Team

Creating a Safe, Fun Environment

The Camp Rainbow Foundation provides free camp experiences and programs for children and families affected by childhood cancer and blood-related diseases.

Referred to our camps by their pediatric oncology facility, our campers range in age from 4 years through 20 years old. We draw from the three major pediatric hospitals in St. Louis: Mercy Children's Hospital, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. We serve the Missouri/ Illinois bi-state area.

Our Staff

Heather Bachman

Camp Rainbow Foundation
Executive Director

Heather Bachman is the Executive Director of our organization. As both a cancer survivor as well as a parent of a camper with medical needs, Heather feels a deep connection to the mission of Camp Rainbow. She shares the strong belief that families and children with cancer and other serious illnesses need to have normal, fun-filled opportunities to make friends, create memories, and build self-esteem without the worries associated with their illnesses and the treatments.

Professionally, Heather has served our community for twenty years in various social service leadership roles. Prior to joining Camp Rainbow, she successfully held the position of Executive Director & Chief Programs Officer at a social service agency. While her expertise in staff development, budget accountability, & quality programs will be assets in this role, being able to share her personal cancer story as well as her family’s camp experience with our campers and their families are invaluable.

Tricia McCaffrey

Director of Volunteer & Acquisitions

Over the last 18 years, Tricia has devoted her career in social services to working with children, teens, and adults with disabilities. Her past roles in management and supervising large groups gives her a special skill set to work alongside the amazing team of Camp Rainbow volunteers. She is excited to share her knowledge of community resources, creativity, and energy with the organization.

Personally, Camp Rainbow offers her the opportunity to continue fulfilling her passion for helping and serving others.

“I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to be part of Camp Rainbow. I am incredibly inspired by the dedication the volunteers and staff have for the organization and I look forward to working with so many wonderful people.”

Laura Schulte

Director of Donor Development

With over 20 years in non-profit experience and management, Laura was excited to join Camp Rainbow in February 2022. In addition to starting and running her own early educational organization for children with medical and intellectual challenges, as well as other organizations close to home, moving to Camp Rainbow allows her to continue her passion with children and moving forward with developing infrastructure to help Camp Rainbow continue for years to come. With her own love of entertaining and planning events, Laura hopes to bring more events and outreach to the St. Louis community to spread awareness of the mission of the Camp Rainbow Foundation.

“I look forward to meeting more people to spread the mission of the organization while showing people how magical moments are made for children with cancer and blood-related diseases through camping experiences!”

Suzanne Slagle

Business Manager

After volunteering for Camp Rainbow for years, Suzanne joined our staff as Office Manager. She witnessed the impact Camp Rainbow had on her son, Jason, after he was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma in 2004. Her son attended our Day Camp, Overnight Camps and later became an Ambassador and Counselor. It was the joy, friendships and personal attention to the campers at Camp Rainbow she found comforting as a parent of a sick child.

Suzanne spent much of her childhood overseas, graduated from NC State and worked for a small company for 8 years where she had various responsibilities in the office. She and her husband, Chris, and two sons relocated to the St. Louis area in 2004. Suzanne stayed home to raise her boys, but now loves working in the Camp Rainbow office where she contributes behind the scenes to Camp Rainbow’s mission. In her free time, Suzanne also works as a professional dog trainer and loves spending time outdoors with her family!

Riley Viehland

Communications Intern

Hi! My name is Riley Viehland, and I am the Marketing intern for Camp Rainbow! I am also a Junior at Loyola University Chicago studying Human Relations Management and Marketing! I absolutely LOVE working and creating content for Camp Rainbow!

Alishia Vogt

Director Of Camps

As the Director of Camps, Alishia Vogt, oversees all of Camp Rainbow’s camping programs. Alishia has worked in multiple roles within social services. She has spent multiple years of that experience working with high needs children. She has also worked extensively within the camping and aquatics world helping to execute camp programs for both for-profit and non-profit agencies.

Alishia is dedicated to providing campers with the opportunity to create impactful fun memories away from the concerns associated with illness.

“I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with such a dedicated group of staff and volunteers to provide the experience of camp to children that they may otherwise not be able to do. I am very passionate about helping people. I also love camping and am so excited to bring my passion for people and the great outdoors together to Camp Rainbow.

