We are pleased to kick off our second announcement on evolving developments in Pemi’s leadership by sharing word of two new appointments to the Pemigewassett Board of Directors. As of January 12th, we are joined by Pemi camper and staff alumnus Burgwell “Burgie” Howard and Pemi parent Lisa Heller.

Pemi’s Board of Directors consists of eleven people, six of whom are from the second and third generations of the Reed and Fauver families, continuing the Pemi tradition of founding-family oversight, planning, and direct involvement. Five independent members round out the group, offering crucial perspectives from beyond the ownership circle. We are thrilled and delighted to have Burgie and Lisa join Fred Seebeck, Roger McEniry, and Greg Bowes in that wider circle.

Burgie Howard began his Pemi journey in 1974 as a camper in Junior 2. In total, Burgie spent seven years with us as a camper and three as a counselor. During those seasons, he was introduced to many new activities, and he counts it as a time of significant discovery. Burgie loved participating in the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, learning the music and spending extensive time rehearsing with peers and counselors. He was also introduced to lacrosse at Pemi, a sport that has become a life-long passion. As a counselor, Burgie helped promote the program by building a set of goals and began teaching the first lacrosse activity (occupation) to beginners.

He vividly remembers the soccer field at Pemi as a cosmopolitan place: fellow campers from around the country and the world, all playing the beautiful game together, yet speaking as many as five different languages. It demonstrated for him the international flair of both the game of soccer and the Pemi experience. “I remember when Argentina won the 1978 World Cup, we were allowed to stay up late to watch the final in the Senior Lodge, and then to witness the extended, exuberant celebration led all over camp by the Argentine, international, and Spanish-speaking campers. To this day, the World Cup and Olympics remain my favorite sporting events.”

Burgie is currently a Dean of Students at Yale University and lives in Hamden, CT with his wife Jennifer. “I credit Pemi,” he tells us, “for exposing me to a great many things, but in many ways launching me along the trajectory my life has taken from high school, to college, and beyond. My role in Student Life at various schools has essentially been an attempt to replicate the magic of discovery, challenge, and support that happens every summer on Lower Baker. I am excited to do what I can to help Pemi’s rich tradition continue to grow, as we expand the experience for more kids and families.”

Lisa Heller was born and raised in New York City. She loves camping and the outdoors and spent seven years as a scout leader. Her son, Jackson, is a current camper in his sixth summer at Pemi. Fascinated by the way cities work, and the policies that keep them running, Lisa began her career in financial services in the public finance sector. She recently pivoted to focus on process improvements at her company, Moody’s, developing solutions to help the company improve.

Lisa believes strongly in the value of volunteerism and has served on several local and national nonprofit boards in the areas of community development, youth development, and equity. “It’s important to me,” she says, “to contribute to communities I’m part of and causes I believe in.” She has enjoyed her work with Pemi’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (on which Burgie also sits) and hopes to continue to make camp a place that feels welcoming to all.

“Pemi has loomed large at our house,” says Lisa, “since Jackson’s first summer in J1. I didn’t get to go to sleepaway camp as a kid, but I always thought spending a summer on a lake, barefoot, with tons of friends sounded like heaven. Pemi turned out to be so much more. I was immediately drawn to Pemi’s ideas around developing integrity in campers and helping boys become good men. I love the Nature Center and the trips, and I’m so happy Jackson gets to have all these experiences and look forward to them all year. Now I’ve also gotten to know people in the Pemi community and feel very good about Jackson’s role models. Family Camp [in 2020] was an opportunity to deepen our connection to Pemi, and I finally got to have that quintessential lake experience, plus the Nature Center! It felt really special to share all the things he’s been doing the past few years.”

On the topic of Family Camp, it is fitting to share now that Dan Reed will be Directing Family Camp for Pemi in 2021 and beyond! Dan, a great-grandson of Pemi co-founder Dudley Reed, is Secretary of the Pemi Board, teaches English at Newark Academy, and is currently working towards his Masters from Middlebury’s Bread Loaf School. Dan’s experience over previous summers at Pemi–as camper, counselor, Division Head, Head of Trips, Head of Program–make him a natural fit for this role, and we are eager to watch this well-received Pemi offering continue to grow in the coming years under his watch. Details will be forthcoming about Family Camp, 2021, but we are all excited to continue this program after a highly successful 2020 introduction.

Next week, we will be back in touch to share news of an exciting new hire – Pemi’s new, year-round Assistant Director! 

Kenny Moore, Director
Tom Reed, Jr., President of the Board