Our Alumni Selection Team
RYLA CAMP DOESN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT THIS TEAM!
Alumni Director
Mike Darnold
Mike Darnold has been helping kids get healthy and succeed for over 20 years and is highly respected by his professional peers in education, city government and law enforcement.
- San Juan Capistrano “Citizen of the Year” 1983
- City of San Juan Capistrano “John R. Williams” Award 1989
- South Orange County “CSC “Lee Steelman” Award 2006
- Rotary District 5320 Governor 1993-94
- Four times President of San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce
- Founder of San Juan Community Task Force for Youth
- Elected and served 8 years on Capistrano Unified School District School Board
- 2008 Recipient – Prevention Award from Orange County Substance Abuse Prevention Council
- 2012 Recipient of the prestigious Rotary International “Service Above Self” award
- Served on Boards and Officer of SJC Historical Society, Fiesta Association, YMCA, Boys Scouts, Boys and Girls Club and more.
Alumni Chair
Ron Gillett
Ron Gillett is a member, and past president, of Fullerton Sunrise Rotary Club. He retired from the Fullerton Police Dept after serving for 32 years. Ron has an undergraduate degree in Public Service Management and a graduate degree in Information Systems. Ron has been involved with several service organizations in Fullerton. He has been on the board of directors of both the Fullerton Boys & Girls Club and North Orange County YMCA. Ron is also active in his church, St. Mary’s Catholic Church. There he served on the finance committee, St. Mary’s School Board president and was their annual festive chairperson.
Ron has been part of RYLA since 2006. This will be the 20th year Ron and his son Derek have been active with RYLA.
Alumni Coordinator
Colin Hicks
Experiencing this camp as a camper, I can attest to how life changing this three day camp is. I truly thank RYLA for bringing me out of my shell and giving me the opportunities and courage I have today. My role as the Alumni Coordinator is to mentor the camp Alumni who are high school seniors who previously attended RYLA as campers. Alumni are responsible for designing the camp theme, layout and overall are the ones who run the camp. These alumni go through a long selection process to be chosen. Before and during camp I am there to help keep them on track and help them along the way. I also assist in the overall camp operation from logistical to safety operations before and during the camp. I also run and established the RYLA 5320 social media accounts.
