Corey Mandell, Owner/Director
“Growing up at Timberlane, I had the chance to be exactly who I was – a creator and a performer. I was encouraged in those things and celebrated for them. I would not be the person I am today without Timberlane.”
THE TIMBERLANE DIRECTORS
Corey has spent 42 summers at Timberlane, starting as a camper in 1980. In 2006, Corey became owner and director, committed to reinventing the Timberlane experience. His vision was clear -- maintain the traditions and values of the camp experience that shaped him, while setting new precedents in programming, staffing and camper care. He is incredibly proud of the camp that Timberlane has become – a place where kids can have the best and learn from the best, while having the support and encouragement that allows them to figure out who they want to be and how they want to shine. Corey looks forward to continuing to work with the amazing leadership team to constantly raise the bar on Timberlane’s standards of camper care, staffing, programming and facilities.
Corey was educated at York University in Toronto. He attended Sheridan College Television and Film Program and is the CEO and Founder Mandell Entertainment Group.
Ida has literally grown up at Timberlane, spending almost every summer here. Her mom, Judy, was one of the original Timberlaner's, starting in 1958 when Barry founded the camp. Having grown up at camp herself, Ida understands firsthand what it means to be part of the camp community and to be shaped by the camp experience – making lifelong friends, being away from home, trying new things, and finding yourself, your voice and your confidence. Ida understands how great her responsibility is to parents and their campers, and works tirelessly every day to make sure that Timberlane is a place where kids can be their best, feel their best and love themselves.
Ida holds a B.A. in Sociology from York University and a B.Ed. from Trent University. During her teaching career, she specialized in Special Education for more than a decade at a small private school.
Ida Gold, Director
“My job at camp is truly special to me. I feel proud and empowered every summer witnessing campers and staff grow and evolve in such a positive way. For me, camp is family. Camp is pride. Camp is home. I love what I do.”
Harley has spent 25 summers at Timberlane and has been a full-time member of the leadership team since 2010. He is proud of the effort and devotion the Timberlane staff have put in to improve the caliber of camping at Timberlane. As part of his role, Harley spends close to five months up at camp, overseeing Timberlane’s programming and off-season events. For Harley, there is no place that he would rather be. Regardless of what he’s doing, where he’s traveling or whom he’s meeting all roads lead back to Timberlane. Harley feels privileged to lead a team that is committed to constant growth, accountability and strong community.
Harley Hayman, Director
“The connection I have with the campers and staff, year after year, is irreplaceable. Being part of and leading such an inclusive, dynamic, family environment is incredibly meaningful to me.”
Camping is in Brit’s DNA. He has been at Timberlane from the start, watching his parents realize their vision of creating a unique summer experience for kids. Educated as a lawyer, Brit knew that his heart and real purpose was in camping. He is a vital member of the leadership team, overseeing the business and administration aspects of Timberlane’s operations. Brit is excited to continue to develop Timberlane’s state-of-the-art camping facilities while maintaining the core values and traditions that his parents established when they founded the camp 62 years ago.
Brit was educated at College du Leman Switzerland, York University and received an L.L.B. from the University of Windsor.
Brit Lowes, Director
“I am so grateful to my parents for starting a summer camp that has been an integral part of my life. I share my parents’ passion for camping and am so thrilled to carry on the Timberlane traditions that they started 63 years ago.”
Barry has a BPHE from the University of Toronto and a M.A. from New York University.
“Timberlane was born from my parents’ two main passions – children and camping. They were true pioneers in Canada’s camping industry, and their founding values persist today and continue to shape the Timberlane experience.”
Brit Lowes
In 1958, Barry and Philomena Lowes had a vision to start a summer camp whose spirit was defined by community, family and celebrating and encouraging individuality. Their goal was to create a place where kids could learn, grow and define the values that they would take as adults into society.
While Phil and Barry are no longer with us and greatly missed, Barry embodied the essence of Timberlane and was loved and revered by campers and staff alike. He took great pride in seeing the generations of Timberlaner's – current campers and their parents and grandparents who also grew up camp – embrace the values that he and Phil rooted Timberlane in at the start 63 years ago.
Barry Lowes, Co-Founder
1927 – 2020
“Timberlane was born from my parents’ two main passions – children and camping. They were true pioneers in Canada’s camping industry, and their founding values persist today and continue to shape the Timberlane experience.”
Brit Lowes
Philomena "Phil" Lowes will always remain dear in our hearts.
Philomena Lowes, Co-Founder
1921-2015
Philomena “Phil” Lowes will always remain dear in our hearts.
