Staff and Board of Directors
"Equally impressive was the level of commitment from both Ben Swan and the
counselor in our son's tent to ensure that he got the most out of the experience."
—Pine Island Parent
We take great care in hiring counselors and other staff members, seeking young people who will serve as exceptional role models for our campers. Many of our staff members have been campers themselves, all are interviewed by the director, and we do not hire any counselors through agencies. We look for young people who demonstrate exceptional character, judgment, and humor and who share our love of the outdoors.
All of our staff, including our director, live on the island with the campers. We play, learn, work, and eat together and live as a family. In addition to our director and his wife, our staff includes an assistant director, a medic, two drivers, a skipper for the launch, cooks and kitchen crew, a small staff at Whitehead Island, five counselors-in-training, and twenty-four counselors. The counselors live in tents and cabins with the boys, teach daily activities, and lead camping trips. Many of our counselors bring with them to Pine Island other talents and interests, including musical talent, travel and camping experience, an interest in writing and reading, and skill in acting and performing. Each tent group consists of four campers of the same age and a counselor, but the overall camper-staff ration is closer to 3:1.
Ben Swan, Director | benswan@pineisland.org
Ben Swan was born during the 1955 camp season, and he has been
connected with Pine Island in some capacity ever since. He spent his
childhood at Pine Island, as a camper then as a counselor. He continued
as a member of Pine Island Camp’s board of directors, returning to the
staff in 1988 as assistant director. He assumed the post of director in
1990. His family’s involvement with Pine Island Camp dates to 1908,
when his grandfather purchased the fledgling institution, and he is the
third generation of his family to serve as Pine Island’s director. Ben
has a B.A. in English from Washington & Lee University and an M.A.
in English from the University of Virginia. He was a teacher at
Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia for several years before
returning to Maine to work for Pine Island. He and his wife Emily
guided Pine Island Camp through its transition to a not-for-profit
educational institution in 1994, oversaw Pine Island’s acquisition of
the Whitehead Light Station in 1996, and orchestrated the celebration
of its 100th anniversary in 2002. In the off-season, Ben and Emily live
in Brunswick, Maine, with their children Harry, Rippy & Katie. Ben
is involved in land conservation and community improvement efforts in
Brunswick.
Emily Swan, Business Manager | eswan@pineisland.org
Emily married into the Pine Island Camp community in 1987 and has been
its business manager since 1990. In addition to overseeing the details
of running the camp, she is the voice at the other end of the phone
line during the Pine Island season. Emily has a B.A. in history from
the University of the South at Sewanee and a J.D. from Harvard Law
School. In the off-season, Emily lives with Ben and their children
Harry, Rippy & Katie in Brunswick, Maine, where she is chairperson
of the town’s historic preservation board and is involved in educational issues, downtown improvement efforts, the local library, and various other volunteer activities.
Forrest Brown, Assistant Director
This will be Forrest's tenth summer at Pine Island. He was a camper for four summers, a canoeing counselor for three summers, and for the past two summers he was director of Expedition Camp. Forrest is from Norwich, VT, is a graduate of Warren Wilson College, and is currently working in Lake Tahoe, CA.
Anne Stires, Director of Pine Island's Whitehead Island Program
This will be Anne's ninth year as Whitehead Director. She was on the Pine Island staff for eight years before that and her father was Whitehead Director for over fifteen years. Anne lives in Walpole, ME and is the founder and head of the Juniper Hill School in Alna, ME. She is a graduate of Hamilton College and has a Master's Degree in Education from Antioch University Graduate School.
Sumner Ford, Director, Expedition Camp
This will be Sumner's eleventh summer at Pine Island. His father attended Pine Island. He is from Woodstock, VT. After six years as a camper Sumner joined the staff to teach fly-fishing and this will be his second summer as an Expedition Camp leader. Sumner will graduate this spring from St. Lawrence University with a degree in Environmental Geology. Sumner is a Wilderness First Responder and successfully completed Guide training at St. Lawrence. Sumner has been an active member of the St. Lawrence Outing Club for four years.
Krista Wiberg, Head Cook
Krista, who is from Middleton, MA, will be in her fifth summer in the Pine Island kitchen. She spent three summers on the Kitchen Crew and last summer was Assistant Cook. She graduates this spring from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a degree in English. She has been an RA for the past two years.
John Paul Rietz, Head Workshop Instructor
John Paul will be new to Pine Island this summer. He came to us through former legendary Shop Counselor John Bunker, for whom John Paul is an apprentice at John's farm in Palermo, ME. John Paul is a recent graduate of Warren Wilson College and is currently a student at the Carpenter's Boat Shop in Pemaquid, ME, where he has been honing his woodworking skills building boats and furniture.
Tom Duggan, Head Canoeing Instructor
Tom, who is from Newfield, ME, will be in his second summer on the Pine Island staff. He will graduate this spring from St. Lawrence University with a degree in Conservation Biology. Tom is president of the Yoga Club at St. Lawrence and is also a senior trip leader in the well-known St. Lawrence University Outing Club. Tom is a Wilderness First Responder and has successfully completed Guide Training at St. Lawrence, which trained him in everything from Snow Science to Whitewater Canoeing.
Carrie Turner, Head Kayaking Instructor
Carrie, who is from Topsfield, MA will be in her sixth summer on the staff at Pine Island. Carrie started on the Kitchen Crew and for the past two summers has taught Kayaking and led trips. Carrie will graduate this spring from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Family Studies. Carrie is a Wilderness First Responder.
David Greene, Head Archery Instructor
This will be David's third summer at Pine Island and his second summer as Head of Archery. He is from Lynchburg, VA and is a sophomore at The College of William and Mary. David is the third generation of his family to attend Pine Island. David is certified as a Level 1 archery instructor by the CAA.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
Monroe Baldwin
Suzanne Berger
Ned Bishop
Henry Clauson
Whit Fisher
John Goodhue |
Ben Hincks
Tim Nagler
John Pollard
Ben Swan
Pope Ward, Chairman
David Williamson |
Tom Yoder
Directors Emeritus:
Rex Bates
Charlie Birney
Jim Breeden
Warren Eginton |
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