Meet our Staff....
We're looking forward to being joined by many of you!
(wanna volunteer? Fill out this form HERE)
Maren Metke - Co-Founder of Vashon Family Camp, Organizer & Educator (WA & CA camps)
Maren Metke brings multiple decades of NVC integration as a mother, holistic educator, founder of schools, trainer and community builder, and is excited to offer the opportunity for humans of all ages and walks of like to learn and be touched by experiences and tools like NVC Family Camp.
She is excited to join in and facilitate some integration of the tools, play, make offerings, support learning and connection, as well as organize and savor this experience with other likeminded community members. She is also a musician, artist and runs her own classes and client practice integrating the tools teachings of NVC an NLP. She works with schools, communities, couples and individuals of all ages in supporting a sense of clarity and deeper connection to self and others.
She is excited to join in and facilitate some integration of the tools, play, make offerings, support learning and connection, as well as organize and savor this experience with other likeminded community members. She is also a musician, artist and runs her own classes and client practice integrating the tools teachings of NVC an NLP. She works with schools, communities, couples and individuals of all ages in supporting a sense of clarity and deeper connection to self and others.
Ashley Newton - Child Development Specialist, Coach & Parent Educator (CA camp)
Ashley is a holistic practitioner who integrates child development, somatics, mental health, nature connection, and connection to spirit in her work with children and families.
Her studies include 20 years of working with children in a variety of roles including a caregiver, teacher, and Child Development Specialist. She has a BA in Child Development, and an MA in Infant Mental Health and Early Childhood Education.
In addition to teaching, she offers mentorship to help parents take care of their children in ways that bring more connection and ease into day to day life. She is committed to caregiving in ways that are deeply aligned with the intentions of raising compassionate, creative, inspired and collaborative children.
You can find out more about her and her offerings on IG and her Website.
Her studies include 20 years of working with children in a variety of roles including a caregiver, teacher, and Child Development Specialist. She has a BA in Child Development, and an MA in Infant Mental Health and Early Childhood Education.
In addition to teaching, she offers mentorship to help parents take care of their children in ways that bring more connection and ease into day to day life. She is committed to caregiving in ways that are deeply aligned with the intentions of raising compassionate, creative, inspired and collaborative children.
You can find out more about her and her offerings on IG and her Website.
Donica Tomko - Beloved Camp Chef (CA camp)
Donica Tomko is a certified Holistic Health Coach & Chef who supports people in restoring balance to their body, mind, spirit through food as the foundation. She has been cooking for over 20 years and chefing in the Bay Area and California for the past 5 years. She loves weaving her healing energy into the food to support the upliftment of consciousness to all. Learn more at donicatomko.com.
Johnny Colden (WA camp)
Johnny Colden has been running and working at NVC family camps for more than a decade.
He is excited to bring his signature blend of danger and nerdy to camp this year. If you are excited to about the idea of LARP'ing around camp this year and creating our own worlds of adventure or the possibility of running ziplines around the farm using a public utility digger derrick truck and salvaged stainless steel rigging cable, drop him a line.
He is excited to bring his signature blend of danger and nerdy to camp this year. If you are excited to about the idea of LARP'ing around camp this year and creating our own worlds of adventure or the possibility of running ziplines around the farm using a public utility digger derrick truck and salvaged stainless steel rigging cable, drop him a line.
Jeremy Barnes (WA camp)
Jeremy came into NVC by accident in 2010 when they reluctantly tagged along to Camp with their mom. They’ve returned nearly every year since with or without the members of their nuclear family. Growing up with NVC and Family Camp has been deeply formative for them, contributing to the foundation of who they are and how they relate to others.
Jeremy particularly likes to work with teens and young adults, and they’ve had the opportunity to use NVC with special education students in a behavioral school to great success.
They’re now working as a “professional plant look-atter”, doing vegetation surveys in Nevada.
Jeremy likes wacky projects, reading (mostly fantasy), games of all sorts, cooking, birdwatching, climbing trees, and mathematics.
Jeremy particularly likes to work with teens and young adults, and they’ve had the opportunity to use NVC with special education students in a behavioral school to great success.
They’re now working as a “professional plant look-atter”, doing vegetation surveys in Nevada.
Jeremy likes wacky projects, reading (mostly fantasy), games of all sorts, cooking, birdwatching, climbing trees, and mathematics.
Marcia Christen - NVC Trainer & Parent Educator (WA camp)
Marcia has had an extensive passion for parent education since she was in her 20’s.
She discovered NVC in 2006 while working as a parent educator and elementary teacher. She was seeking more connected ways to parent her own 3 children and was amazed at how it transformed her relationships.
She and her family began attending Vashon Family Camp in 2010 and have come back every year since!. She became a Certified Trainer with the Center for Nonviolent Communication in 2011 and began sharing NVC full time.
She continues to seek ways to practice, learn, and share the Nonviolent Communication consciousness and skills. She enjoys companioning individuals, families, couples, children and youth in compassion, self-empathy and honest, caring expression. She brings a playfulness and a willingness to be silly and laugh as we grow and explore. This is her 8th year as program staff at Vashon Family Camp. She also has been staff at Family Heart Camps.
She discovered NVC in 2006 while working as a parent educator and elementary teacher. She was seeking more connected ways to parent her own 3 children and was amazed at how it transformed her relationships.
She and her family began attending Vashon Family Camp in 2010 and have come back every year since!. She became a Certified Trainer with the Center for Nonviolent Communication in 2011 and began sharing NVC full time.
She continues to seek ways to practice, learn, and share the Nonviolent Communication consciousness and skills. She enjoys companioning individuals, families, couples, children and youth in compassion, self-empathy and honest, caring expression. She brings a playfulness and a willingness to be silly and laugh as we grow and explore. This is her 8th year as program staff at Vashon Family Camp. She also has been staff at Family Heart Camps.
Doug Dolstad & Barbara Larson, Past hosts (15 years!!), Co-Founders & our Elders. (WA camp)
We honor those who have held the space and gave so very much to all of the Vashon Family Camps past! Nurtured on the Cedar Springs Farmstad, which has fed so many connections dreams and not to mention endless nourishing food from the garden. We are so delighted to be looking forward to reconnecting with families and staff from our past 15 years of camp. We've seen this camp community become a family in itself, with parents becoming extended support systems, the youth forming bonds that last through the year, and growing into leadership roles at camp themselves; we've all grown together...
