Camp Fire of Central Oregon launches largest hiring campaign in its history amid youth program growth, expansion

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Camp Fire Central Oregon said Thursday it's thrilled to announce that it has just launched the largest hiring campaign in its history as it prepares for a landmark year of growth and expanded youth programming.

In response to increasing demand for its youth programs and partnerships across the region, the nonprofit youth development organization said it is actively recruiting a wide range of team members —from program leaders and coordinators to part-time afterschool and support staff — to help deliver high-quality, inclusive programs throughout the 2025/2026 school year and beyond.

Here's the rest of the announcement:

“This major hiring push reflects Camp Fire’s deepening impact and its commitment to meeting the needs of more young people and families than ever before,” says Kecia Kubota, Camp Fire Central Oregon’s executive director.

“It’s a testimony to the resilience of our nonprofit, which has served Central Oregon for over a century. And, it also reflects the role that forward-thinking planning and having the right staff on board, in the right jobs, has in ensuring we can continue to deliver and sustain quality programs to our community.”

Among the open positions, Camp Fire is hiring a new Program Director and Program Manager, two mission-critical, strategic leadership roles that will help shape the direction, culture and future of the organization’s programs.

Also available: Site-specific leadership jobs for the Camp Fire Afterschool (CFA) programs in Bend and South County (La Pine/Three Rivers), plus many part-time CFA staff jobs at those same locations. Camp Fire is also hiring a STEAM Coordinator to head up its award-winning robotics programs and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) camps. 

All advertised positions can be found on Camp Fire’s website: https://campfireco.org/jobs/.

The hiring campaign isn’t the only big news. As of Fall 2025, Camp Fire’s current Programs Director, Melanie Feltmate, will transition into a newly created role: Operations Director.

Feltmate joined Camp Fire in 2018 as the Teen Programs and Outreach Coordinator and, as a proven leader with planning and strategic management skills and a huge heart for Camp Fire’s mission, moved into her role as Program Director in 2021. In that approximate timeframe, staffing has grown from four to 16 year-round members (300% increase) while annual youth reservations have risen from 1,900 to 3,500 (84% increase).  

“Melanie has been incredibly instrumental in helping evolve Camp Fire into a robust youth development organization and scaling it out into the Central Oregon community with intent, integrity and inspiration,” Kubota says.

“She’s particularly skilled in developing and implementing quality control systems and, in her new position, she’ll be focused on strengthening systems across the organization, from human resources and hiring to onboarding, culture, policies and procedures, client registration, compliance, and more. We’re so grateful for all that Melanie has brought to Camp Fire and feel confident she’ll continue to thrive in her new position!”

Specific questions about jobs can be directed to jobs@campfireco.org or 541.382.4682.