top of page
all staff
210899_10152075948015515_2046027917_o_ed

Our Staff

Pathfinder boasts a large staff of young men, homegrown from camper age, with canoe country expertise and a dedication to individual attention. A specialized complement of expert young women join in, creating a 1:2 staff to camper ratio unique in camping.

 

The position of Pathfinder counselor is one of caretaker, role-model and instructor focused on the campers. Pathfinder staff provide guidance and continuity of tradition. They share core Pathfinder values -- fraternity, service, teamwork, heritage, respect for the natural world, and personal goal-setting, achievement, and reflection.

​

Our counselors give their guys Pathfinder’s magic mix of challenges and encouragement. They reward each genuine camper effort and milestone. They possess that rarest ingredient - empathy – to blend with the excitement, skills and maturity carried forward from their own camper years.

n3701843_32025761_3197.jpg
DSC00092-XL.jpg

Staff & the Pathfinder Summer 2023

All Hail Our Amazing Pathfinder Staff!

The successful 2021 season, our 108th Pathfinder year, followed the only closed season in the camp’s history, a terribly sad necessity for our Staff as well as for so many of our camper families and alumni. For Pathfinder to have made a Covid-free comeback in 2021 and then again in 2022 says so much about that staff, who returned to Source Lake this past June from difficult and discouraging Covid isolations at home, but hit a collective home run for their kids.

Camp's return to action in 2021-2022 highlighted the staff qualities that make Pathfinder so special. Expertise, focus, hard work, dedication, empathy, patience, mutual good will, and a LOVE of FUN. All age groups of staff acted in the finest traditions of Pathfinder to make sure we had a healthy setting, a vibrant program, and the warmest sense of  'welcome home' for the campers. The Staff simply worked their tails off and gave everything with their whole hearts. The result was a camper experience including great trips, esprit de corps, healing routines and beloved traditions.

Looking to our upcoming 110th season, the Staff remain key to the Pathfinder experience. Already on the roster are the following staffers -- Glenn and Sladds return for their 22nd year of ownership, with Mary Chestnut in the front office, Paige Clark on program, Jack Sladden as assistant director, Andrew Beecher taking over the DOT role, Virginia Boyer running the waterfront, Chefs Gonzalo and Omar, camp medical directors Dr's Julia and Aaron Orkin, Indigenous educator Christine McRae, canoe maker Dave Statten, and CIT / LIT mentors Christian Kolaga, Nell  Bruckner, Simon McNamee and Simon Jeens. The veteran Headman ranks already include all stars from last summer. Ella Born and Erin Iserhoff return to the waterfront as veterans, along with Leigh Moeser! And, we can't wait to see Tiger Lion, Pete Johnson, Corot Reason, Gyro Coakley, Josh Anderson, Zach and Stephanie Arem, Aubrey Spring and more in their Alumni in Residence roles.

​

The target numbers for our summer community are 100-110 campers, with 75 staff members including up to 12 CITs. Camp this year will again be using a range of measures to safeguard the community and prevent the arrival or spread of Covid-19. See these measures summarized in the Pathfinder Covid Plan.

​

Once again, the Staff will lead the use of vaccination, pre-screening, testing and limited cohorting. If needed, cohorts can live, dine, bathe, trip and in-camp-play together in what public health defines as a household unit, without masking and distancing

​

Our senior staff includes the directors, area supervisors and activity directors as usual. This management team will be its own cohort all summer, and will mask and distance as recommended so that their leadership between teams can’t accidentally allow any viral transmission. 

​

The Pathfinder Staff will see the return of a successful new LIT program. The counselor in training (CIT) summer has become an age-17 year. CITs will graduate into Second Man privileges later in summer, after their training and certification, while age-16 boys will become LITs, tripping all the time and enjoying tandem paddling life together with their directors, focused on guide skills in preparations for a Staff career.

​

Our age-18 crew are the veteran Second Men group, while eligible age-19+ trip staff are the Pathfinder Headmen. This includes the 2021 rookie Headman class, and a stellar slate of veteran Headmen A full schedule of training, certification this June includes the fourth biennial Pathfinder Spruce Root, a unique wilderness leadership conference bringing renowned experts in a constellation of fields right to our Staff at the Island.

