John has a Master’s degree in elementary education and has been a teacher for 23 years. He’s a camp mentor, a parent educator and has way more energy than normal humans. There is nothing he’d love more than to be 9 years old again and he makes it his mission to bring social learning, community building and adventure together to create a program where kids feel safe, known and motivated to get passionate about the things that interest them. John is on the same page with kids and that connection is based on a high level of mutual respect and shared joy. He in fact holds several playground records for paddle ball, real life Temple Run, and four square. John is CPR and first aid certified for children and adults and has four kids of his own.

Susan draws on a variety of experiences in her role as creativity maven with the Planet Rangers and Summer Rangers programs. In addition to a marketing and training director, she’s been the director of a large commercial kitchen, a creative writing teacher, senior staff at a performing arts camp, director of an elementary theater program and the mother of four delightful children. Her degree is in psychology, which turns out to equip her well in the art of fostering happy campers. Susan is passionate about expanding kids’ horizons, whether by introducing dried squid snacks or determining how best to create a minotaur’s maze with cardboard boxes and duct tape. Susan is CPR and first aid certified for children and adults and is Servsafe certified by the National Restaurant Association.

A Bennington College graduate, Grady studied both theatre and education before jumping into the camp world — and she’s been right at home there ever since! Serving at times as a leadership team member, CIT liaison, and camp director, she brings 15+ years of experience to the Planet Rangers arena. Alongside a love of the arts herself, Grady’s passionate about helping kids build confidence by stepping out of their comfort zones and learning just how much they really are capable of! She’s also a stepmom of an awesome teenager, mom of a rambunctious toddler, and CPR & First Aid Certified.

Our camp Creative Director is a graphic designer and a big kid at heart who dreams up fantastical ideas to immerse kids in another world! Nikki’s Hartford Art School BFA has led her to many stops along her journey to Planet Rangers—senior art director at Business NH Magazine; sole proprietor of Good Idea Design; substitute art teacher for Dondero Elementary; and years of themed-birthday parties for her son Reno, cap off a constant love of art and kids. And it wouldn’t be a normal day at camp without Nikki in character and sporting a mustache!