Meet Our New Camp Frank A. Day Director, Gus!
Jun 12, 2023
Greetings CFAD Families!
I am delighted and honored to introduce myself to you as your new Camp Frank A. Day Director. My name is Gus Noriega and I recently moved into the Farmhouse with my wife Cristyna, our two boys Rowan (4 years) and Aziel (almost 2 years), my mother-in-law Katya and our puppy Akeela. I feel incredibly fortunate to have joined a camp so rich in tradition and community! The staff and families I have had the opportunity to interact with so far have been wonderful and I am very much looking forward to meeting the rest of the community.
I am a local kid at heart as I grew up, the youngest of 6, in Waltham, MA. Then I completed high school in Marlborough, MA. I began my camping career in Utah at YMCA Camp Roger back in 2011. I traveled back and forth every summer until I made the permanent move in 2014. In 2015 I stepped into the director role of Camp Roger. Becoming a YMCA resident camp director was an experience that truly changed my life. I had found my calling.
I met my girlfriend, now wife, at Camp Roger. In 2018 we made the move from Utah to California, where my wife had an opportunity to pursue a PHD in Museum Studies and Archeology. While it was hard to leave Camp Roger, I found a new home at YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake. There, I oversaw a traditional overnight camp along with a skateboarding camp. Although we were only there for a short while, being introduced to a new camp and its culture and traditions was a very humbling experience.
When COVID hit, our journey took us from California to YMCA Camp Kern in Ohio where I took on the role of Camp Director. Camp Kern is a wonderful camp, and I was thrilled to again have the opportunity to learn the beat of a new camp!
While all of this was happening, my family began to grow. Cristyna and I were married and had 2 beautiful boys. I started to feel that it was time to come back home, where our kids could grow up around their extended family. When I saw the CFAD Director position open, I immediately began researching the camp and learned of its deep history and rich traditions. I couldn’t look away; I had to apply.
We are so excited to be here and ready to see CFAD in action this summer. I look forward to bringing my experiences and learning from all of you what makes Camp Day such a special place.