Camp Pathfinder Staff
Pathfinder is extremely proud of our expert and friendly Staff. Most members come up through the ranks, having learned the "Pathfinder Way" from years as campers and junior counselors. Each year, more former campers join the historic ranks of the Pathfinder Staff.
The directors and senior staff have 15-30 years of experience at Pathfinder. Our counselors go through an extensive apprenticeship including professional outdoor certifications. They are uniquely able to caretake Pathfinder tradition, that 'Camp is for the kids,' and they have solid hard skills in the outdoors.
Headmen - The Heart and Soul of Pathfinder
Years of traversing the trails of Algonquin Park have given the rank and file Pathfinder Staff canoe tripping expertise, and the experience they need to be great trip guides, counselors and role models for campers. The trip staff are highly trained, and carry important certifications in first aid, lifesaving, and paddling.
Each season, alumni guest staff of all ages return to the Island to make their mark once again. And the in-camp staff, male and female, ages 17 to 70, complement Pathfinder's tripping program with a variety of activities and a lot of personal attention.
Pathfinder's Owners
- Mike & Leslie Sladden, Heidi & Glenn Arthurs
Camp Pathfinder is a family affair.
Camp owners since 1999, the Arthurs and Sladdens work to sustain Pathfinder's 95 years of tradition. Mike and Glenn are former campers and counselors, longtime alumni volunteers, and parents of Pathfinder campers.
Glenn and Heidi Arthurs
Glenn Arthurs is Director of Investments with Smith Barney Buffalo. He has been a member of the firm since 1983, and a member of its Director’s Council since 1987.
Like Glenn, Heidi is a life-long Western New Yorker. A longtime Northway Lodge camper, she raised two sons and a daughter as Algonquin Park canoe trippers and camp counselors.
Glenn and Heidi are active in their Youngstown – Buffalo community. In addition to guiding Pathfinder, Glenn serves on a number of foundations and boards, including Sisters of Charity Hospital, Niagara Falls Memorial Hospital, Stella Niagara Education Park, and Holimont Ski Club.
Mike and Leslie Sladden
The Sladdens hail from Rochester, NY, with sons Jack and Quin in the Pathfinder program, and a year-'round commitment to the management of the camp. Sladds spends six months in residence at Pathfinder, and is camp's full-time Director.
Mike Sladden, Camp Director
- Sladds
Rochester, NY
This summer marks Sladds' 11th year as owner-director. He started at Pathfinder as a Cree, age 11, was a camper in the early '70s, and has been a Headman, Director of Canoeing, alumni volunteer and parent since 1984. Certifications: Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Level II Instructor in Ropes Course leadership through CUI/ACCT, and ORCA Moving Water I-II. Sladds attended Allendale School, Phillips Exeter Academy ('77), and Connecticut College ('81). Prior to taking over at camp, he worked for 13 years on the staff, and was curator of education, at the International Museum of Photography and Film, George Eastman House.
Mary Chestnut, Assistant Director
- Mary
Wellsville, NY
Teacher, Wellsville Central Schools
Mary has been an invaluable part of the Pathfinder experience for a quarter century. Her mother, dad and brothers also made their own mark on Camp over the decades. Mary came into the front office from a career as waterfront director. At camp, she manages operations and finance. In the off-season she teaches middle school in Wellsville, New York. Likely Mary's will be the cheerful voice on the phone during summers. Ask her what any boy is doing at Camp that day, and she'll know!
Steve Szymkowiak, Director of Tripping
- Steve
Buffalo, NY
Boston College '08
With a dozen years at Pathfinder as a camper, trip staff, and spring/fall crew member, Steve has accumulated a wealth of knowledge about Pathfinder and Algonquin Park. He's led many trips in the red canoes, including the first Rupert River expedition in 2008. This season Steve wears the mantle of DOT, taking over from Will Hopkins. Steve, we look forward to many shouts of "Trippers!" as our red canoes set out and return.
Jill Pala, Program Director
- Jill at the Lower Office
Chattanooga, TN
Teacher, Girls Preparatory School, Chattanooga, TN
Coming into her 13th summer at Pathfinder, Jill is back to direct the program. Jill teaches computer science and technology at Girls Prep, her alma mater back in Tennesee. She first came to camp from Chattanooga in 1994 as a summer baby-sitter. The north woods got into her blood, and the rest is history.
