About Us
Our mission is to provide transgender and gender-variant youth with a safe, fun, and unique camp experience during which they are able to express gender however they are comfortable and connect with others in similar situations.
Camp Aranu'tiq is a federally recognized, tax-exempt, nonprofit organization. It is 100 percent volunteer-run. It was born out of the idea that transgender and gender-variant youth needed a safe place to relate to others like them, away from home, in a beautiful rural setting where they can concentrate on what every camper loves: having fun.
Aranu'tiq has two locations: Southern New England and Southern California. Due to the sensitive nature of our program, the exact locations of our camps can be obtained by interested parents and campers by contacting us.
"I expected my daughter to have fun, but I did not expect for her to make such a strong connection of what it really means to be among other trans and gender-variant kids...Aranu'tiq is an invaluable experience for our children." -Parent of Camper
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Nick Teich, LCSW, Founder and President, has a combined 13 summers in camping experience as a camper, counselor, and member of camp leadership at a private camp in Maine. He is a social worker and is currently pursuing a PhD in social policy. He has a deep personal interest in working toward transgender rights.
Morgan Darby, M.A., M.A.T., teaches middle school English and social studies and coaches basketball at a school in the Boston area. Morgan has also served on the board of directors of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN Boston).
Julie Lipson believes deeply in the profound ways that camps affect youth. A product of a camp-filled upbringing, Julie is excited to be involved in another summer-empowerment-endeavor. For more than 10 years Julie has worked as leadership staff and songleader for kids of all ages. Julie is committed to building a world which encourages and celebrates freedom of gender expression.
Melissa MacNish, LMHC, is a mental health counselor at the Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center in Boston. She sees the bulk of the clinic's transgender and gender-variant clients, and she is very interested in being a part of safe spaces for youth of all genders. She has long been involved in the LGBT community in Boston.
Marissa Peifer, Psy.D., is excited to be a part of Camp Aranu'tiq and combine her love of the outdoors with her passion for working with transgender and gender-variant youth. She is a clinical psychologist and works with a variety of different populations.
Development & Progress Committee
Bob Ditter, M.Ed., LCSW, is a camp professional as well as a child and family therapist from Boston. He is a nationally recognized trainer and consultant for organizations that work with young people. He has visited over 600 summer camps in the United States, has spoken about camp on many national television programs, and has authored four books for camp professionals and 14 training DVDs. He is best known in camp circles as the author of the popular column, "In the Trenches," which has appeared regularly in Camping Magazine since 1987.
Tori Gabriel, MBA-HA, has worked for over 20 years in the non-profit healthcare arena and is currently director of education & prevention for the Florida Heart Research Institute in Miami. As a camp mom, Tori is passionate about allowing transkids to live authentically and was thrilled with the confidence and self esteem her child gained while at Camp Aranu'tiq in its inaugural year.
Honorary board member Chaz Bono with Aranu'tiq founder Nick Teich
What does the name "Aranu'tiq" mean?
Aranu'tiq is a Chugach (Yup'ik, an Indigenous people of Alaska) word for a person who was thought to embody both the male and female spirit. Aranu'tiq people were often revered and thought to be very lucky because their existence transcended traditional gender boundaries.
Honorary Board Members
Chaz Bono is an activist, author, and is the transgender son of Cher and the late Sonny Bono. He lives in West Hollywood, California.
Gregory Fenton, M.D., is a family physician splitting his time between Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center, Fenway Community Health Center, and the Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center, all in Boston.
Norman Spack, M.D., is senior associate in pediatric endocrinology at Children's Hospital Boston and is the co-director of its Gender Management Service. He is a worldwide leader in the endocrine treatment of transgender children.
Ralph Vetters, M.D., is a pediatrician who serves as the medical director at the Sidney Borum Jr. Health Center. Dr. Vetters specializes in working with transgender and gender-variant adolescents.