Chad Hershberger
Executive Director
Chad is the camp’s second full-time Executive Director, starting in 2001. Prior to that, he was a Mount Luther camper, summer counselor and program director, and camp board president and secretary. Before becoming director, Chad was the Public Information Director for Northumberland County and a radio news anchor/reporter on WKOK/WQKX in Sunbury. Chad holds a Bachelor or Arts in Journalism from Penn State University and a Master of Arts in Religion from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. In addition to his work for the camp, Chad serves as the Director of Communications for the Upper Susquehanna Synod, and as an adjunct instructor at Susquehanna University. He and his wife, Sarah, live in Mifflinburg with their children, Claire and Aaron, and dog, Cooper.
Rev. Jim Vitale
Director of Spiritual Engagement
Jim is Pastor and Director of Spiritual Engagement at Camp Mount Luther in Mifflinburg, PA. He is deeply committed to helping people of all ages experience the love of Jesus through the stories of scripture. Originally from Albany, NY, Jim and his family have called central PA home since 2019. He currently lives in uptown Harrisburg. While Jim fulfills most of his responsibilities remotely, he cherishes every opportunity to drive north and bask in the beauty of camp. In his free time, Jim loves to hike, read (currently George MacDonald, Madeliene L’Engle, and Dungeon Crawler Carl), write, listen to music (currently Chris Stapleton, Mumford & Sons, and Noah Kahan), play couch co-op video games with his wife, and watch whatever TV show he happens to be obsessed with at the moment. He also loves building Lego with his sons and daughter.
Toni Gessner
Hospitality Manager
Toni is the camp’s Hospitality Manager. She lives outside of Mifflinburg and has four kids, one granddaughter and two grandsons. Prior to coming to camp, Toni was the owner/operator of DC Coffee in Mifflinburg and also worked at Woodward Camp. In her free time, Toni also works doing some catering and cake making and doing accounting for several clients. She began at Mount Luther in April 2015 as Food Service Manager and added retreat hosting responsibilities to her portfolio that fall, being named our Hospitality Manager.
Rod Gessner
Caretaker
Rod Gessner is the camp’s Caretaker. He lives outside of Mifflinburg and has four kids, one granddaughter and two grandsons. Rod oversee maintenance, repairs and plowing, and lagoon and pool maintenance and monitoring. Rod works full-time for Mid-State Mechanical (an HVAC company), and has been a coach for elementary wrestling and owned his own business.
Charlene Rineer
Director of Camp Life
Charlene Rineer serves as our summer assistant director and in the non-summer months is our part-time administrative assistant. Charlene’s full time job is as the Coordinator of Faith Formation for Christ’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lewisburg. Also for the Upper Susquehanna Synod she is on the GROW Team. When she first was employed as the craft director at camp she was a teacher in a small Christian School in York. Prior to that, she was a Youth and Education Director for Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, Kansas. Charlene has a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education and Elementary Education from Millersville University. She also has a Master’s Degree in Lay Ministry from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio.
In any free time Charlene likes to read, watch movies, put together jigsaw puzzles, and solve other number and word puzzles. She is also an avid scrapbooker and cross-stitcher. Her favorite two vacation spots are Washington D.C. and Cape May, New Jersey. And at camp, we all know Charlene likes to take photographs!
Isabel Vitale
Marketing Assistant
Isabel Vitale has many titles: wife, mother, musician, baker, gardener, business owner, learner… but the title she holds for camp is marketer! When not posting on camp’s social media, she’s busy working for TorchBearer Sauces as a Marketing Specialist, spending time with her family, playing couch co-op games with Jim, spending time in nature, or wondering what entrepreneurial venture she can get her hands on next. Her favorite color is purple, and she likes elephants. She’s been sighted being goofy and wielding a mustache made out of her dreads.
Barbara Collins
Campaign Coordinator
Barb Collins was born in Johnstown PA and raised in Hollidaysburg, PA. She and her husband, John, met at Penn State as Music Education majors and Blue Band members and married shortly after graduation. They have two children and seven
grandchildren. Over the years, Barb has engaged in various careers, such as
teaching art in Oil City, PA and being co-owner of a saddle repair business in
Bloomsburg, PA. Since graduating from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in
Gettysburg (now ULS), she has served the former Trinity Lutheran Church in
Milton, the Follmer Lutheran Parish, Zion Lutheran Church in Kratzerville, and
the Upper Susquehanna Synod as the Director of Evangelical Mission and as
Bishop. In retirement, she enjoys birdwatching, trying new recipes, and volunteering
at the camp. She also serves as the Abbot of a spiritual community and as a
member of the Board of Trustees of The United Lutheran Seminary.
Linda Aurand
Bookkeeper
Linda began her work at Mount Luther as a part-time secretary in 1991. She then worked for us part-time and for the Upper Susquehanna Synod. From 1996 to 2019, she was our office manager. She retired full-time at the end of 2019 but continues to serve as our financial bookkeeper, working in the office one day per week. Linda lives in Mazeppa and is mother to two sons and a daughter. She also enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. She also serves as the bookkeeper for the Upper Susquehanna Synod.
Summer Staff
In the summer, about 10 college-age students serve as counselors and program staff and go through two weeks of intense training. Our Summer Ministry Team consists of young men and women (age 18 and older) who are trained to deliver the Mount Luther program. Many of our staff are former campers and members of area churches. Members of this team need not be Lutheran in faith, but must possess a personal commitment to Jesus Christ, a desire to work in the outdoors and a sound sense of responsibility. If you or someone you know is 18 years of age or older, believes in the mission of Mount Luther and is willing to give 10 weeks of the summer to the camp, please contact the camp office. Pastors live in camp each week to assist in worship and Bible study. Nurses and other program volunteers help, too.
Board of Directors
President: Rev. Gary Schaeffer
Vice President: Ty Turner
Secretary: Anne Gates
Treasurer: Andy Gates
Upper Susquehanna Synod Bishop’s Representative: Sue Ellen Spotts
Term Ends 2026
Sister Marianne Brock
Andy Gates
Erin Hayes
Term Ends 2027
Katy Moran
Chad Shuck
Gary Schaeffer
Term Ends 2028
Anne Gates
Ty Turner
Rev. Ken Wagner-Pizza