​

We’re all excited to be reuniting as the 110th Pathfinder Staff season kicks off in June. We can’t wait!

Directors Page

Owners & Directors

CPI July 22-25 '07 055-L.jpg

GLENN ARTHURS

Owner

Youngstown, NY
St. Lawrence University

 

Glenn started as a camper at Pathfinder in 1960, serving as a staff member and headman in the 1970's,

a parent through the '90s and 2000s, and a perennial volunteer supporter before joining with Sladds in ownership in 1999.

​

Glenn is a Managing Director with the Arthurs Malof group at UBS Financial Services in Buffalo, NY. Glenn's sons Wyatt and Ryan were longtime Pathfinder campers and staff men, and his daughter Lindsay, a lifelong Northway camper / counselor also spent time on the Pathfinder staff.

Owner/Director

Screen_Shot_2020-01-09_at_6.47_edited.jp

MIKE SLADDEN

Rochester, NY
Connecticut College

 


'Sladds' started as a Pathfinder 'Cree', a

third generation camper and staff man in the 1970s and '80s. 

​

His college studies led him to photographic history and graduate work at SUNY’s Visual Studies Workshop, and he joined the education staff of George Eastman Museum in 1986, becoming Curator of Education in 1989. Over the next decade he directed museum education programs, working as both a team member and manager on numerous exhibitions and public programs interpreting the history, art and technology of photography.

​

Sons Jack and Quin are longtime campers and staff men. Sladds spends six months in residence at Pathfinder and the winter months working from Rochester. He is Camp's full-time Director. He maintains a ropes course certification and WFR status, and is a Director of the Ontario Camps Association, and a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Camp Directors.

​

Assistant Director, Operations

MARY CHESTNUT

Screen_Shot_2018-12-10_at_9.51.34_PM.png

Williamsville, NY
College of Wooster

Teacher, Wellsville Schools (ret)

​

Mary has been an invaluable part of the Pathfinder experience for four decades. Her dad Al was a staff man at Pathfinder where he met her mother Helen, the camp nurse, just after WWII. While Mary attended Oconto, her brothers also made their own mark on Camp over the years.

 

Mary came into the Pathfinder front office from a career as waterfront director and was the first female to hold a senior title. At camp today, she manages operations and finance.

Mary recently retired from a career in middle school math instruction in Wellsville, New York. Likely Mary's will be the cheerful voice on the phone during summers.

 

Ask her what any camper or staff is doing at Camp that day, and she'll know!

​

IMG_1132_edited.jpg

AARON ORKIN, MD

Pathfinder Medical Director

Toronto, ON

McMaster University School of Medicine

Specialized in family medicine, emergency medicine and public health

Began at CPI: 2013

Years Working: 11

Director of Population Health for Inner City Health Associates Toronto, and practices emergency medicine at St. Joseph's Health Centre.
unnamed-4.jpg

JULIA ORKIN, MD

Pathfinder Medical Director

Toronto, ON

McMaster University School of Medicine

Began at CPI: 2013

Years Working: 11

Staff paediatrician at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Division of Paediatric Medicine and Associate Chief Medical Officer and staff paediatrician at Sickkids Hospital.
Dave Statten.png

DAVE STATTEN

Canoe Builder

Bancroft, ON​

Dave grew up at Taylor Statten Camps on Canoe Lake and learned his craft from his dad Bill, and Dave Stanfield.

​

Began at CPI: 2018

Years Working: 6

Creator of Brass Tacks Canoe Works
Jack Sladden.JPG

JACK SLADDEN

Assistant Director, Camp Life

Brooklyn, NY​

Champlain College

B.A in Film specializing in Sonic Art

Rookie Season: 2002

Years Attending: 23

7th Year Senior Headman, 2nd year as Assistant Director
Paige Clark.heic

PAIGE CLARK

Program Director

Rochester, NY
Skidmore College

B.A in Health and Exercise Science, Minor in Fine Arts

Began at CPI: 2018

Years Attending: 6

Former Camp Northway camper and staff (11 years), 6th year as Pathfinder Program Director
Simon McNamee.heic

