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Leadership Team

Our organization is managed by a team of directors:

C.G. Stephens, Administrator/Director

Jodi Browning, Administrator/Director

Michael Jarvis, Program Director

Christine McKenna, Program Director

To 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.

*Not all Staff Listed*

James Bertoia, Trip Leader

"I first came to Langskib at the age of 13, having spent years in traditional residential camp and spending summers at the cottage.  From the moment I stepped out of the float plane I was hooked.  Over the years I have traveled the lakes and rivers of Temagami, Quebec and Manitoba, learning the whole way.  My leaders passed on the tools that have allowed me to lead a full and rewarding life.  They have all helped to shape the person that I am.  I have been assisting and leading trips with NWL for 3 years, and it is an honour to have the opportunity to pass on this knowledge and experience to future generations.  NWL has provided an incredibly powerful experience that has set the stage for my future career in Outdoor Experiential Education.  Through this, I am able to continue and improve the work I do throughout the summer.  I am currently pursuing my Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation and Georgraphy, as well as my Bachelor of Education at Lakehead University.  In the off-season you can find me working as a ski instructor, running sled dog teams across Northern Ontario, and volunteering as an Advanced Medical First Responder in the city of Thunder Bay."

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 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.."

Riley Brown, Trip Leader

"When it's minus 25 degrees (Celsius) up in Canada and there is snow all around many peoples minds begin to wander. Often times talking to friends and family they dream of sitting on a hot tropical beach with a cool drink in one hand and a warm ocean breeze in the other. I however do not share that sentiment. Often times when the schoolwork begins to weigh heavily, and my days begin to seem more routine, I find my mind wandering to a scene that greatly differs from that tropical paradise. I envision an 80 pound canoe on my shoulders as I trudge through the woods on ground in which a stable surface is a rare commodity (moose muck). Many people would say I'm crazy and perhaps I am, but when I think of these situations certain emotions and feelings are brought back from memory which seem to be few and far between when back in the comforts of home. I started at NWL almost 6 years ago and since then have undergone the greatest physical and emotional journeys I will probably ever be a part of. Every trip I lead I am privileged to see  participants exposed to the trials and raw emotions that help individuals to grow and silence the inner voices of doubt which limits one from reaching their full potential. The beautiful scenery and more importantly the life lessons that are learned for each person has made NWL and the community it fosters a very special place for me. –teeth to the wind."

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."

Taia Harlos and Jeff Fetterman, Trip Leaders

Taia Harlos and Jeff Fetterman are long-time educators at Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where they make their home for three seasons out of the year. Jeff teaches 6th Grade, coaches wrestling and is head of the Outings Club, and Taia teaches music and plays violin and viola with the Fairmount String Quartet and numerous performing groups. In their capacity as educators, they have also taught outdoor education, rock climbing, high ropes and Taia led the Leadership Program at Abington Friends School. Taia and Jeff have traveled extensively throughout the United States and eastern Canada camping, rock climbing and canoeing. They spend their free time with their dog Otter exploring around their cabin in Jim Thorpe,Pennsylvania. Jeff and Taia have been leading and guiding canoe trips for more than a decade. Both are certified Wilderness First Responders and Jeff is presently finishing his ACA whitewater canoe instructor certification. Taia and Jeff are committed to the great benefit of wilderness challenge and rites of passage into adulthood in the lives of young people.

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!"

Kate Kerrick, Trip Leader

"I was a shy and awkward 11 year-old when I first arrived at the Northwaters base camp.  From that first journey onwards, Northwaters has been an integral part of my summer and my life.  Through my experiences there I have been awed, supported, strengthened, humbled, lifted, educated and inspired.  My leaders were also incredibly important role models, who continue to influence my life and my work.  Instead of developing my own leadership skills at Northwaters I did a semester with the National Outdoor Leadership School.  Being a leader at Northwaters has offered its own lessons - I am continually awed, challenged and inspired by the people I trip with.  Being both a participant and a leader at Northwaters has ignited a great passion for me, and I plan to continue facilitating young peoples meaningful experiences in the outdoors.  I am currently finishing my last semester of coursework for a B.S. in Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire."