Medical Team:
Dr Kenny Melvin
Chief Medical Advisor
Ken Melvin’s first summer at Timberlane was in 1961, first as a Voyager camper, then C DE B, CIT, and he then spent a number of summers on Sail staff. He returned as Camp Doctor in 1993 with his wife Susan, and daughters Amanda, Lindsay and Rochelle, all of whom became Timberlane campers and staff. In his working life he practices adult Cardiology at University Health Network in Toronto. He loves camp and still remains actively involved in the medical program at Timberlane.
Cindy Polan
Head Nurse
Cindy Polan is in her 23rd Summer as the Head Nurse at Camp Timberlane. When Cindy isn’t taking care of the Timberlane campers, she is at home taking care of her four boys; her husband and three sons that all attended Timberlane. Her husband, Shy, is an avid visitor, so we consider him a part of the Timberlane family. Cindy loves Timberlane and looking out for the safety and well-being of campers as if they are her own. She loves the people and the atmosphere at Timberlane and watching the kids grow up summer after summer.
Dr. Deena Savlov
Camp Doctor
Dr. Deena Savlov has been at camp for 9 years and has completed her paediatric residency at SickKids Hospital in Toronto after which she worked as a General Paediatrician at North York General Hospital for 2 years and at SickKids Hospital for 5 years. She now works as a General Paediatrician at Kindercare Pediatrics in Toronto.
Deena also has clinical expertise in the care of children with medical complexity. During her years at SickKids Hospital, she provided longitudinal care to children with complex medical needs as well as otherwise healthy children.
Dr. Darren Merker
Camp Doctor
Dr. Darren Merker has been a doctor at Timberlane for 15 years. Dr. Merker has over 20 years at camp as a camper, tennis staff, counsellor, and camp doctor.
He met his wife Shayna at Timberlane and his 2 children, Ryan and Halle, have been coming with him to camp since they were born.
Dr. Merker is a busy family physician, with special interests in cosmetic and geriatric medicine. He circles his week at Timberlane on the calendar at the end of every summer, looking forward to his next stay at is home away from home.
Dr. Trevor Glazman
Camp Doctor
Trevor has proudly been a doctor at Timberlane for over 20 years. Both his kids, Ethan and Martine, learned to walk by cruising along the benches in Timberlane’s dining hall. In the city, Trevor is a busy family doctor and part-time surgical assistant at Sunnybrook in the orthopaedic/trauma OR’s. Trevor and Lara met at camp in the late 1980s at the ski docks, prior to attending the University of Western Ontario together in the early 1990s.
Dr. Justine Cohen-Silver
Camp Doctor
Dr. Justine Cohen-Silver: is a paediatrician with a focus in inner city health. She completed medical school and Paediatric residency at the University of Toronto following a Master’s degree in Biostatistics at the University of Toronto. She then completed a post graduate fellowship in Academic paediatrics with a focus in urban health at St.Michael’s Hospital simultaneously a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in Health promotion. She practices as a consultant in general paediatrician and researcher at St. Joseph’s hospital and St. Michael’a Hospital as well as casual staff at the Hospital for Sick Children Emergency room. She is really really excited to bring my experience in paediatrics to Camp Timberlane especially as two of my children are attending camp with a 5 year old keen to join their ranks one day. She hope to provide thorough and empathetic care to the Timberlane family. It’s going to be an amazing summer!!
Dr. Jill Solomon
Camp Doctor
Dr Jill Solomon has been at Timberlane for 9 years and is a Staff Paediatrician with the Scarborough Hospital, as well as an associate part- time staff paediatrician in the Division of Haematology and Oncology at The Hospital for Sick Children. She also serves as an adjunct lecturer in the Division of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. Originally from Montreal, Dr. Solomon completed her Bachelor of Science and Medical degree from McGill university. She trained in Paediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children.
Dr. Jesse Wolfstadt
Camp Doctor
Jesse is a staff orthopaedic surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital and an assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Orthopaedics at the University of Toronto. Prior to medical school, Jesse spent his summers as a camper, followed by 5 years on swim staff at a sleepover camp in Muskoka. Jesse, his wife Erin, two boys Miles and Axel, and newborn daughter Stevie are excited to spend a fun and safe week at Timberlane.
Senior Staff:
Billy Farbstein
Head Counselor & Leadership Team
We are excited to introduce Billy Farbstein to the Timberlane management team. Billy is a long-time camper, staff, Unit Head, and Weekender Trip Coordinator. He will be assuming the role of Head Counsellor with a specific focus on the youngest cabins. Billy is currently an educator at Greenwood College. His experience as a teacher and in outdoor education will be a valuable resource at Camp to campers and staff of all ages. Billy is thrilled to return to his home away from home and introduce his family to the place where he grew up.
Laura Hochman
Senior Administrator & Head of Swim
Laura Hochman has been at overnight camp for many summers, and has spend the last 13 years with Timberlane. Laura is returning as a Senior Administrator and Head of our Swim Program. Laura also helps oversee our creative arts programming. When Laura is not at Camp, she is a teacher with the TDSB and is an Aquatic Manager at Shendy’s Swim School.
