Eagle’s Nest takes pride in the quality of its camp counselors and instructors. We maintain a strict selection process of hiring highly skilled and educated counselors and teachers. We carefully choose counselors who are creative, mature, engaging and fun-loving. Our staff enjoys the outdoors and has a love for working with children and youth. In fact, many of our counselors are previous Nesters. Campers are surrounded with positive role models. Eagle’s Nest has one staff member to every four campers, and all staff members must be at least 18 years old, the majority being college students.
Paige Lester-Niles
Camp Director
(paige@enf.org)
Education
- Salem College, B.A in English
- National Outdoor Leadership School, Baja
- College International de Cannes, France
Experience
- Associate Director, ENC 1996-1999
- Hanté Director, ENC 1994-1997
- Wilderness Instructor, Birch Tree, ENF 1992
- Camp Counselor, ENC, Summers 1990-1993
Paige Lester-Niles is the Director of Eagle’s Nest Camp. She graduated with a B.A. degree in English from Salem College in Winston-Salem. While studying education in college, she applied to work at Eagle’s Nest Camp because she loved her own camp experiences as a child and thought that working at a camp would give her invaluable teaching experience. Her first summer at camp, Paige helped direct the musical and taught soccer. Throughout college, she continued to spend her summers at Eagle’s Nest teaching everything from ceramics to swimming to Explorer’s Club and leading Hante Appalachian Trail treks and bike treks. After graduating, she started working full time with Eagle’s Nest and has now worked here for more than 15 years. During that time, she served as the Hante director, Head Counselor, Junior Counselor Coordinator and Associate Director. Her husband, Andy, whom she met at Eagle’s Nest, is also an educator.
Noni Waite-Kucera
Executive Director, Eagle’s Nest Foundation
(noni@enf.org)
Education
- Wake Forest University , B.A. in Anthropology
- Wake Forest in London Program
Experience
- Camp Director , ENF 1993-2003
- Business Manager, ENF, 1989-1999
- Assistant Camp Director, ENC 1984-1986
- Developed Eagle’s Nest Whitewater Canoeing and Hante Bicycling Program
Elizabeth Waite-Kucera (Noni) is the Executive Director of Eagle’s Nest Foundation and serves on The Outdoor Academy Advisory Board. She graduated from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., with a B.A. degree in anthropology. Previously, Noni was Camp Director at Eagle’s Nest Camp and Business Manager for Eagle’s Nest Foundation. She has also been the Swimming Director, Paddling Director and Hante bike trek leader.
Noni’s grandfather, Alex Waite, head of psychology at Rollins College, founded Eagle’s Nest Camp in 1945. Helen and Mo Waite, Noni’s parents, served as directors for the Eagle’s Nest Carolinas’ Camp for Diabetic Children. Her mother served as director of Eagle’s Nest Camp and executive director of Eagle’s Nest Foundation for many years. Noni spent her childhood years growing up at camp and is honored to carry on the mission of Eagle’s Nest as Executive Director of the foundation.
Liz Snyder
Assistant Camp Director
(campassistant@enf.org)
Education
- B.S., Recreation Management, Appalachian State University
Experience
- Wilderness Instructor, SOAR
- After School Activities Director, Ashe County 4-H
- Junior Ranger Crew Leader and Trailhead Maintenance Coordinator, City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks
- Account Manager, The Marketing Group
- Intern, Glacier Raft Company and Outdoor Center
- Project Wild Environmental Education Certification
- North Carolina Outward Bound graduate
A native North Carolinian, Liz grew up attending camp in the mountains of North Carolina before heading to college in Boone at Appalachian State University where she studied Outdoor Experiential Education. Liz enjoys being active and getting outside to backpack, canoe and rock climb. She also enjoys playing guitar and sports of all kinds. She's very excited to join the Eagle's Nest Community.
Caroline Toy
Assistant Camp Director for Program
Interim Foundation Risk Manager
( campprogram@enf.org)
Education
- Williams College, BA American Studies and Religion
- Georgia College & State University, M.Ed. Health and Physical Education, concentration in Outdoor Education
Experience
- Administrative Coordinator, Outdoor Recreation Georgia Tech
- Leadership Challenge Course Facilitator, Georgia Tech
- Part-Time Faculty, Discovery Program, The Westminster Schools
- Program Coordinator and Lead Facilitator, Georgia College Outdoor Education Center
- Counselor and Hante Instructor, Eagle's Nest Camp
- Graduate, National Outdoor Leadership School
- Physical Education Instructor and Teaching Assistant, Williams College
Caroline Toy has spent most of her adult life teaching and learning about the world of outdoor education, working with schools, universities, and non-profits. Before she joined the administrative team at Eagle's Nest, she spent four summers with us as a counselor and Hante Adventures instructor. She enjoys hiking, climbing, and finding beautiful views.