Our Volunteer Programming Team

Kelly Eastman

Summer Oncology Camp Program Director

HI! My name is Kelly Eastman and I have been involved in Camp Rainbow since I was diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia in 2008! My involvement with Camp Rainbow is hands down my favorite thing be a part of and to tell everyone about. I have held just about every role in camp so far - camper, counselor, logistics, nurse, on the medical advisory board, and now I am the Program Director of Overnight Oncology Camp! Being able to help plan the fun activities and programs for the year is such an honor and I hope you all will have the best time! At camp, you will see me with a green and blue snow cone every day because that is my favorite summer time treat! I also love coming up with fun songs to sing at the campfires! I have been a nurse for just about 8 years and am so excited to start a new job this year as a Cardiothoracic and Transplant OR Nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Aside for work and camp, I have a dog named Betty and a boyfriend named Alex! The three of us love to go on vacations around the country, hike, have big campfires, and demo/flip houses. Alex and I also just joined the Lebanon, IL Fire Department to become volunteer firefighters! Camp Rainbow is truly a special place where you come as an individual, but leave as a family. I can’t wait to meet you all this year!! 🙂

Mary McKee

Assistant Oncology Camp Program Director

Raizel Small

Day Camp Program Director

Originally from Peoria, Illinois, Raizel currently lives in West Des Moines, Iowa where she graduated from Drake University in 2014. As a lead teacher at the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines Preschool, she fosters an environment that encourages creativity, independence, and a foundation that supports each child's development. Raizel has been teaching various classes at Beit Sefer Shalom from pre - K through grade 8 since 2012. In addition, Raizel works part-time as an autism behavioral youth therapist.

Raizel joined the Camp Rainbow Family in 2008 as a counselor and later a Unit Head. Drawing from her experiences in early education, Raizel strives to cultivate a safe environment that offers fun opportunities for hands-on discovery and the confidence to explore our surroundings. Raizel most enjoys seeing former day campers return as overnight campers.

Cate Blunda

Assistant Day Camp Program Director

My name is Cate. I am a wife and a mother of five; ranging from 9 years old down to 1 year old! I am a foster/adoptive mother.

I have been volunteering for Camp Rainbow for about 14 years now. I started as a camper in 1997 and am now the Assistant Director at Day camp. I have attended Teen camp, TNT, Family camp, Summer (Oncology) camp, and Day camp. Camp Rainbow is a huge part of my life and who I am. I look forward to all the camps every year. The people at Camp Rainbow are my family!

Outside of camp I love to hike, garden, and make bread with my family.

Barbie Ricken

SIBS Camp Program Director

Barbie’s older sister Mary Beth was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1999, and she first attended a camp for siblings of children with cancer the following summer. Barbie volunteered at that camp for 10 years serving as a counselor, group leader and the director of their sibling camp program. As a sibling, Barbie knows how important it is to have opportunities for siblings of children with cancer to meet others who are going through a similar situation. When Barbie heard that Camp Rainbow was interested in starting a sibling camp, she knew she wanted to be a part of it!

Barbie first experienced Camp Rainbow in 2014 as a camp nurse for Summer Camp and she has been one of the camp nurses every summer since then. She has also volunteered as a nurse at Teen Camp and events with the TnT program.

When Barbie isn’t volunteering for Camp Rainbow, she enjoys working as a staff nurse/charge nurse on the pediatric hematology/oncology floor at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and spending time with family and friends. She is a 2009 graduate of Miami University and a 2013 graduate of Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College. Barbie can’t wait to bring the sibling perspective to SIB'S camp and create an inclusive and exciting week where children whose siblings have had cancer can have fun and just be kids.

Magda Lijowska

SIBS Camp Assistant Program Director

Magda is excited to be a part of the Programming Team after many years of volunteering as a counselor and in various leadership roles. It is the best way she can imagine giving back to an organization that provided her with so many friends and memories as a camper. Her favorite camp songs are "Hey Burrito!" and "Joe the Bear". Besides campfires and hearing the Camp Rainbow cheer at mealtimes, her favorite thing about camp is that it is a place where everyone can show up and be celebrated as their full selves.