Jay Orton
Senior Administrator
Jay Orton has been at camp for many summers and is an integral part of our Administrative Team. After 3 decades at TD Bank, Jay as fully immersed himself in the Timberlane life. From his administrative expertise to his theatrical prowess, Jay has become a true Timberlane fixture.
Amanda Casselman
Timberlane/Ivy & Weekender Trip Coordinator
Amanda was a camper, staff and Unit Head at Timberlane for many years and considers Timberlane her home away from home. Amanda is returning this year as our Timberlane/Ivy & Weekender Trip Coordinator. During the year, she is an elementary teacher in the TDSB. Since her summers at Timberlane, Amanda has been a Program Director on several Westcoast Connection programs all over the United States. Amanda cannot wait to get back to Camp and share special moments with all the new campers and Ivy campers experiencing Timberlane for the first time.
Jim Wruth
Head of Maintenance
Jim Wruth has worked at Timberlane for 15 summers on our maintenance team & has been one of our Maintenance Managers for 9 years. A carpenter by trade, Jim is responsible for many of the state-of-the-art projects that have taken place at Timberlane over the last decade. These projects include, but are not limited to; The Timberlane Treehouse, the new Nurse’s Cabin, Phil & Barry’s Ice Cream Shoppe and our recently rebuilt Rec Hall. Jim is joined at Camp by his son Ben. The Wruth’s are looking forward to another great summer at Timberlane.
Stephen Polevoy
Photography & Special Resources
Stephen Polevoy joined Camp Timberlane 8 summers ago after decades of success as a Director at Camp Northland. Not only an invaluable resource for us with his years of camping experience and running special programmes he is also our Camp Photographer. Taking thousands of photos over the summer and ensuring parents keep in touch with their campers on a daily basis.
Dylan Huber
Programming & Camp DJ
Dylan Huber has been at Camp for 20 summers; 8 as a camper and 12 on staff. A former Counsellor and Tennis Staff, Dylan has been a Programmer & DJ at Timberlane for 8 summers. Dylan wears many hats at Camp, but he is most known for his stage name DJ Order 66. Always available to lend a helping hand, Dylan has become an integral part of the Timberlane family. Dylan has a BMOS Degree from Western University and specializes in consumer behaviour.
Jeremy Freeman
Head of Waterfront
Jeremy Freeman is returning to Camp for his 9th summer. He has managed our Sail program for 6 years and is a regular star in our staff musicals. Over the last few summers, Jeremy has taken on a larger role overseeing our waterfront and this summer, Jeremy will become our Head of Waterfront. Originally from Yorkshire in the UK, Jeremy is currently living and working in Canada, while counting down the days until Summer 2022!
O'Neil Morris
Head of Riviera Beach & Waterfront Support
O’Neil Morris has been at camp for 6 summers. O’Neil is returning as our Head of Riviera Beach, as well as assisting with all things on the water. Muckers, Jenga, Swing ball, and Shuffle Board competitions with the campers are a highlight of his summer. A camper and staff favourite are his authentic Jerk chicken BBQ’s. O’Neil is looking forward to another Canadian summer spent at “Reggae Riv”, his home away from Jamaica.
Rachel Shulman
Head of Ski
Rachel has been at Timberlane for 14 summers and is a familiar face around the Ski docks. Throughout her years at Camp, Rachel participated in our Wakeboard Clinics where she developed her skills, along with a strong passion for skiing and wakeboarding. This will be her 6th year on Ski/Wake Staff and her third summer leading the program. Rachel is looking forward to working with our dynamic Ski/Wake team, getting back on the lake and teaching our campers.
Levv Shatil
Programming & Administration
Levv cannot wait to be back in his various roles for his 14th summer at Timberlane! Currently studying in the Integrated Science program at Western University, Levv is working on an Honours Specialization in physics. Throughout the school year, he also works as a Youth Resource Facilitator as part of the Youth CoRE peer support program at Children’s Hospital LHSC. Levv works closely with the Directors and has become a fixture in Main Cabin and the Tuck Shop. Always involved in programming and special events, Levv hopes to help create many more unforgettable Camp memories this summer!
Adam Pasternak
Special Resources & Administration
Adam is an educator with a strong passion for Camp and the outdoors. He recently completed a BPS in Education and has a degree in Philosophy from Western University. According to Adam, there is no better place in the summer than the beautiful Haliburton Highlands on Timberlane’s Lake of Two Islands. Adam affirms that the 13 years he has spent at Camp has helped shape the person he is today and inspired him to become a teacher. One of his favorite aspects of teaching…. He is able to return to Timberlane each summer!
