CAMP LAKE STEPHENS
Our Staff
Russ Polsgrove
Executive Director
Russ grew up in Memphis, but has spent most of his life in Mississippi. He's been involved at CLS as a camper, counselor, chaplain, retreat speaker, camp parent, and is now our Executive Director. He even married his wife at CLS. He and Anna have four children(Lucy, Rivers, Grace, and Zuri). Before joining our staff in the spring of 2022, Russ worked in youth ministry at various churches and helped plant a multicultural, bilingual church in Tupelo, MS. Russ has a passion for people to experience spiritual growth, especially in camp settings, and looks forward to what's next at CLS!
JEFF WILSON
Director of Operations
Jeff grew up in Tupelo, MS. After graduating high school, he went to the University of Alabama – Huntsville to study Biology and Earth System Sciences. His love for camping ministry began after his freshman year in college as a counselor at Camp Lake Stephens. Four years later, after graduating from UAH, and fulfilling numerous roles as a summer staff member, he made the commitment to go into Camping Ministry full time. In October 2017 Jeff was married to the love of his life Emily. They share a love of being outdoors and traveling. In 2022 they welcomed their son Jude Wilson into the world! He also enjoys spending his free time hiking and photographing wildflowers.
Trippe Howell
Program Director: May 2024
BIO COMING SOON
Pam Taylor
Camp & Retreat Registrar
Pam joined the CLS family in January of 2021. She and her husband Bill live in Taylor Ms. Before coming to Camp Lake Stephens, Pam taught elementary school for 24 years in first through third grades. She taught swimming lessons during the summer and tutored children in Reading. On Sundays you will find the Taylor family at The Orchard church in Oxford. They enjoy hosting lunch and mentoring the college students of The Orchard.
Bill and Pam have three daughters, Mary Cloud Vander Ark (Jon), Sally Kate Carroll (Will) and Coley Taylor. Throughout the years Bill and all three girls have been campers at Camp Lake Stephens. Their daughter Sally Kate met her husband while they both were working at summer camp.
Pam enjoys Kayaking, walking, reading and going to the beach. She says that the best part of being at camp is that she gets to continue interacting with elementary and college students during summer camp.
WES PARTIN
Property Manager
Wesley “Wes” Partin joined the Camp Lake Stephens staff as Property Manager in early September 2018. A native of West Point, MS, Wes has lived in Tupelo for nearly 30 years. Prior to working with CLS, Wes spent 15 years with Northeast Mississippi Habitat for Humanity as Construction Manager. He and his wife, Kristen, have 6 children between them and 2 amazing grandchildren! Wes loves being outdoors and doesn’t mind getting muddy! Working at CLS fulfills his long-time dream of working with a Christian camp and allows him the opportunity to use his God given talents to serve
Anna Polsgrove
Director of Hospitality
Originally from New Albany, MS, Anna Polsgrove has spent most of her life using her Masters Degree in Education to work with kids and teenagers in numerous roles. She's been a camp counselor, teacher, and foster care education director. She spent her first week at Camp Lake Stephens as an 8 year old camper, and has kept coming back ever since. A former summer staffer and board member, Anna and her husband Russ(our Executive Director) have four kids. She loves hosting people and making campers feel at home so they can experience the goodness of God.
LINDA FLEMMING
Food Service Director
Linda Fleming has been serving as our Food Service Director since the spring of 2017, but she has been on the CLS staff ever since she closed her bakery back in 2014. She is married to John Henry, and they have two dogs – Lucy and Banks. Having grown up with two parents who were Methodist ministers, Linda feels right at home at Camp Lake Stephens!