Our Team

Michael and his brother created the ESF Camps in 1982 and established the first Dream Camp located in Hartford, CT at Trinity College in 1998. In 2002, they founded the second Dream Camp location in Philadelphia, PA. Michael is a graduate of Villanova University with a B.S. in Communication. He is also a graduate of the Disney Institute’s People Management, Customer Service, and Creative Leadership Programs. He has a Black Belt in Tang Soo Do karate from the Tang Soo Do Mo Doo Kwan Federation. Michael also competed on the professional tennis circuit for two years as an amateur. In 2004, Michael was inducted into the Villanova University Athletic Hall of Fame. Michael serves on the Board of Directors of The Vetri Foundation for Children, Temple University's Board of Managers, and Acting Without Boundaries (AWB).

Dan has worked at Dream Camp since 2003 and has been the Site Director of Dream Camp at Trinity College since 2005. During the off-season, Dan is a Professor in the Department of Health and Movement Sciences at Southern Connecticut State University. He was the chairperson of the department for 9 years and Physical Education program director for 15 years but stepped down from those positions and now gets to teach and train future physical educators full-time. Dan received his M.S. and Ph.D. from Florida State University.

My dream for Dream Camp is that 20-30 years from now, current campers look back at their time at Dream Camp and regard Dream Camp as a major factor in making their lives better and the overall community a better place to live.

Fun Fact about Dan

Dan met his wife, Stacy at a summer camp.

In 2023, Michelle, a seasoned educator and youth development professional with 13 years of experience, joined ESF Dream Camp team. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations with a minor in Lationo/a, Latin American, and Caribbean Studies from Northeastern Univeristy. Michelle began her career as a Teach for America teacher in Miami-Dade Public Schools, discovering the transformative power of belief in realizing one's potiental. Returning to Connecticut, she dedicated 11 years to coaching and leading in education nonprofits in Hartford. In addition to her role at Dream Camp, Michelle currently serves as the girls' volleyball coach and basketball coach at Noah Webster School in Hartford, CT.  

My dream for Dream Camp is that every camper feels truly valued, seen, and confident to be themseleves while they are here. I hope that every new camper finds a new passion that brings them joy through our programming!

Fun Fact about Michelle

Michelle used to compete Latin and Ballroom dance and still loves to spend her free time salsa dancing!

Samantha joined the ESF Dream Camp team in 2022. She comes with 8 years of urban teaching experience, ranging from STEM Specialist to classroom teacher. Prior to joining Dream Camp, Samantha directed a summer program within her school district. She received both her B.A and M.A in Elementary Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Connecticut. Samantha prioritizes making students feel appreciated and valued for who they are, as well as building trust with those she supports and works beside. She is excited to bring her passion and excitement to Dream Camp Trinity!

My dream for Dream Camp is to help each child see their full potential and love themselves as they are!

Fun Fact about Samantha

Samantha has a Pitbull Mix named Chloe that loves to play golf!