Meet our Instructors
Dr. Tim Jordan and Anne Jordan have worked over the years to build a strong Instructing Team to help facilitate the Weekend Retreats and Summer Camps. We are very proud of our Camp Weloki Instructors and all the wonderful energy and loving compassion they bring to our campers. They are always exceptional people with many skills and talents to share and are committed to children, their well-being and safety.
Leilani Long
I live in San Antonio Texas and I love spending summers at Camp Weloki for girls. I earned my bachelors of Science in Education at Missouri State University and taught high school English. After earning my masters degree in Psychology from Sophia University in Palo Alto California, I now work as a specialist for an urban school district in a drop out prevention program that focuses on high risk teens and preteens.
At my job at school, I see firsthand the value of the skills and strategies campers learn and can use in everyday life at home and at school. I have worked with camp since 2001 and love the learning and playing that can only happen here.
TJ Jordan
I had the rare privilege of literally growing up at Camp Weloki! My parents Tim and Anne are the camp founders/owners and from age 8 to the present day I have attended camp for all but a few summers. I graduated from TCU in 2007 with a degree in Political Science and then became a middle school teacher in Chicago with Teach For America.
Upon completing my two years of teaching, I left the country for a solo travel adventure that ended up lasting almost 3 years as I lived, worked and traveled through much of New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, and South America. I returned to the States in 2013 and have spent the past 3 years working for the BAM (Becoming A Man) Program as a Counselor in an inner-city Chicago Public High School. I mentor and counsel at-risk male youth and absolutely love my job. I’m grateful to pass on to the young men the social-emotional intelligence that I acquired from so many summers of Camp Weloki.
Jen Meerdink
I am a Clinical Psychologist (Ph.D.), Executive Coach and Organizational Consultant, based in Pagosa Springs Colorado but working with all sorts of clients all over the country and beyond. I was first a Weloki instructor nearly two decades ago. Currently, in addition to all the personal and business coaching I do both in person and “virtually,” l also teach, facilitate and consult to a wide range of for-profit and non-profit businesses, large and small, nationally and internationally. While my work is varied, what runs through it all is my commitment to the potential and natural impulse inherent in us all to create effective shared environments and happy, satisfying lives that matter… given the right support!
What first drew me to Weloki was the possibility of being part of a team process that offers teens a way to be optimally engaged and empowered in their own lives, whatever their circumstances… in a setting in which they can be authentic and learn in a fun, supportive, “real life” environment. In my work with adults, I quickly learned that the perspectives that tend to shape our lives most powerfully began when we were teens. To be a part of working with young people at a time when key beliefs and perspectives are being formed and key choices are being made is deeply rewarding for me!
Morgan Osmani
One of my favorite life experiences of the summer is Camp Weloki. I work in private practice as a psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and mindfulness meditation instructor in Austin, Texas. When I am not working at camp as an instructor, I facilitate retreats for adults of all ages in Hawaii, the US, and Canada, in addition to counseling clients one-on-one.
I started at Camp Weloki in 1996 at the age of 13, and then as counseling and instruction staff since 2002. Summer is not the same without camp and the long-lasting friendships the Weloki experience nurtures. The rich environment of play, discovery, self-reflection, personal growth, fun, joy, connection, friendship, and the loving presence that our community of staff and campers provide create life-changing experiences. Camp Weloki gave me the tools to embrace all aspects of life and inspired me to help others do the same. I cannot imagine a better way to spend time over the summer than learning and growing through the adventure and spirit of Camp Weloki. I look forward to forming lasting relationships with each of our campers for many summers to come.
Ginny Luther
I hold an M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from Ithaca College and have been certified by the International Network for Children and Families sharing my expertise through a variety of positive discipline programs that promote healthy adult-child relationships. My educational roles have included therapist, Pre-K teacher of children with varying exceptionalities, assistant administrator, and early childhood program coordinator. For over thirteen years I have been employed as a Loving Guidance Associate and certified instructor of Dr. Becky Bailey’s Conscious Discipline. My roles include National/International speaking and trainer mentorship, Family/educational consultation, Parent/Teacher Coach, and a support group leader for school districts, parents, communities, corporate organizations, military bases and clubs. I have been a part of the Camp Weloki family since 1994 serving as a counselor and instructor in Dr. Tim’s summer camps. My real passion for camp comes from my commitment to helping children see conflict as an opportunity for growth. I love to teach at Camp Weloki because of the unique way unity is created in just one week. This connection opens the doors for a safe environment that allows kids to be their authentic selves and value their self worth.
Kate Savage
I have a Sociology/Psychology, BS degree from Maryville University, M.Ed, Counseling from Missouri Baptist. I have been working with Camp Weloki since 1995 and I started instructing with Tim in 1998.
I met Tim Jordan at a personal growth course, (UYO, 1992) and immediately connected with his dream to make the world a safer place for children through his work with children and families. I wanted to be involved in that dream. My involvement helped me discover my purpose as well. I come back because the work that is facilitated through the campers and staff at camp really does change the world.
Kelly Jakubowski
I have been involved with Camp Weloki since I was 9 years old. I began attending as a camper and eventually became a counselor and an instructor. So I guess you could say camp has been an important part of my life. I suppose that will happen when your parents are Tim and Anne Jordan! I always enjoy coming back to camp to relax and learn more about myself and others.
Katherine Banister
I began with Weloki as a camper in middle school and I have been a counselor since 2006. Professionally, I have a master’s in social work and have worked with kids from Pre-K to age 20 in schools, residential facilities, juvenile detention, homeless shelters, and etc! Currently, I am a counselor at an elementary school in north St. Louis city. I also live in St. Louis myself. Though I counsel kids daily, there is nothing like camp. You’ll find me playing, dancing, and just generally letting loose (and always wearing tie dye!). I keep coming back because every summer I am inspired to see how coming together as a positive, nurturing community empowers each individual kid to grow and shine.
Savannah McCord
My journey with camp began in 2007 when I was in middle school, as my parents were going through a divorce. During such a transitional time, camp was introduced to me and it became the most stable place that I had. During the time between middle school and high school, camp helped me stay grounded in myself and helped me discover the deeper aspects to my journey – to find my purpose, my passion, and muster the confidence to pursue all of the opportunities help me in my journey. That heart and spirit of the same middle school girl now holds two Bachelors degrees – a B.S in Business Management and a B.A in Psychology from Southern Illinois University. Currently, I am employed at Lockton Companies in St. Louis, MO, and am involved both with camp, a teacher for the Art of Dance and Classical Ballet studio in O’Fallon, MO, and serve on the Young Professionals Board for a developing charity called Neighborhood Houses. Camp has changed me drastically, and I could not be more grateful for my opportunity to learn from camp and to now be afforded the ability to teach these same lessons to our girls.
Alexa Franke
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, I am a proud Lindenwood University graduate and Middle School teacher. My fourteen years spent attending Camp Weloki, first in 2002 as a camper then as a CIT, counselor, and now an instructor, have given me experiences that continue to greatly impact my life. I am inspired to share all that I have learned with everyone I meet, but especially young individuals during such pivotal moments in their journey. Camp Weloki sparked a passion in me that has be invaluable in my pursuit to educate young adults about emotional intelligence, their social impact, communication skills, leadership, stress management, and being true to themselves. My dedication to camp runs deeper than just a devotion to education, children, and my time invested in camp, but is rooted in my desire to mentor young women as I, myself, have been mentored to become who I am today.
