Ijeoma Duru, Director of Camp Canopy

Ijeoma’s love for camp was rooted in the summertime opportunities granted through her middle school, Uncommon’s very own Roxbury Prep. Due to life changing summer scholarships, she had the opportunity to discover her love and passion for theater, the outdoors, dance, and poetry all through summer camps! Having had such amazing camp experiences at such a young age, Ijeoma learned how integral yet unattainable these spaces were to children who looked like her. In her exciting new role as Camp Director Fellow, Ijeoma wishes to provide more spaces for kids to thrive in their own element, find their tribe, develop their passion and experience Kid Magic! And what better place to do that than camp!

Before joining the Change Summer family, Ijeoma graduated from Pace University in 2014 with a B.A. in Biological Psychology and her Masters in the Art of Teaching from the Relay Graduate School of Education in 2016. She began her teaching career in Brooklyn, NY as a Math teacher at Uncommon Collegiate Charter School where she served kids for 6 years as an instructional leader, grade level lead, and Dean of Students. In 2019, Ijeoma took on the role of Principal of Roxbury Preparatory High School; heading back home where she took charge in leading her school in mentoring future agents of change and training anti-racist educators in closing the opportunity and achievement gap for Black and Brown children in Boston.

Now, after serving students and unlocking potential inside the classroom, Ijeoma is beyond excited to transition and experience more Kid Magic as she returns to the Change Summer family! Ijeoma is proud to have worked as a Camp Uncommon Founder in 2016 and to have founded the Junior Counselor Program in 2017. Outside of winning the ultimate Bear, Ninja, Cowboy competitions, Ijeoma loves to spend her time knitting new garments, snuggling with her cat Holi, or volunteering with her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.!

Josh Phillips, CEO of Change Summer

Josh attended Camp Naticook in New Hampshire as a child and worked as the Head Boys Counselor at Camp Laurel in Maine for several summers.

He founded Camp Uncommon in 2016 and Change Summer in 2018. Formerly, he served as Uncommon’s Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director of Rochester and Troy schools, and Chief of Innovation and School Operations. He was previously the Co-Director of Roxbury Preparatory Charter School in Boston. In 2007, Roxbury Prep’s 8th graders had the highest math MCAS scores in the entire state of Massachusetts. 

Prior to leadership at Roxbury Prep, Josh served as the Enrichment Coordinator and sixth grade World History teacher. He was also a history teacher-intern at the John D. O’Bryant School of Math and Science while earning an EdM in Teaching and Curriculum from Harvard University. Josh received his B.A. in political science from Colgate University and his M.A. in political science from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He is a Pahara Aspen Fellow and currently serves on the Boards of Trustees of the American Camp Association of NY/NJ and Rochester Prep Charter School.

Jamal Thomas, Assistant Director

Jamal Thomas graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA earning his degree in Business Management. He continued his education in New York, where he received his Masters in the Art of Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. Jamal’s passion for education has led him to create opportunities such as being a Classroom Consultant and the Director of Classroom Consultant at XR-Technology. He has also worked as a math teacher, Grade Level Lead, Instructional Leader, and track coach at Uncommon Charter Schools in Brooklyn, NY as well as a Director of Instruction and Assistant Principal for a middle school at Chicago International Charter School in Chicago, IL.

Currently, Jamal works at Noble Schools in Chicago, where he teaches Algebra 2 while evolving the process for self-engagement in the classroom. In addition, he is building his own organization called Vulnerable Education, which focuses on providing professional development to grade school students and providing them with the tools to engage productively in school spaces.

As a continued effort, Jamal is excited and looking forward to working with Camp Canopy to create a safe space of fun and engagement for students. He believes that providing opportunities for children to thrive in their own element, find their tribe, develop their passions, and experience structured personal engagement is essential for their growth and success.

Erin Shaw, Head of Program

Erin has been teaching English to high schoolers in Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and the Indianapolis area for the past eight years, but has been a lifelong lover of all things outdoors. She began her love of nature as a hiker and camper in different parks as a kid and now has a goal to hike and camp in a National or State Park in all 50 states; so far, she's been to more than 115 different parks! 

She's known since kindergarten that she wanted to be a teacher and pursued opportunities in tutoring, cadet teaching as a senior in high school, a Secondary English Education degree from Indiana University, a Master's in Teaching from Relay Graduate School for Education, and various coaching and leadership positions at each school she works at. She hosts game tournaments with her family, is always down for costume day, and loves the magic that kids bring to every day.

Briana Thomas, Head of Team Wellness

Meet Briana Thomas, a seasoned educator, certified yoga instructor, and wellness coach who is deeply committed to promoting mental health and emotional well-being for children and adults alike. Briana holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Pace University and is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

With over a decade of experience in mindfulness and culturally responsive teaching strategies, Briana has witnessed persistent challenges in schools around the world, including a lack of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, trauma awareness, and communication skills among both students and adults. Her goal is to bring about positive change in her native Boston and other communities that have enriched her life.

Briana's dedication to education and wellness enables her to bridge the gap between the two and provide tailored solutions that align with Camp Canopy's objectives. In her role as Head of Team Wellness, Briana brings her expertise to the forefront, whether it's implementing mindfulness practices, leading yoga sessions, or promoting emotional intelligence.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Briana enjoys exploring new cultures, hiking, free diving, and indulging in vegan cuisine. She is passionate about empowering campers and staff to live their best lives and is committed to making a difference through her work.

Sonnithia Springer, Head Counselor

Summer is a great time to kick back, relax, have fun, and enjoy the great outdoors, and that is what Sonnithia plans to do this summer with campers! A native of Brooklyn, NY and a Spelman College alumna, Sonnithia is very excited to bring her urban flair and passion for working with children to Camp Canopy this summer! Working as a Head Counselor this summer has her super excited to bring safety and fun to campers. Working closely to manage, mentor, and support counselors in day to day operations, she is also eager to create relationships and strong bonds with campers!

Sonnithia was a fifth grade teacher at a charter school in Brooklyn for six years and a seventh grade teacher for two. She is well-versed in what it means to be a middle school educator. Currently she is an associate dean for a high school but is very excited to return to the energetic and spontaneous world of middle school! She has worked with middle school campers for three consecutive years prior to her teaching fellowship. Sonnithia loves the color yellow, minions, and cooking! This summer is going to be a blast, and she cannot wait to meet you and your camper! 

Lyndsay Mitchell, Family Liasion

As a child, Lyndsay began camping with her girl scout troop in Los Angeles at Camp Hollywoodland, where she developed a love for camping. When asked her most memorable moments, Lyndsay credits it to exploring the outdoors, making ice cream to accompany the s’mores, and making friends to last a lifetime. Lyndsay’s background in the field of education and working with students includes over 16 years in public schools,  9 of those years are as a certified elementary and middle school teacher. 

Presently, Lyndsay serves as a Math Interventionist Manager at a charter school in DC. Lyndsay graduated from Howard University earning her bachelor’s degree in human development with a concentration in elementary education. She also has her master’s degree in elementary education from Georgia State University. Lyndsay, is finalizing her doctoral program, which will grant her a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership. 

As the family liaison for Camp Canopy, Lyndsay looks forward to connecting with families and campers throughout their experience, making all communication memorable and enjoyable. Her passion to be an advocate, mentor, and leader amongst youth stems from having great guidance in her life that she pays forward by being present in the lives of our campers