Nature Day Camp staff members are kind, enthusiastic, responsible, experienced, genuinely interested in children and dedicated to creating a positive and enriching experience for all campers.

Julia McLeod, Camp Director

Julia McLeod loves exploring nature with children. She especially enjoys listening to kids’ ideas and observations, sharing a sense of wonder, and exploring tidepools. She has worked with youth and adults in a variety of outdoor settings over the past 20+ years. For around 13 years from 2009 to 2022, her work focused on environmental education and community outreach for land trusts in Maine. In 2022 she took on a new role as Executive Director of Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (but she still teaches kids when she can). She has led and overseen Nature Day Camp since 2013. During this time, camp expanded from one to ten sessions and has developed quite a following. She also develops and implements outdoor, place-based, hands-on science curriculum for Harpswell Community School. She enjoys swimming, running, skating, biking, reading, camping, and spending time with her family. She lives at Scratch Farm in Bowdoin with her husband and two children, ages seven and eleven.

Katrina Cornish, Camp leader for ages 7-12

Katrina was born and raised in Topsham, ME and spent much of her childhood exploring the coast with her family. As a Maine Marine Patrol Officer, her father helped her cultivate a deep understanding of Maine’s marine resources at a young age. Katrina followed her passions into college to complete a degree in Environmental Science with a personal focus in education and communications. She has worked as a marine science instructor across the country in both formal and informal education and is currently pursuing a certification as a Maine Master Naturalist. In her personal time, Katrina can be found in her garden with her partner, goats, ducks, rabbits, dogs, and one chicken named Chuck.

Sophie Burchell, Assistant camp leader for ages 7-12

Sophie is a recent graduate of Bowdoin College, where she studied biology and environmental studies. During her time in college, she participated in the Bowdoin Marine Science Semester and spent a lot of time in the rocky intertidal zone and salt marshes throughout Harpswell. She loves these Maine coastal environments and enjoys sharing them with others through place-based environmental education. In her free time, Sophie enjoys landscape painting, reading fiction, and exploring little trails throughout Maine.

Ella Skolfield, Camp leader for ages 4-6

Ella is currently a senior at Florida State University studying Environmental Science as well as Geology. Ella’s heritage goes back to Harpswell starting in the late 1700’s, where her family built ships along the coast. Her passion for the environment began here, where she would visit every summer with her family. She started attending summer camps in Maine at the age of 8, and began working as a camp counselor 4 years ago. The camp counselors that Ella had when she was a child helped form her into the person she is today, and she wishes to be the same role model that she had at that age. She enjoys working with children and allowing them to be engaged with the natural environment that she appreciates so much. Ella loves to be outdoors, whether that be going on hikes, kayaking, or simply walks along the coast. She plans to pursue a career in environmental science and live in Maine post-graduation. Her pastimes include indoor climbing and spending time with her dog, Roxy.

Oliver Pittman, Assistant camp leader for ages 4-6

Oliver is a rising fourth year zoology student at The Ohio State University. They grew up spending time here in Harpswell, and attended day camp as a kid! They live in Columbus with their cats, partner, and tarantula, but are thrilled to be home in Maine for the summer. They are specifically interested in herpetology, and hope to find some cool snakes with the kids! Oliver has a rich history of working with children, and has been involved with many camps over the years, as well as a stint teaching in a preschool. When not flipping logs looking for critters, Oliver likes to spend time with their animals, watch Jeopardy, and do puzzles.

Phil Croteau, Camp assistant for both age groups

As the grandson of a long-time Harpswell Resident, Phil is grateful to have the opportunity to live and work in this incredible coastal community. From exploring tide pools in his childhood to hiking Vermont’s Long Trail, he has developed a deep appreciation for the natural world. Having the privilege of visiting accessible public open spaces as a child inspired him to study Human Ecology at Rutgers University and spend time outdoors as much as possible. Phil has spent summers working with children at his local YMCA day camp and has spent three years working in habitat restoration with the Conservancy in New York City’s flagship public open space. Currently, he is an AmeriCorps member serving with the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust through Maine Conservation Corps’ Environmental Steward Program. In his personal time, Phil enjoys backpacking, fly fishing, trail running, and snowboarding throughout the Northeast.