Jessica Gamaché

Having grown up as a camper, Jessica first came to United Methodist camping leadership as Assistant Site Manager and Nature Resource Guide at Wesley Forest in Central PA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Resort Recreation Management and a Master’s in Parks and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. As Camping and Retreat Ministries Coordinator in the Western PA United Methodist Annual Conference for eight years, Jessica spearheaded a multi-year, multi-million-dollar capital campaign, worked with hundreds of volunteers, and championed camping ministries in the local church, Conference, and beyond. She was elected as a Northwest Jurisdiction representative to the UMCRM Board in 2012, and served as Board Vice-Chair until she resigned to become UMCRM's first Association Director in 2019. As a volunteer, she was a primary driver for the Intentional Leadership Groups, UMCRM Book Group, and Online Volunteer Training, in addition to her contributions to policy governance and strategic planning. With UMCRM as her full-time work and primary focus, Jessica has shifted Association initiatives into "turbo" mode, helped us get many loose ducks in a row, and creatively leveraged our resources to move our mission forward. Jessica and spouse Heath are parents to Skye and Leland. Jessica works from her home office in Pittsburgh, PA.