Camp Mont Shenandoah Management Team
Ann M. Warner – Owner & Director
Camp Mont Shenandoah is in Ann’s blood. Following in her grandmother’s and mother’s footsteps, she marks the third generation of ownership of the 96 year old camp. She has spent 37 summers at CMS as a camper, counselor, program director, and owner and director since 1996. Ann is passionate about her work with the campers and staff and feels exceptionally fortunate to be the steward of such a magnificent and special place as CMS.
Ann is a graduate of Hollins College (1987) as well as St. Timothy’s School in Baltimore (1983). While working as the Director of Youth Ministries at Christ Church (Old Town, Alexandria, VA,) Ann became a “foster” parent to two teenage girls, living with them as they finished high school. They (along with their older brother and families) continue to be an important part of Ann’s life.
In 1996, Ann received her Master’s in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. That spring, she relocated to Bath County, Virginia to assume the directorship of CMS.
Ann is involved in many local and regional civic organizations. She currently serves on the board of the Bath County Arts Association and was on the Cowpasture River Preservation Association Board for six years, serving as the Vice President for three of those years. Ann continues to be a member of the Bath County Christmas Mother Board after having been Christmas Mother in 2001. She remains active in the Virginias Section of the American Camp Association after having served several years as the Conflict Resolution Chair. In the past, she has served on the Bath County Chamber of Commerce and Allegheny Highlands Free Clinic boards. Because horses are her passion, she remains involved with the Virginia Trail Riders Association.
Ann enjoys many activities and hobbies, especially running, biking, traveling, and reading. She loves spending time with her friends, family, and animals and is especially fond of time spent on the back of a horse.
Tucker Carrington
It is with genuine delight that we announce Tucker Carrington’s recent association with Camp Mont Shenandoah. Anyone who has attended CMS is familiar with this name and knows of his deep love for and commitment to this hallowed place.
Tucker grew up at summer camp starting at the wee age of one at Camp Maxwelton where his parents, Bill and Mary Glenn, moved for the summer. His father, a teacher in Richmond and Maxwelton alumnus, worked in the Crafts Shop. The following year in 1967, Bill, Mary Glenn, and Tucker, spent their first summer at CMS. The Carringtons had partnered to buy and continue operating the camp with Sis Warner, Mimi Knight, and attorney Hal McVey. Bill became the Director, a position in which he remained until 1996.
Much of Tucker’s first summer at CMS was spent crying for attention in his make-shift chicken wire playpen outside of Cabell Cottage. Lore has it that campers and counselors would stop by the playpen to coo and hold Tucker until he was calm and smiling. The rest, as they say, is history. With the exception of spending two summers as a camper at Maxwelton, Tucker remained an iconic part of CMS, transitioning from toddler to teenager to college graduate. He was often a member of the maintenance crew, keeping the grounds in top shape and constructing such fine structures as the archery shack.
Tucker and his wife, Desireé Hensley, are both clinical professors of law at the University of Mississippi School of Law in Oxford. Tucker serves as an associate dean of the law school where he also manages the Innocence Project.
Tucker and Desireé were married at CMS on the banks of the Cowpasture in 2004. They have two children, Glenn and William. Glenn just finished her sixth summer at CMS as a Junior Counselor, and William worked for a portion of last summer in the Feed Bag. Tucker’s extensive knowledge of CMS’s history and traditions was key in his efforts to help write We Believe, the history of Camp Mont Shenandoah.
We enthusiastically welcome Tucker in a new role at CMS as team member, advisor, and confidant. He looks forward to offering his insights and assistance so that Mont Shenandoah thrives for her next 100 years.
Clay Coddington-Bechtel – Program Director
Clay is returning for her 12th summer at Camp as Program Director for the summer of 2023! She is a graduate of the finest university in the land: The University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) where she majored in English and Spanish. Clay then went on to graduate from The University of Virginia (Wahoowa!) with her Master’s in Teaching in Secondary English Education. Afterwards she married her Graduate School sweetheart, Jay Bechtel, before teaching for three years at Goochland High School in Richmond, Virginia. Clay is currently teaching Upper School English at her alma mater, St. Catherine’s School, also in Richmond.
