Directors
Year-Round Staff
The year-round staff at TVRC is a dedicated group of individuals, who on a daily basis devote themselves to providing a fun-filled summer for everyone who takes part in the TVRC experience. Their areas of expertise and talents differ, but their dedication to the education of children is constant.
Born and raised in Jackson Hole, Jim has had the outdoors and camping in his blood from a young age. Jim attended TVRC as a yearling at the Kelly campus in the early 90s. He has worked at other camps in Idaho, Wyoming, Algonquin Park Canada, and North Carolina as a lifeguard, cabin counselor, fishing instructor, and program director. Jim graduated from the University of Montana in Missoula with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Management and a focus on Nature-Based Tourism. Jim brings enthusiasm and love for the camp that is evident through his leadership and vision for the future.
Jim has also worked as a fishing guide, snowmobile guide, and outfitter all in the Jackson Hole area. He spearheaded the start of a nonprofit outdoor program in Boulder, Wyoming. Most recently Jim comes to us from the Teton County Sheriff’s Office in Jackson, where he was the supervisor for the 911 emergency call center; while at the Sheriff ’s Office, Jim received a Lifesaving Commendation for saving the life of an individual. Jim enjoys sharing ideas and networking with other camp professionals through participation in the American Camp Association (ACA), Western Association of Independent Camps (WAIC) and Wilderness Risk Management Programs.
Jim met his wife Cora at a summer camp near Asheville, North Carolina where they were both parts of the management team. Jim and Cora have three high spirited children; Elsie, George, and Jamie. Their Shetland Sheepdog named Huck rounds out the mix. Jim and his family enjoy all things outdoors, and when camp isn’t in season, they can be found hiking, camping, fishing, skiing, and sledding!
Cora Ligori
Camp Director
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Cora grew up in the small North Carolina town of Shelby in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains… famous for its BBQ and Bluegrass. Summer camp was a huge part of her younger life. She attended Camp Greystone, in Tuxedo, NC, as a camper. She then worked 6 summers at Greystone serving as staff in the kitchen and as a counselor. While attending UNC Chapel Hill, she was hired for the summers as the Kitchen Program Director at Camp Arrowhead, a camp down the road from Camp Greystone. She worked in that position for three summers. While at Camp Arrowhead, she met her best friend, Jim Ligori. Their friendship turned romantic and they were married in 2007. Following their wedding, the couple moved to Jim’s hometown of Jackson, WY.
Cora knew she would love living in Jackson. As a senior at UNC Chapel Hill Dental school, studying to be a dental hygienist, she spent a month working on the Wind River Reservation near Lander, Wyoming. This was her first trip to Wyoming and to Jackson. Since moving to Jackson in 2007, she truly feels this valley is home. Cora loves to ski, but in recent years she loves cross country skiing the best. Her favorite thing to do is spend time outside, doing almost anything, with her young family. She and Jim have three children, Elsie, George and Jamie.
Before joining the TVRC leadership team, she worked as a Registered Dental Hygienist at Larsen Family Dentistry in Jackson for 13 years. Her office was voted best dentist in the Best of Jackson Hole for the last 12 years consecutively. Although she loved her coworkers and patients at Larsen Family, working alongside Jim in a camp setting once again is a dream come true. “Jim and I always hoped we would once again work at camp together. We love the daily adventure it brings and believe there is no better place to raise our kids.”
Marshall Cherry
Program Director
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Marshall immersed himself in the world of camp throughout his childhood years at the Battle Creek Outdoor Education Center in Dowling, MI. At the age of 12, he ventured off with his brother to Wyoming for his Rough Rider summer at Teton Valley Ranch Camp. Despite crying for the first ten days due to homesickness, Marshall returned for summer after summer, fostering an unshakable love for, and belief in, TVRC along the way. Marshall returns for his tenth summer at TVRC as the Assistant Program Director with much joy and gratitude.
Marshall’s mother, Amy, (the 1974 Rodeo Queen of Kelly) and brother, Alex, both attended TVRC as campers and staff members in their respective eras. Several of Marshall’s cousins and family friends have also spent time at the Ranch in some form. Marshall believes that the sharing experiences and memories of TVRC with his loved ones further adds to the magical quality of time spent at the Ranch.
Marshall formerly studied at the University of Michigan to earn a BSE in Chemical Engineering and a Minor in Music. During his collegiate summers, Marshall worked at TVRC as a Counselor, Trip Leader, and “Lapidary Cherry” with much fondness. Marshall most recently worked as a waste and recycling consultant in Massachusetts prior to his return to TVRC.
Marshall relishes time spent outdoors, especially when hiking, mountaineering, skiing, disc golfing or playing various lifelong sports. Marshall finds outdoor activities all the more enjoyable when he shares them with his older brother, and best friend, Alex. Marshall has also spent much of his time making music with various choirs, marching bands, theater companies, and a cappella groups. Of all his musical pursuits, Marshall enjoys singing and playing guitar at the Ranch’s campfire ring the most.
Melanie Lorance
Operations Director
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Melanie is originally from Wichita, KS and holds degrees from Wichita State University and Western Governors University. Melanie graduated from WSU in 2011 with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) and worked as a Registered Nurse in Utah as a nurse on the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and as a supervisor on an Acute Rehab Unit. Then, Melanie graduated in 2017 with a Masters of Science in Nursing Education (MSN-Ed) from WGU in Salt Lake City, and worked as a Clinical Educator from 2018-2020.
