Penthea Burns joined the Board of Directors of Camp To Belong International in 2008 and is the current Board Chair. Penthea also works with the Program Development committee for the organization. Burns has a Master’s degree in Social Work and over 30 years of experience in the child welfare system in Maine. For the past 10 years she has been the director of Maine’s Youth Leadership Advisory Team (YLAT), a team of youth leaders in the foster care system. YLAT members have attended and presented at various national conferences, assisted with drafting and revising Department of Human Services policy, participated in positive media coverage about youth in foster care, and testified before the Maine legislature on issues related to child abuse and child welfare. It was through the direct advocacy of YLAT that Camp To Belong was established in the state.
One of the co-founders of Camp To Belong – Maine, Burns has been a camp counselor, coordinated media relations, assisted in the development of an evaluation tool, participated in fundraising and served as a member of Maine’s sustainability planning team. She has co-authored several publications about engaging youth as leaders including:
- YLAT: An Innovative Model for Engaging Youth in Systems Improvement, 2010
- 2007 CFSR Toolkit for Youth Involvement: Engaging Youth in the Child and Family Services Review, 2007
- Partnering with Youth: Involving Youth in Child Welfare Training and Curriculum Development, 2003
- Influencing Public Policy in Your State: A Guide for Youth in Care, 2001 Burns has been engaged in various other community service activities including running for elected office, volunteering on local political activities, serving on a national board of directors for an endangered dog breed and working with youth in her community.
