Our Staff

Emily Starkie Zbin

Executive Director

Emily has a life-long connection to Camp Natoma. She is the granddaughter of hard-working local teachers, Alf & Alice Starkie, who dedicated their summers in the 1950s as the camp maintenance man and outdoor cooking leader. As a youth camper, Emily’s parents spent many weekends as volunteers helping take care of the camp facility. Emily began her employment at Camp Natoma as a lifeguard and counselor while attending the University of California, San Diego, where she graduated with a BS in Environmental Systems and held the role of captain of the Women’s Swim Team during her senior year.

On her path to becoming the first Executive Director of Friends of Camp Natoma, Emily gained experience and built her passion for providing childhood nature experience and outdoor education through a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course in New Zealand, obtaining a California teaching credential and a Masters in Education, with an emphasis on children and nature. She taught 5th and 6th grades in local schools before assuming her position as Camp Director, where she grew the Camp Natoma program and successfully helped hundreds of new families benefit from new camper experiences at Camp Natoma.

Emily is married to Robbie, Camp Natoma’s Director of Operations. They have 3 children, Lyle, Otto, and Wade, who have had the unique opportunity to spend their early childhood summers living at Camp Natoma.

Emily is committed to expanding opportunities for youth to have the Camp Natoma experience and promoting the value of nature connection.

Robbie Zbin

Director of Operations

Robbie is Camp Natoma’s do-it-all “D of Ops”. He also has a lifelong connection to Camp Natoma - his grandmother was a camper the first year of camp in 1941! His mother enjoyed summer weeks at Camp Natoma and Robbie and his brothers followed, attending together as youth campers. While attending University of California, Santa Barbara and studying Zoology, Robbie spent his summers at Camp Natoma as a nature instructor and leader of the CIT program. He found his passion for teaching science and mentoring teenagers, so Robbie pursued a teaching credential from Cal Poly SLO and taught Environmental Science, Biology, and Chemistry at local high schools.

Robbie’s versatility, problem-solving, and hard work has helped catapult Camp Natoma operations to capacity. Robbie supervises facility operations and site volunteers, camp transportation, directs custom programs, and trains seasonal staff. He’s also very creative - have you heard the hit song “Camp Natoma Road North”? Just ask any camper about the thrills of riding the camp bus and they’ll confirm that this song really sums it up! Robbie loves connecting community volunteers to camp projects and helping campers and staff maximize their summer experience. Currently, he’s working with crews to expand the network of hiking trails throughout Camp Natoma so kids can have more options for exploring!

With Emily, and kids Lyle, Otto, and Wade; Robbie energizes camp staff and volunteers and energetically promotes the happy and safe community that develops at camp each summer.

Miranda Thompson

Director of Programs

Miranda greets everyone with her warm smile and joy for inspiring youth. Miranda began working at Camp Natoma in 2002 as an archery instructor and counselor. She currently runs the high school Counselor-in-Training leadership development program. Miranda was a paraeducator in local schools for 15 years. Miranda keeps Natoma's most important traditions and songs alive for kids today while also managing the camper registration process and family communication. Miranda loves keeping CITs and families connected to Natoma year-round.