Our Staff are Dedicated to Making a Difference
Our summer camp staff includes approximately 25 college-age people, with several international staff adding cultural enrichment. Our camper to staff ratio is 6:1. Our staff receives an intense 1½ weeks of training from national, state, and local experts in child education and safety. CT state license and ACA Accreditation guarantee that our staff are certified to instruct in their program areas and are highly qualified to work with children.
Cabin and activity staff are hand selected from around the world to provide a safe and caring environment for campers. Counselors are at least 18 years old, a high school graduate and most have completed at least one year of college. All camp staff receive ten days of intense training prior to camper arrival. Staff live in the cabins with campers. Each member of our staff brings their own unique strengths and attributes, but they all have one thing in common: the passion to work with youth and make a difference.
meet our leadership team for 2022
CAMP Director: BENJAMIN COWAN
Meet our 2022 Camp Director Benjamin Cowan!!! This summer will be Ben’s 10th season on camp and first year as the Camp Director. Last year they were the Junior Staff director/ Head Counselor but now they are extremely excited to step into the new role of Camp Director. Favorite camp activities include rocketry outdoor living and mad science. In the off season Ben lives in northern Michigan where they work part time on a dairy farm as a calf feeder and also working to make sure the camp is prepared as possible for the upcoming season. Ben is more then excited to return this summer and do their part to make sure it’s one of the best camping season imaginable.
PROgram Director: halsey mclaen
Meet our Program Director Halsey McLaen!!!! This summer will be Halsey's 13th year at camp and first year on the Leadership Team. She is super excited to do programming this summer after a wonderful experience as counselor last year! Her favorite activities are ropes course and outdoor living, both of which she taught last summer. Halsey's favorite part of camp last year were all of her amazing campers and friends and all the memories they all made together. In the off-season, Halsey studies environmental science and journalism at the University of Vermont. She is so thrilled to be back at camp with everybody this summer!
Day camp director: hayley johnson
Meet our Day Camp Director Hayley Johnson!!! This summer will be Hayley’s eighth year at camp and this is her first year on the Leadership Team. Hayley has been heavily involved with camp activities and the teen ambassador program since her time as a teen leader. Day Camp has been her favorite part of camp since being a junior staff, and is thrilled to return this year as the Day Camp Director. Her favorite activities have always been sports and dance. She has made so many memories over the course of her time at camp, and can’t wait to help campers make memories of their own. In the off season Hayley attends Eastern Connecticut State University and is a double major in history and social studies with a focus in secondary education and minor in sociology. She loves working with kids, and hopes to continue doing so by becoming a high school history teacher. Hayley loves the outdoors and is excited to spend her time getting her hands dirty and crashing every mud fight possible.
Junior Staff Director: gauge Allen
Meet our Junior Staff Director Gauge Allen!!! This summer shall be Gauge’s ninth year attending 4-H camps, his second year at NLC and first year on the Leadership Team. Gauge is thrilled to be 2022's Junior Staff Director, Last year he worked as an archery and ropes course instructor, his favorite part of camp was all the amazing people he had the privilege to meet and create memories with. In the off season, Gauge has done a lot of traveling mainly to help his friends and family members. Since Gauge has already graduated with a Fine Arts and Multimedia degree he has his sights and focus set on getting an internship with Labo International where he will stay in Japan for a whole year having similar responsibilities to being a camp counselor, never the less he is absolutely thrilled for this summer to teach, learn, and make memories with new and old friends.
Teen Leader Director: emily fritsch
Meet our Teen Leader Director Emily Fritsch!!! This summer will be Emily’s second year at camp and her first year on the Leadership Team. She is excited to serve as Teen Leader Director for 2022! Last season she worked as the assistant TL Director and she is thrilled to work with the program again. Her favorite activities are kayaking and drama. In the off season, she volunteers with the central Carolina chapter of Habitat for Humanity, runs the UofSC Geology Club, and sits on a school board dedicated to creating alternative coursework timelines. Emily will be graduating this summer with a degree in geology and a minor in anthropology from the University of South Carolina and is working on pursuing a masters degree in geoarchaeology. She is excited to come back and make more memories this summer!
head counselor: melanie trotochaud
Meet our Head Counselor Melanie Trotochaud!!! This summer will be Melanie’s third summer at camp and her first year on the Leadership Team. She is thrilled to serve as Head Counselor this year! Last summer, Melanie worked as a lifeguard, and can’t wait to splash around with all her turtle friends again! Her favorite camp activities are kayaking, swimming, arts + crafts, and newspaper. In the off season she works in the after school program at her local elementary school, and attends Smith College where she studies Art History and Medieval History. She’s excited to come back and make more memories with the camp community.