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Origin Story

Katherine and Elana met in grad school at Columbia University while they were both studying theatre; Katherine is a theater director and Elana is a theater producer. They began creating theater together, always focusing on the art they make as not just a play or event, but a total experience. When the pandemic hit, Katherine and Elana, like many others, suffered from a lack of human connection. Their isolation inspired them to build a virtual world where people could come together and experience joy as a community.

The first iteration of Camp Joy was a week-long summer camp for adults. Campers logged on for 30 minutes a day to participate in creative activities that were designed to heighten morale, boost productivity, and build new connections. After a week of running camp, Katherine and Elana ambitiously decided to turn Camp Joy into an official endeavor. They knew that the product was joy, and their job was to find the most innovative way to bring it to people.

"Our objectives were to let employees have time to relax, get to know each other more and laugh with one another - and the event accomplished just that! Katherine and Elana are such attentive facilitators and made sure that everyone had a great time. We still talk about the party in staff meetings."

"Given that most of us are working from home, we have struggled to keep our group engaged with one another or to have fun as a group. That is until we partnered with Camp Joy. They put together a fantastic team building event for us that was fun, engaging and allowed us all to laugh and have a great time together. I would highly recommend them for a team building event for your company!"

"I haven’t seen some of my teammates laugh so hard in quite a while. I would highly recommend working with them if you’re looking for a unique experience that will be time well spent. Elana and Katherine were very prompt and professional throughout the entire experience from our first call to delivering the final event flawlessly."

"Camp Joy delivered! We had an hour of forgetting COVID, work challenges, and politics and instead got to smile, laugh and let loose. Just the right mix of silliness and seriousness to keep us moving and focused. It was just what we needed."

“I recommended Camp Joy for a fun team bonding event during a leadership staff retreat. It was an amazing opportunity to share laughs and joy with one another, and to not have to facilitate the event. We appreciated having Elana and Katherine in charge, and they did a fantastic job!"

"Elana and Katherine really pulled out the stops on creating a fun and interactive event for our staff. They brainstormed ideas based on our assessment of what staff would like and packed in a fun filled hour. I highly recommend them if you want to break up a Zoom meeting in a fun way!"

"I hired Camp Joy because I experienced a beautiful party facilitated by them in my personal life and I wanted to share their expertise of creating joy with those in my work life. During the event, I loved seeing people I work with share affirmations with one another and work together in creative ways."

Attending Camp Joy made me intentionally create space for fun in my busy work day, and the exploration of happiness caused a ripple effect throughout my life.

Jennifer, Brewery Owner & Manager

FAQs

What is Camp Joy and who is it for?

Camp Joy is for everyone! Camp Joy creates custom virtual events to celebrate the moments that matter most for companies, families and communities. Joy is for everyone and we are determined to share it by connecting and uplifting communities through shared meaningful experiences.

What kind of activities will I participate in at Camp Joy?

It depends on which camp you attend! Camp Joy uses existing joy models from our in-person lives (Summer Camp, Birthday Parties, Happy Hour, Trivia, Family Vacations, etc) and translates them into a virtual space. Think: Sandwich Making Contests, Letter Writing, Virtual Escape Room, Name That 90s TV Theme Song, and much more!

Do I need to know my fellow campers?

If you're signing up for our public events, we encourage you to attend Camp Joy solo, so you have ample opportunity to make new friends!

Does Camp Joy host birthday parties and parties for other occasions?

Totally! The idea for Camp Joy started at a Zoom birthday party after all! Check out our Party Camp and Birthday Camp pages to learn more about how we celebrate.

My company could use a joy boost. Do you work with companies?

We work with companies of all shapes and sizes! We require a minimum of 6 employees to attend from your company and have packages that can reach up to 100 people. Take our quiz to decide which camp would suit you best!

Can my kids participate in Camp Joy?

Most Camp Joy events are designed for adults (those 18 and over) unless you have booked a Custom Event and have notified us. If you are looking for awesome virtual camp experiences for your kids, check out this list HERE.

Explore Our Camps

Meet the Joy Team

Elana Boulos

Co-Founder & CEO

Elana is a producer, educator and experience curator. Theatre producing has been at the forefront of Elana’s career over the past decade while working for companies such as Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the Playwrights Realm, Manhattan Theatre Club & Jackalope Theatre Company. Elana spent three years working for the National Student Leadership Conference at Yale University where she developed a pre-college program for high schoolers interested in Acting. Elana has dedicated her career towards providing opportunities for community building through conversation, socialization, and sharing of spaces.

MFA, Theater Producing, Columbia University

BFA, Theater Management, University of the Arts

elana@campjoylovesyou.com

Katherine Wilkinson

Co-Founder & Director of Experience

Katherine is a director, producer, and experience designer based in Brooklyn. Katherine has spent the last decade creating new ensemble-driven content and performance throughout the US and abroad, including Australia, India, Japan, Greece, Mexico, and England. From 2011-2016, Katherine served as the Marketing and Business Coordinator for South Pacific Software Services, an account and payroll software company based in Australia and the South Pacific Islands. For SPSS, Katherine developed, and organized large-scale educational experiences for clients in different countries, building and motivating corporate teams across multiple time zones.

MFA, Directing, Columbia University
BA, Communications, UNC Chapel Hill

katherine@campjoylovesyou.com

Kareen Z. Walsh

Business Strategy Advisor

https://www.kareenwalsh.com/

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Yasmeen Audi

Social Media Manager & Website Developer

https://www.yasmeenaudi.com/

Stephanie Bohar

Graphic Designer

https://www.stephaniebohar.com/

Get in Touch!

Anti-Discrimination Statement

Camp Joy is committed in principle and practice to maintaining an environment which prohibits discriminatory behavior and provides equal opportunity for all persons. Camp Joy prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state or federal law. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our participants, collaborators, and staff.