The Heart of
Camp Joy Retreats
Meet sisters Marea and Monique Kavanagh, founders of Camp Joy Retreats.
For as long as we can remember, travel has been part of our lives. Growing up in a family that believed the world was meant to be explored, we spent years discovering beautiful places, vibrant cultures, and the simple joy of gathering around a table with good people and great food.
Over time, we noticed something even more powerful. When women come together with intention, something extraordinary happens. Conversations deepen. Laughter flows. And space opens for reflection, connection, and joy.
That realization became Camp Joy.
Today, Marea and Monique host retreats in some of their favourite places in the world, from the hilltop villages of France and the English countryside to the beaches of Zihuatanejo and the charm of Bald Head Island. Each retreat blends beautiful settings with meaningful experiences, thoughtful conversations, and the kind of moments that stay with you long after you return home.
Because a Camp Joy retreat isn’t just time away.
It’s a chance to reconnect with yourself, with others, and with the joy of living fully.
Our Joyful Team
Co-Founder & Chief Joy Officer
Marea Kavanagh
My path to Camp Joy has unfolded through many chapters, each one shaping how I think about connection, healing, and what it means to truly feel joy.
For more than fifteen years working in the restaurant industry, including seven years as a General Manager, I developed a deep appreciation for creating memorable experiences. Great food, beautiful spaces, and thoughtful hospitality have a way of bringing people together, and I loved watching how a shared table could spark conversation, laughter, and connection.
Another part of my journey came through my experience as a mother to a son with special needs. That chapter opened my eyes to many healing paths and led me to study practices that eventually became central to my life, including homeopathy, yoga, and meditation.
For the past twelve years I have worked as a Homeopathic Practitioner, supporting individuals and families on their healing journeys. It has been a privilege to walk alongside them as they rediscover balance, resilience, and wellbeing.
The final nudge that led to Camp Joy came after a serious car accident. During my recovery, one thought kept returning to me: this is not the dress rehearsal.
Life is meant to be lived fully, with presence and intention. That perspective became part of the heart of Camp Joy.
Today, along with designing the program with my sister, I lead the Inner Joy sessions, creating space for women to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what brings them joy. These gatherings often become some of the most meaningful moments of the retreat, where conversations deepen and new insights emerge.
Camp Joy brings together the things I care about most: connection, reflection, and the simple but powerful experience of women gathering together in beautiful places.
Co-Founder & Head of Joyful Experiences
Monique Kavanagh
After an unexpected exit from my 25-year career in financial services in 2023, I suddenly found myself with something I hadn’t had in years: time.
At first, I leaned into the adventure. I wrote a children’s book starring my mischievous dog, Buddy La Rue. I rode the rails across the United States. I spent eleven unforgettable days cruising with my spirited 88-year-old father. And I returned often to Zihuatanejo, my beloved slice of paradise.
But that time also allowed me to be more present as a caregiver for our mother, who was living with dementia. It was a period filled with both joy and reflection, and it made me think deeply about how easily women place themselves last on their own lists.
Around that time, my sister Marea floated an idea she had been dreaming about for years: a kind of “summer camp for women.”
At first it felt like a playful suggestion. But slowly it began to feel like something more meaningful.
In the midst of a year that brought both loss and perspective, including our mother’s passing and Marea and her husband recovering from a serious car accident, the idea of Camp Joy began to take shape. What had once been a daydream became a real vision for a place where women could step away from the pace of everyday life, reconnect with themselves, and experience the simple joy of being together.
Today, building Camp Joy has become one of the greatest adventures of my life. Creating retreats where women can recharge, explore beautiful places, and put themselves at the top of their own lists feels deeply meaningful.
And doing it alongside my sister, who shares both my sense of humour and my love of adventure, has made the journey even more special.
Retreat Support & Social Media
Olivia Goodwin
Olivia brings heart, hustle, and a creative eye to Camp Joy Retreats. As our on-site support and social media storyteller, she’s often the first to lend a hand and the one behind the lens capturing the magic as it unfolds.
Currently studying Interior Architecture at the University of Oregon, Olivia is passionate about reimagining spaces to be more inclusive, welcoming, and beautifully functional, much like what the experience we strive for at each Camp Joy retreat.
Whether she’s rearranging flowers, snapping a golden-hour shot, or making sure every camper feels welcome, Olivia helps bring our joyful vision to life.
Sommelier & Retreat Support
Anastasia Beers
We’re thrilled to have Anastasia (pronounced Ana-STAY-sia) to the Camp Joy Retreats team!
Bilingual in French and English (thank goodness), Anastasia grew up between two cultures, UK and France, a blend that shapes her warm, open, and inclusive approach to life.
Anastasia is a certified WSET Level 2 & 3 wine expert with a passion for sharing the joy of wine in a way that’s approachable, fun, and deeply connected to place.
When not at a Camp Joy retreat, she runs her own business, Languedoc Wine Experience. Her background organizing wine competitions and events, both locally and internationally, means she knows how to make every moment special, with an eye for detail, a warm smile, and a generous pour.
At Camp Joy, we’re excited to have Anastasia behind the scenes alongside Marea and Monique, making magic happen. She’ll also be leading our daily Apéro Hour with curated wine tastings and ensuring that the dinner wine beautifully complements our locally inspired meals.
Anastasia is all about people, connection, and creating meaningful shared moments especially when they’re paired with a good glass of wine and delicious food.
Vision & Mission
Our Mission
To create transformative, joy-filled retreats where women strengthen their relationship with themselves and others through:
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meaningful shared experiences,
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thoughtfully curated programming, and
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elevated surroundings.
Women rediscover their Inner Joy, return home with clarity, confidence, and renewed purpose, and rise together in joyful community.
Our Vision
To nurture a trusted community of women’s retreats that sparks lasting Inner Joy, deep connection, and a more wholehearted way of living long after each journey ends.
