Our Team

Jack Carey

Executive Director

Jack was fortunate enough to meet an incredible team in 2014 and build Live Oak Wilderness Camp alongside them. Prior to helping found camp, he spent 12 years working at Teach For America, Teach For All, and the KIPP Foundation. His favorite part of camp is seeing how it truly brings out the best in everyone. He and his wife Jenny, a principal with KIPP New Orleans, have two children, Eddie and Frances. They spend most of their summer at Live Oak.

Caleb Dufresne

Chief Program Officer

Caleb grew up hiking mountains and swimming rivers while running around with friends in the pre-cellphone era. He loved the adventure side of summer and developed that going to camp in Vermont and New Hampshire where he was a Program Director for 4 years. He went to college to study Youth Ministries, and used that first as a teacher at Langston Hughes Academy, then Youth Run NOLA, and was he was beyond excited to co-found camp with his now best friends. He knew instantly that camp was where he belonged and has been with camp ever since. The thing about Live Oak that brings him joy every day is the idea of using fun and nature to grow a community of people into their best selves.

Lucy Schodell

Chief Operating Officer

Lucy has been part of Live Oak since the very beginning (2015), as a founding teammate. She grew up going to Camp Mont Shenandoah (VA) where she was a camper, CIT, counselor, and Head of the Waterfront for 12 summers. She moved to New Orleans in 2012 to be a Geometry teacher and has stuck around ever since. She can't wait for her daughter, Maren, to become a camper one day! Her favorite thing about Live Oak is that it gives young people the opportunity to connect with one another outside and away from technology.

Claire Triplett

Director of Health and Wellness

Claire grew up in southern Indiana spending much of her time in woods–playing outside and exploring with her sister–which sparked her lifelong love of the outdoors. She earned her degree in Outdoor Education from Indiana University in 2004 and later received her LMSW from LSU in 2025. Claire has spent her career working with young people, most often outside, and loves helping campers learn and grow and connect with each other. Her favorite thing about Live Oak is the community of people who truly care for and support one another. When she's not working, she loves to travel to see loved ones, camp, cook, practice yoga, attend music festivals, and hang out with her niece, Harper.

DeeDee Cole Fabian

Operations Director

DeeDee joined Live Oak freshly out of high school as a CIT in 2018. Through her 9 year journey through camp, she has taken on multiple roles. From CIT, to Coach, to exploration head, to Waterfront Director, and now for the last 3 years as their Operations Director. During this same time she completed her Political Science degree and history minor at the University of New Orleans. She loves the community at camp and the friends she made along the way. Her favorite place at camp will always be the Lakefront!

Felicia "FeFe" Valadie

Program Director

This will be FeFe's 11th summer at Live Oak, she spent 4 summers as a camper, 3 as a JCIT/CIT, 2 as a coach, and this will be her second summer as a Program Director! Outside of camp FeFe loves to travel and go camping whenever she can, but most of her time is spent at LSU studying biology or teaching in a high school. FeFe's favorite thing at camp is teaching campers camping skills in wilderness exploration and FOB of course.

Moneisha "Mo" Cunningham

Director of Special Projects

Years ago, Sam Karel told Mo she should work at Live Oak over the summer and she's been here ever since! Learning to do new cool things through Explorations, like canoeing or shooting a bow and arrow, have always been a highlight for her and she is super excited to continue with Yearbook this summer. At camp, you can find her reading or behind a camera- always smile! During the school year, she teaches 8th Grade Science and leads the Science Team at Harriet Tubman Charter School.

Jazlyn "Jaz" Johnson

Director of Special Projects

Jaz is a math teacher with a passion for helping the future generations of the city. She has a deep appreciation and admiration for the commitment Live Oak has to developing young leaders. She is in great excitement for her 3-yr old daughter to grow up and join the Live Oak family. Her favorite part about camp is learning along with the campers; she learns something new about herself and her capabilities every year!

Ayannica "Pink" Miller

Director of Food Education

This is Ayannica's tenth summer at camp! She began her journey as a CIT for two years, then a Coach for three years, an End of the Road Site Director for two and now, Director of Food Education. When she's not cooking up at camp, she's catering events around New Orleans and pursuing her Culinary Arts Degree. Ayannica is excited to bring fun, flavor and the feeling of eating around the table with your family to camp this summer!

Shane Salvant

Cowpasture Site Director

Shane is a camp veteran with experience as a camper, CIT, coach, and now site director. Born and raised in New Orleans he has a love for the food music and culture of the city. During the school year Shane works both as an ACT tutor and at a local snowball shop.

Benjamin Barth

Cowpasture Site Director

Benjamin had the great fortune to coach at Live Oak last year and has fallen in love with everything about its community! He is just wrapping up his fifth year teaching at Eleanor McMain High School, now working as the STEAM Specialist for InspireNOLA Schools. He loves seeing campers and coaches grow as leaders in their own unique ways in every two week session and can't wait to help with that development this year!

Haley Evans

End of the Road Site Director

Haley is a Kindergarten teacher from New Orleans. She loves how Live Oak and its staff are invested in the future of New Orleans and dedicated to reimagining leadership for the community. Her favorite thing about camp is Site Night at End of the Road!

Cy Salvant

Assistant Director of Health & Wellness

Cy is a New Orleans native who's been with camp since their first year, starting out as a camper in The Nest and now working on the Big Band. Favorite thing about Live Oak is the constant growth, each summer feels like a first summer but each year feels like another ring added to the relationships and memories we create together. You can look for Cy in kitchens, the outdoors, or in different countries when it's not the summertime.

Emmbre "EP" Perry

The Orchard Site Director

They are the definition of what Live Oak represents. Not only are they a leader in many different spaces but they have also became a leader at Live Oak. EP is a New Orleans native who have made a name for themselves at camp. They go by many of names (like Princess EP), and is most known for running the Dungeons and Dragons Exploration. Being the Mother of Cypress and now the director of The Orchard. If you ever see them, always be ready for a warm smile and a sturdy hug.

Kailey McGee

End of the Road Site Director

Kailey first came to Live Oak 11 years ago at just 10 years old. Since then, she has grown up at camp, starting as a camper, becoming a CIT, later a coach, and now serving as a Site Director. Through Live Oak she has formed some of her closest friendships and believes the experience has played a huge role in shaping the person she is today. Kailey is currently a Business Administration student in the Class of 2027 and hopes to pursue a career in business management and development, with the goal of becoming the CEO of her own company one day.

Kelly Smith

LOWA Director

Richelle "Riri" Peck

CIT Director