SIMON MCNAMEE

Director of Facilities

Director of LITs

Ottawa, ON

University of Toronto

B.A in Music Performance, Minor in Russian Literature in Translation

Rookie Season: 2009

Years Attending: 12

7th Year Senior Headman, 2nd year as Spring/Fall Dir. of Facilities, 2nd year as Dir. of LIT Program
Andrew Beecher.heic

ANDREW BEECHER

Director of Canoe Tripping (DOT)

Buffalo, NY
Fordham University

B.S in Marketing, Minor in Anthropology

Rookie Season: 2007

Years Attending: 15

5th Year Senior Headman, 1st year as Dir. of Canoe Tripping
Nell Bruckner.JPG

NELL BRUCKNER

Director of CITs

Cleveland, OH

Bates College

B.A in American Studies, Minor in German Language

Began at CPI: 2018

Years Working: 5

Former Keewaydin Camp camper and staff (7 years), 2 years as Pathfinder Dir. of Waterfront, 1st year as Dir. of CITs
Virginia Boyer.heic

VIRGINIA BOYER

Director of Waterfront

Louisville, KY

Colgate University

Studying Art History & Economics, 4th year

Began at CPI: 2021

Years Working: 3

2 years as Pathfinder swim staff, 1st year as Dir. of Waterfront
Simon Jeens.JPG

SIMON JEENS

Director of LITS

Etobicoke, ON

University of Guelph

B.S in Tourism and Hospitality Management 

Rookie Season: 2012

Years Attending: 11

4th Year Senior Headman, 1st year as Dir. of LITs
Christian Kolaga.heic

CHRISTIAN KOLAGA

Director of CITs

Buffalo, NY

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Studying English, 3rd year 

Rookie Season: 2011

Years Attending: 12

3rd Year Veteran Headman,
1st year as Dir. of CITs
in camp

In-Camp

Waterfront, Program, Arts & Crafts

Ella Born.heic

ELLA BORN

Swim Staff

Boulder, CO

Colgate University

Studying Psychological Sciences, 2nd year

Began at CPI: 2022

Years Working: 2

Erin Iserhoff.heic

ERIN ISERHOFF

Swim Staff & Full Season Assisting Nurse

Mississauga, ON

University of New Brunswick

Studying Nursing, 4th year

Began at CPI: 2022

Years Working: 2

Photo on 4-6-23 at 12.57 PM #2.JPEG

ANNA LENTZ

Program Assistant

Atlanta, GA

Georgia State University

Studying International Economics and Modern Language, 2nd year

Began at CPI: 2023

Years Working: 1

IMG_6948_edited.jpg

LEIGH MOESER

Swim Staff

Buffalo, NY

SUNY Geneseo

Studying Business Administration and Mathematics, 3rd year

Began at CPI: 2023

Years Working: 1

unnamed-1.jpg

SUNRYA PEACE-FRIEDMAN

Arts & Crafts

Maui, HI

Florida State University 

Studying English, 1st year

Began at CPI: 2022

Years Working: 2

Kitchen Staff

Gonzalo.jpg

Began at CPI: 2016

Years Working: 8

GONZALO PANTOJA PARADA

Head Chef

Queretaro, MX

Universidad Contemporánea

Culinary Arts

Omar.png

Began at CPI: 2016

Years Working: 8

OMAR TERRAZAS

Sous Chef / Baker

Queretaro, MX

Culinary Institute of Higher Education

Culinary Arts

IMG_9260.jpeg

Began at CPI: 2015

Years Working: 4

THANIA FLORES

Camp Cook

Queretaro, MX

Instituto Gastronomico de Estudios

Culinary Arts

unnamed_edited.jpg

Began at CPI: 2023

Years Working: 1

JAY NOBLE

Assistant Cook

Amherstburg, ON

St. Clair College, Windsor ON

Alumni in Residence Program

Gyro Coakley.JPG

GYRO COAKLEY

CPI Since 1961

Grantham, NH

Dartmouth College

Tiger Lion.JPG

TIGER LION

CPI Since 1968

Buffalo, NY

Syracuse University

​

Zach.JPG

ZACH AREM

CPI Since 1990's

Charlotte, NC, Phys. Ed.

