Camp Fire Names Shawna Rosenzweig CEO to Lead 115-Year-Old National Youth Development Organization into its Next Era of Impact

Effective January 1, 2025, Rosenzweig's leadership will drive the legacy organization's next chapter of innovation and impact to meet youth and families where they are today

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Camp Fire, a leading inclusive national youth development organization, proudly announces Shawna Rosenzweig as its new Chief Executive Officer effective as of January 1, 2025. A transformative leader with more than two decades of experience in Positive Youth Development (PYD), Rosenzweig brings a wealth of expertise in program innovation, organizational strategy, and culturally responsive leadership. Her vision for the future of Camp Fire builds on its rich 115-year history, expanding programming for youth while fostering equitable opportunities to thrive and broadening strategic partnerships that lay the groundwork for another century of relevance and impact.

Rosenzweig first joined Camp Fire in 2013 as the Director of Program Delivery & Evaluation; she advanced to Chief Strategy Officer and then most recently, President; her expertise has strengthened Camp Fire as a leader in youth development, building national partnerships, and generating more than $10 million in investments for young people.

"I am deeply honored to serve as Camp Fire's CEO," Rosenzweig said. "Growing up is hard. At a time when young people face greater mental health challenges, more disconnection, and aren't getting the resources and support they need to thrive, Camp Fire's mission is vital. My vision is to build on the organization's important work to date by further empowering our affiliates, elevating Camp Fire as a leader in the youth development space, and ensuring more young people feel seen, heard, and valued."

Over the past 12 years, Rosenzweig has championed the organization's inclusion and belonging efforts by helping to address and end cultural appropriation; she led the creation of The Camp Fire Journey, a research-based program framework unifying Camp Fire's approach to supporting youth to thrive, and expanded access to overnight camp for historically excluded youth through the Camp Accessibility, Meaningful Participation, and Equal Representation (C.A.M.P.E.R.) initiative; Rosenzweig also launched Camp Fire's national STEM strategy, as well as a wide range of middle school and high school programs over the past decade. Last year, Shawna was recognized with the Worthy100 Award, presented by L'Oréal Groupe, for her significant contributions to the youth development sector.

Before her time at Camp Fire, Rosenzweig worked with the Thrive Foundation for Youth, Sesame Workshop, and Global Kids in New York City; she also spent time in the Middle East developing conflict resolution programs for teens in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. She serves on the board of directors for the National Afterschool Association and advises multiple national youth development initiatives. In 2025, she will speak on a panel at SXSW EDU about utilizing the outdoors as a solution for the youth mental health crisis.

Rosenzweig's work ensures that Camp Fire affiliates across 24 states and Washington, D.C. are equipped to create inclusive, impactful programs serving more than 100,000 youth and families annually. Her transformative leadership and strategic vision promise to propel Camp Fire into an exciting new chapter of growth, driving the organization's mission of connecting young people to the outdoors, others, and themselves.

ABOUT CAMP FIRE
Growing up is hard. That's why Camp Fire connects young people to the outdoors, to others and to themselves. Founded in 1910, Camp Fire was the first nonsectarian, multiracial organization for girls; but today, Camp Fire is an inclusive national youth development nonprofit that serves all young people. By creating safe spaces where young people can have fun and be themselves, its 46 affiliates in 24 states provide affirming year-round youth-driven experiences—school day programs, afterschool programs, leadership programs, camps and outdoor education—that enable youth to develop essential skills that have long-term benefits and make a positive social impact on the world.

MEDIA CONTACT
Kara Prior, myWHY Agency
[email protected]
(312) 291-1099

SOURCE Camp Fire