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."

Sam Obetz, Trip Leader

"For the first time in 18 years I read my journals from summers in Temagami both as a participant and guide. The dozen narratives of our expeditions all ended in a warm closure and noting that this had been the best summer of my life. I returned to work for Northwaters this summer after seven years of forging my own path and running a successful carpentry business. This past year’s journal ended in, "This has been the best summer of my life since the last year I worked in this organization". In short, there is no teacher like the wilderness. Though the faces have almost all changed, the community remains one of people who thrive on challenge, ask the tough questions of themselves and to others have a positive outlook on life, and are very adept to spontaneous play and laughter. And very adapt to sharing that energy. I feel honored to be a part of that experience once again. To sleep with the lull of moving water, and awake to the call of loons. When not in a canoe, I've been using my tool belt for gainful employment from Idaho to Florida. My boss and best friend is a little tail-wagging mutt who rides shotgun."

Liv Pedersen, Trip Leader

"I was 14 years old when I first came to Northwaters and have returned every year since then. I have completed expeditions to the James Bay and the Great Whale River, a trip that is part of the camp’s extraordinary leadership program. Working for Northwaters has brought great joy to me, enabling me to work and lead young people through the beautiful Canadian wilderness. Northwaters is a place that has taught me a lot about who I am as a woman, as well as a leader, through each incredible journey I have taken. One of the key aspects I have learned from my time spent at Northwaters is to be authentic and true in every aspect of my life from the things I do to the places and people I meet. I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University with concentrations in Art History and Printmaking. I relish in traveling and have explored much of Europe and North America. In my free time, I find creative inspiration through vast types of artistic fields, and enjoy skiing and the sheer bliss of being outside."

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.

Augusta Schaffer, Trip Leader

"Augusta’s history at Northwaters extends back to her childhood, when she came up and joined the Northern Lights program. During that time she discovered her love for the wilderness and community. Through more challenging trips, including a Bay Trip in 2003 and a Leadership Expedition to the Hayes River in 2004, she joined the NWL staff in 2006. After apprenticing for two summers she became a trip leader in the summer of 2008. Her passion for canoe tripping and youth empowerment is expressed in our open enrollment programs as well as in the outfitting season where she works with youth at risk in a well rounded and experiential environment. During the year, Augusta enjoys her time with her family. She also finds every opportunity to explore new places in her canoe and on foot. Having recently made the journey from small town Mississippi to Burlington, VT Augusta is re-exploring her opportunities as a college student there and enjoys volunteer work at Fletcher Allen hospital at UVM and her time spent in the Big Sister program."

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."

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.

Chris Wolf, Trip Leader

"I came up to Langskib for the first time when I was twelve, and have been back every summer since. I love the opportunity for self-reflection, for growth, for an experience one can learn from in a very real way. It's a kind of learning one doesn't really get in a classroom and a kind of learning that has largely shaped the person I am today. It is a privilege now to be able to facilitate an experience for young people that has given me so much and through which I continue to develop. With my interests in the socio-economic questions around agriculture and food in today's world, I'm currently pursuing a degree in agricultural economics at McGill University. There I'm also part of a competitive lumberjack team, I sing with a choir and still find time now and again to indulge my passion for cheese making!"

Brian Yellen, Trip Leader

"I have been spending summers in Temagami since 1995 and I am still committed to spending time there building relationships and exploring its lakes and rivers with groups of young adventurers. I graduated three years ago from Brown University with degrees in Geology and Biology and have been working as a public school Chemistry and Physics teacher in rural Hawaii since then. After school, I coach a science team at my school. In additon I am a member of Na Keiki o Ke Ka Mo'i Canoe Club, a Hawaiian canoe club in the town of Waianae. I spend a lot of time fishing and on the water in my free time.