New Member Profile: Jennifer Dobies from WildPlay Thacher

Jen Dobies is the Park Manager at WildPlay in Thacher. They believe in the power of hands-on, nature-based experiences to enhance learning. Whether it’s fostering teamwork, developing leadership skills, or simply encouraging humans to engage with the environment in a meaningful way, their courses are designed to inspire and challenge.

"WildPlay's Mission is to Evolve the Human by helping people be brave enough to change their world. The success of our mission is entirely founded on trust; we do what we say we're going to do - humans go up our course one person and come out changed on the other side - we're here to build confidence that children and teens can take back to their own lives and adapt into leadership qualities."

Jennifer has always said she grew up in the business of people. Her parents owned a motel in the heart of the Irish Catskills - Durham, NY - for over 30 years. After High School, she graduated from Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY, with a Bachelor's in English and a Minor in Theatre. She developed her love for theater by becoming a member of the Actors' Equity Association and working with multiple production companies for the next six years. Then, in 2017, she translated her theatre skills to sales and moved to Manhattan to work for a conference planning start-up that partnered with Fortune-500 companies. Right before the COVID-19 Pandemic, she moved back into hospitality and had her son in 2019. In 2022, Jen and her family moved back to their hometown to find their first house, and in the process, she discovered WildPlay Thacher. Now, going into her 5th season at WildPlay Thacher as the Park Manager, she measures her and the Park's success by the way kids and families are treated while they're up in the course and how much confidence they have after they come down.

"WildPlay's mission is to Evolve the Human, and I see that every single day through the hard work my team and I put into the full experience. We are eager to partner with NYSTIA and its members in creating unforgettable outdoor adventures!"

At home, she has an active 6-year-old son who "wants to be like her when he grows up and work at WildPlay" and a great support system through her wife of over 10 years. In her spare time, she enjoys theater and cinema, hiking, and astronomy. As a family, they have set a goal to camp at all NY State Parks - they're looking forward to this year's trip already!

Jennifer Dobies

WildPlay Thacher

E: jdobies@wildplay.com

P: 518-768-4054