Board of Trustees

Kroka enjoys the support and governance of a Board of Trustees:

The members of the Kroka Board of Trustees are called to support and steward the ongoing life of the organization and the work of bringing its mission into fruition for the world. Our board is built on interpersonal relationships and being in community with each other virtually and in person. We find joy in our shared commitment to Kroka’s mission and in the work that we do with each other. When we gather on campus, we participate as fully as we can in the life of the community: sharing meals together, sleeping in yurts, and lending a helping hand where needed.

Throughout the year, we provide guidance, advice, and support, when called upon, and reach out to the wider world to generate and steward connections that can bring new resources and energy to Kroka. In addition, we also study together from topics in education and philosophy to continue our own learning in a small group setting.

BOARD MEMBERS

Current Board Members:

Sarah Scherschel lives in Alstead, NH with her husband, Craig and two cats, Verity & Radar. As a Kroka summer program alumni parent, she has witnessed the importance of Kroka in the life of her daughter, Ruthie, and how the experience positively impacted her long after summers ended and as she grew into adulthood. Sarah loves that a Kroka Expedition connects children to nature and to themselves while teaching wilderness skills and how to create and be in community. Over the past 25+ years, she has served on numerous committees and leadership boards and filled a myriad of roles in the communities to which she belonged. She finds joy in supporting the Kroka staff, students, and community as a Board member and helping the organization live into its mission.

Elizabeth (“Bet”) Dews first came to Kroka through her leadership role with the Lake Champlain Waldorf High School. She returned year after year bringing many classes of students on adventurous wilderness expeditions throughout all seasons of the year – and gained a reputation as Kroka’s most dedicated visiting class teacher. Her two children, Rosa and Nicholas also participated as Kroka summer and semester students. Bet lives in Ferrisburgh VT.

Daniella Malin is a proud parent of two Kroka-loving children, alumni of many summer programs and one 2022 Fall Legends of the Southwest semester. In this media and device saturated world, she credits Kroka with helping her children orient around the touch of serenity and the freedom of belonging. Daniella has spent the last 20 years at the Sustainable Food Lab where she and her colleagues have been working within existing corporate and commodity market dynamics to shift sustainable food “from niche to mainstream.” Daniella’s focus is on the role that agriculture can play in climate change mitigation. In 2008, she helped design and co-found the Cool Farm Alliance and Cool Farm Tool, an on-farm greenhouse gas calculator now used by most of the world’s largest food and beverage companies to reveal changes that farmers can make to reduce emissions and sequester carbon with co-benefits for soil quality, water, biodiversity, and farm economics. Daniella lives in Sharon Vermont with her husband and two children.

Lela McCaffrey grew up in New Jersey, but moved to Vermont for college, attending St. Michael’s College for Philosophy. After several years of moving around the country seasonally, Lela returned to Vermont to work at the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, first as a Park Ranger, and then moving into the office and ultimately becoming Business Manager. It was here that Lela’s love for numbers showed itself, and back to classes she went, taking classes to allow her to sit the CPA exam, and becoming licensed in 2006. After many years working in public accounting, Lela got tired of having to refer clients out when they were looking for financial planning services, and again returned to classes to enable her to sit the CFP® exam and attained that designation in 2019. Through all of this office work, Lela continued to enjoy all that Vermont outdoors has to offer, and indoctrinated her younger daughter into the joys of being outside, resulting in her participating in a Kroka winter semester. She is thrilled to be able to use her skills to support an organization that has been so transformative for her daughter.

Jackson Ennis was born and raised in Worcester, Mass. He began as a student at Kroka in 2009 in the whitewater program progression, which brought him on five Canadian Expeditions, from the wildernesses of Quebec and Labrador to the Arctic Ocean. From 2015 to 2022, Jackson taught summer whitewater programs and semester paddling legs, leading some of the same expeditions he had been on as a student. Both of his siblings were long-time Kroka students, and his sister Hannah was also a staff member. He was an American Canoe Association Whitewater Kayak Instructor and a Wilderness EMT. Jackson graduated from Williams College in 2020 with a degree in Political Science, where he was the president of the college outing club and directed their outdoor orientation program. He worked on pandemic response and in public health for several years, and is now a medical student at Brown University in Providence, RI. When not buried in studying, he paddles, climbs, is trying to learn to surf, and perfect the chocolate chip cookie.

Alan Roberts lives in Putney, VT with his wife, Trish, and children Charlie and Laela – both of whom are alumni of Kroka summer programs and Charlie a semester graduate (Roaring Canyons 2025). Alan is grateful to collaborate with an organization that values the development of systems that foster aliveness, confidence, curiosity and resilience in individuals and communities as deeply as Kroka does. He brings a multi-faceted set of strategic business experiences and perspectives with him from a 20+ year career in healthcare as a management consultant and executive leader, a variety of non-profit board experience and is passionate about supporting people to identify and tap into their unique gifts and potential.

Sondra Nelson found her way to Kroka as a parent in the Waldorf community. It was here at Kroka that Sondra and her daughter found a community steeped in respect, appreciation, and belonging. With many happy summers and a semester program, as the supportive parent behind her, Sondra wishes to be in service to the community that supported her child’s adolescence and development. Sondra brings a love for being outdoors with children, a commitment to beauty and rhythm, and compassionate insight into child development and relationship building at the personal and institutional level. Sondra currently teaches at Gathering Waters Charter School, a Waldorf Public Charter, right here in Keene. It was while Wwoofing in New Zealand, that Sondra discovered Anthroposophy, Waldorf Education, and Biodynamic gardening, which launched her journey into Waldorf education. Sondra holds a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a B.S. in Health Science from Worcester State University. She completed her Waldorf Early Childhood training at Sunbridge Institute in Spring Valley, NY, and an advanced Waldorf teachers’ training called Nurturing the Roots in Denver, CO.

