Mary Kenson & Bennett Lewis
OWNERS & DIRECTORS
Camp Wayfarer has been part of life for Mary Kenson and Ben since childhood. Mary Kenson’s parents, Jim Bob and Nancy, founded the camp in 1991, and Ben grew up attending as a camper before returning as a counselor during his college years at the University of Georgia.
After graduating from Southern Methodist University in 2011 and working for American Ballet Theatre in New York City, Mary Kenson returned to Wayfarer as Program Director before becoming Director of Girls’ and Boys’ Camps. Ben spent 17 years as a touring musician, returning to help at camp between tours before making Wayfarer his full-time focus.
In 2024, Jim Bob and Nancy passed the stewardship of Wayfarer to Mary Kenson and Ben, continuing the camp’s story into a second generation of family ownership. Together, they lead camp year-round, supporting staff, building relationships with camp families, and creating summers filled with growth, fun, and adventure. They’re proud to carry forward the traditions and magic of Wayfarer that Jim Bob and Nancy created.
Mary Kenson and Ben live in Asheville, North Carolina, with their two children, Chappell and Dutch, sharing a place that shaped their childhoods with the next generation of their family.