Camp Staff
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Leila Willis Newton, Executive Director
She/Her
Having had the privilege of working at K’aayxada Adventure Camp since 2017, I have a deep appreciation for outdoor education and what it brings to youth on Haida Gwaii. Getting to see the transformation that occurs when we spend time on the land and water is a true gift.
Through hiking, art, kayaking and canoeing, music, ecology, and outdoor games we are all able to push our boundaries to healthy limits while at camp, and experience growth together. Every camp session is unique and incredible because of everyone who shows up, and the community that supports us.
I am extremely grateful to call K’aayxada home for 6 weeks of the year, and to have such a wonderful team to work with in planning and ED positions. I look forward to all the new faces and camp sessions to come!
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Stu Crawford, Program Coordinator
He/Him
I am grateful to live on Haida Gwaii and work with the remarkable youth of this place at K̲'aayx̲ada Adventure Camp. Outdoor adventure camps were a big part of my life when I was young, and I believe the outdoors and learning about nature should be for everyone. I started as an outdoor educator in 1998 and joined K̲'aayx̲ada in 2012. When I am not at camp, I work as a marine biologist for the Council of the Haida Nation.
I love exploring and harvesting from the land and sea. I also love learning about the living things I share my home with, and sharing that knowledge with others. There is so much to discover by experiencing the world around us, by watching, touching, and tasting it. When we build the skills to explore the outdoors safely, we gain the confidence to face challenges and take part in the world. Camp is full of adventure, fun, and learning, and I think it can help everyone build a deeper relationship with themselves, with each other, and with the place they live. Through those relationships, we can grow our respect for all living things.
K̲'aayx̲ada is a special place, and I feel lucky to spend the season there with a wonderful team and with the students and teachers who come to camp. -
Carrie Carty, Lead Cook
She/Her
Yaahl Haana Kajuu hinuu dii kyaang. My name is Precious Raven Singer.
I am humbled to say that I have had the opportunity to share food and knowledge at K’aayxada Adventure Camp. I hold Haida Gwaii close to my heart and feel true to myself when I am on our lands and waters. I love harvesting our foods and sharing them with others.
K’aayxada has been such a great experience for me, and an amazing experience for the youth of Haida Gwaii. We get to live and learn about Yahgudang (respect for everything around us) in a beautiful and magical place. <3
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Mariel McLeod Teixeira, Lead Counselor
She/Her They/Them
I first came to Haida Gwaii in 2013 as a semester student earning credits for my degree in environmental sustainability. I quickly fell in love with the community and land and knew I wanted to make a home here. For many years I worked with youth through Haida Gwaii Rec running the ASSAI programs until I went to school to become a Rolfer. Shortly before that I worked my first season of camp in 2021 and am grateful I can continue to be a part of the K'aayxada team now that I run my own business.
Being at camp combines my experience with environmental education and youth engagement in a really meaningful way. The weeks at camp allow me to reconnect to myself and nature and that is always my hope for students as well. I love being on and in the water, hiking and seeing all the amazing ecology, and practicing skills like knots and water rescues.
When not at camp, or otherwise working, I'm usually planning trips, adventures, and house projects, or walking my dog.
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Guustl'as Rorick
They/Them
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Daniel Harris
He/Him
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Lilah Ryland
She/Her
Board of Directors
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Cal Westbrook, Board Chair
He/Him
K’aayxada Adventure Camp marked my first connection with outdoor education on Haida Gwaii 10 years ago. As a School District 50 staff member and chaperone, that first week at camp fostered a deep connection to the land and sparked friendships that have blossomed over the last decade of living on Haida Gwaii.
Growing up on K’ómoks territory, my outdoor education journey began as a camp supervisor for the Courtenay Recreation Society. This path continued on Haida Gwaii, where I worked as a camp counselor for Laana DaaGAng.nga (Swan Bay) Rediscovery and later became a member of the Daaxiigan Sk’adaa Nee Outdoor Education team. As Vice Principal at Daaxiigan and the President of K’aayxada’s Board of Directors, I am proud of our relationship that brings outdoor education to such a vast number of students on Haida Gwaii.
K’aayxada Adventure Camp, in partnership with Gwaii Haanas National Park and Haida Heritage Site, offers youth a unique and profound connection to the land. It’s a space where they can witness and interact with the natural world, build relationships with peers and staff, challenge themselves in a safe and encouraging environment, have fun (lots of it!), and enjoy incredible local food.
I am honoured to be part of this dedicated team of employees and volunteers, and extend my deepest gratitude to our amazing crew and funders for their continued support of this exceptional organization. Together, we create meaningful opportunities for the youth of Haida Gwaii to grow, connect, and thrive.
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Winnie Tsai
She/Her
My first job on Haida Gwaii was at the Living and Learning School back in 2015. I have a background in teaching elementary grades (K-6) with a specialization in Outdoor and Experiential Education.
Although I moved out of working in the school-age education system, my passion now lies in working in Early Childhood Education. I still have a deep interest in the importance of place-based and experiential education, which I have kept close to me by acting as a Board Member for K’aayxada Adventure Camp.
I love seeing, hearing, and supporting the work that KAC does with the youth of Haida Gwaii, and am incredibly grateful to be a part of this dedicated team of community members.
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Paula Varnell
She/Her
I am Jaad Tl’aaw, Paula Varnell. I belong to an unbroken line of Haida speakers, teachers and weavers in the G̱aw Git’ans Gitney clan, that originate from the Aayan in the north of Haida Gwaii.
My great grandmother was Selina Harris Adams Peratrovich and my grandfather was Alfred Adams. My naanii is Dr. Delores Churchill, my mother is April Churchill and my two maternal aunties are Holly Churchill and Evelyn Vanderhoop. The women in my family raised me to become a teacher of my culture.
Fourteen years ago, I made Daajing Giids, Haida Gwaii my permanent home. I am happiest in the forest or on the ocean, harvesting with my family, life partner and my dog.
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Emily Lytle
She/Her
When I first moved to Haida Gwaii in 2019, I had the privilege of spending my first two months on the islands as a counselor at K’aayxada Adventure Camp. Right away, I felt how special of a place and program K’aayxada Adventure Camp is and how much love and community support goes into bringing it to life. My time at camp sparked a passion for getting youth out on the land and creating meaningful opportunities for outdoor play and learning. That passion led me to pursue my teaching degree, and I now work as an elementary teacher at Chief Matthews School. I also completed my Forest School Practitioner certification to deepen my connection to land-based learning. K’aayxada Adventure Camp continues to inspire me, and I feel deeply grateful to support a program that offers youth such powerful and lasting connections to the land.
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Kelsey Pelton
She/Her
My name is Tawla Jaad, Kelsey Pelton, and I belong to the G̱aa K'yaals Kiig̱awaay Clan of Skedans.
I was born in Daajing Giids and raised in Hlg̱aagilda, where I have been lucky to grow up camping, harvesting and adventuring.
I currently work at Sḵ'aadg̱aa Naay Elementary School in Indigenous Resources.
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Niisii Guujaaw
She/Her
Stiidɢ̲a Jaad Niisii belongs to the Kayahl ‘laanas clan of Ts'aahl and has a combined degree of Marine Biology and Indigenous Studies from UBC. She now works in marine planning for the Haida Nation, and otherwise can be found learning Xaayda Kil, learning to grow and gather food, or on the water with family.