Camp JORI’s Guttin to step down at end of season

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Ronni Saltzman GuttinRonni Saltzman Guttin

The Camp JORI board of directors announced June 12 that Ronni Saltzman Guttin will be stepping down as director after 20 years of devoted service to begin a new chapter in her camping career. Board President Deborah Salinger said, “Ronni has provided summers of loving support to thousands of our children, even raising her own four children at camp. We share this news with mixed emotions – gratitude for all that Ronni has given to JORI, happiness for her as she prepares to embark on a new adventure, and with full hearts, knowing she will make the 2015 season the best summer of her career to date.” Guttin will transition from her leadership role in October 2015.

Salinger, the executive committee and entire board will work with Guttin, assistant director Rachel Mersky Woda and JORI’s experienced and committed staff to ensure a smooth transition and conduct a national search for a director.

As director, Guttin grew JORI to serve more than 400 children each summer. She successfully guided the camp’s move to a 72-acre modern waterfront campus on Rhode Island’s largest lake, Worden’s Pond, created its widely admired waterfront programming and spearheaded many initiatives, including leadership training, day camp, Israel travel and more. Guttin also shepherded JORI through the rigorous ACA accreditation process, and continues to serve as mentor for the Federation of Jewish Camping incubator camps.

Former JORI Board President Robert Stolzman, who currently serves on the executive committee, noted, “Ronni embodies the spirit, values and compassion upon which JORI was founded and will be sorely missed by the board of directors and the families she has served. This is not a goodbye, but a new beginning as her love of JORI will keep her engaged as an active alumna. We wish her the very best in her future.”