WES COMBS took over as president of CAMP Rehoboth six months ago and is now focused on searching for a new permanent executive director. (Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)
CAMP Rehoboth’s president talks pandemic, planning, and the future Wesley Combs marks six months in new role
By JACK WALKER Chris Beagle, whose term as president of CAMP Rehoboth preJune marks half a year since Wesley Combs stepped into his role ceded Combs’s own, noted that the experience of participating in as president of CAMP Rehoboth. In a conversation with the Blade, a search committee with the organization will “better enable him to Combs recounted his first six months in the position — a time he said lead the process this time.” was characterized by transition and learning. Before completing his term, Beagle helped prepare Combs for Since 1991, CAMP Rehoboth has worked to develop programthe new role, noting that the “combination of his professional backming “inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities” in ground, his executive leadership (and) his passion for the organizathe Rehoboth Beach, Del. area, according to the nonprofit’s website. tion” make Combs a strong president. Regarding the results of the As president, Combs oversees the organization’s board of directors election, “I was extremely confident, and I remain extremely confiand executive director, helping determine areas of focus and ensure dent,” Beagle said. programming meets community needs. Bob Witeck, a pioneer in LGBTQ marketing and communications, For Combs, his more than three decades of involvement with has known Combs for nearly four decades. The two founded a pubCAMP Rehoboth have shaped the course of his life. In the summer of lic relations firm together in 1993 and went on to work together for 1989 — just before the organization’s creation — he met his now-hus20 years, with clients ranging from major businesses like Ford Moband, who was then living in a beach house with Steve Elkins and tor Company to celebrities including Chaz Bono and Christopher Murray Archibald, CAMP Rehoboth’s founders. Reeve. According to Witeck, Combs’s work in the firm is a testament Since then, he has served as a financial supporter of the organizato his commitment to LGBTQ advocacy. tion, noting that it has been crucial to fostering understanding that “Our firm was the first founded primarily to work on issues speworks against an “undercurrent of anti-LGBTQ sentiment” in Rehocific to LGBTQ identities, because we wanted to counsel corporaboth Beach’s history that has, at times, propagated violence against tions about their marketing and media strategies and working in the LGBTQ community members. LGBTQ market,” he explained. By helping develop communications In 2019, after Elkins passed away, Combs was called upon by strategies inclusive of those with LGBTQ identities, Combs estabCAMP Rehoboth’s Board of Directors to serve on a search commitlished a background of LGBTQ advocacy that truly “made a mark,” tee for the organization’s next executive director. Later that year, he Witeck said. was invited to become a board member and, this past November, Witeck emphasized that, in his new position, Combs brings both was elected president. business experience and a renewed focus on historically underrepCombs noted that CAMP Rehoboth is also still recovering from resented in LGBTQ advocacy — including people with disabilities, the pandemic, and is working to restart programming paused in the trans people and people of color. switch to remote operations. In his first six months, he has sought Looking to the rest of the year, CAMP Rehoboth hopes to host a to ensure that people feel “comfortable” visiting and engaging with larger-scale event during Labor Day weekend. In addition, the orCAMP Rehoboth again, and wants to ensure all community memganization will revisit its strategic plan — first developed in 2019 but bers can access its programming, including those from rural parts of delayed due to the pandemic — and ensure it still meets the needs Delaware and those without a means of getting downtown. of the local community, Combs said. He added that he intends to Still, Combs’s first six months were not without unexpected turns: reexamine the plan and other programming to ensure inclusivity for On May 31, David Mariner stepped down from his role as CAMP trans community members. Rehoboth executive director, necessitating a search for his replace“CAMP Rehoboth continues to be a vital resource in the commument. Combs noted that he would help facilitate the search for an nity,” he said. “The focus for the next two years is to make sure we’re interim director to serve for the remainder of the year and ensure doing and delivering services that meet the needs of that there is “a stable transition of power.” CAMP Rehoboth last week everyone in our community.” announced it has named Lisa Evans to the interim director role. 2 6 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 01, 202 2
