Nathan Unwin joined Victory Junction in January 2022 after spending 13 years at a summer camp for children with physical disabilities in Long Island, New York. Originally from Sheffield, England, he first came to the US to work at camp while completing a bachelor’s degree in Special Education back in the UK. Nathan’s main passion is to create and foster meaningful and unique experiences for children and staff through safe, fun, and innovative programming. Each individual camp experience means a lot to Nathan, and he loves to see people try new things, build friendships, and feel a part of the camp family. He met his now wife, Annie as camp counselors in New York, and they are raising their two children (Josie and Jude) to love camp also! He can’t wait to meet all the campers, staff, volunteers, and extraordinary people that make Victory Junction amazing each year!
Nathan Unwin
Camp Program Director
Nathan Unwin joined Victory Junction in January 2022 after spending 13 years at a summer camp for children with physical disabilities in Long Island, New York. Originally from Sheffield, England, he first came to the US to work at camp while completing a bachelor’s degree in Special Education back in the UK. Nathan’s main passion is to create and foster meaningful and unique experiences for children and staff through safe, fun, and innovative programming. Each individual camp experience means a lot to Nathan, and he loves to see people try new things, build friendships, and feel a part of the camp family. He met his now wife, Annie as camp counselors in New York, and they are raising their two children (Josie and Jude) to love camp also! He can’t wait to meet all the campers, staff, volunteers, and extraordinary people that make Victory Junction amazing each year!
Torri Derks
Program Support Manager
Torri Derks has been involved with Victory Junction for a number of years in various capacities. She has experienced Camp as a camper, volunteer, seasonal staff member, and as an intern with our REACH program. As Victory Junction’s Program Support Manager, Torri oversees our seasonal staff and volunteer recruitment, spring and fall weekends, and events during summer camp. Torri believes Camp is something everyone should enjoy and wants to provide the best experiences to all campers, staff, and volunteers.
Torri Derks
Program Support Manager
Torri Derks has been involved with Victory Junction for a number of years in various capacities. She has experienced Camp as a camper, volunteer, seasonal staff member, and as an intern with our REACH program. As Victory Junction’s Program Support Manager, Torri oversees our seasonal staff and volunteer recruitment, spring and fall weekends, and events during summer camp. Torri believes Camp is something everyone should enjoy and wants to provide the best experiences to all campers, staff, and volunteers.
Hannah Perry
Residential Life & Operations Program Manager
Prior to joining Victory Junction, Hannah Perry worked as an elementary, special education teacher in Hanover County, North Carolina. She graduated from Roanoke College in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Elementary Education, and she earned her master’s degree in Teaching and Learning, Special Education in 2019. Since 2011, Hannah has volunteered at many camps, serving as a cabin, program, and senior counselor. She has also served in volunteer-specific positions at many SeriousFun camps, including Camp Boggy Creek, Camp Korey, and Roundup River Ranch. Hannah feels that she was fortunate enough to experience “the magic of Camp” during summer sessions and weekend camps at Victory Junction before joining the team full-time in 2021 as the Residential Life & Operations Program Manager!
Hannah Perry
Residential Life & Operations Program Manager
Prior to joining Victory Junction, Hannah Perry worked as an elementary, special education teacher in Hanover County, North Carolina. She graduated from Roanoke College in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Elementary Education, and she earned her master’s degree in Teaching and Learning, Special Education in 2019. Since 2011, Hannah has volunteered at many camps, serving as a cabin, program, and senior counselor. She has also served in volunteer-specific positions at many SeriousFun camps, including Camp Boggy Creek, Camp Korey, and Roundup River Ranch. Hannah feels that she was fortunate enough to experience “the magic of Camp” during summer sessions and weekend camps at Victory Junction before joining the team full-time in 2021 as the Residential Life & Operations Program Manager!
Dami’on J. “DJ” Swittenberg
Program Area Manager
Dami’on J. Swittenberg’s journey with Victory Junction started as a camper in 2006, then later as a counselor in 2016 and 2017. “DJ” graduated from Winston Salem State University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Middle Grades Education and recently graduated from North Carolina Central University in 2022 with a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration. Before joining the Victory Junction team, DJ worked as a middle grades education classroom teacher in Vance County, North Carolina, and then as a graduate assistant for Academic Enrichment Services for North Carolina Central University. He is also an Adjunct Professor at North Carolina Central University, where he teaches their First-Year Seminar course. DJ is a passionate servant leader who has an enormous love for Camp. He is super excited to open the doors back up for campers and to help make our program areas come ALIVE!. When he’s not at Camp, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Imani, and their twin daughters, Kinsley and Kayleigh!
