Announcing Our Next Executive Director: Mary Rankin

May 1, 2026

Dear Camp Family, 

The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Mary Rankin will be our new Executive Director. 

Mary has a deep connection to Camp that spans more than 30 years from her days as a camper and counselor to serving as the Newfound Director for the last 17 years. Her love for Camp, dedication to Christian Science healing, and thoughtful, effective leadership style have consistently shone. Mary expresses a love and loyalty to our Camp traditions, as well as a remarkable energy to ensure that Camp continues to progress and grow. In our conversations, she emphasized that Camp is a place that people call home – where they can draw closer to God, live Christian Science, and feel loved, supported, and challenged. Mary’s clarity on Camp’s purpose will guide her new role and serve the whole Camp family well. 

Mary will serve as the Newfound Director throughout summer 2026 and will officially step into the Executive Director position on October 1, 2026. We are incredibly grateful for Seth ‘Chic’ Johnson’s leadership as Executive Director over the past 12 years. His stewardship of Camp has been an era of progress and prosperity. There will be a thoughtful transition process between Chic and Mary over the coming months. 

Lastly, the Board is tremendously thankful for the support of the entire Camp community throughout this search and transition process. We are grateful for everyone who expressed an interest in the ED position and to each of you for keeping Camps Newfound and Owatonna in your prayers. Throughout the search process, the Board has witnessed and rejoiced in countless wonderful expressions of dedication and selfless love from many members of our Camp family.

Please join us in congratulating Mary and extending a heartfelt thank you to her husband, Skip Schneider, and their family for their combined years of dedication and service to Camps Newfound and Owatonna. We look forward to much good to come! 

As we conclude the search process and begin the Executive Director transition over the coming summer, Hymn 65 from the Christian Science Hymnal continues to echo in our thought, as joyfully as ever: “From glory unto glory, From strength to strength we go, While grace for grace abundantly Doth from His fullness flow.”

With love and appreciation,

The Board of Trustees