Daniel Chacon is dedicated to creating safe, joyful spaces for young burn survivors to heal, grow, and belong. With over 15 years of experience in burn aftercare, camp leadership, and trauma-informed programming, he’s seen how one week at camp can change a life.

He has held multiple leadership roles with the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation, where he was deeply involved with Champ Camp—one of the oldest and largest burn camps in the world, based in California. Daniel also served on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Burn Camps (IABC) for eight years, including four years as Board President.

In addition to leading programs, Daniel has contributed to research on the psychosocial impact of camp and the role of recreational healing for pediatric burn survivors. He first attended Champ Camp in 2010 and was given the camp name “Apollo”—a name he still proudly answers to. His favorite camp activities include archery, arts and crafts, and singing loudly (and off-key) at campfire.