Summer Camp Directors
Tamarack Farm
Tom Barrup, Tamarack Farm Co-Director
Tom is a treasured F&W staffer with incredible longevity. Tom grew up in Woodstock, VT and was a camper at Saltash Mountain (SAM) from 1962-‘64, then SAM staff in 1967 and ’69. He moved over to Tamarack Farm (TF) as staff from 1971-’75, and has been the Co-Director of TF since 1984. Tom co-directed for many years with his spouse, Tina Tannen, and has been joined for the past few summers by Co-Director, Alison Laslett. Tom received his BS in Engineering from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, and his MEME in Engineering from the University of Florida. During his non-camp time, Tom lives in Florida and works as an engineer. He has three grown children.
Alison Laslett, Tamarack Farm Co-Director
Alison grew up in North Carolina and Maine and attended Indian Brook as a camper for four years. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, she was on staff at Indian Brook for many years before she became the Camper Advocate at Tamarack Farm and now, the Co-Director. She has quit every “real” job she has ever had to follow her dreams to become a “real” writer. She loves kids, sailing, nature, travel and new adventures. Her greatest hope at the Farm is to help kids form a responsible, compassionate, respectful community.
Timberlake
Tulio Browning, Timberlake Director
Tulio was Senior Lodge Head at Timberlake from 1987-89, and on crew in 89-90. Tulio grew up in Texas. He comes back to Farm & Wilderness after ten years founding and running a summer camp in the Basque Country of Northern Spain. Tulio attended Colorado College and then University of Texas at Austin, where he got a Masters in Community and Regional Planning. He is grateful for whatever leisure time comes his way, and likes playing vintage board games, swimming in mountain lakes, reading, and meeting new people and hearing their stories. He loves spending time with his English wife Jools (who he met when they were both working in Nicaragua) and his children Luna, Kaila and Olly.
Indian Brook
Nicole Sutherland-Maiden, .jpg)
Indian Brook Director
Nicole lived in England for the first 12 years of her life and then moved to Ottawa, Canada. Now she lives a half-hour from Farm & Wilderness. Nicole's history at F&W started with her children, Emma and Ethan, who attended The Barn Day Camp in 2005. Nicole holds degrees in Physical Education and Sports Psychology from University of Ottawa and Queens University, and has worked at summer camps and with sports teams. Nicole's passion is working with children, especially girls, and she has a long history of management experience. She most recently owned and operated two Vermont Inns, in The Lauren in Woodstock and The Kedron Inn in South Woodstock. She was previously a family liaison for Ford Models. Her true joy in life is working with children, girls in particular. Nicole spends her time outside of work volunteering at her children's nearby Waldorf school and in their extracurricular activities. She loves to cook, read to her children, cycle, run, ski, and hike.
Saltash Mountain and Questers
Jeff Bounds, Saltash Mountain and Questers Director
jeff@farmandwilderness.org
Jeff grew up in Lumberton, NC and appears to have been preparing to direct SAM his whole life. Jeff is a graduate of Western Carolina University with a degree in Parks and Recreation management and concentration in Outdoor Leadership. Jeff has most recently been a field supervisor and mentor at the Mt Bachelor Academy in Bend, Oregon, where he worked with emotionally challenged youth, lead five day expeditions, created and maintained ropes courses, and much more. He has led canoeing, hiking, and biking expeditions in the U.S. and Europe, and is committed to building community wherever he lives. Jeff has a big love for the woods, is an avid fly fisherman, and loves to play the guitar.
Flying Cloud
Peter Bettmann-Kerson, Flying Cloud Director
Pete grew up in the woods of Vermont, hiking and wandering at the foot of Mount Hunger. He attended Flying Cloud from '95-'98 where he was named Valley Zephyr and was the second Fire Keeper. In the '00s, he returned as an FC counselor, “Sensible Health Person”, and now the FC Director. During the off-season, Valley Zephyr received his BA in Forest Ecology from Hampshire College with a thesis looking at forest disturbance history through dendrochronology. Also at Hampshire, Valley Zephyr was captain of the Emergency Medical Service and the Red Scare Ultimate team. Valley Zephyr is extremely passionate about wilderness living and during the winter works with the Wilderness Awareness School's Residential Program in Washington State.
The Barn Day Camp
Andrea Breen, BDC Director
Andrea grew up in Minneapolis and began working at F&W at the Barn Day Camp in 2000. Andrea has worked with children for many years as a Youth Counselor and Program Coordinator at both the YWCA and the YMCA. She has also worked in transitional housing and independent living with homeless youth in Minneapolis. She worked at Outward Bound in Ely, Minnesota and started one of the first Americorps programs, running it for six years. Andrea loves traveling, exercising, speaking Spanish, and hiking and playing with her family. Andrea also loves coming to Vermont for the summers with her husband, Billy Perkiss, and their three children Shira, Tova and Zev.
Family Camp
John Porcino, Family Camp Director
John has been at F&W since 1980, when he first came to Saltash Mountain Camp as a counselor. He has been on Family Camp staff since 1985, and directing since 1992. John is a gifted storyteller and musician, has two children who of course attended Family Camp, and lives in a co-housing community in Amherst, MA.