The Care Camps Foundation has announced that Executive Director Gwynn Sullivan will retire, effective Sept. 30, after four years leading the nonprofit. Jenna Berneck, currently the foundation’s director of development, will become executive director on Oct. 1, ensuring an uninterrupted transition for the campers, families, camps and partners the organization serves, according to a press release.
Under Sullivan’s leadership, Care Camps Foundation strengthened its finances and operations and deepened its partnership with the Children’s Oncology Camping Association (COCA), a network of pediatric oncology camps across the United States and Canada. The foundation now supports 126 camps serving more than 47,000 children, teens and family members each year, all at no cost to the families they serve.
“Being a part of this special mission has been the honor of my career,” Sullivan said. “Working alongside our amazing team and partners to bring more joy, hope and healing for children with cancer and their families is a true gift of this role. I’m excited for this new chapter and have complete confidence in Jenna’s ability to lead Care Camps Foundation forward.”
Sullivan and Berneck have spent recent weeks working closely together to transfer donor relationships, institutional knowledge and operational context ahead of the handoff.
“Camp has always been bigger than any one person, and that continuity is something we’re proud to carry forward,” said Rebecca Kirch, board chair of Care Camps Foundation. “On behalf of the board, I want to thank Gwynn for four years of extraordinary leadership and welcome Jenna to her new role.”
Berneck joined Care Camps Foundation as Director of Development in April 2025. She brings more than two decades of nonprofit fundraising and business development experience, including roles as director of business development at The Minneapolis Foundation, president of Impact at Work, and executive director of Community Health Charities. Earlier in her career, she held senior sales and account management roles in the human resources industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
“I am incredibly honored to step into this role and build on the strong foundation Gwynn has created,” Berneck said. “There is tremendous opportunity ahead for Care Camps Foundation. I look forward to working with our camps, partners, and supporters to expand our reach, strengthen our impact, and ensure even more children with cancer can experience the incredible healing power of camp.”
The leadership transition does not affect funding or programming for camps or families.
To learn more about the Care Camps Foundation and its mission, click here.
