Kat Bramley

Associate Director

Clearwater has always been a huge part of my life and it is such an unexpected gift to be back at camp in this role.  While Clearwater was a constant in my life from the age of 10 to 22, after college I made the decision to pursue other career aspirations.  I spent 5 years putting my degree in education to good use by teaching overseas in Luxembourg and Mexico as well as a little closer to home in the Chicago suburbs.  After that I decided to follow my passion for theater by earning  my MFA in acting from Ohio University where I also met my now-husband Jared (who also happens to be Clearwater’s maintenance supervisor).  We spent the following five years in Chicago pursuing various theater opportunities and enjoying being close to family and friends. Like many other people, the pandemic gave us the chance to reassess our current life situation and we made the decision to leave Chicago and move to Minocqua.

In my first year living in the Northwoods I worked at a local coffee shop, joined a cold water swimming group, hosted a stand selling baked goods at the farmers market, directed the high-school play, and spent tons of time hiking through camp with Jared and Lucy (our pup).  In many ways, it felt like coming home and I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be long before I found my way back to Clearwater.  From my time as a camper to my years on staff, Clearwater has shaped me into the person that I am today and I feel honored to be a part of creating this life-changing experience for future generations of campers and staff.