Alumni Interview: Dani Abraham
Tell us about how you started going to Camp and how many summers you spent there.
I started going to sleepaway summer camp when I was 7 years old. I turned 8 my first summer away. I spent that first summer at a different JCC camp, closer to my home in Ohio (Indiana). My family moved the next year, and I went to summer camp in Texas. Spending summer outdoors in the middle of Texas was HOT – and the next year, my parents looked into new summer camp options. As luck would have it, we also moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and we discovered Camp Interlaken! I started going in 2003 and went every year until 2010! I absolutely loved camp, and I counted down the days until next summer the second I got off the bus.
We know that sibling relationships at Camp can be very special. Tell us about what it was like to go to Camp with your sister.
I was so lucky to have my sister at camp with me. While I loved camp, there were moments when homesickness would set in, but having her there made those moments easier. It strengthened our bond in a unique way. Even though she was younger, her presence expanded my circle of camp friends and created shared memories that we still cherish today. Being at camp together turned a fun experience into something truly special and unforgettable.
Tell us what you’ve been up to since graduating college. What are some of your career highlights?
Since graduating from college, I have been working in the entertainment business. I moved to LA almost immediately and have been living here ever since. I have worked as a talent manager, and then moved on to producing content full time as a producer! My heart lies in kids’ content, and I have produced several pieces aimed at girls to empower them to get into the STEM field. And I have been lucky to continue working with AwesomenessTV and Nickelodeon on and off over the last several years. But, getting to create any type of content for a living is amazing, and I am so excited that I get to do what I love every day!
Also; and I have to say most importantly; I am a dog mom to the best dog on the planet: Otis. (@otisthemonster on Instagram) (As seen below)
What is your most recent professional accomplishment?
Actually – the full circle bit of this, is this opportunity only came to me, as I met the executive producer of my most recent project on BIRTHRIGHT! I just produced my first feature film titled STUPID GAMES. It secured distribution and is available to watch now (wink wink) on a streaming app called Mometu, and will be available on the CW Streaming App soon! It’s a horror film, and a little bit outside my normal realm, but I had the ability to create this with some of my best friends. That’s the ultimate dream. And now, I am in development and pre-production for a couple of projects that came because of the success of Stupid Games!
How did your experiences at Camp impact who you are today? And did any Camp experience inspire or influence your professional path? If yes, please describe.
My experiences at camp had a major impact on who I am today. I loved writing Schticks, participating in the play, and working on the camp video chugim. These creative activities sparked my passion for storytelling and performance. Today, I have two projects in development that are centered around camp, with one specifically focused on the unique culture of Jewish camps. These projects are a direct reflection of the inspiration and influence that my camp experiences had on my professional path, shaping my career in a meaningful way.
As you probably remember, select campers will make wishes in between the campfire songs on the first and last nights of Camp. If you were to make a wish at an Interlaken campfire, for future campers, what would you wish for?
My wish for all campers at CIL from now until forever is that you will remember that the bonds between each other will run deep forever.
Rapid Fire Camp Questions
Favorite Chug: Water skiing…no…Ropes course…no…wait…yes…no…Tennis…wait…Omanut…no, I can’t choose!
Favorite Maccabia Theme: Monopoly! That was my first year at camp and I was on the Blue team. (Ironically, it’s my sister’s favorite game and I can’t stand playing it lol)
Memorable Evening Program: Pickle Night. Maybe not memorable for the right reasons, but to this day I still think about it.
Shoutout to counselors that made Camp an awesome experience: Kat Koslov – she was my Ozo! Then my counselor every year until she became our Mama Ozo.
Potato Bar (Meal or Side?): MEAL. DUH.
Favorite Cabin in Camp: I think I was in Leah for 3 summers in a row… so, Leah.