Nate Sutton
Interim Hante and OA Outdoor Programs Coordinator
Education
- Vassar College, B.A. Environmental Studies
Experience
- OA Resident Wilderness Educator Intern, The Outdoor Academy
- Assistant Program Director, Eagle's Nest Camp
- Ecology Lab Intern, Vassar College
- Camp Counselor/Hante Instructor, Eagle's Nest Camp, 2007-2010
Nate is looking forward to coming full circle within the Eagle's Nest Foundation in his roles as Interim Hante and OA Outdoor Programs Coordinator. He grew up attending camp, and he was the first in his family of three to attend OA. He has since moved on to work as a Counselor, Hante Instructor, Assistant Program Director at Eagle's Nest Camp and Wilderness Educator Intern at The Outdoor Academy.
Melissa Engimann
Office Manager/Registrar
(register@enf.org)
Education
- The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, B.A. in History/Anthropology
- University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware - Winterthur Program in Early American Culture, M.A. in American Material Culture
Experience
- Resident Program Assistant, National Institute of American History and Democracy Pre-Collegiate Program
- Assistant Director of the Historic Campus, The College of William and Mary
- Board Member, Williamsburg Farmers' Market
In the fall of 2008, Melissa moved from Williamsburg, Virginia, to Winston-Salem to join her husband. She began working with Eagle's Nest in March of 2009. As the Winston-Salem office manager, she works out of our Winston-Salem office for most of the year and then moves to camp during the summer. Melissa handles all camp applications and payments, and makes sure parents receive all the information and forms they need to send their children to Eagle’s Nest. She also answers any questions parents may have regarding camp.
Bonnie Jean Lance
Office Manager/Registrar
Education
- North Georgia College & State University
- East Georgia College
Experience
- Administrative Assistant, Eagle’s Nest Foundation
- Mortgage Consultant, First Citizens Bank
- Administrative Assistant, General Motors Acceptance Corporation
Her love of the mountains, people, organizational skills, and attention to detail brought Bonnie to command central on the campus of Eagle’s Nest and The Outdoor Academy. All roads lead to her desk in the Salt Mines. Raised mostly in a small town in Georgia, summers found her and her family in the mountains of North Carolina or at her grandparent’s cabin in the near-by woods of Transylvania County, North Carolina.
J. Ryan Houghton
Garden Manager
Education
- Brevard College, B.S. Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education
Experience
- Assistant Manager, Morningside Farm CSA, Brevard, NC
- Field Instructor, Muddy Sneakers, Brevard, NC
Ryan joined Eagle's Nest Foundation as the Garden Manager in early 2012.
Susan Gies Conley
Director of Development
( susan@enf.org)
Education
- UNC-Greensboro, M. Ed. in Higher Education Administration
- Wellesley College, B.A. in Political Science
- The University of the South, Certificate in Education for Ministry
Experience
- Database Manager and Development Associate, Eagle’s Nest Foundation, 2003-2009
- Director of Development, Eagle’s Nest Foundation, 2000-2003
- Director of Annual Giving, Salem Academy and College
Susan has been with Eagle’s Nest since 2000, as our Director of Development during the Roots and Wings Campaign, and then as our Database Manager while her children were small. She is excited by the energy she encounters when meeting OA and Camp alumni and families. Susan has taught Yoga, Best of the Nest, Young Arts and Crafts, and Forest Magic at Camp. She has a special love of the craft of writing, and looks forward to being involved in English and Environmental Seminar classes at OA.
Susan was a longtime Girl Scout and volunteer outdoor trainer. She identifies with the world of the trek through her experiences on bicycling travel adventures during high school, and a continuing love of finding her way in new places. A choral singer for most of her life, Susan enjoys bringing a song to every situation. She grew up in Michigan. Susan and her husband have lived in Winston-Salem since 1994 and enjoy the Southern way of life.
Robert Ashton Powell
Kitchen Manager
Education
- Le Cordon Bleu of Atlanta, Nutrition and Culinary Arts
- The Outdoor Academy, Semester 1
Experience
- Leon's Full Service Restaurant, Decatur, GA
- Rathbuns Restaurant, Atlanta, GA
- Teaspace, Atlanta, GA
- Whole Kitchen Staff, Eagle's Nest Camp
Ashton's love for food started at home in his mother's kitchen. Food and farming played a big role in his family's history and gatherings as he was growing up, fostering a strong desire to be involved with sustainable food practices. He is also deeply connected to Eagle's Nest Foundation, having been a student during the first semester of The Outdoor Academy, a participant on several Hante Adventures, and staff in the Whole Kitchen. He is looking forward to building on the garden program and providing a fresh and sustainable food program. Ashton and his partner, Jessica, along with their sons, Ijah and McKai, are excited to be a part of the ENF community.
|
|
