Camp Leadership
Julie Levine
Director, Children and Camping
Originally from Los Angeles, Julie has been in Texas for almost 40 years and considers herself a Texan at heart! Julie graduated from The University of Texas at Austin before completing her Master’s Degree in Education at The University of Houston. Since joining J Camp in 2013, Julie has directed many camps including Sports, Specialties, Junior Camps, Camp WITS and Camp Kaleidoscope. During the year, Julie has performed a variety of roles including working with Teens on the J-Serve project and leading the J’s Sport Stars program, working with children with disabilities.
Eva De La Cruz
Director, Youth Performing Arts
This will be Eva’s tenth summer as the Performing Arts Camp Director! Eva has been the Youth Theatre Director/Choreographer at the J since 2012, and is on full-time staff as the Youth Performing Arts Director. In her tenure at the J, she has directed over 40 youth theater productions for children in 3rd-12th grade. Prior to working at the J, Eva was the Artistic Coordinator at HITS Theatre, an outreach instructor with Main Street Theater, and an on-camera acting instructor at the Page Parkes Center of Modeling and Acting. Eva has been a member of Actors’ Equity Association since 2005, and has worked as a stage manager for over 45 local productions. Eva received her BA from the University of Houston, and was the Associate Producer for the Houston Shakespeare Festival for four seasons.
Leslie Holmes
Director, Gymnastics Camp
Leslie grew up in Houston and went to Stephen F. Austin State University. She has worked at the J for 12 years with the gymnastics department. She was recently named our new Preschool Gymnastics Coordinator. Leslie has experience working with camps in other organizations and has worked with our previous gymnastics camp directors here. She is looking forward to a great summer!
Meagan Friedman
Director, Bertha Alyce Early Childhood School
Meagan graduated from The University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology. She has spent many years working as a Day Camp Director for JCCs including the New Orleans JCC for four years and here in Houston for six years. She believes in the importance of summer camp for children and is looking forward to a great summer. She is excited to make 2020 Camp BAMI the best yet!
Erik Kiser
Director, Tennis
Erik has been teaching tennis for over 18 years in Corpus Christi and Houston. He played Division I collegiate tennis and earned a silver medal at the 1999 AAU Junior Olympics as a tennis player. Erik worked with past presidents of the USPTA and Hall of Fame Coaches. For the last 10 years, Erik assisted J Camps with the Tennis and Junior Tennis Camps – he was once a camper himself. With his knowledge of the game and love for the sport, Erik brings a passion to this state-of-the-art tennis facility with newly-surfaced tennis courts and is looking forward to sharing his knowledge with the campers and staff this summer.