Alex Wilcox

Teen Camp Program Director

“Being part of the camp family has been one of the best things I could ever ask for.” Alex joined the Camp Rainbow family when he was six years old as a summer camper. As a teen, he transitioned to a camp counselor eventually holding the roles of counselor, unit head, and volunteer staff.

One of his favorite parts of camp, was when he was able to attend Teen Camp and truly connect with other survivors. He describes growing those bonds to be one of his favorite aspects of Camp Rainbow. Just like when he was a camper, Alex is excited to create an environment where there is no judgment, only new friends to be made, and a sense of belonging to be created. Alex shares the Camp Rainbow belief that Teen Camp is about showing the campers that there are others going through the same life experiences as themselves by creating a sense of normalcy in a fun and engaging environment.

Professionally Alex is a police officer for the City of Brentwood. He enjoys spending free time with his wife and their dogs. Together, they love attending country music concerts and spending time outdoors.

Getting the opportunity to come back and be a director at the camp he loves is literally a dream come true for Alex. “I always said when I was camper that one day I would come back and make sure anyone who attends camp will have the most amazing experience and that’s something I look forward to doing every year!”

Sammi Leidel

Assistant Teen Camp Program Director

Sammi first joined the Camp Rainbow family at the age of 8 as a camper at Oncology Overnight Camp. After aging out of Oncology Camp at the age of 13, Sammi moved to Teen Camp and attended from the ages of 14-18 years old. Sammi has volunteered in different capacities, at several of our camp programs since the age of 16, including counselor, unit head, staff, and programming team. “Because of Camp Rainbow I have had the opportunity to meet many people from many different backgrounds. We all share one commonality, and that is that we all have been touched by cancer in one way or another, and that we all wish for it to no longer exist one day. Camp Rainbow continues to grow and reach families in the community because of the love and dedication of so many. I’m so happy that I get to be part of it.”

Professionally, Sammi is the Student Advisor at Mulberry Grove Schools. She graduated with a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction in 2022 and is currently enrolled in the Principal Preparation Program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Sammi enjoys spending her free time with her husband, Chris and daughter Daisy. She also enjoys attending live music events and hiking.

Stephanie Dummerth / David Stuckel

Family Camp Co-Directors

Stephanie Dummerth and David Stuckel are absolutely thrilled to move into their new positions as co-directors of Family Camp. Having been on the staff since its inception in 2014, as well as serving on the staff of Camp Sunrise for several years, they are well versed in the in’s and out’s of planning and carrying out such a program. In addition to being on the staff, both have had the opportunity to participate in many of the activities offered at the camp, due to first attending/volunteering at the camp in 1998 and 2001, respectively. As the older sister and one of the many cousins of a childhood cancer survivor, Stephanie and David work with an understanding of the challenges facing the families in attendance. This history and understanding lead to insight and ease within the staff's planning sessions.

When not working on camp, Stephanie, a recent graduate of Truman State University, works as a nurse at St. Louis Children's Hospital, while David works as the Operations Manager for US Pack Logistics, a company that transports medical supplies and medications across the Midwest.

As co-directors, Stephanie and David intend to continue to build upon the foundation set by their predecessors for the weekend of Family Camp. They are excited to continue to plan a family weekend filled with a myriad of age-appropriate activities such as pontoon rides, crafts, sand volleyball, miniature golf, and much more.

Ben Seitzman

Teens-N-Twenty Program Director

Ben joined the Camp Rainbow family in 2009. During 9 summers as a counselor, Unit Head, and staff at Overnight Camp, Ben witnessed the power of friendship, dreams, and faith firsthand. He learned how to foster an immersive environment for campers, plan and develop fun programs, and cultivate camp spirit through teamwork and traditions. His favorite aspect of Overnight Camp is watching new friendships form and old friendships strengthen throughout the week. Ben experienced Teen Camp 3 times, serving on the programming team twice. Working with the teens reaffirmed Ben's belief in the importance of providing opportunities for camp friends to reconnect. The goal of the Teens-n-Twenty program is to provide campers with opportunities to strengthen their friendships throughout the year. TnT will be the foundation upon which teens can maintain and grow their Camp Rainbow friendship network.

Ben is from Peoria, Illinois. He received his undergraduate degree at Indiana University (go Hoosiers!), and he is and he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis. His research focuses on how individual differences in brain organization relate to unique differences in behavior.