Board of Directors

Andre Theisen

President

Andre is a Minnesota native who spent over twenty summers at Mishawaka as camper, counselor, and Boys Camp Director, from 1974-2006. All eight of Andre’s siblings also attended or worked at Mishawaka - a record, we believe. Andre’s camp experiences fostered his love of the outdoors and inspired later Boundary Waters, Quetico, and Mississippi River canoe trips, as well as outdoor adventures across the country and around the world. Andre now lives in New York City, where he teaches middle school Humanities, but he returns to Minnesota each summer and includes a stop at camp.

Blake Hiltabrand

Treasurer

A native of Bloomington, IL, Blake was a 2nd generation camper, attending Mishawaka from 1984 to 1990 and served on staff in 1991. Blake’s own children attended Mishawaka for many years, as well. A graduate of Wake Forest University, Blake’s career in the financial services industry has spanned 3 decades. Presently he serves as the Global Head of UBS O’Connor based in Chicago. An avid outdoorsman, Blake enjoys fishing, hunting and anything outdoors.

Mary Hill Achelpohl

Mary served on the Mishawaka staff from 2000 to 2010, and has continued her Camp connection ever since. She worked alongside Mary Jane Curran for 6 summers as the Girls Camp program director designing and implementing the schedule of activities, even as she continued to lead gymnastics and waterfront activities.

Mary is a graduate of University of Iowa and holds an EdD in Educational Leadership from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Her dissertation explored summer camp and experiential learning, specifically as it affected children with limited means. Mary has served as a school counselor, mental health therapist, and currently works as the coordinator of practicum experiences in the College of Education at UNO. She and her husband, Sam, live in Omaha, NE with their three children who are all lucky enough to be Mishawaka campers!

Kevin Byrnes

Kevin, a native of Milwaukee, WI, was a Mishawaka camper in the 1980s and returned to serve on staff for five years in the 1990s. Kevin had many interests as a camper, but his passion was tripping and he took numerous BWCA and Quetico trips, both as a camper and staff member. Kevin and his wife Sara met while working at Mishawaka and they have two daughters who attended Camp Mishawaka.

Kevin is a graduate of Marquette University and Mitchell Hamline school of law. He has worked for the Federal Reserve, Wells Fargo and currently owns his own film production company. Kevin is the former President of the organization and led the nonprofit side of the transition process.

Cynthia Hudson

Cynthia Hudson, a native of Weston, Missouri, learned about camp from their dear family friend, Noelle Todd, Mishawaka’s Girls Camp for nearly 30 years. Cynthia was a camper in the early 1970’s and a CIT (’74) and a JC (’75) and is delighted that her niece and nephew continue the family tradition today. Cynthia is the founder and Board Chair of HudsonLake, Inc., a strategic communications firm headquartered in the Washington, DC area. Now retired, Cynthia’s communications experience included serving as a communications advisor to two presidential campaigns and a member of Congress before leading the PR industry’s then-largest global public affairs practice and establishing HudsonLake. Her award-winning work included managing high-profile corporate crises and public affairs campaigns for Fortune 50 companies, foreign sovereigns, and not-for-profit organizations. She resides in the Northern Neck of Virginia and enjoys boating, fishing and traveling.

Steve Purdum

Steve Purdum, a resident of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, began his Mishawaka experience in 1974, spending eight years as a camper and eight years on staff before acquiring this historic camp in 1992. Steve and his wife Julie’s years-long stewardship and Steve’s leadership as Executive Director were instrumental in helping shepherd Camp Mishawaka to its 100-year anniversary. With a strong commitment to “preserve and protect” Camp Mishawaka for the next 100 years, Steve realized that even after his more than $2 million in capital improvement investments, the increasing costs of growing enrollments and higher property values would require more. His plan to secure Mishawaka for future generations: responsibly transition camp from his privately-held ownership into a viable 501(c)(3) organization. In 2021, Steve launched the process and just three years later his lead gift of nearly $1 million, together with a robust capital campaign that raised approximately $4 million, was successful. Camp Mishawaka became a 501(c)(3) organization overseen by a Board of loyal alumni. Having ensured that Camp Mishawaka would continue to thrive well into the future, Steve and Julie continue to serve, with Steve remaining as its Executive Director and Julie, a nurse, as its Health Director. When Steve is not traveling the country meeting with camp families, prospective campers, and alumni he enjoy anything outdoors, travel and writing.