Camp St. Croix - Meet the Leaders
The YMCA Camping team has welcomed several new leaders in recent months. We are excited about the passion, energy and experience they bring to their roles and look forward to seeing what they can achieve. Please help us welcome the following leaders to the St. Croix community.
Dan O’Brien, Executive Director
Dan’s journey with Camp St. Croix began in fourth grade when he attended a multi-day retreat at the camp with his school. This formative experience sparked a lifelong passion for Camp, and Dan later spent five summers as a counselor here. After high school, Dan pursued opportunities with AmeriCorps in Madison, WI, and further honed his skills in youth development at various YMCAs in the St. Paul area. He went on to serve as the Program Director at YMCA Day Camp Heritage, where he spent four years enhancing program offerings and delivering meaningful experiences for families.
In 2019, Dan became a founding staff member at Camp Northern Lights, where he served as Program Director and helped grow both summer programs and year-round community opportunities. In 2021, he was promoted to Executive Director, leading the organization through a period of exceptional growth and community engagement. Under his leadership, Camp Northern Lights flourished, fostering a strong staff and volunteer network.
Dan, a native of Hudson, Wisconsin, has called the Twin Cities Metro home for the past decade. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys spending time with friends, cooking, and attending live music events. An avid outdoor enthusiast, he also enjoys cross-country skiing in winter and biking or running when the weather warms.
Dan shared the following message with all of us: “Camp St. Croix is where it all started for me. It’s the place that showed me how much of an impact people can truly have on each other and how good that can be for the broader community. I’m beyond grateful to be returning to a community that has given me so much.”