Kathryn Babin, Director of Waterfront
- Kathryn
Penfield, NY
Middlebury College '07
History Teacher, Lawrence Academy
Kathryn joined the Pathfinder family after rising through the ranks of Camp Northway Lodge for Girls, Pathfinder's sister camp. With 13 summers in Algonquin Park and a former director of tripping for Northway, she brings numerous talents with her to the island. During the season you can find her on the Swim Dock helping Campers earn their AA in swimming as well as out on the trail leading trips.
Welcome back this renaissance woman back for the 2010 season!
Ben Bristow, AA Trip / Mic-Chipp Area Supervisor
- Ben
Waltham, VT
Union College '10
Ben is a member of the tripping Bristow/Anderson clan, with 2010 marking his 10th year at CPI. He arrived at camp May 1 with the ink still fresh on his Union College Diploma ready to head up spring crew and open camp for its 97th season. This summer he will be spending time in both the Upper and Lower Kingdoms as he paddles the Gammon R. with the AAs first half and takes over as Mic and Chipp Area Supervisor second half. Handy with a fishing rod to boot. Go Big Ben!
Josh Uline, Headman/Area Supervisor/Ropes Challenge
Rochester, NY
Keuka College '11
Known on the Island as 'OO-line,' or "Papa Uline" to his Mics and Chipps, Josh brings a decade of tripping experience to senior staff. In addition to spending time with campers on the zip line, main sequence, and giant's ladder, he will also be hanging out at the tether ball court as he supervises Mic and Chippville for first half. Next half will find him back on the long trail with older campers.
Henry Shepley, Headman/Ropes Challenge
- Henry
St. Louis, MO
University of Missouri '11, St. Louis MO
Venturing from St. Louis every year, Henry has now spent 11 summers on CPI. He is one of the ropes course directors, and one of the most experienced Headmen on the Island. He is also a founding members of the whitewater kayaking phenomenon that seems to be sweeping the island. He'll be on ropes and leading some serious trips over the summer.
Jess McGahey, Camp Nurse '10
- Jess
Oshawa, ON
McMaster '09
While Jess may be new to the Pathfinder family, she is no stranger to the Park. She has not only been a cottager in the area for years but also has worked for the past two summers at the Lion's Camp in Dorset as Head Recreational Director. Being on staff at Pathfinder has allowed Jess to fill her summer with her two biggest passions-- nursing and the outdoors. Welcome Nurse Jess!
Paulina Eguiarte, Head Chef
- Paulina
Queretaro, MX
University Contemporanea '07
Pathfinder is blessed to have Paulina back for a second summer, this year as Head Chef. She and Fernanda outdid themselves by making fresh fish, poutine and flan for spring crew and have done an outstanding job cooking for a full camp. We're looking forward to having Paulina with us for this fall before she heads back to Mexico for the winter.
Aydin Perese, AA Trip / Director of Canoeing
- Aydin
San Antonio, TX
University Texas San Antonio '12
It's hard to imagine a summer at CPI without Aydin, who is not only an integral part of the trip staff but also a member of spring and fall crew. This season he'll add a 13th year to his running tally. After paddling the Bloodvein River with the AAs during first half, he will take over from Grif Edwards as director of canoeing for second half.
Grif Edwards, Director of Canoeing
- Grif
Durham, NC
College of Wooster '10, Wooster OH
Grif has come up through the Pathfinder ranks, leading canoe trips, and this summer season he finds himself also a director of canoeing along with Aydin. A new college grad, with a B.A. in history from the College of Wooster, he is excited to continue his Pathfinder carreer and we are just as excited to have him!
Finn McCance, CIT Director
- Finn
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Scotland, University of Aberdeen '12
Finn across the big Pond every summer to come over from school in the UK to work at Pathfinder. Currently he studies enviromental sciences at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. This summer, he and Brian are in charge of the CIT Leaders Program.
Brian Brunsing, CIT Director
- Brian
Buffalo, NY
University of Colorado '11, Boulder, CO
Brian is part of the core group of Buffalonians who make their way up to Pathfinder every summer. Currently in his 10th season, he and Finn will be training the C.I.T.'s to one day be new Headmen. In the off-season, he attends University of Colorado at Boulder, and is active in the whitewater kayaking world. Brian is pure Pathfinder.
Jim "Gyro" Coakley, Alumni Guest Staff
- Gyro
Boothwyn, PA
Chief Financial Officer, Wilmington College, Delaware
"Gyro"Coakley joined the Pathfinder Staff in the early 1960s, and has been at the forefront of camp life ever since. A former Headman and Director of Tripping, Gyro spent many years on the trail for Pathfinder, before taking on the role of at-large advisor, mentor to Headmen, trip trucker, and camper trip-training guru. Gyro and wife Sue will be in residence First Half this season.
