Meet Our Directors

Annie Copp & Zach Aronson

Directors

Annie Copp grew up in East Coast, Canada, started as a camper at eight years old and began working at camps at 15. In 2007, her love for working with children and camp brought her to a premier camp in Maine where she would spend nine years working her way from an Activity Specialist in both Ropes and Waterfront to a Head Counselor. Annie has a Bachelor of Science from St. Francis Xavier University and a Bachelor of Education from Crandall University. Before moving into full-time camping, Annie spent five years teaching Middle School and High School Math and Science. In 2016, Annie took an exciting opportunity as Associate Director and helped establish a new sleepaway camp in The Poconos. She was involved in all aspects of camp life, operations, recruitment, and development. Annie is an Associate Accreditation Visitor for the American Camping Association.

Zach Aronson grew up in South Florida and spent his summers at a sleepaway camp in Maine. It was here he established a love and passion for camping. Zach graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.A. in Human Geography. He returned to camp as a staff member and quickly moved into Leadership roles which included Ropes Director and Head Counselor. Zach was a Middle School History teacher and coached soccer throughout the school year while spending his summers working alongside Annie. In 2016, he was a part of launching a new sleepaway camp in The Poconos. Zach was the Head Counselor and had many other responsibilities, which included managing the leadership team, camper programming, and day-to-day cabin life. He has experience in child and staff development, camp operations, and facilities management.

It is no surprise that Annie and Zach’s shared love for camp brought them together at a premier camp in Maine, where they fell in love and which led to them getting married. Annie and Zach believe in the impact the camp experience can have on the lives of campers and staff. They are dedicated to providing a safe environment for their campers, where they can have new experiences, step outside of their comfort zone, and be accepted for exactly who they are.

Mark Toporoff

Director

Mark and his wife Amy joined Danbee in 1991. Mark was a middle school teacher, soccer coach, and camp professional before joining Danbee full-time in 1998. He received his bachelors degree in Environmental Science in 1983 from SUNY ESF-Syracuse. He later received his Masters in School Administration in 1990. Mark serves as Co-Director of Danbee and takes care of all the administrative and programming details including hiring staff, coordinating our special events and trips, and organizing our teaching program. Mark serves on the Board of the Massachusetts Camping Association and is an ACA accreditation visitor. Mark and Amy’s two children are lifelong campers with their daughter, Rebecca, spending nine summers as a camper and eight summers as a staff member at Danbee.

Jillian Meinhardt

Wellness Director

Jillian’s camp journey began at age five and has since spanned over 17 summers as a camper and counselor. What Jillian loves most about camp is watching campers and staff grow, take risks, navigate challenges, create new friendships, and leave camp feeling more empowered and confident than ever before.

As a licensed clinical social worker with her own practice, Jillian is passionate about helping children, teens, young adults, and their families navigate challenges while building upon their strengths. She began her career supervising a therapeutic, special education elementary and middle school, ensuring her students thrived emotionally, socially, and academically.

As Camp Danbee’s Wellness Director, Jillian supports campers and staff through transitions, helps ease homesickness, and creates a safe, welcoming environment for everyone. She also helps welcome new campers and families to the Danbee community and sets campers up for success ahead of each summer.

Sarah Plotts

Admin and Program Assistant

Sarah Plotts joined the Danbee team in January of 2023. She graduated from West Virginia University with a B.S. in Journalism, where she developed her leadership skills and love for the outdoors by working for Adventure WV as a first-year trip leader and whitewater kayaking roll instructor.

Growing up in College Park, Maryland, Sarah attended both day and overnight camps, giving her a deep appreciation for the transformative power of the camp experience starting at 7 years old. Sarah worked as a seasonal Program Assistant at an all-girls soccer camp in the Berkshires, where she gained valuable experience in staff management and program development. She is a Program Committee Member for the American Camp Association Tri-State Conference, helping to curate impactful sessions and speakers that support professional growth in the camp industry. As a valuable member of our team, Sarah coordinates staff communications, trip planning, transportation, programming, and goes above and beyond to ensure an unforgettable summer experience for our campers and staff!

Jay Toporoff

Director Emeritus

Jay along with his wife Debbie and four children have called Danbee their summer home, since 1991. He has many years of experience working with children and young adults, having worked in college student affairs administration prior to becoming a camp director. Jay received a B.A. from Bentley College in 1978 and earned a Masters in Education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from Springfield College in 1981. He completed his doctoral coursework at Vanderbilt University in the field of Educational Leadership in 1993.

Jay is committed to philanthropic work serving as a founding director of both America’s Camp (for children of 9/11) and Camp Sea Stars North (for the children of Newtown/Sandy Hook).