Meet Eagle’s Nest Foundation Staff

Beth Venable is the Executive Director of the Eagle’s Nest Foundation. Though new to the organization, the ENF mission resonates deeply with both her professional goals and personal values. She believes strongly there are no better resources for children than those offering real connection and experiences, the natural world, and a chance to know and be known in community.

Though she did not know to call it experiential education in the early 90’s, being an “arts kid” in an outdoor oriented family had a profoundly positive impact on how Beth would orient herself in adulthood. This began with an undergraduate degree in Theater from Florida State University, and was followed by arts in education programming in the late 90s before expanding with addition of outdoor programming. Wanting to better understand child development and families, Beth found her way back to school to study adventure based psychotherapy at Prescott College where she earned an MS in Counseling with a specialization in couples and families.

Beth, her husband Drake, and their daughter Laurel have a strong sense of place on the trails and rivers of Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. As longtime residents of the “golden corner” of SC, they frequently made their way up the winding road to ride in Pisgah and Dupont, to paddle the Tuckaseegee and Nantalala Rivers, and sink deep into the rhythms and culture of local music festivals.

Jesse was drawn to Eagle’s Nest by the mission and by the tremendous, life-changing learning offered by The Outdoor Academy.  He’s an experiential educator and nonprofit administrator with years of service in environmental and higher education organizations. Before OA he served as executive director of Smokey House Center in Vermont, where he worked to inspire youth and others to connect to the land through the work of conservation and agriculture. He previously supported student learning and campus environmental programs at Unity College in Maine and Green Mountain College in Vermont.

Jesse and his partner Laura – an experienced educator in and out of the classroom – met many years ago while enrolled in an immersive, community-based environmental studies program with the Audubon Expedition Institute (AEI). Jesse holds a master’s degree in environmental education from AEI, a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Pace University (NYC), and a certificate in nonprofit management from the Marlboro Center for Graduate Studies. He is also a Senior Fellow in the national Environmental Leadership Program which supports diversity and leadership within the environmental sector.

Jesse, Laura, and their three children love to explore the woods, grow and share food, and make music together. They’re delighted to call the Blue Ridge Mountains and Eagle’s Nest “home.”

Cara, a North Carolina transplant from Ohio, now calls Brevard and the Blue Ridge Mountains “home.”  After hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014 she took the role of Paddling Director for ENC before moving to the development office full-time.

Not only is Cara a skilled paddling instructor, she’s a talented experiential educator and an avid outdoorswoman. She holds a BS in Recreation from Ohio University and has worked in the field of outdoor education since 2003 as a wilderness instructor, outdoor program manager, camp counselor and challenge course facilitator. Cara spends her free time paddling, climbing, and hiking, tending to her impressive garden, and adventuring with her family.

Haley loves any excuse to be on the water, whether in a kayak, raft, or canoe. When she’s not paddling, you can find her working on a fiber arts project or caring for her ever-growing collection of houseplants.

Sara joined the Eagle’s Nest Foundation in February 2026. As the Accounting Coordinator, she focuses on the Foundation’s financial health, ensuring the necessary “behind-the-scenes” systems are in place to support the mission of Camp and The Outdoor Academy.

Originally from northeastern Pennsylvania, Sara’s move to the mountains of Western North Carolina was driven by a lifelong love for the Appalachian region and a desire for a community-focused lifestyle. Her professional background is rooted in education, where she previously worked in a variety of modalities and taught across the fields of math, science, and art. Recently, Sara has found a new passion for accounting and organizational systems, viewing this work as fun and a vital form of caretaking for the organization.

Now a resident of Brevard, Sara spends her time outside the office getting creative through many of the fiber arts and caring for her home and family of five. She is grateful to be part of a community that values both stewardship and a sense of belonging.

Alex is originally from Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand and immigrated to the North Carolina at a young age. He is an experienced photographer in western North Carolina with a background in creative media. Alex joined Eagle’s Nest Foundation in 2022 as the Marketing Coordinator. He is fluent in Thai, loves to play music, and spends lots of time with his family and friends. Alex works closely with The Outdoor Academy, Eagle’s Nest Camp, and Hante Adventures; photographing the authentic experiences of the day to day life of these programs.

Maura Kaiser serves as the Office Manager at Eagle’s Nest Foundation, where she brings organization, friendliness, and persistence to the front desk.

Maura’s career has spanned both nonprofit and corporate spaces, with a focus on marketing, event planning, graphic design, and storytelling. While she valued the professional growth from those roles, she ultimately missed a deeper sense of purpose. Taking a leap of faith and moving hours away from home, she joined the community of Eagle’s Nest. Through her experiences here, Maura found a love for the mission and a second home in the woods.

Raised in a family that valued scouting and the outdoors, Maura grew up exploring, learning, and guiding alongside her brothers and sister. These early experiences instilled a passion for leadership development, natural spaces, and local communities. Her role allows her to handle the behind-the-scenes work so that participants, staff, and families can create lasting memories.

When not in the office, you can find Maura reading, writing, sewing, hiking, adventuring, or diving into a new creative hobby.

Elizabeth Waite-Kucera (Noni) served as the Executive Director of Eagle’s Nest Foundation from 2000 to October of 2024.  She graduated from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., with a B.A. degree in anthropology.  Noni was Camp Director at Eagle’s Nest Camp from 1993-2003 and Business Manager from 1989-1999 for Eagle’s Nest Foundation. She has also been the Swimming Director, and Paddling Director.  Additionally, Noni developed Eagle’s Nest whitewater canoeing and Hante Bicycling programs.

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 an advisor.