Jamey Bumbalo, Alumni Guest Staff
- Jamey
Camden, ME
Teacher, Rangeley, ME
Jamey was a camper at Pathfinder in the '70s and a staff man in the '80s. Active as an alumni volunteer during the late '90s, then joined the ranks of the Alumni Guest Staff. After directing the young campers' program for several seasons, Jamey now helps run the Cree tribe, and takes canoe trips while he still can! A.K.A. the Hogg, he is also our senior trucker, expert at taking and fetching home our trips from far-flung Ontario back roads.
Jim "Tiger" Lion, Alumni Guest Staff
- Tiger
Williamsville, NY
Whitman School of Management B.S. Finance/Marketing
Tiger Lion Companies, Buffalo NY
Tiger was a camper fixture in the Pathfinder '70s, and returned to the Island starting in the '09 summer. He leads trips, supervises Cree Row, and trucks with the best of them!
Will Hopkins, Alumni Guest Staff
Brooklyn, NY
Teacher, The Dalton School, NYC
Originally a Pathfinder camper from Rochester, NY, Will is a graduate of Cornell University and UC Berkeley. Over many Pathfinder summers he has led trips and played many of the in-camp roles. He taught at Urban School in San Francisco until accepting a post in 2005 at Dalton, where he now is chairman of the science department. Will continues to make his way up to the island each summer. His past experience as a CIT mentor, Second Half program director and tripping director are an invaluable part of his presence at camp. Late in the summer Will and fiance Diane Davis will be married at the Pathfinder Chapel.
John Baronich, Alumni Guest Staff
- Monsieur B
Springville, NY
Principal, Springville Middle School
Mr. B is a force to be reckoned with. A camper in the '70s like Sladds, he has given Pathfinder a few weeks of his precious summer break every year. In return we all get a friend with limitless energy, enthusiasm, and ideas to make camp even more fun. He also seems to have an 'in' with the infamous "Jacques Beee," a Canadien raconteur, sometime trapper, and full-time scoundrel, who bursts into the Dining Hall when least expected.
Pete Johnson, Guest Staff
- Pete
Pete teaches at EFS in Buffalo and has spent 16 years running the fall program that brings EFS students to Pathfinder in autumn and winter. In 2008, Pete came up for his first summer session and loved it. Now back for year 3. Welcome Pete!
Mara Peacock, Waterfront Staff / Ott Area Supervisor
- Mara
Tallahasee, FL
Florida State University '09
Elementary Educator, Buffalo NY
Mara has been a Cache Lake resident, Northway Lodge camper and staff for many years. Graduated from FSU last spring and spent an Algonquin summer with Pathfinder. Loved the ilfe and worked all through autumn '09, now back in '10. Welcome Mara!
Grace Herman, Waterfront Staff
- Grace
Waban, MA
Newton South High School '09
Grace was a Northway Lodge tripper, before moving over to become a member of the cpi swim staff in 2007. Her dad is Dr. John Herman, alumnus and booster. It is good to see Herman back on the staff following a year spent trekking Europe and in a Rockies NOLS course, while Grace's brother Dave will be a hard-tripping CIT full season this year.
Emily Baronich, Waterfront Staff
- Emily
Springville, NY
Springville Griffith Institute HS '09
Emily spent First Half with us at Pathfinder in 2006, following in the moccasin prints of her grandfather, uncles, father John and brother Mike. This will be her fifth season coming up to CPI, where she's now a veteran presence at Swim Dock, and serves in other in-camp roles like arts and crafts and day trip guiding. Emily attends Canisius College, studying mathematics and adolescent education.
Quin Sladden, Outfitter
- Quin
Rochester, NY
MCC '12 / University of North Carolina '14
Quin has been on the island since he could walk. He has spend some part of every summer up on CPI. A recent graduate of Penfield HS in Rochester, we are excited that he will be the Outfitter for the first half of the summer. He will play a crutial role behind the scenes in helping insure that the campers will have the physical tools they need to succeed on the trail.