Dami’on J. “DJ” Swittenberg
Program Area Manager
Dami’on J. Swittenberg’s journey with Victory Junction started as a camper in 2006, then later as a counselor in 2016 and 2017. “DJ” graduated from Winston Salem State University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Middle Grades Education and recently graduated from North Carolina Central University in 2022 with a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration. Before joining the Victory Junction team, DJ worked as a middle grades education classroom teacher in Vance County, North Carolina, and then as a graduate assistant for Academic Enrichment Services for North Carolina Central University. He is also an Adjunct Professor at North Carolina Central University, where he teaches their First-Year Seminar course. DJ is a passionate servant leader who has an enormous love for Camp. He is super excited to open the doors back up for campers and to help make our program areas come ALIVE!. When he’s not at Camp, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Imani, and their twin daughters, Kinsley and Kayleigh!
Kaleb Reeves
Volunteer Program Manager
If you have been involved with Victory Junction recently, you probably have met Kaleb Reeves before. His journey with Camp started in 2019, working as a cabin counselor Kaleb returned to VJ in the summer of 2021 to work as part of the Adventure team. He also was worked as a weekend support staffer for fall and spring family weekends. Kaleb graduated in 2022 from UNC-Greensboro with a degree in Recreation & Parks Management, with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation. Kaleb completed his recreational therapy internship at Camp Aranzazu, located in Rockport, Texas, where he served as an activity leader. It’s safe to say Kaleb is very passionate about Victory Junction and the impact it can make on a camper’s life. His main passion is to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone to be themselves and be proud of who they are. Kaleb is most excited to bring in new volunteers to Victory Junction’s camp family and foster relationships with returning volunteers as the Volunteer Program Manager!
Kaleb Reeves
Volunteer Program Manager
If you have been involved with Victory Junction recently, you probably have met Kaleb Reeves before. His journey with Camp started in 2019, working as a cabin counselor Kaleb returned to VJ in the summer of 2021 to work as part of the Adventure team. He also was worked as a weekend support staffer for fall and spring family weekends. Kaleb graduated in 2022 from UNC-Greensboro with a degree in Recreation & Parks Management, with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation. Kaleb completed his recreational therapy internship at Camp Aranzazu, located in Rockport, Texas, where he served as an activity leader. It’s safe to say Kaleb is very passionate about Victory Junction and the impact it can make on a camper’s life. His main passion is to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone to be themselves and be proud of who they are. Kaleb is most excited to bring in new volunteers to Victory Junction’s camp family and foster relationships with returning volunteers as the Volunteer Program Manager!
Angela M. Bryan, M.Ed., CCLS
REACH Program Director
Angela Miller Bryan has her Master’s Degree in Education and has been a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) since 2006 in the Charlotte, NC area. Angela has worked in general pediatrics and then outpatient hematology and oncology, caring for infant to young adult patients. She is also an Adjunct Professor at UNC-Charlotte where she teaches Introduction to Child Life. As Reach Program Director, she oversees Victory Junction’s outreach program. Reach provides “camp-like” activities to pediatric patients and families in children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses throughout North and South Carolina. Fun fact – she loves a good challenge. To raise awareness for pediatric patients, Angela hiked 30 miles in one day, on two separate occasions and is eager to do it a third time!
Angela M. Bryan, M.Ed., CCLS
REACH Program Director
Angela Miller Bryan has her Master’s Degree in Education and has been a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) since 2006 in the Charlotte, NC area. Angela has worked in general pediatrics and then outpatient hematology and oncology, caring for infant to young adult patients. She is also an Adjunct Professor at UNC-Charlotte where she teaches Introduction to Child Life. As Reach Program Director, she oversees Victory Junction’s outreach program. Reach provides “camp-like” activities to pediatric patients and families in children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses throughout North and South Carolina. Fun fact – she loves a good challenge. To raise awareness for pediatric patients, Angela hiked 30 miles in one day, on two separate occasions and is eager to do it a third time!
Casey Roche
REACH Manager
Casey Roche’s journey with camp started at a young age when her child life specialist and parents encouraged her to give it a try. Little did she know that the one week experience at six years old would introduce her to her passion and change her life forever. After attending and working at camps throughout the SeriousFun Network for many years, Casey drove through the gates of Victory Junction for the first time in 2016 as a volunteer. She graduated from Winthrop University in 2017 with a degree in Special Education, and quickly began the search for opportunities to incorporate camp into her young career. Since then, she has served in many roles at VJ, including adventure counselor, camper recruiter, and now, as REACH Manager! Casey considers herself to be one of the luckiest people she knows to have experienced the joy of camp first hand, and she is grateful for the opportunities to continue to share the Camp magic with kiddos and families through her visits to the hospitals!
