Article
Dear Alumni, Families, and Friends,
When I arrived at the Aloha Foundation in 2012 as Director of Ohana, I never could have imagined how fully this community would become part of my life. Over the past fourteen years, I’ve had the joy of watching campers grow up, welcoming my own children into the camp community, and working alongside truly committed staff, trustees, alumni, and families.
After careful consideration, I will be leaving my role as Executive Director in April.
I want you to know that this is a decision I have made from a place of gratitude and confidence in where Aloha stands today. Aloha has been a profound chapter in my life, and a large part of my work has been helping the Foundation emerge from a period of uncertainty and change. I could not begin to consider moving on from the Alohas if I did not believe we are in a strong position for the next leader to step in and take these programs and this community into its next bright chapter.
As I look around today, I see an organization that is strong, focused, and ready for the future. Our enrollment pipeline has been rejuvenated, and our numbers are trending strongly upward, with both returning and new families eager to be here. Our financial systems and approach have evolved and stabilized through new processes, shared learning, and teamwork across the foundation. Our donor base has grown, and philanthropic support has outpaced projections, with Annual Fund giving exceeding last year’s results by a significant margin. At the same time, we have invested in the systems and structures that make camp possible—from improving hiring and staff support to strengthening leadership and resources across all our camps and programs.
Our camps and programs are at the heart of everything we do. The experiences we offer campers, families, and schools feel more important than ever and I am proud to have played a role in their evolution. Together, we’ve worked to ensure that every program is clearly rooted in the Aloha mission while responding to what young people need today, including annual camp themes that bring our broader mission into specific focus each summer. We have strengthened the way we gather and use feedback, spurring both responsive growth and real innovation. We have widened the circle of who feels welcome at Aloha—not only expanding outreach to under-resourced communities, but by being more open and intentional about inclusion for young people of many different identities and backgrounds. And we have brought program teams into closer alignment so that ideas, training, and support can be shared more easily.
Taken together, these changes mean that the Aloha Foundation of today is a strong, mission-driven organization with talented people in key roles and important work underway. It feels like the right moment for a new Executive Director to bring fresh energy and perspective to a very solid foundation.
I will remain fully engaged in my role over the next three months—there is still much to do! We will be continuing preparations for the 2026 summer camp season, supporting our staff and directors, and working closely with the Board and leadership team as they plan for Aloha’s next phase of leadership. You can read the announcement from board Chair, Jennifer Mogck, below.
In time, I will be glad to share more about the opportunity ahead of me, it’s an exciting new chapter for the whole Riegler family! For now, what matters most is that you know how proud I am of this community and how confident I am in its future. Aloha has always been bigger than any one person or position. It belongs to the generations of campers tracing our hillside paths, the counselors who grow into leaders even outside of camp, the families who entrust us with their children, the alumni and donors who stay connected across the years, and the staff and trustees who invest themselves fully in these special places all year-round.
It has been a great privilege to serve as the Executive Director of these wonderful camps and this incredible organization. Thank you for trusting me with this work, for welcoming my family so fully, and for all the ways you keep the Aloha spirit alive. I am excited to watch Aloha continue to grow in the years ahead—as a camp parent, donor, and friend.
With gratitude,
Vanessa Riegler
Executive Director
The Aloha Foundation
