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Our Philosophy
There is an enormous amount of pressure on teenagers today.
Their place in society is frequently minimized as unimportant
and inconsequential. All too often, their intelligence and sound
rational thinking are drastically underrated. Oppressions faced
by young people can begin to steer them away from the amazingly
unique individuals that they were born to be, causing them to
lose faith in themselves and their communities. All of us at
Camp Costa want to give teens the opportunity to see themselves,
and others, in a more forgiving light. Encouraging feelings
of empowerment, leadership, and integrity in our campers gives
us great reward. We are committed to helping young people further
their understanding of themselves and others, so that they can
strengthen their ability to draw inspiration from their experiences
and give deeper meaning to their lives. Camp Costa takes place
in one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth (according
to National Geographic), so what better place to help young
people explore, embrace, and develop their own diversity? |
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Angelo Regalbuto, Founder & Director
Wilderness First Responder
A deep love for the nature, his knowledge of
Costa Rica, and his passion for improving the lives of others
give Angelo the foundation necessary for successful camp leadership.
He first visited Costa Rica at the age of fourteen and was deeply
moved by the warm-hearted people, the beauty of the land, and
the exotic wildlife. For the last four years he has been working with individuals and groups
in Malibu, CA, who are in the early stages of recovery from substance
abuse. Learning to incorporate nature, sports, meditation, and
creativity into his coaching sessions has helped him to play a
significant role in the lives of those whom he has had the pleasure of
working with. Angelo focuses his energy on maintaining a positive
perspective, while keeping his awareness on the mental, emotional, and
spiritual aspects of his self. Angelo has discovered the infinite potential for growth that resides
within each and every one of us, and as the founder and director of Camp Costa, he looks forward to sharing, caring, and
daring with all of you very soon! |
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Luke Regalbuto, Assistant Director
Wilderness First Responder
Luke has built his career around working with youth in the outdoors.
With a B.A. in Recreation Administration, Luke Regalbuto has the
tools and training required for successful camp leadership. He
has worked as an instructor/camp counselor at a surf camp, as
well as at a sixth grade environmental education camp in Redwood
National Park and as a Recreation Leader for an After School Program
in Eureka, California. LukeâÂÂs experiences have helped him
to develop strong leadership, communication, and team building
skills. His love for the outdoors, especially the tropics (he
has traveled the entire Pacific coast of Costa Rica), inspires
him to help make Camp Costa a gratifying and memorable experience
for everyone involved. |
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Tomalene Evans, Safety Coordinator
Emergency Medical Technician
Tomalene has a B.A. in Social Welfare from the University of
California at Berkeley and an M.A. in Cultural Resources Management
from Sonoma State University. She has been a certified and active
Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician for over seven years and
a full-time outdoor professional for ten years. Her focus has
been primarily on training outdoor leaders for emergency medical
scenarios in remote settings, risk and safety management, primitive
skills survival training, and education curriculum development
for outdoor programs. Tomalene is also a lead instructor for the
Wilderness Medicine Institute of the National Outdoor Leadership
School (NOLS). |
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Andrew Pruder, Wildlife Director
Wilderness First Responder
Andy Pruder has lived in Costa Rica since 1992. Graduating with
a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Humboldt State University, he
worked in Northern California for a Marine Laboratory under contract
to the Surfrider Foundation and later for the US Forest Service
surveying planned timber harvests for the presence of threatened
and endangered species. His âÂÂcrocodile hunterâ approach
to his tours and his overall knowledge and enthusiasm for the
rainforest and its inhabitants give him the ability to pass along
that knowledge and enthusiasm to everyone he encounters. He loves
surfing, climbing trees, waterfall rappelling, kayaking, and enjoying
Matapalo with his wife, Terri, and son, Talon. |
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Cherie Vitartas, Activities Coordinator
Wilderness First Responder
Cherie graduated from the University of California, San Diego,
with a degree in Psychology. With five years experience in camp
leadership, Cherie enjoys sharing her love of the sea and mountains.
She enjoys snowboarding, hiking, camping, kayaking, surfing, snorkeling,
and discovering new adventures in the great outdoors. Cherie has
traveled in Mexico, throughout the Eastern coast of Australia,
Spain, England, Ireland, Greece, and Italy. On her down time she
enjoys reading, writing, and painting. Currently Cherie is pursing
a career in substance abuse prevention. She looks forward to the
experiences each new day brings and canâÂÂt wait to meet each
and every person as they journey through the adventure of self-discovery
and empowerment that is Camp Costa! |
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Paige Fowler, Activities Coordinator
Wilderness First Responder
Paige graduated with a degree in Psychology from the University
of California, Santa Cruz. There she enjoyed a stimulating, interdisciplinary,
and inspiring education, including the study of Italian Language
and Culture in Siena, Italy. Instilled with a passion for international
understanding and cultural awareness, Paige traveled the world,
including Western and Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. It was
in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam that she devoted her
time teaching English as a Second Language and volunteering with
the Tsunami Relief Fund. She has over five years of camp counseling
experience, working with youth of all ages and backgrounds. She
enjoys the flowing exchange of experience, knowledge, and laughter
that is found at Camp Costa. |
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Tobin Biesele, Activities Coordinator
Wilderness First Responder
Tobin graduated from the University of Utah in 2005 with a B.S.
in Biology. Of particular interest was the study of ecology and
ecosystems. He spent two years working for a biology lab at the
University of Utah, researching tropical plants and herbivores.
When not in the lab, Tobin is a rock climbing instructor. He spends
his free time outdoors rock climbing, backpacking, hiking, mountaineering,
snowboarding, or just hanging out with his dogs. Learning from
everyone as well as sharing his own knowledge is what drives Tobin
on a daily basis. |
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Lisa Stalvey, Chef
Lisa Stalvey has been cooking for over thirty years. As luck
would have it, she âÂÂfellâ into an apprenticeship with
Wolfgang Puck at the original Ma Maison restaurant in West Hollywood.
After a successful one year engagement, she took an apprenticeship
with LâÂÂOrangerie. Following that, she worked at several
famous restaurants including: Pastel, Les Anges with Patrick Jamon,
La Toque with Ken Frank and then as the chef of Beau Rivage. Following
her many successes, she had an opportunity to work with Wolfgang
Puck again, and went back to work as a line cook at the Sunset
Spago restaurant. After two and a half years, she became the head
chef. She received awards two years in a row for being one of
the Top 100 ChefâÂÂs in America. She has since been a consultant
for NewmanâÂÂs Own, creating two new sauces for the Company.
She has also written two cookbooks. LisaâÂÂs true passion
however, is scuba-diving, and snowboarding! She loves Camp CostaâÂÂs
tropical setting and enjoys creating new and exciting dishes with
all of the fresh and tasty fruits, vegetables, and fish that are
available in Matapalo. |
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