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Kevin Julka

Camp Director

Kevin is an outdoors enthusiast with a love for teaching. This is Kevin’s fifth year instructing at Wingra. He loves to canoe, kayak, SUP, sail, swim, and have fun with kids on the water. Kevin’s paddling resume includes rivers and lakes all over the States as well as in Australia, New Zealand, and even a little ocean paddling in Haiti.

Kevin’s currently a certified WMI Wilderness First Responder and American Red Cross Lifeguard. At the moment he’s studying at Edgewood College, but plans to transfer to University of Utah in the spring of 2013 to pursue a degree in Outdoor Recreation Facilitation and Commercial Tourism.

Kevin’s teaching philosophy: Safely and carefully grow through experience and by pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. Experiential, hands-on outdoor education teaches you not only the skills you’re working on, but lessons applicable to all aspects of life. You also learn a lot about yourself and your capabilities – often that you can do much more than you thought!

When he’s not thinking about Camp Wingra and everything to do with Wingra Boats, he’s usually geeking out over whitewater kayaking videos. Other life plans include growing a mullet to rival whitewater kayaking champion Ben Marr‘s.

Dean Leeper

Counselor Extraordinaire

Dean has been instructing Wingra Water Camps for six years. He works extremely well with kids of all ages, and has a knack for interactive education. He knows Lake Wingra better than most, having grown up with it in his backyard! Dean enjoys swimming, tennis, soccer, and boating of all kinds. He is an excellent sailor and windsurfer, and a singularly gifted stand-up paddler. Dean has also paddled all over the world, including lakes and rivers throughout the US and even the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe! (Ask him about dodging hungry hippos…)

Dean is also a certified Lifeguard by the American Red Cross with CPR and AED training. He is studying Art – ceramics – and Education at Berea College.