Phantom Lake YMCA Camp Hires Chris West As Vice President of Program Development

Phantom Lake YMCA Camp announced today it hired Chris West as Vice President of Program Development. The oldest YMCA Camp in the nation, Phantom Lake YMCA Camp will celebrate 130 years of continuous operation this year.

“Growing up I was a camp kid at YMCA Camp Nan A Bo Sho in Lakewood Wisconsin through the YMCA of the Fox Valley,” West said. “Based on my camp experiences, I have a deep-rooted passion for developing high-quality programming for campers. I’m looking forward to working with our talented Phantom Lake YMCA Camp team to offer a wide variety of quality programs.”

West’s background includes completing the YMCA Camp Leadership program where he received his camp name, Oregon. (Camp counselors’ camp names are fun nicknames that simplify communications for campers and build a sense of community and fun.) His experience includes years as a general camp counselor, serving as a challenge course director, as well as time as a camp coordinator. He’s worked at the Boys and Girls Club, and the Steven’s Point YMCA, during which time he worked at YMCA Camp Glacier Hollow, followed by working at the YMCA Fox Valley, during which time he worked at YMCA Camp Nan A Bo Sho. 

As the Vice President of Program Development, West now works to ensure continuous innovation, safety and satisfaction in programming grounded in Phantom Lake YMCA Camp history while remaining relevant to modern camping.

“Chris’s experience and involvement in the camping world coupled with his passion for developing programming that delivers on our key priorities of safety and satisfaction adds to the strength of our existing team,” Phantom Lake YMCA Camp CEO Jeff Spang said. “His diverse background serving other camps informs his ability to generate program ideas that make camp attractive to kids and their parents.”

Outside of camp, West enjoys wilderness trips and lighthouses. He’s a proud member of the United States Lighthouse Society, which preserves and shares the history and legacy of America’s lighthouses and their keepers.