Meet Johnny Domenico | Executive Director of Sylvaneers at Camp Santa Maria

We had the good fortune of connecting with Johnny Domenico and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Johnny, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve seen the impact that summer camp can have on children and young adults. So many friends and colleagues of mine hold on to memories from their times at camp as some of their most cherished throughout their lives, so having the opportunity to create my own summer camp program at a facility that has a history hosting camps for almost 100 years was too good to pass up! I love that more children will get to experience such an impactful rite of passage, and I hope to creatively reach out to more communities that wouldn’t otherwise think of summer camp as something accessible to their children.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My path towards founding my own summer camp organization was a winding one, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! After 5 years as a camper at Geneva Glen in Indian Hills, CO, I was hired as a 16 year old to be on the Work Krew, responsible for cleaning toilets and helping to build retaining walls (as far as I can remember). I worked every summer for the rest of my time through high school and college, including a super senior year, as a seasonal staff member at Geneva Glen, eventually spending my last summer there as the Program Director, scheduling campers and staff into their weekly programs. That was the last step in the seasonal employee ladder, but my directors happened to hear that another Colorado camp, Sanborn Western Camps, was hiring outdoor education staff that fall, which led to 5 years living in Florissant, CO at Sanborn and getting my first taste of the year-round camp professional world, as well as attending my first American Camp Association conferences. When the time came to leave Sanborn, I lucked into a brief stint as a Youth Activities Counselor on board the Disney Magic cruise ship sailing between the eastern and western Caribbean islands, before being offered a full time role back where it all began at Geneva Glen. The Covid era led to a new role for me as a Managing Director of Mountain area before/after programs and day camps in Conifer and Evergreen before the opportunity came up to create an organization to become the new camp operator at Camp Santa Maria in 2025.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Having spent the last 15 years along the 285 foothills corridor, I feel like it’s often an area people drive past on their way to the mountains, but there are a lot of amazing places all along the highway! Starting down in Indian Hills near Geneva Glen, Mount Falcon is a great hiking area to explore, and if you’ve got younger children, World Famous Tiny Town is a must see! Mac Nation is a great place to stop for food with a number of gourmet mac and cheese options to try. As you head up 285, you’ll pass a delicious higher end restaurant called Twin Forks Tavern on your way towards Conifer. In Conifer, there are a number of different restaurants including a few mexican restaurants, sushi, thai, diners and more, with both Ripple Conifer and Snowpack Taproom offering delicious pizza along with other offerings. As you pass through Conifer, you’ll end up near Staunton State Park, which has amazing trails, rock climbing and fishing opportunities. Bailey is home to a number of delicious restaurants, including Aspen Peak Cellars, a winery along the river, 2 Dads Taproom, also along the river, then if you continue up to Grant, just past Camp Santa Maria, you can get a taste of a local favorite, The Shaggy Sheep.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mentors in life and the camp industry, especially my parents, who recognized my love for camp after my first camp session as a shy 11 year old, as well as my first camp directors, Ken and Nancy Atkinson, who nurtured that love for camp from my first year as a camper, through almost a decade as a seasonal staff member, followed by almost another decade as part of the full time administrative team. Leading with love, and a belief in finding and investing in the right people will always be a major part of my business philosophy thanks to them.

Also, my colleagues in the camp industry that I’m able to reconnect with a few times each year at American Camp Association conferences and events. Having the support of other industry professionals that have all heard the question: “What do you do the rest of the year?” a million times will always be a highlight of the offseason.

Website: https://www.sylvaneers.camp

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sylvaneers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sylvaneers

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sylvaneers