University of FL

Steph.JPG

STEPHANIE AREM

CPI Since 2017

Charlotte, NC, Art

University of FL

Aubrey Spring.JPG

AUBREY SPRING

CPI Since 2015

Toronto, ON, TDSB

University of Toronto

IMG_0642.jpg

BRENT HURLEY

CPI Since 1990's

Port Hope, ON, Trinity College

Queen's University

Screen Shot 2023-04-11 at 5.51.55 PM.png

BILL DWYER

CPI Since 1960's

Rockford, MI

Pete Johnson.HEIC

PETE JOHNSON

CPI Since 1990's

Buffalo, NY, Elmwood Franklin

Cortland State

Corot Reason.HEIC

COROT REASON

CPI Since 1960's

Toronto, ON

Josh_Anderson.jpg

JOSH ANDERSON

CPI Since 1970's

Manchester, MA

MIT

Cam Sills.JPG

CAM SILLS

CPI Since 2010's

​

Nursing Staff

IMG_9922.jpg

HEATHER COLEMAN

A / D Sessions Nurse

IMG_9922.jpg

AUTUMN ELZINGA

A Session Nurse

IMG_9922.jpg

ERIN CANNELL

B Session Nurse

IMG_9922.jpg

ROSEMARY SZPONARSKI

B/C Sessions Nurse

IMG_9922.jpg

JENNY WOODS

D Session Nurse

IMG_9922.jpg

LISA ANTONISZYN

C Session Nurse

headmen
2ndmen
cits

Secondmen

The summer following CIT year our staff become Secondmen, when they take on duties such as finding and chopping wood on trip, assisting their Headmen, and taking care of campers.

 

Secondman year gives staff time to learn and develop the skills necessary to becoming a Headman. 

0.jpg

OLIVER ALSHIRE

Alex Beecher.JPG

ALEX BEECHER

Ian Brown.JPG

IAN BROWN

Will Dahmen.JPG

WILL DAHMEN

0-1.jpg

BEN KELLY

0.png

SAM MCKENNEY

Asher Milberg.JPG

ASHER MILBERG

Wes Price.JPG

WES PRICE

unnamed-5.jpg

JACK ROMANOWSKI

Henry Zief.JPG

HENRY ZIEF

CITs

Our Counselor in Training group are made up of our 17 year old staff. At this point they have completed their AA camper year at age 15, which including a challenging  30-40 day whitewater AA canoe trip.

 

Following this, they completed their Leaders in Training LIT year at age 16, where they trip together with their LIT Directors on 7-12 day trips to improve their skill and prepare for the next years as staff.

 

This program includes staff training and certification courses, as well as hands on learning in camp and on trip throughout the summer.

Cooper Boulay.JPG

COOPER BOULAY

Emmett Boulay.JPG

EMMETT BOULAY

IMG_9922.jpg

FERNANDO BUSTAMANTE

Screen Shot 2023-04-11 at 6.27.01 PM.png

ANDREW CLEMENTS

Jack Cutler.JPG

JACK CUTLER

Peyton Dahmen.JPG

PEYTON DAHMEN

IMG_9922.jpg

WILL HARRIMAN

unnamed-4 2.jpg

JAKE MCKENNEY

Lleyton Rossi.JPG

LLEYTON ROSSI

Paiman Sadat.JPG

PAIMAN SADAT

Screen Shot 2023-04-11 at 6.21.28 PM.png

SHANE WHITESIDE

Headmen

The title of Pathfinder Headman is hard-earned.
A Headman has apprenticed for 3-years after his camper career and is fully qualified for the responsibility of leading canoe trips.

 

Headmen guide trips ranging from 1-40 days. Navigation, strategy, food planning, medical care, camper-care, and morale are just some of the roles taken on by a Headman.

