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MEET THE BOARD

The Executive Board serves 3-year terms and meet virtually every other month to keep the current NLCBAA initiatives alive. Contact the board chair to receive an invitation to attend our next meeting or suggest an agenda item. Our board is made up of mostly former canoe guides, spanning across several canoe base "generations"!


Jenn "Thomason" Phillips

 

Board Chair

  • Lives in Colorado
  • Primary school teacher, mom to 2 girls and emergency foster mother to many
  • Participant on 10 day wider-op 2001, GIT 2002, Guide 2003-2007
  • Joined board in 2020

Kate Ford

Vice Chair

  • Currently works at University of Massachusetts, Lowell, coordinating outdoor programs
  • Resides in Derry, NH
  • Guide 2001, 02, 03
  • Director 2004, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
  • Currently teaches high school earth and environmental science
  • Resides in Chesapeake, VA
  • Guide 1995, 1996
  • Assistant Director 1999

Brianna Berkson

Secretary

  • Develops wind and solar projects
  • Lives in Austin, TX
  • Destination participant in 2017
  • Guide in 2018 and 2024
  • Joined the board in 2024

Shaina Miller

Staff Recruitment

  • Currently a college student
  • Resides in Illinois
  • GIT in 2021
  • Guide in 2022-3

Leigh Stepan

Co-Treasurer

  • Consults professionally on benefits and risk management in employment
  • Splits time between MN and AZ
  • Participant in 1975
  • GIT in 1976-7
  • Guide in 1979-80
  • Found us again just a few years ago!

Denise Hayes

Fundraising Coordinator

  • CEO of Roanoke Valley SPCA
  • Lives in western VA
  • Wider Op participant in 1993 (her guides were Twitch and Katie Wasner!)
  • GIT in 1994-5
  • Guide in 1996-7

Cynthia Hagan

Special Projects

  • Currently working part-time in schools and volunteering for local GS council
  • Resides in Seattle, Washington 
  • Participant 1989, 90, 91; GIT 1992, 93; Guide 1994, 95
  • Brought her own Girl Scout troop for a trip!
  • Rejoined board in 2019

Kate Ellis (Shults)

Co-Treasurer

  • General Manager of the electric utility for the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation
  • Resides in southern California
  • Wider Op participant in 1996
  • GIT and Guide thru 2001
  • BS of Finance from Western Kentucky University
  • MBA from Indiana University
  • Enrolled at Claremont Graduate University in its Tribal Administration Certificate Program
  • Enjoys Masters’ swim team, traveling, live music, and spending time with my family
  • Served 2 terms as NLCBAA Board Treasurer from 2008-2014

Eleanor Richards

Communications

  • Currently a college student
  • Lives in MN
  • GIT in 2021
  • Guide in 2022-3
  • Heard about the program from her mom, former guide Steph McDaniel!

Alexa DeJoannis

Membership Coordinator

  • Resides near Tampa, Florida
  • Loves birds!
  • Came on a 7-day Wider Op (now known as a Destination) to Lake Agnes in 1991
  • GIT 1992-3, guide 1994-6
  • Joined the board in 2023

Ann McNally

Participant Recruitment


Bailey Basaj

Communications

  • Works as a Registered Nurse in a Transplant Intensive Care Unit.
  • Lives in Wisconsin. 
  • Participant in 2011, GIT in 2014-2015, and Guide 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. 
  • Loves traveling and exploring new places! 
Questions or comments after looking around? Email us at boardchair@nlcbaa.org.

NLCBAA works closely with Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines on promoting this small but mighty program.

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