Meet Your Guides
A Talent for Teaching
Our instructors are decorated athletes, award-winning authors, teachers and veterans, registered guides and first responders, who despite their diverse backgrounds, all have one thing in common: they’re passionate about sharing their outdoor expertise with you. Get to know a few of the talented individuals we’re proud to have on our Outdoor Discovery Programs staff.
Gabrielle Rovengo
SUP Instructor and Guide
Home Base: Pittsburgh, PA
Growing up near the beach on Long Island, NY, Gabrielle often witnessed the human toll on our aquatic ecosystems, learning very early on that we all play a part in being good environmental stewards and protecting outdoor spaces. These experiences molded how she approaches her role as a SUP instructor and guide – with a deep awareness of our natural habitats and an appreciation for all the inhabitants who call it home.
“We always have something to learn from nature. I love being on the same body of water throughout the whole season – at different times, in different weather – and sharing these cyclical changes with our participants: when the beavers like to come out, when the elderberry will be fruiting, how to listen for kingfishers. It’s great to bring people out who may have walked around the lake for years, but this is the first time they are getting on the water and experiencing the same space in a different way.”
Outdoor specialties: Stand-up paddleboarding, cross-country skiing, cycling, windsurfing, river surfing, competitive whitewater and flatwater racing
Favorite local outdoor spot: McConnell’s Mill State Park. I love descending into the gorge and experiencing the difference in ecosystem and being immersed in moss and hemlocks.
Most rewarding part of your job: Seeing the transformation that can happen in just 60 minutes from when someone says they are too nervous to stand on the board, and by the end of the class they are mastering turns and testing their limits.
Peyton “Biff” Higgison
Shotgun Sports/Shooting Clays Instructor
Home Base: Brunswick, ME
In addition to being an award-winning artist, avid telemark skier, and talented musician, Peyton Higgison is one of Maine’s most accomplished shotgun sports competitors. But despite taking home the Maine State Championship for Modern Skeet in 2013 and winning the senior division in 2022 for Sporting Clays, some of his proudest outdoor moments involve putting others in the position to succeed at the sport he loves.
“Working my way up to Master Class in Sporting Clays was a long and ponderous journey, and something I’m extremely proud of. But most of all I'm proudest of the students I’ve had through the years, being able to help them and watch their improvement. Sporting Clays is a difficult sport to pick up and I love it when a student is receptive, willing to learn, and just gets better and better.”
Favorite local outdoor spot: My camp on the Back River in Arrowsic. It’s only 30 minutes from home but when I’m there I could be in the Maine wilderness.
Most rewarding part of your job: When you find something to give the student that “holy cow!” breakthrough moment. It’s about sharing something I love and watching others comes to love it too.
Favorite Outdoor Discovery Programs moment: There are too many to choose from, but one stands out was teaching the musicians in the band “Fitz and the Tantrums.” They were a ton of fun to teach and really funny.
Pam Eng
Kayak and SUP Guide
Home Base: Staten Island, NY
A self-proclaimed “city girl,” Pam discovered the incredible power of the outdoors while living in Washington state, where she could have easily let the long stretches of gray, gloomy weather get her down. Instead, she took to hiking and snowshoeing In the Seattle area and on Mt. Rainier, where she found that the world above the cloud line was the best natural remedy she could ask for.
Now, as she leads kayaking and SUP tours in New York, Pam shares with others the same optimistic outlook she experienced during her adventures out west.
“I love playing on the water…and the most important thing is to truly have fun. For most people, the best reward is to laugh and smile and have a positive experience. So many people say they won't be able to stand on a SUP, but once they do it, the smile is incredible. I feel so good watching them.”
Certifications: American Canoe Association (ACA) certifications in kayak, canoe, and SUP
Favorite local outdoor spot: One of my favorite places to spend time on the water close to home is Round Valley Reservoir.
Most rewarding part of your job: Seeing clients feel good about themselves for reaching their own personal goals or overcoming their fears.