Camps Staff

Mona Christensen - Director of Summer Camps and Conferences

Mona received her bachelor of arts degree in Music with a minor in Business, and a masters of science degree in Administrative Science from UW-Green Bay.

Mona has been with the UWGB camp program first as a music camper during her early teen years, then as a staff person from 1982 until 1997. In 1997 she left UW-Green Bay to serve for 5 1/2 years as Ministries Director at a church of 3000 adherents in Green Bay.

Upon returning to UWGB in Fall of 2002, Mona has worked to infuse new life into the existing camps, develop new camps and programs, and reconnect with alumni, parents and teachers. Currently, she is the advisor for the student organization, Campus Crusade for Christ. She served on the board of the UW-Green Bay Alumni Association, was in the 2005 class of Leadership Green Bay, sponsored by the Green Bay Chamber of Commerce and serves on the advisory board for Freedom House, a local homeless shelter for families.

If you would like to contact Mona, phone her at 920-465-2267 or e-mail her at christem@uwgb.edu.

Carrie Fonder - Art Studio Camp Co-Director

Ms. Fonder, sculptor, has a BFA from Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and has numerous solo exhibitions and commissions to her credit. Her work has been exhibited nationwide, including the New York Studio Program and the Milwaukee Art Museum. She is the owner of Raw Materials, a sculpture and design studio in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Nick Utrie - The Total Guitarist Camp Director

Nick Utrie, your new camp director, has a degree in Guitar Performance with an emphasis in Jazz Studies from UW-Stevens Point. Nick has been performing and promoting music in Green Bay since ’93 in mostly jazz and improvised projects. He is President of local non-profit organization - The Center for Artistic Collaboration and Performance which promotes creative music through public performance and in area schools. You can check out his website at www.greenbaymusic.com. Nick has performed at Valley Fair Live Shows, in local groups: Art of Duo (jazz), with James Kocian (pop) and his current group, Jet Set Radio - a fusion group that explores world music in an improvisational context. He has also recorded with Jeff Eckles on bass.

Kevin Collins - Middle and Senior High Music Camps Director

Kevin Collins has been a member of the UW-Green Bay faculty since 1988. He was appointed Director of Bands in 1995, and served as Chair of the Music Program from 1998-2003. Professor Collins directs the UW-Green Bay Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band, and teaches conducting and studio low brass. In the summer, he directs the UW-Green Bay Band, Choral and Orchestra Camps, which provide high quality instruction to hundreds of young musicians each year. In 1998, he founded the “UW-Green Bay State Bound Honor Band” for high school students who have received outstanding ratings for solo performances at WSMA and MSBOA district festivals.

Professor Collins is a frequent guest conductor, speaker, clinician and adjudicator, and has conducted honor bands throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest, as well as middle and high school bands, youth orchestras, community bands, collegiate, and professional ensembles. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of Michigan (Low Brass/Trombone Performance/Music Education), a Master’s degree University of Texas-Austin (Wind Conducting) and has done additional study in instrumental conducting at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Sandra Shackelford - Art Studio Camp Co-Director

Sandra Shackelford, fine artist and instructor, received her BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and did graduate work in fine arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A documentary artist, Shackelford's work combines heroic scale drawings, black and white photography and excerpts from oral histories of the (un)common heroes who make up her historical work titled, "Portrait of a Compassionate Humanity."

Her work was used exclusively in the award winning educational television program, "But Names Can Hurt Forever." Her photography will be in an up-coming documentary film on "The Hobo Historian."

Ms Shackelford has served on the art faculties of both UWGB and St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI and uses photography and creative writing in her work with K-12 students at Aldo Leopold Community School, Green Bay. She also creates various art programs for central city youth through Howe Neighborhood Family Resource Center. Ms Shackelford's art is in collections throughout the US.

Christine Salerno - Jazz on the Bay: Vocal Jazz & Gospel Choir

Christine Salerno is the director of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay Vocal Jazz Ensemble, which recently received an "Outstanding Vocal Jazz Ensemble" award at the 2004 Elmhurst College Jazz Festival. She is also the director of the 2002 Downbeat "Outstanding Vocal Jazz Ensemble" Award Winning Lawrence University Jazz Singers. Three of Christine's private jazz voice students at UWGB and Lawrence received the top college award for the 2005 Downbeat Jazz Voice category.

Christine has been a vocal jazz educator for twenty-one years, teaching at The University of Northern Colorado, Florida Atlantic University, Western Michigan University, and Palm Beach Community College. She was the director of the 2001 Wisconsin State Music Association Honors Vocal Jazz Ensemble and the director of the 2005 Pennsylvania All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Christine has also served on the judging panel for the Wisconsin State Compostion Award competition.

Christine is a frequent quest clinician at high school and university jazz festivals, including Millikin, Boise State, Lawrence University, the University of Northern Colorado, and others. She has several published vocal jazz arrangements with the UNC Jazz Press, some of which have been performed and recorded by professional and college ensembles including Millikin University, Washington State University, Western Michigan University, the University of Northern Colorado, the University of Miami, and Roosevelt University which premiered her arrangement of "The Closer I Get To You" at the 2000 International Association of Jazz Educators Convention.

Christine also composes for her Contemporary Jazz and World Music Group, "ZIJI", which has performed in such exclusive venues as the Elkhart Jazz Festival in Indiana, and the Neenah and Fox Cities Jazz Festivals in Wisconsin, among others. She has recorded and/or performed with Chuck Loeb, Nelson Rangell, Eliane Elias, Kurt Elling, Billy Drews, Kip Kuepper, and many more.

John Salerno - Jazz on the Bay: Jazz Ensembles

John Salerno has toured with The Spinners and the Jackson Five, and performed back-up for The Four Ladds, Mills Brothers, Bob Hope, Englebert Humperdink, and others. His professional arrangements have been used by the Palm Beach Orchestra, Abby Road Big Band, the Jazz Rats, and more. John currently directs the jazz program at UW-Green Bay and organizes a yearly Jazz Festival for the main stage of the Weidner Center.

Cristina Ortiz - Spanish Immersion for Professionals - Faculty Coordinator

Cristina Ortiz, Associate Professor,Coordinator Spanish Program and lead teacher for this Spanish Immersion program, was born in San Sebastian (Spain) where she completed her undergraduate studies in Philosophy and Education. She came to the United States in 1987 to further her education. She has a Master Degree and a PhD in Spanish and Latin American Literatures from the University of Cincinnati. Prof. Ortiz’ research is focused on women's literature, concepts of nation and nationalism, and Spanish and Latin American Cinema. She has been teaching at UW-Green Bay since 1993. She is very involved in international education and has taken students to places like Mexico, Spain and Australia.

Jason Marcks - Space Experience Camp Director

Jason is a former high school Earth and Space science teacher. He has a MS in Geoscience and is currently working on a Masters of Aeronautical Science in space launch management. He is the professional development director and lead instructor for the Wisconsin Initiative for Math, Science and Technology Education program and the Nevada Science of Aerospace Project. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and Northwestern State University where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in science. He was recently recognized for his professional accomplishments being named as the 2005 Frank G. Brewer Award winner for excellence in aerospace education.