President, Rachel Petrick from Strongsville, Ohio, is a mom of four and the owner and founder of Nurse Practitioner Health Services, LLC. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the company provides Nurse Practitioners to over 40 nursing homes in the Cleveland, Youngstown, and Columbus areas. She works as head Nurse Practitioner and CEO of the company, which currently has 9 Nurse Practitioners in practice. Rachel has also been working on the Friends of Pioneer project, obtaining non-profit status, communicating with donors, and working to ensure that Pioneer remains a Christian ministry for many years to come. She has a passion for reaching those that may not enter the four walls of a church but who will experience the love of Christ at a place like Pioneer.
Vice President, Debbie Prahst, from Strongsville, Ohio, is a wife, mother of six, grandmother of eleven, and a retired homeschooling mom of 32 years. She has experience managing several rental properties as well as a short-term Airbnb rental. Debbie attended Lutheran schools throughout grade school and high school. She graduated from Lutheran High School West in Cleveland, Ohio, where she met her husband, Jeff. They both have been happily married for 45 years. She also has a 60+ year history of coming to Pioneer, since 1957. Her parents began attending camp in 1947, and now her grandchildren - the fourth generation - continue to enjoy and experience Pioneer on the Lake each year.
Debbie has a heart to see Pioneer on the Lake carry on the rich ministry its founders foresaw many years ago. Seeing the many faces of campers and counselors who have crossed Lake Shore Road to experience the warmth of Jesus' love, and the truth of the Gospel, is enough motivation to do whatever is necessary to secure Pioneer’s future. With God's leading, her insight, organization, and administrative gifts have contributed to the efforts of Friends of Pioneer, Inc. and the operation and future ministry of the camp. As with so many others, she has experienced God's presence on the grounds of Pioneer. May it continue to be a beacon of hope to many who come from far and near, pointing them to salvation in Jesus!
Treasurer, Dan Zapp from Lockport, New York, is a Dad of three boys, 16 Grandchildren, and one Great- Grandchild. Husband of Gretchen, who celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2022. He currently runs his Accounting Tax Practice which has been around for 45-plus years and is the Finance Manager at Lockport Housing Authority. Dan started going to Camp Pioneer in the mid-'60s for Confirmation Camp and continued attending Youth week until he became a Counselor at Camp in the late '60s early '70s. Dan loves camp and wants to help develop and operate Pioneer On The Lake. He wants everyone who attends Pioneer to know the love that Jesus has for them in their hearts and lives.
Mark Willert resides in West Seneca, New York. He is the Youth and Family Ministry Coordinator, oversees Confirmation, and teaches 5th through 8th grade religion at Trinity Lutheran Church and School. In addition, Mark leads worship twice a month at two churches. He has been instrumental in helping four churches enter into contemporary worship. He loves bringing people to God's throne in worship. He also enjoys assisting people in developing their gifts and talents inside and outside the church.
Mark's life was heavily impacted by Pioneer, beginning in second grade. He continued attending yearly for one week each summer. Mark also volunteered and worked at camp for ten summers throughout high school and college. He attributes his love for people, his passion for leading worship, and his first experience seeing God's work in action to his years at camp. It was at Pioneer that God's presence became real to Mark. He witnessed people living out their faith, being open about their relationship with Jesus, and genuinely growing closer to Him. Because of camp, he pursued becoming a Lutheran school teacher and graduated from Concordia Bronxville.
Mark met his wife, Katie Habedank - the daughter of a former Camp Director - at Pioneer. They were married at Pioneer in 1996. His daughters Grace and Hope also had the blessing of growing up at Pioneer, and Grace was able to work at Pioneer for two summers.
Immersive, contagious, and transformational are words he would use to explain the time he spent at camp.
Secretary, Tim Fink was born in Canada and is currently living in New York. He is a member of St. Mark Lutheran Church in North Tonawanda, serving on the Executive Board as Board President, Family Life Board, the tech team, and also as a Trustee. Tim went to Algonquin College and obtained a degree in Outdoor Industry. He worked at Pioneer Camp and Retreat Center as a counselor and then as the Outdoor Education Leader until 2014. He met his wife, Amanda, at camp, proposed to her, and then had the privilege of being married at Pioneer in 2013.
Tim has a deep passion for outdoor ministry and military camps. While working at GEICO, he raised support from the company for Pioneer's Operation Purple and secured a large donation for the military pavilion. As the grandson of a purple heart veteran, he feels a strong calling toward ministry with military members and their families.
Tim also enjoys connecting kids to the natural world. He has helped to develop programs at Pioneer that took kids to Letchworth State Park, where they went camping, hiking, and rafting. With his experience in "leave no trace" camping, he has taught kids the importance of limiting their impact on nature so that future generations can continue to enjoy God's beautiful creation.