Community News

Camp Kanuga hires new director

Stratt Byars started on March 1 as Camp Kanuga director.

By Lightning Reports, Published: March 8, 2021

Camp Kanuga announced Monday that Stratt Byars has been hired as the new director.

A seasoned summer camp leader and nonprofit professional with community building, staff management and budgeting experience, Byars has served more than a decade in summer camp leadership and ministry. He worked as youth director at St. Mary’s on-the-Highlands Episcopal Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and at Camp McDowell, where he served as chaplain, summer staff, interim director of Alabama Folk School, summer camp director, and conference and retreat center director. He has also been an active participant in Episcopal Camps & Conference Centers annual conferences and continuing education for programming and leadership.

Born and raised an Episcopalian in north Alabama, he is an Eagle Scout who embraced camping early in life. He graduated from the University of Alabama-Birmingham with a major in social psychology and a minor in philosophy.

“I am excited that our process, which included a national search, led us to Stratt," said Jimmy Haden, Kanuga's executive vice president for Mission, who led the search. "He is well-prepared to take the lead for Camp Kanuga.”

“Summer camp," Byars said, "is the only setting in which there is a focus on the hearts and minds of young people 24/7 over an extended period of days. Camp provides a loving, safe, and inclusive community where faith formation can take root and blossom.”

Stratt joined Kanuga March 1. His first order of business will be to hire summer staff and get camp ready for opening day 2021. Joining Stratt will be his wife, Carrie and their ten-month-old daughter, Frances.