Carolyn Gombert, Lower Office Asst. / Arts and Crafts
Rochester, NY
University of Pennsylvania '12
Jessica Ashmore, Mic and Chip Asst. Supervisor
- Jess
Burlington, ON
McGill University, 13
Michael Songin, Director of Athletics
Buffalo, NY
University of Buffalo '13
Fernanda Muniz, Sous Chef
Queretaro, MX
Instituto Gastronomico de Estudios Superiore ‘07
Matt Onyskow, Kitchen Staff
Thorold, ON
Kernahan Park SS ‘08
Marie-Eve Morin, Camp Baker
Centre d'etudes Collegial de Montmagny
Montmagny, QC
Phil Holmes, Dishwasher
Bellville, ON
Centennial Secondary School
Gill Stanley, Trip Staff
- Gill
Buffalo, NY
Hobart William Smith College '10, Geneva NY
Gill is a Buffalo man, who has been at camp for almost a decade now, and shows no signs of slowing down. A dedicated trip staff man who is taking up the Headman role this summer, Gill in recent seasons has been a standout for his film-editing as well as his tripping. His cuts of AA trip footage from the Missinaibi, Spanish and Bloodvein Rivers are a huge hit with the kids. In 2008, he joined Aydin Perese as co-headman on the Chochocuoane River expedition.
Carl Eppers, Trip Staff
- Carl
Buffalo, NY
SUNY Geneseo '11, Geneseo NY
Carl's been a Pathfinder man for years, and is excellent with the campers. He's also a skilled trip guide, ready for anything.
Charlie Katrycz, Trip Staff & Athletics
- Charlie
Toronto, ON
MacGill University '11, Montreal QC
Charlie grew up spending summers on nearby Cache Lake, and joined the camper ranks in 2001. His enthusiasm and experience as a Pathfinder staff man has served camp so well, both in his role as a senior member of the Mic Chipp sleepage staff, and as a presence at Canoeing and Athletics. Charlie brought us the Pathfinder Olympics in '08, a great complement to the real Summer Games. Always good to have him.
Tim Carey, Headman
Wilmington, DE
Georgetown University '12
- Tim
Conor Peterson, Headman
Williston, VT
St. Lawrence University '12
James Berking, Headman
Rochester, NY
University of Vermont '12
- James
Mike Baronich, Headman
Max Reis, Headman
Buffalo, NY
University of Vermont '12
- Max
CJ Cook, Rookie Headman
- CJ
Buffalo, VT
University of Vermont '13
Austin Hopkins, Rookie Headman
- Austin
Montpelier, VT
Quinnipiac University '13
Mike Szymkowiak, Rookie Headman
Buffalo, NY
Canisius College '13
Thomas Bryce, Rookie Headman
- Thomas
Chatham, MA
Wentworth Institute of Technology '13
Will Holzer, Rookie Headman
Grif Menzies, Rookie Headman
- Grif
Lakewood, NY
University of Vermont '13
Simon Gooding-Townsend, Rookie Headman
- Simon
Toronto, ON
McMaster University '12
Lyman Munschauer, Returning Headman
- Lyman
Buffalo, NY
Hamilton College '13
Veteran Second Men of 2010
George Berking, Rochester, NY
Tucker Foulkes, Jamaica, VT
Henry Kronk, Burlington, VT
Jon Pepper, Toronto, ON
Tom Unger, Buffalo, NY
Harry Hanson, Toronto, ON
Rob Hayden, Rochester, NY
Nick Cavallo, Princeton, NJ
Callum McCance, Belfast, UK
Will Savino, Buffalo, NY
Stuart Lang, Chagrin Falls, OH
Alex George, Buffalo, NY
Rookie Second Men of 2010
John P. Carey, Wilmington DE
Evan Dent, Chicago IL
Phil Duggan, Amherst NY
R. Gooding Townsend, Toronto ON
Nathan Kowalski, Buffalo NY
Royce Hepburn, Mirror AB
Jake Kennedy, Chattanooga TN
J.R. MacKenzie, W Vancouver BC
Peter Mueller, Ridgefield CT
Michael Pickfield, Guelph ON
Matt Sanford, Rockville MD
E. Woodcock-Hutley, Huntsville ON
Congratulations CITs 2010!
Russ Braun, Amherst, NY
Nick Brownrigg, Burlingame, CA
Colin Campbell, Buffalo, NY
Joe Egan, Westfield, MA
Jusdon Fisher, Buffalo, NY
Alex Goodwin, Pittsburgh, PA
Max Goranson, Toronto, ON
Russ Hanson, Toronto, ON
Dave Herman, Newton, MA
Conor Leary, Buffalo, NY
Gavin Morrow, Rochester, NY
James Pappas, Sewickley, PA
Dillion Shea, Amherst, NY
Rob Strasenburgh, Rochester, NY
Ben Vaughan, Alexander, NY
Alex Williams, Rochester, NY