Wild Card: Chris Rehs-Dupin on Leadership, Failure, and Awe at Camp
TQAMP’s Chris Rehs-Dupin: Failure, Humanity, and the Wild Card of Leadership
Join host Travis Allison for the inaugural "Wild Card" segment of the Camp Hacker Podcast, an interview game show format inspired by the NPR show. He welcomes Chris Rehs-Dupin from TQAMP to tackle a series of spontaneous questions spanning Memories, Insights, and Beliefs.
Chris offers profound and candid answers on what shapes his leadership style, his admiration for his teenage self, and the valuable lessons learned from a massive, hilarious parking meter programming blunder (yes, you read that right!). He also shares the mission of TQAMP: to make camps safer spaces for LGBTQIA+ campers and staff by focusing on inclusion, a practice he believes enhances safety for everyone.
Key Takeaways include:
Leadership Modeled and Modified: Learn about the trusted, curious, and authentic leadership modeled by his former boss, and where Chris intentionally shifts to balance support with necessary challenge.
The Power of Accountability: Hear a fascinating (and funny) story of a colossal failure involving city parking meters and the critical moment Chris chose immediate accountability—a core lesson for all leaders.
A Deep Belief in Humanity: Chris shares his unprovable belief that everyone is fundamentally trying their best, even those we deeply disagree with, offering a powerful, empathetic lens for camp professionals.
TQAMP’s Mission: Understand why TQ Camp focuses on creating spaces of belonging for campers of all genders and sexualities, and the practical consulting they do around inclusive housing, advocacy, and handling challenging caregiver conversations.
A Good Summer Metric: Discover Chris’s one-sentence definition of a good summer and the simple metric that tells you it was a success.
The Camp Time Machine: Find out which electric, hopeful moment from his camp career Chris would go back to and just be in again.
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Your Hosts
Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
Chris Rehs-Dupin, Founder & President - TQAMP
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