BOARD INFORMATION

Kroka’s Mission Statement

Kroka is a non-profit wilderness expedition school for young people based on a year-round, organic farm in Marlow, New Hampshire. We believe that consciousness and altruism can be brought forward through a living relationship with the natural world and by taking our places within the circle of community.

Board Responsibilities & Expectations

The Board of Trustees oversees the mission and philosophy of Kroka Expeditions while fulfilling the responsibilities of Finance, Governance and Self-Perpetuation.

Collectively, the board is entrusted to ensure the financial integrity of Kroka, to support the Co-directors in their execution of operations, and to ensure that the character and quality of the programs and instruction remain consistent with the overall long-term commitment, vision and mission of Kroka.

Board members are expected to:

Be of service to Kroka.
Attend Board Meetings and Retreats.
Support decisions made collectively, presenting a united front to the community and setting aside any personal reservations.
Help fulfill Board commitments.
Aid in crisis response when needed and appropriate.
Be responsible to the Board President by fulfilling the assignments delegated to them and be willingly responsive to the President’s leadership and direction.
Serve a three-year renewable term.

Board members are expected to be active participants in Kroka’s fundraising and outreach efforts through the following:

Promotion of Kroka in the greater community.
Identification of potential donors and/or funding agencies.
Donation of funds to the annual appeal and other major financial gift giving programs to the fullest measure within their means and setting a standard of giving for others within the community for their own contributions.
Attendance at Kroka events & programs to show board support as appropriate and as schedules allow.
Writing thank you notes to donors when appropriate and as assigned.

Board members are expected to help the board in self-perpetuation by:

Helping to identify potential candidates to serve on the various standing and ad hoc board committees, when appropriate.
Helping to identify potential candidates to serve on the board.
Supporting the Governance Committee and the Co-directors in the new board member process.

Board Members are expected to serve in leadership roles on the board and as chairs or members of one or more committees:

Officers of the Corporation

President: The President is the Chief Officer of the Corporation and shall preside at all meetings of the Board, sign all deeds, conveyances, releases and other instruments on behalf of the Corporation. The President shall also perform, under the direction and subject to the control of the Board, such other duties as may be assigned to such an officer.

Vice-President: The Vice-President may perform the usual and customary duties that pertain to such an office such as presiding over a meeting in the absence of the President. The Vice-President shall also perform under the direction and subject to the control of the Board, such other duties as may be assigned to such officer.

Secretary: It shall be the duty of the Secretary to attend all meetings of the Board and record correctly the proceedings had at such meetings in a book or online archive suitable for that purpose. The Secretary will also maintain these meeting minutes and other records as appropriate. The Secretary shall also perform, under the direction and subject to the control of the Board, such other duties as may be assigned to such officer.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall keep such moneys of the Corporation as may be entrusted to such officer’s keeping and account for same. The Treasurer shall be prepared at all times to give information as to the condition of the Corporation and shall make a detailed annual report of the entire business and financial condition of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall also perform, under the direction and subject to the control of the Board, such other duties as may be assigned to such officer.

Standing Committees

Directors’ Evaluation & Support Committee: This committee supports the Co-directors and assesses their performance on an annual basis.

Finance Committee: This committee exercises fiduciary responsibility and oversight and ensures adequate resources for Kroka. The Treasurer is the chairperson of this committee.

Governance: This committee guides the board in self-perpetuation by recruiting board members, training new members, leading the board in self-reflection and evaluation, and overseeing board governance. This committee also works with the Co-directors and the board regarding Kroka’s policies.

Ad Hoc Committees

Building & Grounds Committee: This committee works with the Co-directors and the Facilities Director to ensure the proper long-term maintenance of Kroka properties and in the acquisition of additional properties when opportunities beneficial to Kroka arise.

Outreach & Development Committee: This committee ensures adequate resources for special projects through fundraising and enhancing Kroka’s public standing.

Strategic Planning Committee: This committee reviews the implementation of the current plan and facilitates the creation of the next plan. In the interim period, it is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to support the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

Board Meetings, Membership & Benefits

Board Meetings

The board meets eight (8) times a year: Seven (7) meetings and one (1) weekend retreat. Meetings are usually 1.5 hours – 2 hours long. There are also occasions when the board may be required to meet outside of the regularly scheduled meetings.
Board members are expected to attend and participate in the meetings.
Board members are expected to review all board materials on the Google Drive portal prior to each meeting.

Committee Meetings

Committees meet as often as is appropriate for the work the committee is doing at any given time.

Board Number & Tenure

The board consists of no fewer than five (5) trustees, who serve a three (3) year, renewable term, and additional ex-officio members as appropriate

Note: Year-round employees of Kroka and their family members are not be eligible to serve on the Board.

Board Member Benefits

Board members can enjoy the following extra benefits that are also offered to year-round staff:

Borrowing of Kroka expedition gear
Overnight visiting privileges and meals on the Kroka campus
Tuition discounts for family members to attend Kroka’s summer programs and semester programs.

INTERESTED IN SERVING?

Welcome!

If you are interested in serving the Kroka Community by being a member of the Board of Trustees, please take some time to review the below information about Kroka Expeditions and the Board of Trustees:

Kroka’s History
Kroka’s Vision & Philosophy
Board Information (section above)
Bylaws (section below)

If after reviewing the above information, you are interested in serving on the Kroka Board of Trustees or have any questions about the Board, please send an inquiry email to directors@kroka.org