James Canton

Chief Executive Officer

James H. Canton has had a relationship with The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp since it began in 1988. During that time he has been a counselor, unit leader, assistant director and for eight years, camp director. He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in the Spring of 2002.

As camp director, Mr. Canton led the development of various programs to extend the healing touch of Camp throughout the year. Fall and spring weekend programs were created to serve the previous summers’ campers, as well as family retreats for children who might not have the chance to experience a summer session.

Under his leadership as CEO, the Hospital Outreach Program was commissioned to bring Camp to hospitalized children. What began as a summer camp in 1988 serving 288 children has grown, under Mr. Canton’s leadership, to a year-round center serving more than 20,000 children and family members annually. He continues to connect with Hole in the Wall’s healing work by volunteering and actively engaging with campers across Camp’s year-round programming, including during the summer camp program which remains near and dear to his heart.

Mr. Canton has played a part in programmatic development of many SeriousFun Children’s Network camps. He has assisted with the launch of sister camps around the world, including those in France, Italy, Hungary, Japan, and the Network's first camp programs in Africa as well as helping advance the SeriousFun Children’s Network accrediting criteria.

Mr. Canton graduated from Stanford University with a BA in humanities and received a master’s degree in theology from Yale Divinity School.