Camp Staff
Galen Cohen
Camp Director
Galen has been involved with YMA since 1993, when he attended 1st Session as one of the youngest cellists in the program. He remembers that all of the cello parts had to be re-written for him, as it was his first time attempting to play more advanced music. He continued at YMA into his teenage years as a CIT (Counselor in Training) and then as a Counselor. After a brief hiatus, Galen returned as the Director of Student Life for 8 years and was appointed Camp Director in 2015.
Galen holds a B.S. in Education and Social Policy and a Minor in Music from Northwestern University, and a M.A in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. In addition to being Camp Director, Galen works as a Mental Health Therapist, primarily with adolescents and families. Galen is also an active cellist in the Portland music community.
As with most students who attend YMA, the summer program has been life-changing for Galen, and he is thrilled to pass the experience along to new generations of families. At camp, in addition to seeing him run around addressing parent questions, training the Counselor team, helping with facilities issues and supervising the Faculty, he is known to be a beast on the 4-Square Court. However, he sadly admits that he has never won the tournament.
Kevin Jackson
Assistant Director
Kevin started at YMA after his first year in high school. He spent the next eight years as a CIT and cello counselor for session 1. After a brief time away he returned as an administrator in 2009. During camp he continues to work behind the scenes to help maintain and grow the YMA experience. Outside of camp he works as a freelance cellist; traveling across the country to play with various groups and bands. Occasionally, he has been known to teach in rare instances.
Elena Cissell
Administrative SupPort
Elena Cissell attended camp for the first time as a middle school student and continued for 10 years as a camper, CIT, and flute counselor. In middle and high school she played with various ensembles associated with Metropolitan Youth Symphony. She describes YMA as the best two weeks of the year and is thrilled to come back to her camp family in a new role.
Jayce Tappert
Camp Nurse
Jayce came to YMA as a teen dancer in 1993. She then went on to be a counselor until 1997. As a young woman, YMA left an indelible mark on Jayce's heart and she longed for the day she could return!
After nursing school she went on to marry her amazing, always supportive husband Peter and together they have three children. She then got the opportunity to return to camp as camp nurse in 2012. She love-love-loves YMA and all that it brings and is ecstatic to share it with all three of her kiddos this year!
Jayce says being camp nurse is the best job ever!!!! — a little bit of nursing and a lot of just being a mom. Her office often becomes a refuge to those feeling homesick, and she is thankful that campers and faculty alike see her as "Camp Mom" as well as camp nurse.
Katie Loewen
Mental Health Support
Bio coming soon.
Darian Todd
Music Production Manager
Darian Todd is a professional violist, violinist, and educator, who has been performing and teaching in Oregon, Arizona, and Colorado since 2008. He is currently the Orchestra Teacher at Lake Oswego Junior High School and District Program Coordinator for Elementary Strings in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Mr. Todd strives to provide students with the tools and skills necessary for an evolving and changing musical world; instill practices that create independent musicians; foster a love of life-long musicianship and sharing; and build a community of musicians who support their colleagues and respect their audiences. As an educator, Mr. Todd has studied and worked with String Pedagogues, and Rolland and Suzuki trainers including Diane Abrams, David Rife, Don Hamann, Dijana Ihas, Fritz Gearhart, Leslie Straka, and Lillian Manis, with Suzuki training in violin and viola books 1-4. Darian holds a Bachelor's of Music Education from the University of Arizona, and a Master's of Music in Performance with an emphasis in Violin and Viola Pedagogy. Through partnerships with Suzuki Association of the Americas, National Association for Music Educators, Oregon Music Educators Association, and local Symphony Orchestras, Mr. Todd works to initiate more active involvement of students and parents in the artistic communities where he teaches, and advocates for the importance of music in our schools.