Zach Rivera

Assistant Program & Staff Director

Zach grew up in Lawrenceville, GA with his mom, dad, and two brothers before moving down to Statesboro, GA to begin his collegiate career at Georgia Southern University. He majored in Psychology, as well as a minor in Outdoor Recreation and a minor in Exercise Science. He joined the Falling Creek summer staff in 2012 and has been part of our team over a nine-year period. After serving in many different roles through the summer of 2017, Zach joined the leadership team at Camp Southern Ground during their first two summers operating their summer camp program in 2018 and 2019. He then returned to Falling Creek in 2021 as our Assistant Program Director. Zach has also worked as a guide and supervisor in a youth treatment center for adolescent boys here in North Carolina.

In school, Zach was the founder and first captain of the Georgia Southern Club Dodgeball Team, and so of course he loves being in on some dodgeball action in the Thunder Dungeon here at camp. During his collegiate career he was also a volunteer assistant coach for the Cross Country and Track and Field boys’ teams and successfully coached several of his athletes to state level meets. As one of our Assistant Program and Staff Directors year-round at camp, he has continued this coach mindset, being a resource for our staff while using his relationship skills to recruit and train the best of the best. When he isn’t on the dodgeball court, Zach loves taking advantage of the outdoor opportunities located here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, including mountain biking and climbing.