North Star Reach Names Mitch Rosenwasser as New Executive Director

From North Star Reach

North Star Reach, the only non‐profit of its kind in Michigan providing free programs and camps to children with serious illnesses and their families, announced it has named Mitch Rosenwasser as its new Executive Director.

Rosenwasser will oversee day‐to‐day operations, as well as manage fundraising activities, internal and external communications, and human resources.

“Mitch brings decades of experience managing people‐focused operations,” said Matthew Denenberg, MD, North Star Reach Board of Directors Co‐Chair and Chief of Pediatrics for Beaumont Hospital. “His enthusiasm and passion for helping others fit perfectly with our mission of creating life‐changing experiences for children and their families as they cope with serious medical issues.”

Located on 105 wooded acres near Pinkney, outside of Ann Arbor, North Star Reach transforms the lives of children and their family members with free programming, including summer overnight camps, family weekends, hospital outreach, care conferences, virtual camper meetups and caregiver support groups. Since opening in 2016, North Star Reach has provided more than 4,000 program experiences for pediatric patients and their family members from across Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and surrounding states.

Rosenwasser, who assumes the role April 11, joins North Star Reach with over 30 years of camp administration and leadership experience. Since 2002, he has served as Executive Director at Camp Michigania in northern Michigan, which provides recreational and educational experiences to University of Michigan Alumni Association members and their families.

“I am honored to lead an organization dedicated to providing transformative camp experiences for children living with life‐threatening illnesses and their family members,” said Rosenwasser. “This truly is the opportunity of a lifetime to carry on the inspirational work happening at North Star Reach.”

Rosenwasser was inspired to join North Star Reach when he met a camper named Faith last fall during a camp visit. At the time, he was considering a position on the organization’s board. He heard firsthand how camp transformed her life. She had gained lasting friendships and felt empowered to define her life by her own talents and dreams, rather than by her illness.

“That encounter changed my outlook from wanting to be on the board to wanting to be part of the team,” says Rosenwasser. “It became clear why North Star Reach is so urgently needed. There are hundreds more Faiths waiting for the same chance.”

Rosenwasser arrives as North Star Reach prepares to welcome campers back to in person camp after programs were held virtually for two years during the pandemic. The upcoming season will host children with a primary diagnosis of congenital heart disease, epilepsy, sickle cell anemia, and brain cancer, as well as kids who have received an organ transplant. Summer camps are scheduled for June and July, while family retreat weekends will be held in the spring and fall.

North Star Reach’s campus includes a state‐of‐the‐art health center staffed during summer overnight sessions 24/7 by medical professionals from leading hospitals in Michigan and the Chicago area. Capable of managing central lines, providing chemotherapy or dialysis, as well as routine treatments, campers can receive the individualized care they need without leaving camp.

Photo: Mitch Rosenwasser with Aspen. Photo courtesy of North Star Reach.