Meet the Team
Courtney Jacobson
General Manager of Camps & Early Learning School
Bio for Campers:
This is Courtney’s sixth summer at Camp Shai. Courtney’s favorite parts of camp are Survivor and Sports (especially dodgeball). Her favorite camp song is “Ravioli”. In her free time, Courtney enjoys hanging out with her dogs Amaya and Zuri, hiking, and skiing. She currently singing all of the morning circle songs on repeat to her newborn daughter to get her ready for Camp Shai 2026!
Bio for Parents:
Courtney is a Denver native, growing up attending JCC Ranch Camp. This is her 20th summer at camp. Courtney has a Master’s in Social Work and Non-profit Management and loves working with campers and staff development.
Sarah Jones
Director of Camp Shai
Bio for Campers:
This is Sarah’s first summer at Camp Shai and she is so excited to be a part of the Shai community here in Denver. Her favorite parts of camp are getting pied in the face and wearing silly costumes. Sarah’s current favorite camp song is “60s Party”. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading books about history, and spending time with her cat, Commissioner Jim Gordon.
Bio for Parents:
Sarah has been working in the summer camp industry since her first job as a Junior Counselor when she was 15 years old. She has many years of experience working at both day camps and residential camps. Most recently, she worked as the Camp Director at a day camp focused on STEM learning in Chicago, IL. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from Indiana University (Go Hoosiers!) and a Master’s Degree in Education from Northwestern University (Go Wildcats!).
Jessica Agranoff
Assistant Director of Camp Shai
Bio for Campers:
This will be Jess’s second summer with Camp Shai! Her favorite parts of camp are teambuilding challenges and watching skits at Morning Circle. Jess’s favorite camp song is “MILK.” In her free time, Jess enjoys hiking, road trips, and live music.
Bio for Parents:
Jess fell in love with summer camp at a young age. She has worked at day and residential camps in various roles including counselor, trip leader, unit head, and is now so excited to join the director team! Jess has experience working in mental and behavioral health, as well. Jess is originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, and has a BASC in Environmental and Outdoor Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Courtney Paris
Inclusion Specialist
Bio for Campers:
Courtney is excited to have her sixth summer with Camp Shai as the Inclusion Specialist. She started at camp Shai in 2017 as an inclusion counselor and found her passion for integrating everyone into the fun of camp. Since then, she has earned a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Colorado at Denver. Courtney’s passion is to support children to have equal access and the experiences that all children should have at camp: the opportunity to make friends, build relationships, and have fun. In her free time, she enjoys playing with my puppy Teddy, binging a good Netflix show, and enjoying time with friends and family. Looking forward to another fun summer at camp!
Our Summer Staff
Our summer staff are typically college students, high school students, and master’s degree students. Our Unit Heads are typically teachers (who love having a summer out of the classroom with us) who oversee the counselors and our Inclusion Staff have significant experience working with children with identified needs. We are committed to hiring only the BEST counselors and all staff are rigorously trained and invested in your camper’s social-emotional growth, safety, and overall experience.