STAFF & COUNSELORS

Mary "Skeet" Anderson
Co-Owner

Mary earned her degree in Elementary Education from Texas Tech University and was Field Director for Girl Scouts for 17 years before joining RRR in 1966. Her experience has proven an excellent background for working effectively with children in camping activities. She, along with Sandy Bateman, purchased Rocky River in 1971 with a clear goal in mind — to continue the magical traditions that were founded so lovingly by founders, Carol "Mama" Knolk and Jane Brown. Skeet’s enthusiasm and excitement for the experience of camp is clearly contagious to her cherished campers. 


Rue Hatfield
Co-Owner, Executive Director

As Skeet’s niece, Rue literally knows camp from the ground up. She has been a Rocky River camper, counselor, Assistant Director and Director. She is now the Executive Director and oversees all areas of camp. Rue earned her Bachelors degree in Child Development from Texas Tech University and her Masters in Education from Texas State, followed by several years of teaching both kindergarten and second grade. Her never-ending love and respect for children are the basis for the continuing success of Rocky River Ranch.
Email: rue@rockyriverranch.com


Shanna Watson
Camp Director

Shanna joined the Rocky River family in 2003, bringing her vast camping experience with her. Her camping career started while she was earning her BA in Child Development from the University of Texas. She spent her summers at John Knox Ranch where she was a counselor, Trip Leader, CIT Director, and eventually became the Assistant Camp Director. Before coming to RRR she spent time as the Director of a YMCA camp and worked with teen girls at a Texas Wilderness Program. Shanna is dedicated to hiring, training and supervising our amazing summer staff and is whole heartedly committed to the mission of growing independent girls. Her vision, leadership and compassion inspires others and she is an outstanding role model for campers and staff alike.
Email: shanna@rockyriverranch.com


Hannah Brock
Day Camp Director

Hannah fell in love with camp and with Rocky River as a 9-year-old girl and has not missed a summer since. She grew up in Austin and then attended Southwestern University in Georgetown. During college she majored in Education, getting her teaching certificate in Early Childhood through 6th grade and Special Education. After graduation, she spent a year in Utah working for Playworks, a non-profit organization focusing on the positive effects of play. During the summer of 2014, she came on board at RRR full time. As Day Camp and Program Director, she creates activities that are thoughtful, intentional, creative and fun.
Email: hannah@rockyriverranch.com
 

 

Kate Hatfield
Barn Director

Kate and her older brother Cody learned all about camp life from their mother Rue, and great-aunt Mary while growing up at Rocky River. She attended sessions every summer and made lasting friendships during her childhood years at camp, in the leadership program, and as a cabin counselor. Rocky River also allowed Kate to build a life-long love for animals, that was fostered by both Mary and Sandy. She grew up a stone’s throw away from the barn and spent hours of her days happily riding and doing farm chores. She rode for years on the RRR Drill Team performing in the Wimberley 4th of July Rodeo. As an adult, her first full-time position at camp was in programing and scheduling weekend events, which led to her training in the climbing wall and trail riding activities. She then certified through AAHS to become a full time instructor and has been the RRR Barn Director since 2008. 
 

Taylor Theriot
Program Director

Taylor started at Rocky River Ranch when she was 6 years old and has been coming back every summer since. She went on to be a counselor for 4 years, before starting as a Program Coordinator in the Summer of 2020. She attended Texas A&M University and received a BBA in Consulting Management with a Minor in Youth Development. Right after college, she started full time at RRR in the Spring of 2021. As Program Director, she brings creativity and organization to our Trainee program, ropes courses, and evening programs.


 

Summer Milam
Office Manager/Registrar

Summer and her family have enjoyed living in Wimberley since 2010. She attended summer camp in Massachusetts, where she grew up, and holds those sweet memories close to her heart. Summer’s daughter, Tessa, has been a camper and staff member at RRR for 10 years!  Summer graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and minored in Child Development. Summer has been working at RRR since 2014 in different capacities and she currently handles all camper registrations, paperwork, online communication, and is happy to answer parents’ questions.

Counselors

College students and graduates are carefully screened for counselor positions. Applicants who exhibit strong leadership qualities, personality, teaching abilities, patience and sincere desire to help campers learn new skills and inspire them to be valuable members of society, are chosen. We select counselors with training and experience in working with children as well as skills to share with them.

We feel it is important that counselors enjoy and understand children, are good role models, work well with other adults and enjoy the out-of-doors.

Our counselors share a sense of joy in the camping experience... from participation to leadership. We understand the importance of choosing most carefully the people who will help provide a child the experience of a lifetime.

Many of our counselors are “home-grown” and understand the Rocky River philosophy and way of life from personal experience.

Rising 9th - 12th graders can participate in our special leadership program. Participation in this program, from Trainee to Staff-in-Training (SIT) to Junior Counselor (JC), teaches valuable leadership skills that they will use for the rest of their lives.

 

Rocky River Ranch | Summer Camp Programs

Summer Camp Programs

The perfect summer is waiting for your daughter aged 5 to 14 at Rocky River— filled to the brim with new friendships, challenging activities and, most importantly, lots of fun! Check out our day camp and resident camp options.

Rocky River Ranch | Weekend Programs

Weekend Programs

In the hot summer months, we’re an all-girls camp, but the rest of the year, we offer year ‘round fun at our Great Escapes for women and Mother-Daughter weekends!

Rocky River Ranch | Event Rentals

Event Rentals

Rocky River Ranch is the perfect solution for your special event! We host family reunions, church retreats, teacher work days, company picnics, Girl Scout groups, and more with lodging for up to 135 guests.

Start your own

Rocky River Ranch experience

 

RRR is not just two months of SCREAMING prepubescent girls singing songs in the Grubstake, Free Swim at the river or raids on other cabins, it becomes a way of life that helps guide you through the rest of your life. Not unlike the Marines who are brothers for life, those of us who were campers and counselors are sisters for life and will do anything to help each other, no questions asked!

‒  Lezli Smith Giancarlo Years at camp: 1981-1989

Rocky River Ranch is like my second home. It is such a comfortable, fun place to be! I am planning to be here as long as possible, and want my future daughters and granddaughters to experience this camp. Rocky River has a special place in my heart, and is a big part of my life.

‒  Molly Morgan Years at camp: 2001-2005

This was my very first camp I ever went to and let me tell you it was the best! I only wish I had found out about it earlier so I could have spent more than just one year there. Y'all are an amazing camp and I hope you keep running for another 50 years.

‒  Claire Tilton Years at camp: 2002

Mama Knolk — what a wonderful and gentle lady. She always wanted the best for us and for us to be our best.

‒  Jeanette Brian Lawrence Years at camp: 1960s

I would definitely not be the person I am today without the experience of camp. I remember being 7 years old and so excited about my first camp experience. I don't think I slept the entire night before leaving. When I arrived at camp it was the most wonderful place I had ever seen. Rue was my first counselor and she took the time to show me around and introduced me to the other girls. I was scared at first, but it did not last long. By the end of the first night camp already felt like a second home. By the end of my first two weeks I did not want to leave. Rocky River was a part of my life forever. In the end what I took away from camp was friendship, love, respect and confidence.

‒  Debbie Merian Polasek Years at camp: 1977-1987

We still can't believe it has been 50 years since my mother, Mama Knolk, started RRR. We are so proud that it is still the same as she built it and still has the same spirit upon which it was founded. Our children and grandchildren have had the wonderful opportunity to attend camp and we all can still sing some of the songs when we get together. May the spirit of Mama Knolk stay with all that have attended RRR.

‒  Polly Knolk Denham