I began tripping with Northwaters-Langskib when I was sixteen years old and remember being immediately struck by the beauty of Temagami, the warmth of the NWL community, and the awe and wonder that come from paddling through the backcountry. For the previous decade or so, Northwaters and Langskib has been a constant in my life and a continuous source of learning and inspiration. As a teenager, paddling through Northern Ontario and Quebec taught me about my own personal strength, how to work within a community, how to challenge myself, and how to pay attention – to others around me, to my own feelings, and to the wonder and joy of being alive. Guiding for Northwaters let me move into a role where I got to center and celebrate the authenticity, resilience, and strengths of the young folks with whom I paddled; I look at my summers of being on trail with young folks as ones where I learned so much, laughed so hard, and really experienced the magic, comfort, and strength that comes from being in a community. As a director, I embrace the opportunity to manage all the ins-and-outs that make the work at Northwaters and Langskib possible – I truly believe in the ability of a canoe trip, and the heart and meaning we put in, to be transformational.

Outside of summers spent in Temagami, I completed a BA in English Literature at the University of Ottawa, and then spent some time in Western Canada, completing an MA in English Literature at the University of Victoria, and enjoying the temperate coastal weather. Years of paddling in Northern Ontario fostered a love of the outdoors that has taken me on many hiking and backpacking trips, a couple rafting adventures, and to countless beautiful places. When not in Temagami, I live in the Ottawa Valley, and can be found running, climbing (both rock and ice), skiing in the winter, fair weather biking, and enjoying potlucks, trivia nights, and outdoor adventures with the community I’ve cultivated here.