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Leadership Team
Our organization is managed by a team of directors: David Knudsen, Owner/DirectorCynthia Knudsen, Owner/DirectorC.G. Stephens, Administrator/Program DirectorJodi Browning, Administrator/Program DirectorMichael Jarvis, Program DirectorTo
learn more about their shared commitments as directors and the paths
that brought them to Langskib and Northwaters, please visit the Program Directors page.
Our Staff
These are the people who make our programs extraordinary.
Occasionally we hire a professional from outside our community but the
vast majority of our staff start out as participants. After working
their way up through the ranks, earning a spot on a Bay Trip and then
completing our Leadership Program, they begin a multi year
apprenticeship to become a leader. All in all, it takes from 5 to 8
years for a young person to become a trip leader.
Leaders are chosen because they have earned our respect and trust,
because they have demonstrated a strong ability to relate to young
people and because they share our commitment to providing outstanding
experiences for young people coming of age.
Once they sign on, leaders tend to stay—many for 10 or more years.
Low turnover insures consistent program quality and the capacity to
train new leaders. During the off season, we encourage our staff to
pursue endeavors which stretch them as individuals and develop them as
leaders. This makes for a diverse group of staff with an ability to
relate to young people from all walks of life.
Maggie Ballantyne, Trip Leader
 "I
first attended Northwaters at age 14. Since then, I returned every
summer and have been guiding for the organization since 1998. My
Leadership trip took place on the North Knife River in northern
Manitoba. This experience was unforgettable and one that set the
framework for my future in Outdoor Education. Recently, I completed my
Masters of Environmental Education in Australia and I am currently
teaching in Ontario. My most recent work with Northwaters was
developing an adult Sea Kayaking program which I have been managing
since 2003. In the off-season you can find me volunteering for WWF,
snowboarding, skiing or travelling. I am passionate about providing
youth with opportunities to connect with nature and increasing their
environmental awareness and self-esteem. "
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Matt Barber, Trip Leader
 "I
first came to Langskib when I was 13. I went on the Temagami Tour, and
turned a fully white t-shirt gray, and I still wear that same shirt on
trail. I loved it so much that I came back for the next three summers
to do the Sturgeon, Harricanna and Hayes Rivers. Since then, my reasons
for going North have changed from looking for adventures to loving the
people around Northwaters and Langskib. During the rest of the year, I
am a student at Yale University, pursuing a BS in Physics and rowing
for the crew."
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Lisa Bjorkman, Trip Leader
 "During
my first summer at Northwaters it rained for seventeen of our
twenty-four days on the trail. After a few days of pulling on wet jeans
and my soggy Mickey Mouse sweatshirt, I began to wonder if canoeing was
my thing. Yet I remember one particularly puddly morning quite vividly
as a turning point for me: one of my tent-mates, tugging on her own
sodden socks in the (relative) dryness of our tent, turned to me with a
deadpan expression and proclaimed, "I'll go out there if you'll go out
there." A moment passed and we both burst out laughing, struck by the
absurdity of our shared predicament as well as relieved by the
realization that neither of us would be alone in facing what promised
to be a very challenging day. The sound of our laughter, needless to
say, overpowered the ominous pitter-pat of the rain outside. In the
backcountry, I discovered my ability to laugh - and to seek out the
laughter of others - in the face of adversity, a gift that has served
me in more ways than I might count. These days I spend a lot of time in
Bombay, where I'm researching the politics of municipal water access
for my doctoral dissertation. While this has meant that I spend fewer
of my summer months canoeing, I still point my compass north whenever I
get a chance."
John Booth, Trip Leader
 ”I
started out at Northwaters when I was 15, went on to do the Bay Trip
and then was hired on as an assistant trip leader in 1997. Since then,
I've assisted and/or lead 11 trips with Northwaters and Langskib
including a Langskib Bay Trip. I am currently enrolled at
Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph and expect to have my
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine by spring 2004. In 2002 I participated in
"Global Vets" South Africa program working in various South African
national parks with wildlife veterinarians doing game capture,
relocations and rehabilitation of elephants, rhinos, lions, buffalo
etc. I am a member of the Big Brother's program, an avid windsurfer and
guitar player.“
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John Bowie, Trip Leader
 "I
first arrived at Langskib as an unsuspecting cherubic 11 year old with
a bowl cut. From that young age, I discovered a love of the wilderness
and the lessons my mentors at Langskib taught me were invaluable in my
development into an adult. Working as a guide has been a journey in
itself, teaching me countless things about leadership, group process,
and psychology on the individual, group and organizational levels. I am
currently living in Canada, working as a tutor and a sales
representative for Northwaters & Langskib Wilderness program. In
addition to being a canoe guide, I am an aspiring teacher and science
fiction writer. I hope to pursue graduate studies in Applied Cognitive
Science and Education with an emphasis on the shifting development of
male learning as a result of information age recreation. In essence,
this is looking at the changing learning behaviors caused by youth
exposure to the Internet, and how we can better teach in these
conditions.."
