Eric Fierro
Athletic Director
Manahawkin, NJ
12th Year at Camp
A New Jersey Southern Regional High School teacher and football and basketball coach, Eric was nominated for 2014-15 New Jersey Teacher of the Year. He won the 2014-15 South Jersey Coach of the year award and spent more than a decade supervising the New Jersey Southern Regional Schools’ extended school year special education program. In 2021, he won District Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for New Jersey Governor’s Educator of the Year. Not to mention, he was the quarterback and punter for Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. Eric is currently the Assistant Coach of the Stockton University’s Men’s Basketball Team, a Division III national contender. Coach Fierro is “the man” and infuses positive energy into every aspect of Laurel athletics!
Geoff Williams
Waterfront Director
Wilton, ME
36th Year at Camp
A true Laurel lifer, Geoff has spent every summer of his life at camp… literally. He returns once again to the shores of Echo Lake as our Waterfront Director, having previously worked as the Co-Program Director, head of small crafts and a sailing counselor. Geoff graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology where he captained the sailing team. He brings a lifetime of Laurel knowledge to our waterfront, and we’re so lucky to have him with us again!
Zack Pettijohn
Adventure and InterArts Director
Aztec, NM
21st Year at Camp
A Drury College graduate who recently completed his MBA, Zack teaches building trades at San Juan College in New Mexico. Zack is the perfect fit for overseeing our adventure program – climbing, aerial park, and outdoor tripping. He also manages our vast InterArts department, which encompasses performing, visual and culinary arts. He ensures that each aspect of our highly structured adventure and arts programs is safe, engaging and fun. Welcome back, Zack!
Michael Miller
Adventure and Interarts Co-Director
St. Paul, MN
9th Year at Camp
Michael, best known as “Miko,” is back at Laurel to help direct our Adventure and Interarts programs. Miko comes to us with an Education Degree from University of Michigan, an MA in Outdoor Recreation from Aurora University, and a Phd in Educational Psychology from University of Minnesota. He is a credentialed Montessori Teacher, professor, and serves as the Department Chair for the Teacher Education school at University of Wisconsin – River Falls. Miko helped build the original ropes course, zipline, and climbing tower at both Camp Laurel and Laurel South in 1993 and was our program area director from 1994-2000. Miko’s wife was Baxter’s Campus Leader in the 90s, and his daughter and son will both be at camp this summer as an Acadian Specialist and Kennebago camper, respectively. In Miko’s words, “It is not hyperbole to say that camp played a pivotal role in nearly every aspect of my professional and personal life!” We’re beyond lucky to have Miko’s extensive experience up in Maine again!
Corey Marsh
Tennis Director
Deerfield Beach, FL
6th Year at Camp
Corey returns to Camp Laurel for summer #6! He’s the head coach of Pine Crest School’s varsity tennis teams where he coached his boys varsity team to a second consecutive state championship in 2022, the third in school history. In both 2021 and 2022, Corey was named the Miami Herald Tennis Coach of the Year and the South Florida Sun Sentinel Coach of the Year. He’s the former women’s tennis head coach at Hunter College, the former director at Long Island Country Club, and adds a decade of coaching experience to Laurel tennis. On top of this, Corey was a gold medalist in doubles at the NYS Empire State Games, a silver medalist at the JCC Maccabi Games, and posted a .750 winning percentage at Gettysburg College before transferring and playing club tennis at Syracuse. We’re thrilled and proud to have Corey’s experience and knowledge at the Laurel tennis courts again this summer!
Dee Dee Turnquest
Equestrian Director
Windermere, FL
6th Year at Camp
A University of Central Florida graduate, Dee Dee makes her sixth season return to lead our Equestrian program. She has extensive experience and coaching skills in hunting/jumping and dressage, along with a strong passion for combining psychology and riding through a children’s equine therapy program. This past winter, Dee Dee has been completing her Masters in Global Communication at The American University of Paris while furthering her competitive riding career as she represents her home country of the Bahamas. Dee Dee is a wealth of knowledge and great to have back at camp taking care of our extensive riding program and our 16 ponies and horses!