Our Team

Cori Mander is the President of Cole’s Camp, mother of Cole, Payton, Ryan, and married to Brent Mander. Cori’s profession for the last decade has been in Project Management. Prior to this she served as a Branch Manager at a thriving bank for 17 years. Cori has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL. She uses her professional experience to bring efficiency and planning to bring forward success and awareness to Cole’s Camp as well as utilize her ability to handle many tasks at once. Cori is very involved with meeting the families who have experienced the loss of a child or loved one as well as planning and attending all in-person events. Cori’s purpose for supporting the vision of Cole’s Camp is so others will not feel alone on their grief journey and to share hope with other families.

Brent Mander is the Vice President of Cole’s Camp. He is the father to Ryan, Payton, and Cole and is married to Cori Mander.

“We created Cole’s Camp as we felt that more attention should be given to families grieving the loss of child or loved one.  As a father, it became important for me to continue Cole’s legacy by helping others who experience a similar loss and to make it okay for men to share emotions about their loss.”

Cole Douglas Mander is near and dear to my heart not only because he is my nephew but also my godson. It tore our hearts to lose him and it was difficult to watch Cori and Brent struggle as they navigated the grieving process for their family. The lack of a local organization for grieving families to reach out to for professional support was immediately apparent. At Cole’s Camp, we strive to eliminate that situation and give families the connection and resources to walk through a tumultuous time with someone else that can acknowledge their pain and tend to them on their journey. I am proud to be associated with this organization and look forward to creating relationships that support our mission.

Jodi Albers serves on the Board of Directors. Jodi works as a Senior Business Intelligence Data Analyst and has held this position for over eight years. Prior roles include Software Engineer, Business Analyst and Data Analyst. Jodi has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on Management Information Systems and a degree in Marketing, from the University of Iowa. Jodi
uses her expertise to help guide Cole’s Camp with its internet and social media presence. She also created and now maintains the quarterly newsletter. Jodi is Cole’s aunt and is a sister to Cori. She joined the board to help support Cori, Brent and their family while honoring Cole. Jodi’s journey supporting Cole’s Camp has broaden her awareness of the importance of connecting with others that share a similar loss. This has provided more drive for Jodi to continue to support the organization’s vision which opens the doors for those meaningful connections.

Laurie Guest serves on the Board of Directors. Laurie has been a professional speaker and author for the last 26 years. She is a part of the Speaker Hall of Fame which is an honor held by less than 1% of speakers worldwide. Prior to her current profession, she was in the healthcare field for two decades. Laurie is responsible for Cole’s Camp educational events and uses her expertise in public speaking as
well as hosting large events to produce the most impactful events possible. This includes the Grief Conference’s that Cole’s Camp hosts. Laurie is Cole’s first cousin twice removed. As a member of the extended family, Laurie believes in the vision of Cole’s Camp and wishes to honor Cole, Cole’s Grandparents, and her own father.

Amy Haack serves on the Board of Directors. Amy works as a Regional Business Manager for a global dental company. Previous to this role, she was a Dental Implant Specialist for nearly a decade. Amy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Biomedical Science from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. She utilizes her experience with project management, allocating resources, partnering with external organizations and educational programming to move the mission of Cole’s Camp forward. Amy currently serves as Co-Chair of the Coletucky Derby, which is the main fundraiser for Cole’s Camp. She is Cole’s aunt and is a sister to Cori. Amy was originally driven to support Cole’s Camp to help Brent & Cori navigate the loss of Cole. After being involved with utilizing local resources, she realized the need to help other grieving families heal was very great and she could help on a larger scale through her involvement with this organization.

Diane brings over 33 years of business administraion and marketing experience to the Board of Cole’s Camp. She ran a successful family business for over 20 years before joining the banking industry where she managed the Internet Banking division, continued to work in marketing, and managed a Customer Loyalty Program. With Diane’s business accumen and years in customer service, she brings organization and focus to help the Board continue to drive towards our vision. “I have known Cori for many years, having worked along side her for over 20 years. Not long after Cole’s passing, Cori had shared with me the vision that her and Brent had, to create this organization, and I knew then I wanted to be a part of this. I’m grateful they believed in me and have allowed me to be a part of this amazing journey.