Sam Hamlett.heic

Rookie Season: 2009

Years Attending: 14

SAM HAMLETT

5th Year Senior Headman

Buffalo, NY

Binghamton University

Studying Environmental Sciences

Ben Zief.heic

Rookie Season: 2015

Years Attending: 8

BEN ZIEF

4th Year Senior Headman

Princeton, NJ

Franklin & Marshall College

​

​

Simon Cousineau.heic

Rookie Season: 2014

Years Attending: 9

SIMON COUSINEAU

3rd Year Veteran Headman

Burlingame, CA

McGill University

Studying Political Science 

​

CJ Lenahan.JPG

Rookie Season: 2011

Years Attending: 11

CJ LENAHAN

3rd Year Veteran Headman

Buffalo, NY

Northeastern University

Studying Chemical Engineering and Mathematics

Gabe M.jpg

Rookie Season: 2009

Years Attending: 14

GABE MYRICK

3rd Year Veteran Headman

Berkeley, CA

University of California, Irvine

Studying Psychology

​

Tate Pierson.heic

Rookie Season: 2010

Years Attending: 13

TATE PIERSON

3rd Year Veteran Headman

Rochester, NY

Hamilton College

Studying Literature, Government and Philosophy

Evan Popat.heic

Rookie Season: 2011

Years Attending: 11

EVAN POPAT

3rd Year Veteran Headman

Buffalo, NY

Northwestern University

Studying Civil & Environmental Engineering

Aidan Walters.heic

Rookie Season: 2010

Years Attending: 13

AIDAN WALTERS

3rd Year Veteran Headman

Creemore, ON

Quest University

Studying Liberal Arts

​

Dan Bundgard.heic

Rookie Season: 2012

Years Attending: 11

DAN BUNDGARD

2nd Year Rising Headman

London, ON

Univ. Western Ontario

Studying English and History

​

Declan Eady.JPG

Rookie Season: 2010

Years Attending: 12

DECLAN EADY

2nd Year Rising Headman

Toronto, ON

Queen's University

Studying Sociology and History

​

James Fair.heic

Rookie Season: 2013

Years Attending: 10

JAMES FAIR

2nd Year Rising Headman

Toronto, ON

University of Toronto 

Studying Engineering and Physics

Graham Hall .heic

Rookie Season: 2013

Years Attending: 9

GRAHAM HALL

2nd Year Rising Headman

Brooklyn, NY

Bard College

Studying Film & Electronic Media and Spanish Studies

James Herron.heic

Rookie Season: 2010

Years Attending: 13

JAMES HERRON

2nd Year Rising Headman

Etobicoke, ON

University of King's College

Studying English and Creative Writing

Jamie Sills.heic

Rookie Season: 2013

Years Attending: 9

JAMIE SILLS

2nd Year Rising Headman

Mississauga, ON

Western University

Studying Economics

​

Jacob Seifred.heic

Rookie Season: 2013

Years Attending: 10

JACOB SEIFRED

2nd Year Rising Headman

Toronto, ON

Dalhousie University

Studying Sustainability and Anthropology, 2nd year

Peter Brownrigg.JPG

Rookie Season: 2019

Years Attending: 4

PETER BROWNRIGG

1st Year Rookie Headman

Burlingame, CA

Gap, Study & Service Abroad

​

​

Max Crocker.JPG

Rookie Season: 2011

Years Attending: 11

MAX CROCKER

1st Year Rookie Headman

Lowell, MA

Currently Employed in Electrical Work​

​

Gideon Dent.JPG

Rookie Season: 2011

Years Attending: 12

GIDEON DENT

1st Year Rookie Headman

Santa Fe, NM

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Studying Mechanical Engineering & Bio-engineering

Mac Fabens.JPG

Rookie Season: 2010

Years Attending: 13

MAC FABENS

1st Year Rookie Headman

Brooklyn, NY

Emory University

Studying International Studies and Economics

Silas Witmore.JPG

Rookie Season: 2014

Years Attending: 9

SILAS WITMORE

1st Year Rookie Headman

Washington, DC

Univ. Wisconsin - Madison

Studying Geography

Sam Zionts.JPG

Rookie Season: 2013

Years Attending: 10

SAM ZIONTS

1st Year Rookie Headman

Buffalo, NY

North Country College

Studying Wilderness Recreation Leadership

bottom of page