Year-round Staff
Havi Goldscher
Havi has served in the role of CEO of Capital Camps & Retreat Center since 2020, assuming the position to guide the agency, initially managing the impact of COVID and beyond. In her capacity, she oversees all aspects of growth and development for the agency, including camping, retreating and philanthropy while remaining focused on long-term sustainability. Havi leads the team of 24 year-round employees that expands to over 250 during the summer months to support the camp community. In 2018, Havi joined CCRC to manage the agency’s development and engagement efforts including the Annual Campaign, Legacy giving, Capital Campus, Endowment funds as well as alumni and Board engagement.
Prior to Capital Camps & Retreat Center, Havi held a successful 14-year career in the National Office of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) steeped in Lay Leadership Development, Major Gifts fundraising, engagement and stewardship.
Havi’s professional career in Jewish communal work began immediately following college with a role at Project Interchange, an institute of the American Jewish Committee.
Originating from Philadelphia, Havi earned a degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University after participating in Young Judaea Year Course, study abroad in Israel. Havi and her husband Eric live with their three kids, Ezra, Jonah and Orli in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Ask me about: agency strategy, philanthropy, and board engagement.
Ilana Kornblatt
Ilana has been calling Capital Camps home every summer since 2005. She joined the Capital Camps Year-Round team as Assistant Camp Director in October 2022. Ilana’s role includes overseeing summer staff hiring, training, & engagement and the LIT and CIT teen leadership programs. In her 20 years with Capital Camps, including nine as a camper, Ilana also served on summer staff as a Cabin Counselor, Assistant Reich Village Leader, Reich Village Leader, and Counselor-In-Training (CIT) Coordinator.
Prior to joining the CCRC Year-Round team, Ilana was a Regional Director for BBYO, engaging Baltimore area teens in meaningful Jewish experiences. Ilana has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology & Urban Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Ilana was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland and currently lives in Bethesda, Maryland.
Ask me about: summer staffing opportunities and the LIT & CIT teen leadership programs.
Adina Ginsburg, LMSW
Adina was born and raised in Baltimore, and has always had a passion for camping and helping others. Adina attended the University of Hartford, earning degrees in Special Education and Sociology, before serving with City Year Americorps in the Boston Public Schools. After her time in Boston, Adina moved to New York City and taught special education for two years. Wanting to work more with the social-emotional aspect of youth, Adina returned to school to receive her MSW, with a concentration in disabilities across the lifespan, from New York University. Before joining Capital Camps, Adina worked at a non-profit serving those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, in the crisis intervention department.
Adina is a lifelong camp person, growing up at Ramah Palmer and working as a counselor, unit head, and Yoetzet. Adina loves being a part of Capital Camps community, where she helps staff with self care, supports campers in reaching their full potential, and builds relationships with families and the community.
Ask me about: camper & staff physical and MESSH (Mental, Emotional, Social, & Spiritual Health) support.
Penny Hartzman
Penny has been a part of our year-round team for over 20 years. She is Camp Registrar, Agency Office Administrator and Camp Health Center Administrator. Penny handles camper enrollment, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable and oversees the administration of our summer office. She lives in Gaithersburg, MD with her dog, Lucy, and is the proud mother of two former campers, David and Deanna.
Ask me about: general registration inquiries, payment questions, and camper forms.
Max Nozick
Max first joined the Capital Camps community in 2004 as a Benjamin Village camper. After a decade of being a cabin counselor, an atzma’im (inclusion) counselor, and a Village Leader for our Staff Kids, Yalla, Benjamin, and Reich Villages, Max joined the Year Round Team in 2024. Max has a degree in Psychology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Before joining the Year Round Team, Max supported Capital Camps & Retreat Center’s retreating operations in Waynesboro, and has previous experience as a teacher at the Bender JCC Preschool, which he brings to his work in elevating Capital Camps’ programming to its full potential. Max lives in Silver Spring, MD and enjoys reading sci-fi and fantasy, playing board games and Dungeons and Dragons, and finding new recipes to cook.
Ask me about: camp programs, logistics, and vendor opportunities.
Ezra Suldan
Ezra joins the CCRC Year-Round team after 11 summers spent as a Capital Camps camper, CIT, Atzma’im (Inclusion) Counselor, CIT Program Counselor, and Macks Village Leader. In his role, Ezra oversees the camper recruitment and retention processes.
Ezra was born in Baltimore and is a proud Krieger Schechter Day School alum. After receiving his B.A. in Religious Studies from Yale College, Ezra worked for two years as an Assistant Director at Camp Wise in Cleveland, Ohio. Now back in Waynesboro and the DMV, Ezra spends his free time cooking, playing piano, and managing his fantasy football team.
Ask me about: information for prospective families, returning family questions, and community partner opportunities.
David Brunner
David served as a summer staff member from 1995 – 1998 and is now a part of our Management Team serving as the Chief Operations Officer.
After 25 years as the Director and then Executive Director of Medomak Camp in Maine, he is returning home to CCRC. His as a summer staff member at CCRC led to lifelong friendships, an appreciation of the outdoors, and a deeper connection to Judaism. During the year, David lives in Rockville with his wife and children.
Ask me about: year-round retreating opportunities & availability and our campus facility.
Maddie Siegel
Maddie is originally from metro Atlanta and obtained her bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from the University of Georgia (Go DAWGS!) and now calls Baltimore home. Maddie’s Capital Camps journey began in 2018 when she served as a cabin counselor and song leader for two summers. She is thrilled to make her return to camp as part of the year-round team.
Maddie is extremely passionate about Jewish engagement and communications, having previously held roles with BBYO, The Blue Dove Foundation, and with well-known Jewish musician Noah Aronson.
Ask me about: social media and year-round communications.
Ruth Burka
Ruth has been a member of our year-round team for 21 years. Ruth’s work focuses on all things relating to Finance and Administration, including Human Resources, and management of our Financial Aid Program. Ruth lives in Olney, MD with her husband, Ben. She is the proud parent of three former campers and counselors – her son Lawrence and his wife, Allee, who met at camp in 10th grade, and her daughter Randi.
Ask me about: financial aid and human resources.
Naomi Malka
Naomi Malka has worked in the Jewish community as a program director, a fundraiser, and a creator of immersive educational experiences for over 20 years. As the former board chair of Hebrew Free Loan of Greater Washington she supported advancements in economic justice in the DMV Jewish community and as an Israel-focused fundraiser for New Israel Fund, Tel Hashomer Hospital, and Jewish National Fund, she helped raise funds for medical technology, legal equality, and ecological innovation in Israel. As a grant writer, she secured funding for immersive outdoor experiences at Jewish summer camps, soulful Shabbat and holiday celebrations, and creative paths back to community after the pandemic. She was the director of the Adas Israel Community Mikvah for 16 years and a founder of the Rising Tide Open Waters New Mikvah movement.
Naomi has a BA in Sociology and a Masters of Sacred Music from the Jewish Theological Seminary. When she’s not working, she’s playing violin in the Last Minute Quartet and the NIH Community Orchestra.
Ask me about: telling your camp story and visiting camp next summer.
Jason Grill
Jason began his Capital Camps experience in 2009 as a Benjamin camper. He joined the year-round team in 2022 after five years as a summer staff member. Jason has a degree in Public Policy and History from Duke University, go Blue Devils! He has previous experience at AIPAC and APF and works on the development team for CCRC. Jason lives in Bethesda, MD and enjoys cooking, attending sporting events, and exploring new restaurants in his free time.
Ask me about: alumni engagement and philanthropic operations.
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