Directors & Senior Staff
Roger Breene
Director
Roger Breene is Marianne and Harold’s oldest child. Camp has been a part of Roger’s life since it started in 1962. He was a camper, and then worked on the maintenance staff, as a swim instructor and lifeguard and then as the Waterfront Director. It was during his time as Waterfront Director that Roger met his wife, Debbie, who was then a counselor. To this day, she continues to serve as the head of F Division. Roger returned to Camp in approximately 1997 as an Assistant Director, after working full-time as a practicing attorney. Now retired from the practice of law, Roger loves to spend the off-season pursuing his hobbies, which include golf, cycling, skiing and paddle tennis, and of course visiting his grandchildren in Colorado and spending time with his grandchildren in Summit!
Jill Breene Cheng
Director
Paul Breene
Director
Paul Breene grew up at Riverbend and only left for a few years to get a law degree. Paul is married to our program director, Miriam Peretsman and is the father of two former campers and counselors. Paul loves everything about camp and looks forward every year to the first day of staff orientation, which is kind of like baseball spring training in that it is filled with anticipation of another great season with our incredibly talented and devoted staff. Paul loves to help lead morning assemblies and especially loves leading the campfires when D, E and F Division groups have their late nights. In his spare time, Paul gardens, skis, golfs (badly), and reads.
Robin Breene Hetrick
Waterfront Director
Miriam Peretsman Breene
Program Director
Katie Higgins
Clubhouse Division Head
Jenni Hetrick Lawrence
B Division Head
Jenni Hetrick Lawrence has been a Riverbender all her life and is part of the third generation of Breenes at Riverbend. She was a camper, a lifeguard, and a counselor before becoming a Division Head. Jenni has a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and worked as a teacher before becoming an Assistant Principal on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. Jenni currently lives in Hoboken and looks forward to the summer along with her two kids who are Riverbend regulars.
Mike Glackin
C Division Head
Brian Bigelow
D Division Head
Jeff Kaesshaefer
E Division Head
Jeff Kaesshaefer has worked at Riverbend since 2003. He has taught elementary physical education at South Mountain School in South Orange since 1997. Jeff has 3 kids, all of whom were Riverbend campers in their day and later became counselors. During the school year, he coaches boys and girls lacrosse in his home town. To stay active, Jeff likes to run, play basketball, and spend time outdoors.
Debbie Breene
F Division Head
Debbie Breene met her husband Roger Breene at Camp Riverbend in 1977 and has been working at camp ever since that time. She was a Spanish teacher for 5 years, had her family and then taught at the Co-op Nursery School in Summit for 20 years. Debbie is a substitute teacher in Summit at several elementary schools. She enjoys biking, skiing, collecting sea glass at the Jersey shore, volunteering, cooking, working with children and taking classes at Equinox. She also loves to garden and read. Debbie and Roger have four grandchildren who attend camp during the summer.
Emily Tomasulo
Assistant Division Head
Camp Riverbend has always been a summer home for Emily. She was a Riverbend camper for 10 years! Emily then worked as an E Division counselor before becoming an Assistant Division Head. Emily has a dual degree in Elementary and Special Education and her masters in Educational Leadership. She is a fourth grade teacher in Scotch Plains. In her spare time, Emily loves to hike, travel, go to country concerts, and bake!
Samira Brito
Assistant Division Head
Samira first worked as a counselor at Camp Riverbend in 2007. After a few years away, she returned to Camp in 2019 and has been hooked ever since. Samira holds a B.A. in English from Seton Hall University and is a Primary Lead teacher in a Montessori school in Jersey City. Samira is a proud daughter of Jersey City girl, but thoroughly enjoys her summers outdoors at Riverbend. In her free time, Samira is a full-time soccer mom who cheers her son on from the side lines.
Assistant Division Head
Emily "Goldie" Goldstein
Assistant Division Head
Emily has been teaching in Westfield for many years and takes great pride in her class, also known as “Goldie’s Firsties”. Emily has her Masters in Educational Leadership and Administration and an undergraduate sociology degree. She grew up going to day camp and loves that she gets to share the experience with her son. Emily likes to bake, listen to audiobooks and take walks outside.
Tamie Stearns
Assistant Division Head
Mike Wnoroski
Assistant Division Head
Founders
Harold Breene
Founder
The late Harold Breene was involved in camping his whole life! After a stint in the Army during World War II, he earned a Masters Degree in Camping Education from NYU. He was the Athletic Director of a local private school, and then a college professor of Recreation and Camp Administration. Harold was a proud Eagle Scout, and was a scoutmaster in Berkeley Heights for many years. He was also a stalwart member of the American Camp Association, serving as President of the New Jersey section and of the Association of Independent Camps. He worked to improve camp quality nationwide as a member of the national ACA Standards Board. Harold passed away in 2019 but his legacy will continue to inspire generations of campers and counselors.
Marianne Breene
Founder
The late Marianne Breene was the very first counselor for our preschool campers. For many years she was the director of the Summit Co-Op Nursery School. She earned a degree in Early Childhood Education from Kean University when her own children were in college and high school. She was an avid bridge player and loved to read and go to the theater. She and Harold had 4 children and 10 grandchildren, who have been campers and then counselors. Marianne passed away in 2017 but her values continue to inspire how Camp Riverbend is run.
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