The CampHacker Podcast

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/iil-chris-h Dungeons & Directors: Chris Hudson’s Wild Card Ride on Love, Awe, and Camp In this unique installment of the CampHacker Podcast's Intentionally Intentional Leaders series, Executive Producer Matt Wilfrid sits down with Chris Hudson , consultant, speaker, youth deve...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/how-to-hire-a-camp-consultant - Making the Case for a Camp Consultant Are you feeling stuck running the same old systems? This episode pulls back the curtain on why hiring an outside camp consultant is an investment, not an expense. Travis and Chris, both experienced consultants, dive...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/welcoming-and-including-1st-year-staff How to Make Every New Staff Member Feel Included and Supported from Day One This week on the Camp Hacker Podcast, Chris Hudson, Travis Allison, and Kim Aycock dive into how to make camp's most beloved "magic moments" genuinely welco...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/wildcard-chris-rd TQAMP ’s Chris Rehs-Dupin: Failure, Humanity, and the Wild Card of Leadership Join host Travis Allison for the inaugural "Wild Card" segment of the Camp Hacker Podcast, an interview game show format inspired by the NPR show. He welcomes Chris Rehs-Dupin from...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/camphacker/preemptive-scarcity-mindset - Are Camp Directors Getting Too Scared, Too Early?  This episode centers on the 'preemptive scarcity mindset' affecting camp directors, who are increasingly worried about future challenges related to enrollment, staffing, and budgeting. The conver...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/ops From Paperwork to People: The “Ops” Deep Dive Episode Are you truly taking the operational side of camp seriously enough? If you're like many camp leaders, the answer is probably "not yet." This episode of the CampHacker Podcast dives deep into the often-undiscu...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/dei-camp-2025 Is Summer Camp Inherently Racist? A Frank Discussion on DEI in the Camp Industry This week on the CampHacker Podcast, Travis Allison gets straight to the point with Chris Hudson, Rachel Kent, and Simone Gamble: Is summer camp inherently racist? They dig into the hist...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/power-of-performance Unlocking Hidden Potential: What All Camps Can Learn From the Magic of Performing Arts Camps What's the secret sauce of performing arts camps? Host Travis Allison chats with Chris Hudson, Carolyn Daniels (Meridan YMCA), and Theo Lencicki (Camp Broadway) t...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/modern-mentor What does it take to be a great mentor in the camp industry? This week on CampHacker, hosts Travis Allison, Chris Hudson, and guest Michael Garcia (author of " Becoming a Modern Mentor ") dive into the essential elements of effective mentorship. They share...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/culture-customer Mastering Camp Culture: From Disney Magic to Tea-Kettle Secrets! Dive into the latest episode of the CampHacker Podcast, where Travis Allison, Chris Hudson, and Heather Withrow unravel the secrets behind creating a vibrant and intentional camp culture. From the en...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/talk-to-parents Save the dodging and weaving for wide-game, not for avoiding camp parents! On this episode of CampHacker, Travis and Chris are joined by Ruby Compton, and Joanna Warren Smith to really dig into the importance of communicating with camp parents. They discuss the com...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/spicy-questions Are these questions about the camp industry too hot to handle? In this special live recording from OCA Connects 2025, Travis is joined by Go Camp Pro podcast hosts Howie Grossinger ( The Camp Owners Podcast ), Rachel Kent ( Beyond Camp ), and Matt Wilfrid ( First C...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/adhd Is Summer Camp the Right Profession for Someone with ADHD? "I thought it was just me." This is the sentiment shared by many camp professionals with ADHD. On this episode of Camp Hacker, Travis, Kelie, and Shauna open up about their personal experiences with ADHD, sh...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/no-fun Is it even possible to have fun while being a camp director? This week on CampHacker, we're tackling a big question: Should camp directors have fun? It might seem obvious, but we dig deeper than just surface-level enjoyment. We explore what "fun" really means...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2025/hire-director Expectations vs. Reality: The Camp Director Job Market Join Travis Allison, Chris Hudson, Dan Weir, and Esther Eisenhard for another fantastic episode of the CampHacker podcast! This episode dives into key challenges and emerging trends in recruiting and retaining ca...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/campahead/scenario-planning-101 Exploring Camp Futures: Key Drivers and Scenario Planning In this episode of Camp Ahead, hosts Joe, Jess, and KJ  expand on the idea of scenario planning as an essential tool for thinking about the future. They discuss key drivers such as climate change, economics,...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/noticing Use noticing to build a culture of inclusivity and intention. In this episode of the CampHacker podcast, Travis and Chris discuss the vital skill of 'noticing' at camp. The duo share how camp leaders can foster awareness among staff and campers, ensuring dynamic...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! A new show from Go Camp Pro! Subscribe to Camp Ahead in Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or wherever you get your favourite Podcasts! Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/campahead/intro-to-mental-time-travel Welcome to Camp Ahead: The Futurology of the Summer Camp Industry In this inaugural episode of the Camp Ahead podcast, Joe Richards...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/gender-equity Do you notice that gender equity is something we are better at talking about than doing? In this episode, Travis and Chris welcome back Gabrielle Raill to explore the persistent issue of gender equity in camps. Chris leads a discussion on how camps often roll out the...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/delegate Do you keep saying, “It would be faster if I just did it?” Are you a camp professional struggling with delegation? Travis and Chris sit down and discuss the intricacies of effective delegation, sharing personal experiences, strategies, and tools to help camp directors emp...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/digital-detox Are we doing our staff and campers a disservice by not better managing the expectations around their phone time at camp? Travis and Chris sit down with Max Claman to chat about effective digital detox and the psychological impacts of removing screens. They also discu...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/ai-fall-2024 The State of AI and Camps: Fall 2024 In this episode of the CampHacker podcast, Travis and Chris explore the revolutionary impact of artificial intelligence on summer camp management. They dive into AI's role in streamlining operations, automating tasks, and enha...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/over-programmed  Are camps so packed with activities that it's actually detrimental?  In this episode of the CampHacker podcast, hosts Travis Allison and Chris Hudson discuss the concept of overprogramming at camps, questioning if an abundance of scheduled activities could be...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/05/start-camp-2025 If we were starting a summer camp from scratch, here’s what we can do! 200 episodes and over 14 years, the CampHacker Podcast has been around literally so long that we actually can’t find the first few episodes (seriously, if you find them, holler!). After 200+...

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/05/camp-pro-adhd You can be a camp professional and have ADHD - there are lots of us out there! You probably wouldn’t be surprised to know that as we have gotten more comfortable talking about exceptionalities, disabilities or diversabilities, the rate of diagnoses for those excep...