Utah is where Melanie fell in love with backcountry camping. She spent a lot of time hiking and camping in the Wasatch and Uinta ranges and in Utah’s “Big 5” National Parks, and loved how Utah had such varied landscape - high alpine and mountainous terrain in the north and red-rock desert in the south. Travel is one of Melanie’s biggest passions both internationally and within the US. Melanie has been to 25 US National Parks and visited 23 countries. Her most recent adventure was a solo backpacking trip on the Appalachian trail. She hiked half of the trail- totaling 1,200 miles! Her journey spanned from April through September and included 11 states.
When the pandemic started, Melanie became a travel nurse and moved around to places in need of extra mediacl support. After working as a travel nurse from 2020-2023 in a variety of locations: California, Mississippi, Virginia, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and two summers at TVRC in Wyoming, Melanie is excited to return to TVRC to inspire future generations to heed the call of adventure and discover the joys of exploring the outdoors. When she isn’t working, Mel enjoys hiking, backcountry camping, international travel, kayaking, and reading.
Paige Nielsen
Communications and Fundraising Director
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Originally from Memphis, TN, Paige grew up with a passion for community and a love for a good challenge. After moving to Michigan for college, Paige decided that the summer after her freshman year would be her summer to spend working at a camp– her summer to “have fun” before worrying about internships and planning for life beyond school. Eventually, Paige ended up applying to TVRC and despite not knowing anyone who had attended or worked at the Ranch before, she decided to take a chance on a summer in Wyoming. Spoiler alert– that free summer was way more meaningful and formative than just being “fun” and turned into a whole new way of life.
Paige arrived at camp in 2019 as Parent Coordinator and returned in that role for two additional summers. Over her three years on summer staff, Paige grew to love the myriad of challenges that each summer brought and the chance to invest in fellow staff and campers. A Pack Trip with a cabin of Rough Riders her first summer laid the foundation for Paige’s love of the wilderness throughout the Teton Valley. Camp holds a special place in Paige’s heart for the unique community it welcomes and for the multidimensional growth it inspires in those very community members.
Paige graduated from Hope College in December of 2021. This will be Paige’s 5th summer at camp and her second as a member of the year-round team. After living in the Mississippi River Valley for 15 years, Paige is excited to call the Rocky Mountains and Jackson home. When she isn’t working in the office, Paige enjoys visiting the Barn or Craft Shop, early morning trailhead drives, and even helping out in Scullery. Outside of camp, Paige loves reading, watching movies, a good game of cribbage, hiking, cross-country skiing, soccer, and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Zoe Farris
Admissions and Office Manager
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Zoe grew up in the desert of Midland, Texas; with a thirst for adventure and a dream of exploration. She attended summer camp for three years at Laity Lodge Youth Camp, swimming in the Frio River and exploring the Texas Hill Country. She attended Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas (Gig ‘Em Ags!) where she got a BS in Health and Psychology. After obtaining her degree, she studied at The Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio and dreamed of becoming a chef. She has worked at incredible restaurants and resorts, including The Lodge at Pebble Beach in California where she worked with award-winning chefs from across the globe.
Zoe came to TVRC in 2019 in the Sous Chef role after graduating from the CIA, hoping to get nothing more than management experience. What she found within the first few days of staff training was a Camp Family she couldn’t imagine living without. After Summer 2019, Zoe and her husband made the decision to move to Jackson and she has worked in the camp kitchen seasonally at TVRC ever since moving up from Sous Chef to Head Chef.
Most recently, Zoe worked in several Jackson area restaurants. Zoe comes to us from Cafe Genevieve where she was working as General Manager. She has extensive customer service experience and was looking for a new challenge when the Admissions and Office Manager position became available. She couldn’t be more excited to work closely with camp families in a more involved capacity. Zoe is also excited to expand her TVRC experience by getting to know campers and watching them grow all around the Ranch. She’s honored to serve the TVRC community.
Zoe’s favorite parts of camp are Breakfast Rides and watching kids make connections with other campers and staff members over meals in the Dining Hall. When Zoe isn’t working at camp, you can find her chasing around her very busy one-year-old son, Brooks; hiking with her two ranch pups, Lula and Pako; and fly-fishing with her husband, Christian.
Doug Ross
Ranch Director
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Doug hails from Long Island, KS, a small town of 120 People, where he grew up around horses and cattle that he showed in 4-H and AQHA shows. He then attended Kansas State University and earned a degree in Animal Science. In 2000, Doug saw an ad in the back of Western Horseman magazine offering positions at TVRC and applied.
Doug’s first summer at camp was 2001. At the time, you had to be 21 to be on barn staff, so Doug spent that first season as a counselor. After a few years away, he returned in 2004 as the Head of the Barn and spent a total of 10 non-consecutive summers in that role. Over his tenure, Doug learned to love Jackson and Dubois, all of the wildlife, and the mountains that make up this valley.
After working at TVRC, Doug spent many years living in Texas training AQHA show horses and traveled all over the country showing them and coaching amateur clients. More recently, he returned to his family’s farm in Kansas to assist in the ranching operation which made his summers more flexible and allowed him to return to TVRC in the summer of 2019 as Head of the Barn.
Camp has been a huge part of his adult life and Doug returns to us yet again, this time as Ranch Manager, because he loves spending time on the Ranch in all of its iterations. In fact, he is one of the very few staff members who have worked at all three TVRC locations from Kelly to Double Bar J to the current Crooked Creek Ranch.