Year-round Staff Team

Executive Director
Terra McKenzie

Terra has always had a special place in her heart for Fircom. It began when she was fourteen and participated in Fircom’s Teen Camp program and it grew when she attended Mom and Kids Camp with her daughters, Isabelle and Jessica, in 2011. Over time, Terra took a more active role in the Fircom community, first as Camp Director in Summer 2012 and then as the Mom and Kids Camp Coordinator over the past seven summers.

Terra has a background in education and is ready to settle back into camp life after working as an Elementary School Principal in Bogota, Colombia for three years. She brings knowledge and experience to her new role, as well as a passion to live out the mission of camp – to create communities of belonging, and experiences to grow on. Terra is excited to lead her team and integrate her new ideas with the magic of camp that she loves so much.

Food Service Director
Dawn McKenzie

Having grown up just outside of Toronto and spending most of her summers outdoors in forests and at lakes, Dawn is at home in nature. Over the years, she has had many outdoor camp-like roles.

Dawn has a passion for connecting her love of the environment with her wealth of knowledge on Farm-to-Table cooking. She focuses on the importance and healing benefits of plants from both a nutritional and psychological standpoint. Dawn graduated from Sir Sandford Flemmlng’s Environmental Technologist Program and has a certificate in horticultural Therapy and looks at cooking from a nutritional and emotionally healing perspective.  

A fun fact about Dawn is she spent almost two years living in a tent while tree planting!

Program & Education Director
Marissa Gilmour

Marissa Gilmour grew up going to summer camp every year in the foothills outside of Calgary and developed an enthusiasm for the outdoors and loves it all – from hiking, to paddling, to simply sitting and breathing in the sights and sounds of the forest.  A graduate of Human Ecology from the College of the Atlantic, Marissa also led counsellor trainings for the Outdoor Orientation Program. She has also taught at a sea-kayaking summer camp in Portland, Maine, and was a Naturalist at an outdoor school in Stanislaus County in California. 

Before joining Camp Fircom in 2018, Marissa was the Director of the Leaders in Training program at Camp Chief Hector in Alberta. She aspires to create the kinds of experiences that she treasured in her youth, and is excited to bring her knowledge and love of summer camp to Fircom. 

Hospitality & Events Director
Marcella Battista

Marcella grew up in south Italy and after a Bachelor degree in Communications and foreign languages, she scored a job on a cruise ships line and she traveled the world for few a years. Passionate about the ocean, the environment with a drive for hospitality and event management Marcella lived in a few different cities in Europe before moving to Canada in 2017.

Being fluent in English, French and Italian, Marcella has been working as Marine Naturalist and Language tutor in Vancouver. Marcella is always ready to welcome guests to Camp Fircom, wether it be for a wedding, a retreat or a family vacation.

Hospitality & Events Coordinator

Debrick Avila

Born in a small town by the beach and raised in a big city, Debrick learned to love the best of both worlds. Before moving to Canada in 2018, he worked for a few years in the fashion industry, design and event planning, but also at day camps back in Mexico. He has a bachelor's degree in Image Consulting and Visual Merchandising.

Debrick is always looking to grow as a professional and as a human, he brings creativity and amazing organizing skills with him, whether he is out in the forest with kids and moms leading activities and playing, or he is welcoming guests and touring them around he will always give his 100%.

In his time off you can find him hanging from a tree, taking a nap, or looking for the best brunch place in the city.

Farm & Site Coordinator
Glen Gamble

Glen was born and raised in PEI before discovering his passion for travelling. He brings a diverse set of skills and work experiences to his role at Fircom. Whether it was working in kitchens, on community farms, or managing a social enterprise, Glen brings an amazing energy and positivity to his work.

Office Administrator
Autumn Juanicotena-Heal

For Autumn, Fircom is a large part of her identity. Having started at 14 as a volunteer for Mom and Kids. Since then, she has worked as a Summer Camp Counsellor, Mom and Kids Counselor,  Program Coordinator, Rentals Staff, and the occasional swing office person and dishwasher. She is excited for a more permanent role as Office Administrator. 

She has a difficult time committing to a Camp name and has been referred to as:  Finn, A-O, Odon, Avocado and Guacamole. Her favourite part of camp is performing at Campfire and hosting wide games.