Our Team
Get to know the adventurous disciples who have the joy of working at Prairie Star Ranch.
Our Team
Get to know the adventurous disciples who have the joy of working at Prairie Star Ranch.
Full-Time Staff
These lucky folks have the pleasure of working at Prairie Star Ranch all year and work to keep the ministry of the Ranch alive and well year-round. Find out who they are and how they serve the Ranch during the year.
Dcn. Dana Nearmyer
Executive Director
Deacon Dana Nearmyer is the Executive Director of Prairie Star Ranch and heads the Office of Evangelization for ArchKCK. He is also the Co-director of Camp Tekakwitha and an adjunct instructor at Benedictine College.
Gregory Wellnitz
Ranch
Director
Gregory Wellnitz is the Director of Prairie Star Ranch for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. He has served in this role since 2011 and holds a master’s degree in Theology from the Augustine Institute.
Dale Hutcheson
Ranch Maint.
Dale Hutcheson serves as the Lead Maintenance Technician for Prairie Star Ranch. He boasts a background in a wide variety of technical fields.
Tori Gambino
Retreat Coord.
Tori Gambino joined the Prairie Star family in 2015 as a Retreat Team Member. In 2016 she accepted the role of Retreat Coordinator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from Truman State University.
Olivia Schmitz
Retreat
Missionary
Olivia joined the Retreat Team in 2025. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is an outdoor adventure enthusiast and one of our amazing Camp Tekakwitha staff alumna.
Shannen Freeman
RETREAT Missionary
Shannen Freeman earned a Bachelor’s degree in Catechesis and Evangelization from Benedictine College and first came to Prairie Star in 2014 as a camp counselor. In 2016, she began serving as a member of the Retreat Team.
Caroline Hooper
RETREAT Missionary
Caroline joined our team in 2021. She has degrees from Loras College in Iowa and has long been involved in the Catholic camping world, with former experience at Catholic Youth Expeditions, and Camp Gray in Wisconsin.
Our Retreat Team
Prairie Star Ranch offers an exciting opportunity to become a missionary for the New Evangelization through our Retreat Team Missionary Program. As a member of the program, you will lead retreats, help out around camp and have the opportunity for great personal and spiritual growth. It is a wonderful chance to share your faith, build Christ’s Kingdom and serve others in a beautiful natural setting.
Tori Gambino
Retreat Coordinator
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Grace Malinee
Missionary
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Shannon Freeman
Missionary
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Caroline Hooper
Missionary
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We Share Your Desire for More
There is a great longing in the body of the Church, a yearning to carry forward the mission Christ entrusted to each of his disciples. Our missionary staff recognize this thirst and seek to guide the thousands of souls who enter our gates to fall ever more in love with Jesus Christ.
Men and women from all walks of life, whether right off a college campus or out of the workforce, are choosing to respond to the world’s need for missionaries.
Contact Us Today
Prairie Star Ranch is a division of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Copyright © The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. All Rights Reserved.
Our Team
Get to know the adventurous disciples who have the joy of working at Prairie Star Ranch.
Full-Time Staff
These lucky folks have the pleasure of working at Prairie Star Ranch all year and work to keep the ministry of the Ranch alive and well year-round. Find out who they are and how they serve the Ranch during the year.
Dcn. Dana Nearmyer
Executive Director
Deacon Dana Nearmyer is the Executive Director of Prairie Star Ranch and heads the Office of Evangelization for ArchKCK. He is also the Co-director of Camp Tekakwitha and an adjunct instructor at Benedictine College.
Gregory Wellnitz
Director
Gregory Wellnitz is the Director of Prairie Star Ranch for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. He has served in this role since 2011 and holds a master’s degree in Theology from the Augustine Institute.
Dale Hutcheson
Ranch Maintenance
Dale Hutcheson serves as the Lead Maintenance Technician for Prairie Star Ranch. He boasts a background in a wide variety of technical fields.
Tori Gambino
Retreat Coordinator
Tori Gambino joined the Prairie Star family in 2015 as a Retreat Team Missionary. In 2016 she accepted the role of Retreat Coordinator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from Truman State University.
Olivia Schmitz
Missionary
Olivia joined the Retreat Team in 2025. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is an outdoor adventure enthusiast and one of our amazing Camp Tekakwitha staff alumna.
Shannen Freeman
Missionary
Shannen Freeman earned a Bachelor’s degree in Catechesis and Evangelization from Benedictine College and first came to Prairie Star in 2014 as a camp counselor. In 2016, she began serving as a member of the Retreat Team.
Caroline Hooper
Missionary
Caroline joined our team in 2021. She has degrees from Loras College in Iowa and has long been involved in the Catholic camping world, with former experience at Catholic Youth Expeditions, and Camp Gray in Wisconsin.
Our Retreat Team
Prairie Star Ranch offers an exciting opportunity to become a missionary for the New Evangelization through our Retreat Team Missionary Program. As a member of the program, you will lead retreats, help out around camp and have the opportunity for great personal and spiritual growth. It is a wonderful chance to share your faith, build Christ’s Kingdom and serve others in a beautiful natural setting.
Building a Camp for your kids, your family, and your parish.
Tori Gambino
Retreat Coordinator
Brief bio will go here. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Grace Malinee
Missionary
Brief bio will go here. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Shannon Freeman
Missionary
Brief bio will go here. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Caroline Hooper
Missionary
Brief bio will go here. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Contact Us Today
Prairie Star Ranch is a division of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Copyright © The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. All Rights Reserved.