Unit Heads:
Alex Green
Unit Head
This year will mark Alex’s 11th summer at Timberlane after joining as an international staff on Theatre in 2011. After leading Timberlane’s Theatre Program for 5 summers, Alex has spent her last 5 years as a Unit Dead – for Voyageur Girls, Weekenders and most recently, CdeB girls. A dual citizen of Canada and Australia, Alex loves welcoming new staff and campers to the Timberlane family and can’t imagine spending her summers anywhere else. Having spent the last 6 years living in London, England, Alex has recently returned to her hometown of Sydney, where she works in the producing team at the Sydney Opera House.
Noah Rudin
Unit Head
This will be Noah’s 13th summer at Timberlane. He is currently studying at Western University in the Media, Information, and Technoculture program. Noah keeps returning each summer because of the people. He loved every moment as a Timberlane camper and wants to help provide the current campers with the same opportunities.
Ben Merkur
Unit Head
Ben is studying at the Ivey Business School at Western University. He has been at Timberlane for 11 years and this summer will be his second as a Unit Head. Ben returns each summer for the endless memories and new lessons learned. Whether he is gaining a new skill or making new friends, Ben appreciates all of the experiences that will last him a lifetime.
Hal Rotman
Unit Head
Hal is back at Timberlane for an 11th summer! After evolving from Ropes Staff to the Head of Ropes & Rock Wall, Hal will be returning to camp as a Unit Head while continuing to lend experience to the High Ropes program. Outside of camp, Hal is an acting student studying in Halifax, Nova Scotia who hopes to use their theatricality to engage with the campers and bring them the best summer possible.
Kieran Brindley
Unit Head
Kieran is returning to Camp for his second summer at Timberlane. Last year, Kieran was Head of Skatepark and assisted in the Voyageur Boys unit. This summer, he’s looking forward to joining the Unit Head team. In his home country of Scotland, Kieran completed a Mechanical Technician Apprenticeship and intends to pursue a career in the Renewable Energy Industry. From the town of Stonehaven, he is counting down the days until he’s back in his second home in Haliburton, Canada.
Amy Morris
Unit Head
Amy is returning to Timberlane for her second summer and can’t wait to be back in Canada! Last summer, Amy worked with the Ivy & Weekender programs and loved introducing first-time campers to Timberlane. This year Amy will be a Voy Girls Unit Head!
Amy is currently studying Molecular Biology at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. She is very excited to return to Camp as a Unit Head and is looking forward to ensuring all the Voy campers (and staff!) have the best summer.
Mia Varrasso
Unit Head
Mia is from Victoria, Australia and first joined Timberlane in 2022. She had an amazing time meeting new people as a counsellor for G6 and the One Family girls. Away from Timberlane, Mia plays soccer for the Women’s Victorian Premier League. Her goal is to play for The Matildas, but until then, she works at a drive-in movie theatre. She is looking forward to returning to Camp as a Voy Girls Unit Head and ensuring the campers have a fun-filled summer!
Eliza Fromm
Unit Head
Eliza will be joining us at Timberlane for the first time this summer. She has spent the last 4 years teaching high school in Australia and is looking forward to getting to know all of our incredible campers and staff. Eliza loves everything sport and the outdoors. She has recently spent the winter working on her snowboarding skills west in western Canada. Eliza can’t wait for the summer to begin her Timberlane adventure!
Jordan Greenberg
CIT & Intercamp Coordinator
This summer will mark Jordan’s 6th season at Timberlane and his 4th summer on staff. Jordan was studying Recreation and Leisure the past 2 years at Fanshawe College, and is looking forward to Event Planning and Marketing this upcoming September. Timberlane has become Jordan’s second home from the start. He loves getting involved in all aspects of Camp. Jordan returns every summer because of how much he has learnt, the memories he has made and the people he has met during his time at Timberlane. Jordan loved every minute of his CIT Summer and wants to give each CIT the experience that he had – and more!
Our Staff: Passionate, Energetic and Accountable
One of our philosophies at Timberlane is that campers have the best and learn from the best. That is the standard by which we hire, train and mentor staff. We look for people that personify passion – they love working with kids, they’re dynamic, they’re energetic, they take the lead and lead by example.
Our staff is diverse. We have counselors who grew up at Timberlane. It’s their home. It’s in their blood. They embody the traditions and understand every aspect of the camp experience because they lived it just like the campers do. And we also have a large group of international staff that brings a different level of maturity and skill as well as an infectious energy and professional drive.
But every staff member, whether from Toronto, Australia, England, Israel or from around the world has one thing in common. And that’s accountability. We expect from our staff what you expect for your child. And we hold each and every staff member – counselors, specialists, unit heads – accountable to you and our campers in shaping and ensuring a positive, nurturing, safe and fun summer.
Camp Timberlane has complied in accordance under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) established in 2005. If any applicant requires any type of accommodation, Camp Timberlane is committed to being fully accessible.