Summer Camp Operations & Safety Expert Witness

Kevin Gordon is a summer camp operations and safety expert with more than 40 years of hands-on experience in camps and youth programs. His background includes camp ownership and direction, assistant camp direction, waterfront leadership, staff supervision and training, risk management, program leadership, and consulting.

Kevin provides expert witness and consulting services to both plaintiff and defense counsel in matters involving summer camps, overnight camps, day camps, youth recreation programs, and related youth-serving organizations. His work focuses on evaluating camp operations, supervision, staffing, training, safety practices, emergency response, aquatics, abuse prevention and safeguarding, medication and allergy management, facilities, policies and procedures, incident response, and accepted industry practices.

Areas of expertise include:

• Summer camp operations  
• Camp safety and risk management  
• Camper supervision  
• Staff hiring, screening, training, and supervision  
• Counselor conduct and staff performance  
• Camper-to-camper misconduct  
• Child abuse prevention and safeguarding  
• Child sexual abuse prevention and operational response  
• Aquatics and waterfront operations  
• Lifeguarding and waterfront supervision  
• Swimming, boating, and recreational activity safety  
• Emergency response and crisis management  
• Emergency action plans  
• Serious injury and wrongful death matters  
• Incident reporting and documentation  
• Medication administration and allergy management  
• Food allergy and anaphylaxis procedures  
• Facilities and premises safety  
• Playground and recreational safety  
• Camp policies and procedures  
• Camp industry standards and accepted practices  
• Day camp and overnight camp operations  
• Youth recreation and youth-serving programs  
• Staff recruitment and hiring  
• Human resources practices in camp settings  

Kevin's experience includes direct responsibility for day-to-day camp operations, camper welfare, staff supervision, parent communication, programming, aquatics, emergency procedures, facilities, safety practices, and implementation of camp policies. He has developed and applied operational policies and procedures, supervised staff performance, evaluated risks, responded to incidents, and managed programs serving children and adolescents.

His background includes experience as a camp counselor, program leader, head of tennis, summer camp director, assistant camp director, waterfront leader, owner/director, risk manager, and consultant. This breadth of experience allows him to evaluate incidents from the perspective of someone who has actually operated and supervised camp programs.

Kevin has held leadership roles within the American Camp Association, including service as a Board Member and Vice President of ACA-Illinois, as a member of the ACA National Council of Leaders, and on an ACA national board development committee. He has presented at camp-industry conferences and professional training programs and previously served as an American Red Cross lifeguard instructor/trainer.

Kevin holds a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Harvard University. His education also includes coursework in human resource management and organizational behavior. While attending Chicago-Kent College of Law, he received the CALI Award for earning the highest grade in his Torts section.

Expert witness services may include review and analysis of records, policies, procedures, staff manuals, training materials, incident reports, witness statements, medical or emergency-response documentation, and other case materials. Kevin can assist counsel in identifying relevant operational issues, evaluating whether practices were consistent with accepted camp-industry standards and practices, preparing expert reports, and providing deposition or trial testimony when appropriate.

Kevin's expert work is independent and case-specific. He accepts engagements from both plaintiff and defense counsel throughout the United States and Canada.

Relevant search terms include summer camp expert witness, camp operations expert, camp safety expert, camper supervision, camp negligence, camp staffing, staff training, child abuse prevention, child sexual abuse prevention, safeguarding, aquatics expert, waterfront safety, lifeguarding, emergency response, crisis management, risk management, camp policies, youth programs, overnight camps, day camps, recreation safety, premises liability, incident reporting, serious injury, wrongful death, staff hiring, background checks, emergency action plans, medication management, allergy management, counselor conduct, and youth recreation.