Counselors
Lily Davis Lily is a NAUTeach graduate, now based in Chicago. With her seven years of experience, Lily brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to her role as the co-leader for the Junior Entomology Academy. She is dedicated to fostering curiosity and appreciation for insects among campers while creating engaging educational experiences in the fascinating world of bugs.
Jackie Garver is a local Flagstaff school teacher who started helping with Bug Camp when she was a student. Jackie will be the 2024 camp co-leader.
Meghan Mears Hello, My name is Meghan Mears and I am an elementary school teacher in Flagstaff, Arizona. I grew up in Phoenix, AZ, and moved up here for school. I love learning about all kinds of creatures no matter how creepy or crawly. Some of my hobbies include crafting, hiking and learning.
Neil Cobb is an entomologist/ecologist with a research focus on arthropod biodiversity. He is the Director of the Junior Entomology Academy. He coordinates registrations and runs several of the camp activities. During the rest of the year he runs SCAN, an arthropod data portal that provides biogeographic data on arthropods. He is also the lead Principal Investigator for the iDigBees project. The main goal for iDigBees is to describe the distribution of all 20,000 bee species in the world.
Junior Counselors
Carrie Cobb will be a junior counselor for all camps. She will be a 10th grader at Flagstaff High this fall and has participated in bug camps every year since she was 6 years old. She has been a junior counselor for the last 5 years. Her passions include dance, biking, FCCLA, and a love for insects. She has numerous experiences with kids and is very excited to be able to have this opportunity!
Alana Westra: Hi, my name is Alana and I will be a 10th grader at Flagstaff High School this fall. I am involved in dance and student council. This is my second year as a junior counselor and I’m really looking forward to it.
Leila Visockis: I will be a 10th grader at NPA this fall. My favorite subjects are French and Chemistry. I enjoy Surfing and Bodyboarding. I’m so excited to be a Junior Counselor this summer!
Makena Foster : I attend Flagstaff High School, I will be in 1oth grade. I have attended BugCamp as a camper and now I am looking forward to being a Junior Counselor. I really like the lepidoptera group (moths and butterflies) and I like skiing, surfing, biking and adventuring.
Jocelyn Katzman: I’m Jocelyn and I will be an 9th grader at BASIS Flagstaff. My favorite subject is biology and favorite invertebrate is the blue death feigning beetle. I do gymnastics and math tutoring and love raising insects, reptiles and plants. I was a camper for two years and am excited to help campers have the best experience this summer.
Kendall Gross: Hi! I’m Kendall and I will be a 7th grader at San Francisco de Asis Catholic School. My favorite subjects are science and social studies. I like to swim and run cross country. I have gone to bug camp for many years as a camper and I am excited to be a Junior Counselor.
Oscar Martinez: Hi, I’m Oscar. I am 16 years old and will be an 11th grader at Flagstaff High School next year. I like math and science in school. I am a scooter rider and I make scooter tutorials and edits for my YouTube Channel, Flag Scoot.
Gus: Augustus “Gus” Wei will be a junior counselor. He will be a 7th grader in Open Window School. This will be his first time in the camp and first time being counseled. His hobbies include fencing, catching insects, video games, and learning geography. He has been with kids many times and is excited to meet new people, learn with kids, and observe bugs.
Sophie Emery: Hi, my name is Sophie Emery and I’m 14 going on 15 and soon I will be a freshman in high school . I was a camp counselor at bug camp last year and now I’m coming back. I have loved bugs for just about my entire life and enjoy learning about them! I run cross country and track and I am currently a member of National Junior Honor Society. I have many wild interests such as art, Insects, reptiles, and animating! I can not wait to have a fun experience with all the campers!
Ezra Varley: I will be a 10th grader at Flag High this upcoming fall. I am a track and field runner, and I enjoy running, biking, hiking, and participating in ECE (Early Childhood Education). I am excited to be a junior counselor this year.
Graham Nieri: I'm Graham, and I'm really excited to be a junior counselor at Bug Camp this year. I've been a bug enthusiast since I was 6, attending bug camps and learning all about these fascinating creatures. Now, at 12 years old and about to start 8th grade at Ingleside Middle School, I'm thrilled that I'll be a Junior Counselor at bug camp this year for two weeks! I lived in England for five years, so I explored the bugs there, and I recently moved back to Arizona. I can't wait to spend two weeks helping out and sharing my passion for bugs with others. It's going to be an amazing experience, and I'm looking forward to every moment of it!
Leland : Leland has attended the camps as a camper since he was six and this is his second year as a Junior Counselor. He loves bugs and kids!
Amalia : I'm Amalia Goldman, and I am a rising junior at Colegio Americano de Torreón in Mexico! I'm 16, and some of my hobbies are drawing, learning about bugs, and boxing. I have lived in the United States, Paraguay, and Colombia, and I will be moving to Mexico next. I have loved bugs my entire life, so I can't wait to spend three weeks working as a junior counselor! See you soon!!!
Sadie : Sadie is world famous through her instagram site as @outdoorgirl
She has been a junior counselor for years and this year she will focus on answering questions about bugs and doing demos. She will also help the younger campers catch lots of bugs.
Miriam: Miriam Hemmer is a 7th grader at Northland Preparatory Academy. She has participated in Bug Camp since she was 6 years old. When she’s not at Bug Camp she likes watching Anime, sketching, and playing with her cat Evee. Miriam is a long time camper turned Junior Counselor in 2023. She has loved bugs her whole life and is really looking forward to helping campers have a great time.
Wayne: My name is Wayne Miao and I go to Basis in Flagstaff 10th grade. I'm extremely interested in bugs specifically arachnids and Entomology and can't wait to share my enthusiasm for bugs with the campers.
Junior Counselor Opportunity
Interested in becoming a junior counselor? We are now seeking enthusiastic students, 13 years and older, to join our bug camp team. Junior Counselors are responsible for assisting the camp staff, including helping campers with activities, clean-up, and general supervision of the students. Junior Counselors (JCs) are expected to act as mentors to the students in the program. Advanced JCs are expected to give lectures and lead in camp activities. Junior Counselor "Trainees" ages 11-12 pay for camps until they can be full JCs. For any questions about the process contact Neil Cobb (neilscobb@gmail.com).
