NLG is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
Board of Trustees
As a 501(c)3 non-profit, Northern Lights is managed by a fully-volunteer Board of professional educators, parents, and long-time Northern Lights community members. View the profiles below to get to know our board members!
Seth serves as President of the Northern Lights Board of Directors. He brings more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, environmental education, and community engagement, with a passion for helping people build meaningful connections with the natural world. Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy, Seth spent 17 years with the Adirondack Mountain Club, where he worked as an environmental and outdoor educator before moving into executive leadership, serving in senior leadership roles during his final five years with the organization. He currently serves as Stewardship Programs Manager for The Nature Conservancy's New York Business Unit, where he supports volunteer hunting access programs, research permissions, and youth and firearm safety initiatives on protected lands across New York. Before joining the Northern Lights Board, Seth also served on the board of The Waterman Fund as Grants Coordinator. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF). Seth believes that fostering curiosity, resilience, and a lifelong connection to nature begins in early childhood. As Board President, he is committed to helping Northern Lights remain a thriving, mission-driven organization that provides exceptional care and education for children while supporting families and the broader community.
Justin grew up in Virginia outside of Washington, D.C. He graduated from James Madison University with a BBA in Accounting. He relocated from D.C. to Rainbow Lake in 2018 and lives with his wife, Alison, and their two children, Aubrie (5) and Evan (3), who both attend Northern Lights. Professionally, Justin has a background in financial/SOX audit and IT, and he currently works as an Applications Architect for Unisys. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the Adirondacks, camping, hiking, and paddling with his family.
Kim came to Northern Lights in 2001. As an outdoor educator, she was immediately drawn to the Northern Lights' philosophy. She has a BS in education and a MS in outdoor recreation/education. Kim has worked with every age group imaginable (toddlers through senior citizens) in mostly outdoor settings including camping, outdoor leadership expeditions and Outward Bound with inner city youth. Kim has taught toddler, pre-k and kindergarten at Northern Lights and now loves her birth to three classroom.
Emily lives on a farm in Saranac, NY with her family. She provides speech therapy and special education services for 0-5 year olds in Clinton County. Her family's relationship with Northern Lights has been over many years and with many iterations. Emily sees serving on the Board as a way to give back to the school community that served as a grounding force through her early years of parenting. She always appreciates the deep calm and beauty of the school and classrooms.
Chris Newcomb has spent most of her life working with children or teaching about doing so. She has taught in both public and private schools, holds an MS in Child Development, a family therapy license in Colorado, and teaches Human Services and Social Sciences at NCCC. Chris enjoys hiking and XC skiing with her family and dog, and dancing with Somabeats. Chris loves Northern Lights School and is delighted to serve on its board.
Maggie joined the board of Northern Lights in 2024. Maggie works as the Education Experience Coordinator at the Wild Center. She brings non-profit and grant writing experience to her work for Northern Lights, along with a passion for connecting young people with the Adirondacks and the outdoors. Maggie began her career as a naturalist and guide for the Adirondack Mountain Club, going on to oversee their school and community outreach programming. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, she is a graduate of Connecticut College with degrees in Environmental Studies and Film Studies. Outside of work, Maggie enjoys exploring the Adirondacks by foot, boat, and ski! She can also be found knitting and sewing while snuggled at home in Rainbow Lake with her cats; Butter, Gravy, and Jam.
Kendra has a PhD in Curriculum, Instruction, and the Science of Learning, and brings her 15 years of teaching experience, outdoor recreation risk management training, and non-profit board experience to the board. You can also find Kendra and her family helping NLG by mowing the grass or working on a hands-on maintenance project. Kendra's child has been thriving at NLG since he was 6 months old.
Kate joined the board in 2026 and brings over two decades of project management and operations experience across government, industry and technology organizations. She holds a M.Eng. In Civil & Environmental Engineering from MIT and has spent much of her life protecting and cleaning up the environment. In the summertime, her three kids attend Northern Lights, and her family has come to deeply appreciate the school's mission of fostering curiosity, confidence, and a meaningful connection to the natural world.
Emily and her family have been part of the Northern Lights community since moving to the area in 2023. Both of her children have benefited from the exceptional programs Northern Lights provides, inspiring Emily to join the Board of Trustees as a way to give back to an organization that has meant so much to her family. As a Speech-Language Pathologist and Director of Rehabilitation, Emily brings extensive experience in child development, communication, and collaborative leadership. She is passionate about supporting Northern Lights' mission and helping ensure that children and families in the community continue to thrive through its programs.