Directors & Staff
Our Directors
Lesley Marcus Carlson – Executive Director
Lesley oversees Quinebarge with Eric and assists in numerous roles throughout the summer. She makes a point of getting to know the campers and their interests and helps make sure each camper is well taken care of, and having a great summer. Lesley also helps our adult staff navigate through their summer at camp.
Lesley loves the Quinebarge spirit, traditions, songs and how Quinebarge harkens back to a simpler life for our campers.
Lesley is a graduate of Colgate University, has spent most of her career in international development and democracy building abroad, and helps nonprofit organizations. Lesley is originally from Kenmore, NY, loves her Buffalo Sabres and is mom to two wonderful daughters and Elora, the camp puppy.
Nick Hercules – Camp Director
Nick Hercules, known at Quinebarge as Herc, has twelve years of professional residential camp experience working with children as a coach, counselor, mentor and friend. Prior to being named a Director, Herc was the Assistant Director, managing our CIT program, serving as Sports director and Head Boys counselor, providing a crucial link between campers and staff and staff and senior staff. Nick has also been an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Plymouth State University, helping lead the team to their best start in the program’s history. Every summer Herc and his daughter Grace come to Quinebarge for a summer filled with fun and friendship. Most importantly, Grace and Herc bring their pup Camper to join in the fun. Herc received his bachelors degree in Accounting from Benedictine College. In the off season the Hercules Family resides in Lenexa, KS. Nick is also the proud inventor of the Camp Fire Fire, a Quinebarge original tradition.
Casey Sukeforth – Camp Director
Casey loves all things summer camp and has 14 years of residential summer camp leadership
experience. Before coming to Quinebarge, she successfully ran a not-for-profit camp in the Adirondacks for 8 years, and also has previous camp and outdoor education experience in New Hampshire, Connecticut, and California. Casey strongly believes in the joy, learning, and community summer camp creates and and Quinebarge offers.
Casey has a Masters of Science from Lesley University in Ecological Teaching and Learning. She is a Wilderness First Responder, an American Red Cross certified lifeguard instructor, as well as a trained high & low ropes course facilitator. During her free time you can catch her playing outdoors with her sons Malcolm and Desmond, hiking with her dog Tucker, or throwing pottery in her studio.
Eric Carlson – Executive Director
Eric was a camper and counselor at Quinebarge from 1980-87, having risen from the youngest boys cabin (Mohawk) through to counselor. He worked in the wood shop and on the waterfront as a swim and boating instructor. As an adult, Eric founded and runs a climate change education and project development nonprofit that is helping preserve the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. Some say Eric is trying to recreate Quinebarge as it was in 1983 and those people are not incorrect. However, the reality is Quinebarge is much as it was thirty years ago. Eric grew up in Cohasset, Mass. and lives in East Aurora, NY. Quinebarge is a family affair; Eric and Lesley, his wife, their two daughters and dog Elora are all Quinebargers.
Senior Staff
Our Senior Staff is made up of mature and professional Directors and Senior Staff from around the world, bringing expertise in the fields of childhood development, healthcare, program development, environmental education, and more to the Quinebarge experience. Our team works year round to find a great team that will create an incredible summer experience for all Quinebargers.