Who We Are
We are a close-knit group passionate about gender-affirming opportunities and creative, project-based learning. We are fun, supportive and enthusiastic – with our guidance, the girls set the tone, and each group creates its own magic.
Samantha Razook Murphy, Founder
Samantha is a mother of two girls and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She holds her BA from Yale and Masters in Industrial Design from Pratt. She was inspired to create Curious Jane and Blue Tree to give her girls, and all girls, a chance to be creative and inventive in a high-energy, collaborative and gender-affirming space. She loves designing, tinkering and figuring out. She has a blast with her camp girls – they have amazing ideas, and they keep her young!
Casey Ashenhurst, Executive Factotum
Casey joined Curious Jane as an after-school instructor in 2010, but since then has become our resident Girl Friday, with a combined role of instructor, office administrator, blogger, and media manager. She has many years of experience teaching and working with kids and youth in a variety of after-school and summer programs in Seattle, Los Angeles, and throughout Ohio. She has also attended summer camps in some capacity (camper, counselor, or teacher) since she was 11, so camp holds a special place in her heart. She received her BA in English- Media Studies from Oberlin College, and is an avid urban cyclist and crafting enthusiast. Casey is super pumped to support our programs in these many capacities, and believes in the importance of providing a place for girls to learn, create, and grow.
Beth Fauerbach, After-School Coordinator, Blue Tree Program Director
Beth joined us two summers ago as our Program Director for Blue Tree, Bryn Mawr, and is delighted to be the new After-School Coordinator for Curious Jane. She holds her BA in Dance, and has been an active teacher, director and choreographer for almost 20 years. In addition to her work with Blue Tree and Curious Jane, she continues to choreograph productions for school-based programs and professional organizations throughout the year. Before moving to New York, she was the Education Director at Playhouse Merced in California. Through her after-school programming there, she brought live theatre performances and classes to over 10,000 students annually. She knows how valuable it is for girls to try new things, and to have something that makes them feel good about who they are, and thinks Curious Jane and Blue Tree fit the bill perfectly!
Lindsay Hoffman, Chief Factotum
Lindsay has worked with Curious Jane in one way or another since the program’s conception, including as an office administrator, workshop instructor, and bookkeeping manager. She has worked with youth programs for a number of years; she got her start in the Detroit area while earning her BA in Communications at Wayne State University, and became Director of the Teen Center in Clawson, Michigan upon graduating. Since moving to New York, she has worked at several residential camps as an office administrator, Residential Life Director, and Radio Broadcasting instructor. She met Samantha coaching an all-girls volleyball clinic in Brooklyn, and they bonded over a shared passion for creating gender-affirming girl space. Lindsay loves to D.I.Y, and can often be found making delicious homemade baked goods or recording her radio show. She feels truly lucky to be a part of this amazing organization, and hopes to help create memorable programming that will not only expand girls’ minds but also teach them about themselves in the process.
…and a wide web of wonderful counselors and educators!
Curious Jane and Blue Tree opened for their first summer in 2009, and both programs have grown at a tremendous pace. Building on our camps’ successes, we are adding locations and expanding into after-school programs and weekend workshops. We work with many wonderful young women year-round, and their talents and energy are the heart of our program. Please feel free to read more about our Curious Jane staff and our Blue Tree staff.