She was a camper and JC at Camp Mont Shenandoah for five summers, 2007-2011. After a one-year break in 2012, she returned as a counselor during the years 2013-2018. As a counselor, she was head of numerous activities including Dance, Soccer, and the Waterfront/Lifeguarding. Clay was Final Banquet head for two years and the Assistant Program Director during the years of 2017 and 2018. Clay was a JC counselor for one of her summers, and during the other five years she was a counselor with our smallest campers on Junior Row. Clay is beyond excited to return this summer and say “I love the River” with utmost enthusiasm.
Céline Pritt – Office Manager
Céline is a camp “alumna”, having worked several summers in The Feed Bag while she attended Bath County High School. She grew up in the area, graduated from Radford University, and returned to Bath County where she married the love of her life, Jess Pritt. They have a five year old son, Beau, and a two year old daughter, Harlow. This will be her 6th summer with us at Camp.
Before returning to camp in the Spring of 2018, Céline worked in the Bath County Office of Tourism for six years and as the Tourism Manager for 15 months. With a wealth of knowledge, experience, and skills, we are exceptionally fortunate to have her as part of our team. When you call the Camp Office, you know Céline will greet you with warmth, a sense of humor and helpful answers to any question you have about CMS!
Mellanie Farnsworth – Administrative Assistant
Mellanie joined us in January 2022 and and is a wonderful addition to the CMS team! Be sure to give Mellanie a warm CMS welcome if you speak to her when you call camp, meet her on opening day, or visit Crazy Ann’s Camp Store this summer!
Mellanie is a VCU graduate with work experience in retail, medical, and school administrative positions. She and her husband, Michael, relocated to Bath County (Michael’s childhood home) in 2018 after becoming “empty nesters” to their two children Alexandra and Peyton. She enjoys making candles and gardening on their farm.
Katherine Hines Hawks – Riding Director
We are delighted to announce that camp alumna, Katherine Hines Hawks will join us as Riding Director this summer. Katherine lives on a small farm in Ashland, Virginia and currently runs a successful Real Estate business out of Richmond. She has a wealth of experience in the riding world and a long love of CMS. We couldn’t be happier that she has signed on for the coming season.
Katherine attended camp for five summers in the mid to late 1980s. Her daughter followed in her footsteps and was at camp from 2014-2017. In 2022, her horse Benji came to camp and she worked as an alum in the Feedbag for several days.
Katherine and her daughter Tessa have two horses and both ride Hunter/Jumpers competitively and love everything to do with owning, caring for and riding horses.
Katherine can’t wait to return to camp, meet all of the campers, eat in the Feedbag, and swim in the river. She’s also looking forward to attending some of her favorite evening activities like Songfest, Vespers, and the Junior and Senior plays all while making the riding program the best it can be.
Tracy Williams – Facilities Manager
Tracy Williams joined us just before the start of summer in 2021 and works as our year-round Facilities Manager. Originally from Bath County, Tracy lives just up the road. He is a master carpenter and his first project at camp was assisting his uncle in the renovation of Cabell Cottage in the late 90’s. He returned to help finish up Summerset, joined us full-time and is now looking forward to his third summer while Camp is in session. Tracy is responsible for all the landscaping, grounds maintenance and generally keeping Camp beautiful year-round! He has worked on multiple ground’s improvements including the new water stations around camp, the waterfront docks, new porches on The End and Deerwood, a new softball backstop and some fantastic new towel racks for all cabins–just to name a few! Tracy is a wonderful addition to our staff and we are so lucky to have him on board!
“Dear Ann, I just want you to know that you were an amazing camp parent to me. Ever since my first year at Roots & Shoots, you have made me feel so secure and welcome. Manners, trust and most importantly friendship are the three main things you have taught me over the years, and you have been a huge part of my life.”
©2023 Camp Mont Shenandoah