Casey Roche
REACH Manager
Casey Roche’s journey with camp started at a young age when her child life specialist and parents encouraged her to give it a try. Little did she know that the one week experience at six years old would introduce her to her passion and change her life forever. After attending and working at camps throughout the SeriousFun Network for many years, Casey drove through the gates of Victory Junction for the first time in 2016 as a volunteer. She graduated from Winthrop University in 2017 with a degree in Special Education, and quickly began the search for opportunities to incorporate camp into her young career. Since then, she has served in many roles at VJ, including adventure counselor, camper recruiter, and now, as REACH Manager! Casey considers herself to be one of the luckiest people she knows to have experienced the joy of camp first hand, and she is grateful for the opportunities to continue to share the Camp magic with kiddos and families through her visits to the hospitals!
Addi Sherrill, CTRS, LRT
REACH Manager
Addi Sherrill joined the Victory Junction REACH Team in 2022. She had the privilege of working at Camp in the summer of 2018, and shes says that it was the best summer of her life. Working as a camp counselor gave Addi a new outlook on life, helped solidify her decision to pursue a degree in Recreation Therapy, and eventually led her to a year-round position at Victory Junction. Addi loves bringing the magic of Camp to children and adolescents in hospitals who are dealing with various diagnoses, and she says it’s a true dream come true for her to be a REACH Manager for Victory Junction. Addi believes that everyone, no matter their ability level or diagnosis, deserves to live their best life, and she truly believes that Camp allows everyone involved to do just that!
Addi Sherrill, CTRS, LRT
REACH Manager
Addi Sherrill joined the Victory Junction REACH Team in 2022. She had the privilege of working at Camp in the summer of 2018, and shes says that it was the best summer of her life. Working as a camp counselor gave Addi a new outlook on life, helped solidify her decision to pursue a degree in Recreation Therapy, and eventually led her to a year-round position at Victory Junction. Addi loves bringing the magic of Camp to children and adolescents in hospitals who are dealing with various diagnoses, and she says it’s a true dream come true for her to be a REACH Manager for Victory Junction. Addi believes that everyone, no matter their ability level or diagnosis, deserves to live their best life, and she truly believes that Camp allows everyone involved to do just that!
Billie Jo Davis
Barn Director
Billie Jo Davis has always had a passion for animals and for helping others! Growing up, she spent her free time riding horses on her family’s farm. While in college, she volunteered at a therapeutic riding center and competed on her college equestrian team. During her time volunteering, Billie Jo decided that she also wanted to make an impact on the lives of others by becoming a therapeutic riding instructor. Billie Jo is a graduate from Salem College with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, and she is also a PATH-certified therapeutic riding instructor (CTRI) . In addition to her education and horsemanship, Billie Jo has several years of experience as a physical therapy technician and in coordinating and facilitating recreational equine-assisted activities. Helping others experience the magic that animals and horseback riding brings is one of Billie Jo’s greatest thrills of her job! Come visit our barn!
Billie Jo Davis
Barn Director
Billie Jo Davis has always had a passion for animals and for helping others! Growing up, she spent her free time riding horses on her family’s farm. While in college, she volunteered at a therapeutic riding center and competed on her college equestrian team. During her time volunteering, Billie Jo decided that she also wanted to make an impact on the lives of others by becoming a therapeutic riding instructor. Billie Jo is a graduate from Salem College with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, and she is also a PATH-certified therapeutic riding instructor (CTRI) . In addition to her education and horsemanship, Billie Jo has several years of experience as a physical therapy technician and in coordinating and facilitating recreational equine-assisted activities. Helping others experience the magic that animals and horseback riding brings is one of Billie Jo’s greatest thrills of her job! Come visit our barn!
Evan Bailey
Assistant Barn Director
Evan Bailey is from western Michigan, where he spent about a decade working at various camps, ranches, and barns. Evan attended college in Michigan, where he studied leadership. In February of 2022 he moved to North Carolina to work as the Assistant Barn Director at Victory Junction. As a part of the barn staff, Evan is motivated to provide everyone who enters the barn with a safe and fun experience. Working with the summer staff and volunteers is one of his favorite parts of Camp. Be sure to come by the barn and say hello the next time you visit Victory Junction!
Evan Bailey
Assistant Barn Director
Evan Bailey is from western Michigan, where he spent about a decade working at various camps, ranches, and barns. Evan attended college in Michigan, where he studied leadership. In February of 2022 he moved to North Carolina to work as the Assistant Barn Director at Victory Junction. As a part of the barn staff, Evan is motivated to provide everyone who enters the barn with a safe and fun experience. Working with the summer staff and volunteers is one of his favorite parts of Camp. Be sure to come by the barn and say hello the next time you visit Victory Junction!
Myray Fisher
Barn Program Assistant
Anna “Myray” Fisher has always loved working with animals and helping others any way she can. She grew up in Sophia, North Carolian on her family’s farm, so she has always known about Camp and the impact it makes. Myray went to college at Randolph Community College for a degree in Agribusiness Technology. She has always wanted a job where she could combine her passion for animals and helping others. In addition to her experience with animals, Myray is also a certified pharmacy technician. Getting to make an impact has always been important to her, and getting to see the impact the animals and horses have on others is one of Myray’s favorite things about her job!