Swift Corwin, Trip Leader
 "I
first came to Langskib when I was 10 years old in 1996. Since then I
have been on many incredible adventures with Northwaters/Langskib and
on my own. Some of my adventures include the Langskib Bay trip and the
Winisk River Leadership Program. My love for adventure and the outdoors
have truly found a home in Temagami. I am currently planning a year off
from my studies in which I plan to travel and explore the world for the
beauty and adventure other countries have to offer. I hope to attend
college in the fall of 2006. In the off season I enjoy
skiing/snowboarding, ice boating, white water kayaking, and competitive
swimming."
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Jon Ehrenfeld, Trip Leader
"I first came to Langskib when I was 9. The camp, the land, and the
people made an immediate impression on me - I felt intrinsically that
this was the place for me. I returned every year after that, and after
completing my Bay trip, I was invited on the first Great Whale trip, an
experience that made a huge impact upon me. To this day I frequently
think of it, and the effect that it had on me. My time as a guide at
NWL has been a hugely positive experience, and I am profoundly thankful
to have had the opportunity. In the offseason I enjoy backpacking,
hiking, and camping, and am involved in the nonprofit community as I
plan to return to school in international relations or environmental
policy."
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Deshka Foster, Trip Leader
"When I was eleven, my dad asked me if I would like to spend my
summer canoeing in Ontario. ”Sounds great!“ I said and sure enough, I
have spent the past ten summers at Northwaters. Initially a participant
in the all-girls program, my experiences challenged me, cultivating
perseverance and compassion, strength and friendship. I went on The
Great Whale Leadership Course in 2002 and as a staff member I have had
the opportunity to lead several all-female trips. I am currently
excited to explore new territory as Northwaters' Sea-kayaking Programs
develop. Besides the woods, I love mountains and spend my winters
skiing and snowboarding in Lake Tahoe. I am currently a student of
Human Biology at Stanford University, specializing in infectious
disease and psychology. I am also a member of The Stanford Improv Team,
striving to specialize in spontaneity and mirth!"
Robert Jussup, Trip Leader
 "I've
been with Langskib/Northwaters as camper, and eventually became a
senior tripping staff over the past 8 years. I've traversed the waters
of local Temagami and have ventured to remote Northern Quebec to paddle
the Great Whale River. The Canadian Wilderness is an undiscovered
adventure to me, and I am always up for the challenges nature and life
put forth. NWL gave me strength and heart, and a strong community of
which I am proud to be a part of. I am currently in my last year of
Classical Studies at Queen's University in Kingston, ON. Besides being
an avid outdoorsman, I am a professionally trained dancer: studying at
the National Ballet and Royal Winnipeg ballet schools respectively.
I've participated in numerous musicals throughout my life and have no
intention to stop: my ultimate goal is to one day be on Broadway in New
York. I also write, paint and power lift."
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Greer Krembs, Trip Leader
 "I
must have known on some level that I was going to feel a strong
connection with Northwaters & Langskib and Lake Temagami when I was
13 and day-dreaming about cutting my hair short and sporting a baseball
hat in order to attend the all-boys canoeing camp my brother went to on
the lake. That summer of 1995 I went on the first Northern Lights trip,
and on our trip to Blueberry Island I took the first steps on my
journey that has continued through to this day. It has been a journey
through the waters and woods of Temagami, Ontario, as well as Quebec,
Manitoba, and the James and Hudson Bays, and it has brought me to as
many lessons and discoveries about myself as it has places on the map.
For the past two summers I have co-led the Leadership Expedition down
the Hayes River to the Hudson Bay. After graduating from St. Mary’s
College of Maryland with a degree in Biology I have spent time as
an Outdoor Education Instructor at the Hulbert Outdoor Center, and as a
full time volunteer in New Orleans organizing and implementing an
after-school program for middle school students in the wake of
Hurricane Katrina. I plan to pursue a teaching career in a fusion of
environmental and outdoor experiential education to foster a sense of
land stewardship and empower today’s youth to grow into their full
potential."
