2016 Canoeing Staff

 

Santiago Amaya returns for a seventh summer, his fifth on the canoe/kayak dock.   Santiago began his BLC career in the kitchen and one evening he was invited to join some other counselors heading out for a paddle. Santiago fell in love with the sport immediately and he became determined to perfect both his paddling and teaching skills.  Santiago is from Colombia and he lives in the capital city of Bogota.  He graduated from university with a degree in English education and he is now an English teacher and tutor.  This year, Santiago teamed with a friend to begin the creation of their own English instruction company.

Noa Cohen grew up in London, England and she has been coming to Brown Ledge since she was 11. Noa         was a canoeing and kayaking junior counselor and she received her Vanguard in 2012. She spent her first staff year in the office and she is returning to her home on the canoe and kayak dock for a second summer.  Noa has just finished her junior year at the University of Edinburgh where she studies politics. In addition to kayaking on Lake Champlain, Noa has been whitewater kayaking in Scotland and she has led children’s sea kayaking groups in Israel.

New to Brown Ledge this summer is Julia Blanding.  Julia grew up in Rochester, New York and she is a rising junior at the University of Vermont where she studies psychology and music. Julia aspires to a career in the field of music therapy.  Julia honed her paddling skills at summer camp and she is now a UVM Outing Club canoe instructor and she is certified by the American Canoe Association. Wilderness camping in Vermont and the Adirondacks have helped make nature (and its protection) a priority for Julia.