Myray Fisher
Barn Program Assistant
Anna “Myray” Fisher has always loved working with animals and helping others any way she can. She grew up in Sophia, North Carolian on her family’s farm, so she has always known about Camp and the impact it makes. Myray went to college at Randolph Community College for a degree in Agribusiness Technology. She has always wanted a job where she could combine her passion for animals and helping others. In addition to her experience with animals, Myray is also a certified pharmacy technician. Getting to make an impact has always been important to her, and getting to see the impact the animals and horses have on others is one of Myray’s favorite things about her job!
Jodi Chiz
Camp Admissions & Partnerships Director
Jodi Chiz earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management from NC State University in December 2012 and went on to complete her Masters of Nonprofit Management from the University of Central Florida in May 2015. Her love for working with children and desire to serve others is what led her to start her career at Victory Junction. She has been a part of our team since 2016, serving in several capacities for the organization. She has worked on both our REACH Team and our on-site Camp Program Team, before transitioning into working with our Partnership Programs. She currently is our Camp Admissions and Partnerships Director and works primarily with partnering organizations to provide camp experiences to groups and families through a mix of programming opportunities. In addition, she works to support the Camp Admissions Department through processing and recruitment efforts to help families get to Camp! In her free time, Jodi enjoys spending time with her husband Zachary, her two children (Ivy Jo and Carter), traveling, and being a part of her local community.
Jodi Chiz
Camp Admissions & Partnerships Director
Jodi Chiz earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management from NC State University in December 2012 and went on to complete her Masters of Nonprofit Management from the University of Central Florida in May 2015. Her love for working with children and desire to serve others is what led her to start her career at Victory Junction. She has been a part of our team since 2016, serving in several capacities for the organization. She has worked on both our REACH Team and our on-site Camp Program Team, before transitioning into working with our Partnership Programs. She currently is our Camp Admissions and Partnerships Director and works primarily with partnering organizations to provide camp experiences to groups and families through a mix of programming opportunities. In addition, she works to support the Camp Admissions Department through processing and recruitment efforts to help families get to Camp! In her free time, Jodi enjoys spending time with her husband Zachary, her two children (Ivy Jo and Carter), traveling, and being a part of her local community.
Allie Hylton
Camper Recruiter
Born and raised just a couple of miles from Victory Junction, Allie Hylton remembers Camp’s opening when she was in middle school. Since the first time she heard about Victory Junction and its mission, Allie has always claimed that it would be a “dream job” to work there full time. As a young adult, Allie’s passion for the camp setting grew immensely, as she worked for nine summers at another local summer camp. Her previous camp experience allowed her to explore all facets of summer camp. After working as a high school English teacher for five years, Allie decided to look for another career opportunity that would still give her the ability to work with others in a meaningful way. In September 2019, her passion for people and relationships led her to join Victory Junction as a camper recruiter. Allie loves working with camper families and the opportunity it provides her to live out her “dream job”.
Allie Hylton
Camper Recruiter
Born and raised just a couple of miles from Victory Junction, Allie Hylton remembers Camp’s opening when she was in middle school. Since the first time she heard about Victory Junction and its mission, Allie has always claimed that it would be a “dream job” to work there full time. As a young adult, Allie’s passion for the camp setting grew immensely, as she worked for nine summers at another local summer camp. Her previous camp experience allowed her to explore all facets of summer camp. After working as a high school English teacher for five years, Allie decided to look for another career opportunity that would still give her the ability to work with others in a meaningful way. In September 2019, her passion for people and relationships led her to join Victory Junction as a camper recruiter. Allie loves working with camper families and the opportunity it provides her to live out her “dream job”.
Ryan Sykes
Camper Recruiter
As a Camper Recruiter, Ryan Sykes facilitates relationships with various medical practices, clinics, and schools to increase accessibility of campers to Victory Junction. While relatively new to the Victory Junction family, Ryan is excited about his amazing journey. Working in both childcare and sales for the past 12 years, Ryan feels that he is ready to fulfill his long-time dream of enriching the lives of children with serious illnesses. When not at work, Ryan enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, or really doing anything outdoors.
Ryan Sykes
Camper Recruiter
As a Camper Recruiter, Ryan Sykes facilitates relationships with various medical practices, clinics, and schools to increase accessibility of campers to Victory Junction. While relatively new to the Victory Junction family, Ryan is excited about his amazing journey. Working in both childcare and sales for the past 12 years, Ryan feels that he is ready to fulfill his long-time dream of enriching the lives of children with serious illnesses. When not at work, Ryan enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, or really doing anything outdoors.
