DIRECTORS & STAFF
CAMP DIRECTORS
ZAK HADDAD (Lebanese, Canadian) has over 18 years of camp leadership experience! He attended both Kilcoo Camp and Camp Bellaleo as a camper, L.I.T., Counsellor, Program Staff, Canoe and Kayak Instructor, and Assistant Director. Zak graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours B.A. and B.Ed. from the concurrent Physical and Health Education and Teaching Degree Program. During the school year Zak works full-time at Aurora Montessori School as the Elementary Physical Health and Education Teacher and Athletic Director.
In 2012, Zak assumed the position of Camp Director at Nokomis.
ALEXA HADDAD (Filipino, Canadian) has over 12 years of camp leadership experience! Alexa graduated from the University of Toronto with a High Honours B.A. and B.Ed in Physical and Health Education. Through the Faculty of Physical and Health Education, Alexa worked as an Outdoor Projects Camp Counsellor at Camp New Moon. Alexa spent three summers as an ESL Camp Counsellor in Spain at Camp La Colonia de Grados. When Alexa is not at Camp, she is a full-time Secondary Teacher and Assistant Curriculum Leader of Athletics & Co-Curricular Activities at the Toronto District School Board.
At Camp Nokomis, Alexa volunteered for many summers as a lifeguard before becoming the Waterfront Director and eventually assuming the role of Camp Director in 2016.
PAST DIRECTORS
JAY AND VICKI HADDAD have spent over 50 summers of their combined lives as summer camp leaders and Directors.
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Vicki attended Camp Arrowhead as an L.I.T. (Lake of Bays), spent many summers at her cottage on Lake of Bays, and started as Bellaleo’s Director in 1992, focussing on creative games, drama, arts & crafts, menu planning and RN training. She spent several years at Havergal College (10), Concordia University (3) and Humber College Nursing (1). During university, for summer employment, Vicki worked at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital; she also spent several years working at various day-care centers in Toronto and worked evenings at theatres (Elgin and St. Lawrence Center). Vicki took art courses at OCAD, and studied at the Tarragon Theatre. Following Concordia in Montreal and Nursing at Humber, Vicki took on the responsibility of training our camp nurses and developed the menus for our kitchen staff. In addition, Vicki initiated a creative play program which allowed drama, acting and improvisation to become an integral part of the Nokomis program.
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Jay was a leader at Kilcoo Camp (initiating the Redstone Project – training leaders in wilderness survival), Program Director at the Ontario Camp Leadership Center (Bark Lake) and started as Bellaleo’s Director, alongside Vicki, in 1992. Jay is Past President and Honorary Life Member of the Ontario Camps Association and a Fellow and Past President of The Society of Camp Directors. At the University of Ottawa’s National Canoe Instructor Course, Jay walked away with the highest mark in Canada, served on the Executive of the Canadian Camping Association for six years and received their Award of Honour (for meritorious service to children’s camping in Canada), and was the National Editor of Canadian Camping, the national magazine of the Canadian Camping Association, for six years. His education was completed at the University of Windsor (M.A.) in psychology, and after spending a year at Bayview Glen Junior Schools as school psychologist, Jay lectured as a Psychology and Humanities Professor at Humber College for 31 years.
CAMP STAFF
90% of Camp Nokomis Staff were at one point campers themselves and have successfully made the transition from camper to L.I.T., and L.I.T. to Staff Member.
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With 30 Staff and 60 campers per session, the 2:1 ratio allows for plenty of one-on-one time between leaders and campers making for an even more memorable camp experience.
