Our Core Staff

Dan Gardoqui: Co-Founder, Executive Director, Mentor & Trainer

Dan lives in the Mt. Agamenticus region of the Maine Seacoast with his fabulous family. In addition to directing White Pine, he serves as science faculty at Granite State College. He has been studying naturalist skills, wildlife tracking, bird language & mentoring since 1990. Dan holds a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources, is a Certified Wilderness First Responder, Certified Wildlife Tracker, & is a Registered Maine Guide. Through tracking, Dan has contributed to a range of wildlife studies and served as science editor for the bird language book “What the Robin Knows” Dan also likes to spend time hunting, tracking, playing music, and being a dad with his boys.

Dan Hansche: Program Director, Mentor, & Trainer

Dan has been practicing wildlife tracking, naturalist, and survival skills for the past decade. He has taught at various wilderness schools. Dan is a graduate of the Kamana Naturalist Training Program, has a Wildlife Track & Sign Specialist certificate through Cybertracker Conservation, and is a Registered Maine Guide. He is  member of the International Society of Professional Trackers as well as the New England Chapter of The Wildlife Society. Dan has been involved in many conservation projects involving endangered wildlife including Canada lynx, Blanding’s turtle and black racer. He enjoys listening to old delta blues, playing guitar, and being with his little girls, Veery & Minka.

Caren Vigneault: Office Manager & Mentor

Caren grew up in New England and has been a strong presence in many little ones’ lives from when she was an adolescent. After being inspired by baskets, fires and wildlife tracking in her early twenties, Caren has studied with many wilderness and survival schools and organizations including: The Tracker School, Wilderness Awareness School, Vermont Wilderness School, Maine Primitive Skills School, Paul Rezendes, and continues to be a student of White Pine Programs. She is a Kamana II graduate. Her roles at White Pine allow her the privilege of working with many incredible people- strengthening connections to self, others and the earth.

 

Amy Martinez Beal: Mentor (youth and adult), & Development Coordinator

Amy lives with her husband, Andrew, and three children on a small farm in Cape Neddick. She divides her time between homeschooling children, Dylan, Asher, and Lilia, teaching Sunday School, caring for the family’s goats and horses, tending vegetable, flower and herb gardens. Amy served as a Founding Board Member at White Pine from 2004-2010, was a Wildlife Tracking Apprentice, and is now one of our core staff members. In 2011, Amy earned her certificate in Wildlife Track & Sign through Cybertacker Conservation.

 

Associate Staff

Annika Wisswaesser: Youth Programs Mentor / Earth Girls Creator

Annika Wisswaesser grew up in an intentional spiritual community in eastern New York. In the woods and fields surrounding this community, she spent countless hours exploring and connecting with nature. Annika attended fashion school before participating in a year long internship at White Pine in 2006. She has a B.A. from Bennington College in the arts and life sciences. In addition to leading multiple children’s programs, Annika is an artist and lives with her husband and daughter in Kittery, ME.

Vicki Wilson: Youth Programs Mentor

Vicki grew up in a small town in New Jersey romping with her brothers through the woods, camping with family, playing sports, and being enamored with animals and nature. After earning a Journalism degree at Cook College – Rutgers University, she completed an Environmental Education Master’s degree at the Univ. of New Hampshire. Having fallen in love with New England, Vicki began developing spiritual relationships – one of which was with the amazing White Pine Programs community. Today Vicki lives and works at the UNH, runs a small business selling candles & soaps, and continues to enjoy working, playing and growing at White Pine.

Ernie Hansche: Youth Programs Mentor, & Expedition Staff

Spending time in the woods with Ernie Hansche is a real treat. In addition to be a practiced storyteller and accomplished musician, Ernie has a strong connection to the spirit of the wild. After helping raise two boys into young men, Ernie went back to school and got his degree in Outdoor Education. Over the last 10 years, he’s been leading wilderness experiences for a variety of populations. While not in the woods, Ernie might be found rock climbing, picking at an instrument, or playing with his granddaughter by the ocean.

Matt Correia: Youth Programs Mentor

Some of Matt’s fondest childhood memories center on family hiking trips to New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Having developed this early appetite for the outdoors, at the age of twelve, he joined the Boy Scouts Troop 2 in Beverly, Massachusetts where he earned his Eagle badge. In 2007, having had enough of making a living indoors, Matt interned for Hawk Circle Wilderness Education as a youth mentor. In addition to making friction fires, Matt enjoys Patriots football, and playing the guitar.

Trish Taylor: Administrative Support Staff

Trish and her husband James have been married for 24 years.  They share four grown Suns that were home-schooled and are founding White Pine Graduates. They live on a small farm on the edge of York, packed with many animals. Trish enjoys listening, watching and feeling the outdoors, everyday. Horseback riding, gardening, photography, and animals in general make her happy.  She brings to White Pine Programs a BA in Communications/PR, experience with small business and lots of elbow grease.

Nick Ferlazzo: Youth Programs Mentor, Intern Extraordinaire

Nick Ferlazzo was born and raised in Newburyport, MA. He went to High Mowing school where he went through all levels of the Naturalist Program with Keith Badger learning primitive survival skills, tree and plant ID, basic herbalism, and wildlife tracking. He spent time in the Smoky Mountain National Forest and the Wicklow Way in Ireland working on group oriented survival. Nick is living with the Gardoqui family this year while interning with White Pine. He’s instructing on youth programs as well participating in adult programs such as the Tracking Apprenticeship.