Summer Surf Camp 2016 – Meet the Staff!

Sending your teen halfway around the world for one or two weeks can be a leap of faith, so we’d like to introduce you to our 2016 summer surf camp staff. Many of these women are former campers themselves, and each one has become a strong, independent woman (and fantastic surfer) and will serve as excellent role models for your own daughters.  (Also, view this post to see this summer’s Counselors-in-Training!)

Dustin Tester: Camp Founder and Director

Dustin got her inspiration for Maui Surfer Girls’ summer camps during her thesis project for her Bachelor’s Degree in Wilderness Therapy from Prescott College. Her love of the outdoors, her passion for surfing and her desire to return home to Maui helped her design a program which served as a rite of passage for teenage girls.

The summer program has morphed into a year-round business, providing surf lessons for Maui’s visitors and exotic surf retreats for women seeking new adventures with their top-notch surfing coaches. But the teen summer camps remain the heart of the company, and Dustin looks forward to meeting the new group of campers (who call her Mama D!) each year.

Lucy Woodward : Assistant Director  

Lucy has been at MSG almost as long as our camp has been in existence – for 15 consecutive summers, since she was 14! She knows our surf camp inside and out — from being a camper, around camp staffer, surf instructor and now assistant director. We are so proud of the contributions, commitments, and contagious passion she has brought to Maui Surfer Girls through the years. Lucy is a strong water women having grown up in and around the ocean near Southampton, NY. She loves inspiring people to enjoy and learn from the surrounding natural environment, for example leading strenuous “workout hikes,” or identifying fish species on a snorkel trip. Lucy’s humorous and goofy personality mixed with her adventurous spirit really lets campers feel at ease, try new things, give it their all, while laughing the whole time.  Some of her greatest accomplishments to date are finishing a full Ironman Triathlon, bicycling across the U.S.A. and extensively around Europe. Lucy is also a graduate of Prescott College (2010), majoring in Environmental Studies & Marine Conservation, with a minor in Adventure Education.

Kelly “KK” Kaspar, Lead Coordinator

KK has been with MSG since 2012. She’s our logical coordinator and does a little bit of everything at our camp. KK is amazing with kids — her youthful spunky energy is contagious at camp. She helps facilitate all of the camp fun, while ensuring that all   of our programs are running smoothly. The girls appreciate her understanding ear and passion for astrology, personal development, and creativity.

Kelly Potts, Surf Instructor & Mentor 

Kelly is a professional surfer, an exceptional surf instructor and a proud prAna ambassador. Kelly’s graceful and innovative long boarding style serves as inspiration for our students, campers and staff. She is highly skilled at teaching the mechanics of long boarding, through video coaching and land-based training. Kelly also spends a lot of time giving back to the community, by hosting events such as her free Kelly Clinics and the annual XOXO event, empowering girls and women to come together through the sport of surfing. Kelly has been a part of the MSG team since 2004.

Gina Mills: Lead Surf Instructor 

Gina is known as our “ambassador of aloha”. Everyone loves Gina’s approachable and compassionate personality both in and out of the water. Gina started at camp four years ago as a van driver and afternoon activity coordinator, and she’s now a Lead Instructor. Gina’s favorite part of camp is watching the girls come out of their shells and showing their true selves and colors. “I used to be a very shy girl myself and it has taken me many many years of practice and work to learn to love myself for who I am and to choose my own path. I am especially proud when I see the girls really shine in each of their differences.  It’s a beautiful thing to see.” Besides surfing, Gina hobbies include playing the guitar, and she loves to travel and experience new worlds and cultures.

Raye Teyssier: Surf Instructor & Mentor 

Raye has been working for MSG since 2013 and this will be her third year as a camp instructor. Our only off-island instructor, she lives permanently on Oahu’s North Shore, where she teaches for Hans Hedemann Surf. Raye is known for her versatility; she dabbles in a variety of other sports, including cycling, Capoeira, pole vault, circus arts, etc.  In addition to teaching sports for the past 7 years, she has also worked as a musician, artist, actor, and balloon twister.  She is most notorious at camp for giving hair wraps. Raye instructs for nonprofits in her free time, and will be riding her bicycle cross-country following camp this summer, raising funds for AccesSurf and other empowering organizations.  She is inspired every day by the women at MSG and loves seeing campers realize their own potential!

Kiki Martins: Surf Instructor and Mentor

Meryl Henrie: Nurse, Yoga Instructor & Activity Leader

Lauren Greene: Surf School Intern

Lauren is stepping into a newly created position this year, living at our Camp Olowalu with the campers, but serving as the Intern for our Surf School, during our busy summer months. Lauren was a three year camper, and was a CIT last summer (meet this summer’s CITs!).  She showed so much promise as a surfing instructor that we are looking forward to seeing her grow in that capacity.  Hailing from Alpharetta, Georgia, Lauren’s hobbies include photography, CrossFit, writing, cooking, wake boarding / wake surfing and hiking. “I have so many favorite things about camp, but I really love getting to know different people and creating friendships that last forever.  My favorite memory is last year at CIT training the staff hiked into the crater of Haleakala. The whole experience was awesome and seeing the stars felt like a dream.”

 We can’t wait to meet of all our campers at summer surf camp! 

Teen Surf Camp | Women’s Surf Camp | Surf Retreat