Elizabeth Lee, Administrator
Elizabeth has worked for Northwaters and Langskib since November 2003,
helping with administrative work in the Westport office and serving as
the Executive Director of the Deepwater Experiential Education Project,
a 501 ( c) 3 organization which offers scholarships to Northwaters and
Langskib and other wilderness programs. In 2004 Elizabeth attended
Temagami Experience. She lives on Lake Champlain with her two amazing
daughters, Nayeli and Valentina. In 2004 Valentina took her first
wilderness trip with Northwaters on the Wasaksina Lake section of
Northern Lights.
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Jake Merkin, Trip Leader
"I first came to Langskib when I was eleven. I started off as the
smallest kid and grew from summer to summer traveling through the
wilderness of Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba. Northwaters/Langskib
taught me the immense, empowering possibility of life by enabling me to
overcome the adversities of trail and letting me explore the metaphors
in nature. NWL is not just a camp to me, but a part of my being, and
has helped me develop into who I am now. Right now I'm taking some
extended time off from studies at the University of Michigan School of
Music. I hope to someday become a professional composer and have spent
my current wealt of time traveling, educating myself, and writing and
recording music in my home in New York. I also love film, skiing, and
photography."
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Liv Pederson, Trip Leader
 "I
was 14 when I first came to Northwaters. I did the Florence Lake trip
and after that continued to return every summer as a participant to do
the Dumoine River, Harricana River (Bay Trip), and The Great Whale
River (Leadership Program). I hold a deep love for the outdoors and the
amazing people I've met over the years as a participant. In 2003 I
became a staff member at Northwaters. This honor has enabled me to work
with young people by leading them through the beautiful native land.
Northwaters is place that has taught me a lot about who I am as a
person, a woman, and a student through each incredible outdoor journey.
I am currently pursuing a degree in the Visual and Performing Arts at
Syracuse University. When I'm not canoeing or backpacking you'll find
me down hill skiing, water skiing, or singing on stage."
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Brad Sablosky, Trip Leader
Brad first landed on the dock at Langskib at the age of fifteen having
been sent under protest. He hasn't looked back since. As a trip leader
for 12 years he led groups throughout the Temagami region before
heading out to lead our Leadership Program in Northern Quebec and
Manitoba. As a Senior Field Instructor for Aspen Achievement Academy he
worked with youth at risk for three years in the Utah desert. Brad has
a B.S. from Colorado College, is certified as an A.C.A canoe and kayak
instructor, and Emergency Medical Technician. When the lakes are frozen
he calls Durango, Colorado home where he spends his day's ski
patrolling at Durango Mountain Resort, and his nights staring at maps
of rivers in northern Canada.
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Alexandra Skinner, Trip Leader
 "I've
been going to Northwaters every summer for over ten years now, starting
on the first Northern Lights program when I was 12 years old. Six years
and many trips later I did my leadership trip on the Rupert River in
Northern Quebec and have been working for Northwaters/Langskib ever
since. My experience of being a participant in and working with
Northern Lights and the all girls program has helped strengthen my
understanding of what a group of woman can accomplish and the
importance of a sense of camaraderie among girls. All of my time in
Temagami has shaped my ability to be a part of a community and fostered
my love of the outdoors. Northwaters/Langskib is a significant part of
my life where I can connect a love of nature and working with young
people together. This past June I graduated from North Central College
in Naperville, Illinois with a BA in Print Journalism and am currently
looking into possible graduate schools and travel abroad."
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Estair Van Wagner, Trip Leader
 Estair
has been spending summers in Northern Ontario since the year she was
born at her family's cottage in Parry Sound, and later at Northwaters.
Estair first came to Northwaters in the summer of 1993 as a
participant. In 1995 she completed our leadership training course in
northern Manitoba and has since led many young people on canoe trips
all over northern Ontario and Quebec. In 2002 Estair graduated with
distinction from University of Victoria with a degree in Political
Science and Environmental Studies. During her time at UVic she studied
in Africa, Spain and the Southwest of the US. She is a National Outdoor
Leadership School (NOLS) Outdoor Educator graduate. Estair is
passionate about the natural world and dedicates much of her free time
to its preservation, and to enjoying its power and beauty in anyway she
can.
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