a life-changing experience that has empowered Kate and Rob to dedicate their time and talents to very deserving children in Wisconsin. It is the laughter, tears, the fun and adventure, but most importantly the love that continues to drive Kate and Rob’s passion for the sibling connection
Board of Directors
Kate Bauer
Kate Bauer is a Wisconsin native who grew up in a large family with seven brothers and sisters. Her siblings are her best friends, her confidants and her advisors. Kate received her Bachelor's of Science in Psychology and Communication from UW-Milwaukee in 2016 and her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2018. Kate works for the State of Wisconsin as a Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (DVR) in Fond du Lac County. Kate has a long history of volunteerism and leadership with The Arthritis Foundation (1994 - 2010), Habitat for Humanity (2000 to 2016) and Camp To Belong (2001 to present). Volunteering at CTB has been a life changing experience that has empowered Kate to dedicate her time and talents to very deserving children in Wisconsin.
Nicki Damrow
Nicki Damrow is a lifelong Wisconsinite. She grew up in the Madison area, has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from UW Green Bay, and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UW Oshkosh. She currently works as a mental health therapist with people with anxiety and navigating significant life changes. Her professional work is a reflection of her work with Camp to Belong-Wisconsin, where she started volunteering in 2016. The mission of CTB matters to her because our siblings are often our longest relationships, and because connecting with others who understand our life experiences is extremely powerful. Camp to Belong offers campers the opportunity for both while making fun memories for a lifetime.
Anthony Gilbert
Kaelee Heideman
Kaelee Heideman earned her Bachelor's of Science from UW-Green Bay in 2014 and her Master's in School Counseling in 2017 from UW Oshkosh. She currently works as an elementary school counselor in the Oshkosh Area School District. She is one of the 2023 Wisconsin State Teachers of the Year. Kaelee has two dogs, Milo and Spartacus. Spartacus is her school's therapy dog and Kaelee loves having him come to work with her every day! Kaelee has been volunteering with Camp to Belong Wisconsin since 2018. Summer camps are a huge part of who Kaelee is and the mission of Camp to Belong Wisconsin was a perfect match with her passion for camps. Kaelee believes in the power of sibling connections and knows that siblings belong together. Siblings deserve to experience the magic and messiness of siblinghood. CTB allows children to do this in the safety of caring adults who can provide support as siblings navigate their relationships.
Karen Martin
Karen Martin was born and raised in Fond du Lac. She lives in FDL with her son and dog. She attended Marian University and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work in 2012. She later attended UW Madison and received a Master’s Degree in Social Work with a Mental Health focus in 2018. Karen is currently employed with SSM Health in Fond du La as a Psychotherapist on the Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit working with adults. Karen feels connected to CTB after volunteering as a camp counselor in 2015. At that time she was an ongoing CPS Social Worker and part of the system that separates siblings. Karen believes that children are put into this situation at no fault of their own. By volunteering with CTB-WI she is able to provide the siblings with a week that is all about them!
Eshalon Mayer
Eshalon Mayer is currently serving as the Assistant Director for Camp to Belong WI after many years in programmatic and supportive leadership roles. Eshalon has a degree in Natural Resources and Environment Education from Fox Valley Tech and is currently continuing her education at UW Oshkosh in Organizational Development and Leadership. Eshalon has found a perfect balance between her love for nature and the natural world with her humanitarian passions for community and family preservation. Eshalon has had the pleasure of attending multiple Camp to Belong member camps across the US and has served on the CTB-International Board of Directors since 2018, and then as the Program Manager for CTB-I starting in 2019. Eshalon has a background in youth advocacy and community resilience. Eshalon is dedicated to the camp experience and knows the importance of the shared positive memory building that happens when kids are kids at camp. Eshalon lives in Wisconsin’s Fox Valley with her family. In her spare time, Eshalon can be found in her garden, reading a book or snuggling her small children.
Lexi Nichols
Lexi Nickols graduated from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and obtained a Masters of Social Work graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. Currently, Lexi works at Fond du Lac County Department of Social Services as an Initial Assessment Social Worker, working with children and families when a child abuse report is screened in for an assessment. Although all efforts are made to keep siblings together, Lexi understands first hand, from a public child welfare perspective, this is not always feasible. Despite not always being able to keep siblings together, Lexi values sibling connection. She recognizes when siblings are separated from each other, they experience an added layer of loss. Lexi is excited to be a part of Camp to Belong, where siblings get to be siblings.
Emily Riley
Emily Riley is a passionate advocate for the rights and well-being of survivors of crime and abuse, with a deep commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of others. Emily's passion and experience extends beyond her current work in non-profit as a Victim Advocate and 15+ years as a Criminal Justice Victim Advocate and Social Worker in the legal and non-profit sectors. She is actively involved in community outreach and education, raising awareness about issues related to victimization and promoting access to resources and support. Emily has been with CTB-WI since the beginning, after forming a connection with Co-Founders Kate and Rob Bauer in 2010, volunteering together at a camp in Colorado. Emily was raised in Colorado, where she currently resides with her loved ones, and enjoys spending as much time as she can out in the sunshine, volunteering, cooking, and taking in as much live music as possible.
Marisa Van Hoof
Marisa Van Hoof joined the Camp to Belong family in 2018 as a counselor, and since then has become a Family Lead and has been on the Board of Directors since 2019. She graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and currently works as a Special Education Teacher in the Kenosha Unified School District. Marisa believes each child deserves to have a connection with their siblings and is proud of how hard Camp to Belong works to provide opportunities to create and strengthen those connections.
Katie Wilke
Contact us
camptobelongwisconsin@gmail.com
PHONE
+(920) 659-0607
SOCIAL
ADDRESS:
P.O. Box 321 Fond du Lac, WI 54936-0321
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