Children’s Program Staff

Program Director
rebeccal@samena.com

Rebecca has worked with children in various capacities for 16+ years and originally joined Samena in our preschool in 2017. In 2023, her passion for working with our unique community led to her Rebecca was promoted to our Children’s Programs Director and now oversees all preschool and children’s programs, including our summer camps.

Rebecca enjoys establishing personal connections with the children and families we serve, with her primary objective being to create a safe, nurturing, and enjoyable environment where children can explore and learn.  Rebecca and her husband have 3 children (ages 15, 13 and 8) and an adorable pit bull named Sephora.  She loves to explore outdoors with her family, cook and bake.  She believes children are our greatest treasure and feels it the highest honor to get to work with them every day!

Program Manager
benp@samena.com

Washington born and raised, Ben loves the Pacific Northwest. Ben received his Computer Science Degree from Bellevue College in 2022.  He previously worked with the Boys & Girls Club, and also worked in Samena Aquatics for 15 years keeping kids safe as a lifeguard, teaching swimming lessons, & leading the Junior Lifeguards camp.  Ben is excited about providing comfort in the consistency and structure of the program, and, within that structure, planning creative, fun activities that make the kids, parents, and staff excited to come to Samena. Ben’s favorite part of Before and After Care is our STEAM activities, where we run a fun learning game, experiment, or craft, and the kids’ curiosity and engagement really come out.  

Logistics Coordinator

Jessica has worked at Samena as a counselor for our after school and summer camp programs since 2017, and 2021 she became our Children’s Logistics Coordinator.  You will often find her at the check in desk.  She enjoys engaging with campers, parents and summer camp staff.

Counselor & Van Driver

Jeffrey has been part of the Samena community for over 7 years, starting as a Junior Counselor while earning volunteer hours in high school. Since then, he’s taken on nearly every role in the Club – from maintenance and special events to Lead Counselor – growing alongside the community that helped raise him.

Now serving as a Counselor and Van Driver, Jeffrey loves creating a safe, fun, and welcoming environment where kids can make lasting memories. He’s passionate about giving back to Samena and inspiring the next generation to find the same sense of connection and belonging that first drew him here.

Counselor & Van Driver

Jennifer has always enjoyed working with children: as a 2nd and 3rd grade teacher, as a Spanish teacher, as a Lego camp counselor, as a private tutor, as a Peace Corps volunteer.  Most recently, before joining Samena, she was a full time mother and an enthusiastic homeschool teacher to her twin daughters, age 12. Samena was where she learned to swim and she still enjoys water sports, especially snorkeling amongst tropical fish in warmer climates.  Jennifer loves to travel, read mystery novels, play card games and board games, and to attend musical theater performances.

Van Driver

Jim Palmer started working as a Van Driver in the before and after school programs in 2023. Before working for Samena he retired from Boeing and is a US Navy Veteran who served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk. He is a lifelong Bellevue resident and as a child his family were Samena members. He spent a total of 11 years as a Scout Master while his son was growing up.

Jim’s interests include using the workout room at Samena, RVing, motorcycling, barbequing and cooking. Jim and his wife enjoy camping and afternoon hikes with family and friends around the PNW. In addition he likes to repair cars and restore old motorcycles. His favorite motorcycle tours are into eastern Oregon on his 1985 Honda. In 2021 he did a solo ride out to Wyoming and visited the Gran Teton National Park. He also like likes to fly R/C aircraft and drones.

Counselor

Kristine was born and raised in Washington and has been part of the Samena community for the past six years. She started out as a Shrimp Spot babysitter and recently transitioned into the B&A program, and it’s been such a rewarding journey. Working here has truly sparked her love for working with kids, and she’s excited to keep growing and learning alongside them.

She graduated from Seattle University in 2023 with a degree in Communications and Media. She’s always loved connecting with people, and that background has been super helpful in working with kids and building a positive space. When she’s not at Samena, you can usually find her cheering on the Seahawks (huge football girl here!), getting lost in a good book or show, or spending time with friends and family. Music is also a big part of her life, concerts are her happy place!