40 Under 40: Lexi Bickford
Program Director; Care Camps Foundation; With company: 5 years | Industry experience: 5 years
Lexi Bickford’s passion for her job has been called “contagious.”
As program director at Care Camps Foundation, she’s tasked with keeping each piece of the organization’s mission — camps, donors, RV industry partners, staff and board members — connected.
“She’s constantly coming up with new and creative ways to bring those groups together rather than just maintaining what already exists,” her nominator says. “She’s genuinely hands-on with both camps and donors, working directly with people instead of managing from behind a desk.”
Her passion for the job also excites others to get involved with this national nonprofit organization, which provides camps for children with cancer across the United States and Canada.
Lexi nurtures the foundation’s relationships with KOA, the Children’s Oncology Camping Association’s Board of Directors, member camps and the RV industry at large.
“She also helps oversee the Care Camps Foundation Young Professionals Board, giving the next generation of industry leaders a real way to work together instead of staying in their own corners,” her nominator says.
Her colleagues describe her leadership as steady and often behind-the-scenes, the kind of leadership that creates room for other team members to build their own partnerships to expand the foundation’s mission.
As Care Camps Foundation’s grant program has grown to more than 125 camps a year, serving 47,000 children with cancer and their family members, Lexi has analyzed camp data and funding needs directly, ensuring grants are distributed responsibly across a large, growing network with real fiscal accountability behind every dollar. She’s also directed the foundation’s donor database and several core internal systems, keeping records, reporting and donor stewardship reliable as the organization has scaled.
The RV and equipment donation program that Lexi leads connects more than $10,000 in donated assets annually with camps and families who need them, and the KOA Annual Convention fundraising she oversees generates more than $150,000 in revenue for the mission each year.
Lexi joined as an executive assistant but was always willing to take on more responsibilities as she learned more about the foundation’s internal operations. Eventually she was promoted into a manager role, and earlier this year, she was promoted again to program director.
Lexi has become a central source of knowledge about Care Camps Foundation’s programs, camp relationships, funding history, and mission impact, and other staff and board members turn to her first.
She provides annual training so camp leaders understand funding requirements and can participate successfully in the grant program, plans logistics for the foundation’s major fundraising events, conferences, and board meetings, and produces the impact reports that turn RV industry support into a documented story of what it makes possible for kids with cancer and their families.
Outside the office, Lexi is happiest outdoors. She and her family are avid boaters and spend as much time as they can out on the water together. She’s a mom of two kids and two dogs, and when she’s not on the water, she’s usually traveling or out at a concert with friends.
Lexi’s advice for up-and-coming leaders in the RV industry:
My best advice is to find something you are truly passionate about and keep showing up every day. Don’t be afraid to think big, take chances and believe in what you’re doing, even when the path forward isn’t always clear. I’ve learned that when you believe deeply in your purpose and stay committed to it, you can make a greater impact than you ever imagined.
What it means to Lexi to be a 40 Under 40 honoree:
I feel incredibly honored and truly humbled to be part of this amazing group. I’m beyond grateful to be an honoree, but even more grateful for the people and the purpose behind the work I get to do every day. Being able to help children with cancer and their families attend pediatric oncology camps across the United States and Canada is something I will never take for granted. There is something incredibly special about seeing a child simply be a kid again — laughing, making friends, trying new things and creating memories with others who truly understand what they’re going through. I’m grateful every day that I get to play even a small part in making those moments possible. This recognition means so much to me, and I share it with the incredible people who make this work possible, including the many individuals and companies throughout the RV industry who continue to support Care Camps Foundation and the children and families we serve.
