Board of Directors

Gillian Lamb Butchman

Gillian is the founder and president of The Katie Johnson Fellowship. Earlier she created, and directed for 25 years, Camp Jabberwocky’s 5 week June/July program. In the late 1960’s she developed the curriculum for and taught one of the first public school classes for Special Education in Wash.DC. Later she began a non-profit movie theatre and practiced as a physical therapist at Howard Univ. Hospital and in the MD and Wash.DC public school systems. Gillian co-founded and directed The Wabe of Whidbey for its first 7 years. She continues as its Executive Director. She and her husband, Alan, live half the year in Seattle and half on Martha’s Vineyard Island, MA.

Alan Butchman

Alan has been an officer of The Katie Johnson Fellowship since it was formed in 2002. He is retired but previously worked as a lawyer in private practice and as an executive in the Federal Government. Currently he is the Treasurer, a member of the board, and photographer who takes most of the photos you see in our literature and website.

Darlene Meskell

Darlene Meskell has been a director and Vice President/Secretary of The Katie Johnson Fellowship since its founding. She has worked professionally as a journalist in Washington, D.C., a management consultant, and was a federal government official until her retirement in 2015. Since then, she and her husband, Paddy, have spent half their time in Washington, D.C. and half their time in Limerick, Ireland.

Harold G. "Buzz" Bailey

Buzz Bailey served as pro bono legal counsel during the initial organization of The Katie Johnson Fellowship, and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2018. He was a partner in a Washington DC law firm, specializing in federal legislative and regulatory issues, for several decades. Mr. Bailey has provided pro bono legal services to several other clients including a Native American tribe and the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Fellowship. He currently serves as Director of Federal Contracts for Qorvo US, Inc. which is developing a new COVID biosensor using semiconductor technology. He lives in Clarksburg, Maryland.

Jan Campbell

When Jan met Gillian Butchman at Camp Jabberwocky in 1978, she learned that camp is where there’s fun, friendships, delicious food and a chance to see the world functioning as it should. Over the next several decades, she spent about 15 summers at Jabberwocky and then joined the crew at The Tulgey Wood on Nantucket, which she now helps direct. She was also the originator of Chilmark Chocolates, Martha’s Vineyard, MA, and an elementary school teacher in New York for many years. Jan joined the Board of The Katie Johnson Fellowship in 2013.

Carrie Widener

Carrie joined the board in 2018, bringing her experience as a long-time Jabberwocky counselor and as a Special Educator teacher to our work. She also was the original Co-Director of The Wabe. Her daughter is often seen at camp, carrying on a fine family tradition of service. She lives in Washington and has three dogs, one of which is named Walnut.

Karen Elliott

Karen Elliott joined the Board in 2020 and begins in 2024 as co-director of The Wabe of Whidbey.

Holly Anderson

Holly joined the board in 2023.

Kevin Heller

Kevin Heller has been involved with the Katie Johnson Fellowship since 2002 and joined the Board in 2021. He begins in 2024 as co-director of The Wabe of Whidbey. He currently works for CaliforniaColleges.edu, and has previously worked for various entities of California’s public education system: UC, CSU, Community College, and K-12. He resides in California with his family and their dog Walnut.