Camp Directors and Staff

JIM TALBOT Camp Director

Jim Talbot has been a life-long educator teaching and coaching at Chestnut Hill Academy for 34 years. Jim was the Athletic Director at Chestnut Hill Academy for 20 years, leaving that postion in 2001 to become Director at Camp Tecumseh.

Jim graduated from the University of North Carolina where he played varsity tennis and varsity soccer. He earned a Master's degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Jim was inducted into the Philadelphia chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame for his achievements as the Chestnut Hill soccer coach. Jim was also inducted into the Chestnut Hill Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. His soccer teams were twice ranked #1 in Pennsylvania, during which time his teams won nine Interac League titles. After his retirement as coach, the new soccer field at Chestnut Hill was named Talbot Field.

His wife Nina is very active at Tecumseh helping out in numerous areas. Their son John was a camper at Tecumseh for six summers. John played varsity soccer at Chestnut Hill Academy as well as Princeton University. Their daughter Nina played varsity squash at Yale University.

MARK LUFF Assistant Director

Mark first came to Tecumseh in 1966 at the age of ten. He spent five summers at Tecumseh as a camper and has served as a counselor for 30 years.Mark is currently the Program Director at Tecumseh. Mark is responsible for overseeing all programs at Tecumseh, coordinating which age group is doing what each day, and coordinating all out of camp activities.

Mark has also directed Tecumseh's annual Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta for over 20 years. He was also the head of the soccer program for many years.

Mark played Varsity soccer for three years at Germantown Academy and was a three year letter winner at Washington College. He currently teaches Middle School English and Social Studies at The Episcopal Academy where he served as the Head Soccer Coach for 12 seasons. Mark was the winner of the 1940 Faculty Enrichment Award for significant impact in stimulating students' interest in academics, athletics and activities.

JIM FRASER Sports Director

Jim first came to Tecumseh in 1948. He has been at Tecumseh for over 55 summers. At Tecumseh, Jim is in charge of all Athletic Activities, runs the football program and runs the Clinic Program program during the last two weeks of each summer.

Jim was a History teacher at The Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia where he also coached the football team for many years. Before that, Jim coached at Cornell University and The University of Illinois.

Jim earned All City honors in soccer and football while at Germantown Academy. He was inducted into the Germantown Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. Jim played football at the University of Wisconsin and then professionally for the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots where he earned All-Pro honors at both linebacker and punter.

Jim's father Tom was also a camper and counselor for several decades. Jim's two sons John and Jeff both spent over 20 summers at Tecumseh.

Jim has been a major institution at Tecumseh and this brief biography really doesn't do him justice.

BOB GLASCOTT Site and Grounds Manager, Head of Kitchen

Bob has been coming to Tecumseh for over 50 years. He was an All-American fullback for the University of Tennessee football team.

At Tecumseh, Bob is in charge of all aspects of the kitchen and dining hall as well as the laundry and all maintenance. Bob oversees the cooks and the kitchen crew, as well as ordering food and supplies for all meals.

Bob recently retired from being the Director of Intramural Activities at The University Of Pennsylvania. Like his good friend Jim Fraser, he has been a major institution at Tecumseh for decades.

His wife Pat was the head nurse at Tecumseh for many summers. Their son Bobby was a camper and counselor for many summers at Tecumseh. Their oldest daughter Beth worked at Tecumseh for many summers as well.

JAY LUFF Trip Director, Site Manager

Jay first came to Tecumseh as a camper in 1962 and has returned almost every summer since. For the past 20 years, he has been in charge of scheduling all mountain trips and overnight excursions. He is also in charge of the senior campus where the 15 and 16 year olds live.

Jay has guided groups to the base camp of Mt. Everest and had made many other international climbs including Mt. Kilimanjaro. Jay is a certified national fire fighter and also a certified EMT. Jay resides year round in the Tecumseh farmhouse.

Jay was a three year letter winner in soccer and captain of the team at Germantown Academy. He is also a graduate of Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire.

JOHN SMITH Athletic Trainer

ELLIE SMITH Nurse

John and Ellie Smith first came to Tecumseh as a husband and wife medical team in 1976.

John is a graduate of Temple University. He served as the trainer for the Philadelphia Wings lacrosse team in 1975 and then moved over to The Episcopal Academy where he has served as the Head Athletic Trainer since 1976.

Ellie is a graduate of St. Agnes School of Nursing (Philadelphia, PA). She worked at the St. Agnes Burn Unit in 1980 and 1981, then moved on to the Lankenau Neo-Natal Unit in 1981. She currently works at Lankenau and Bryn Mawr Hospitals, as well as doing home care.

John and Ellie are the proud parents of long time Tecumseh boys, John and Kevin.

MATT BIRCH and MEG BIRCH Co-Manager of the Kitchen

Matt and Meg are the co-heads of the Kitchen at Tecumseh where they succeeded Meg's father Bob Glascott at this position. Matt is also a Climbing Wall instructor at Tecumseh. Matt is a teacher Welsh Valley Middle School. He was the head coach for the Harriton High School Girls Varsity basketball team for several seasons. Matt is certified as a lifeguard, water safety and first aid instructor.

Meg spent most of her summers as a child at Tecumseh. Meg is a Physical Education teacher at The Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, PA. She served as the head field hockey coach for many years. Meg is also the director of the swimming program at Baldwin. Meg has taken over the operation of the kitchen from her father at Tecumseh. She is certified as a lifeguard, water safety and first aid instructor.

PETER GILLIN and KATIE GILLIN Head Of Lacrosse Program

Pete has been at Tecumseh every summer since 1979 when he was an 8 year old Rookie. Pete is the Dean of Boys at the Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut. Before that, Pete served as an English teacher at The Episcopal High School of Virginia, in Alexandia, Virginia where he was the Boys Varsity lacrosse coach and Boys Junior Varsity soccer coach.

Peter is a graduate of The Haverford School (1988) and The University of Virginia (1992). He is starting a Masters Degree program in Literature at American University. Peter was a member of The University of Virginia lacrosse team.

Peter's father (John, Sr.) has been on the Board Of Trustees at Tecumseh for over 25 years. His father and his brother (John, Jr.) were both campers and counselors at Tecumseh for many years.

MIKE DOUGHERTY and BARB DOUGHERTYDirector Of Basketball Program

Mike first came to Tecumseh as a camper in 1979. He is a Spanish Teacher at Charlotte Country Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mike served as the Boys Varsity basketball coach and the Boys Junior Varsity Baseball coach there for several seasons.

Mike was a three sport letter winner at The Episcopal Academy. Mike earned All-City honors in baseball as a senior. At Moravian College, he was a four year basketball player, team MVP, and an All-Mid Atlantic Conference selection.

Mike's wife Barb is a member of the Waterfront Staff at Tecumseh. She is also in charge of the camp store, is in charge of cabin inspection and is the Tecumseh business manager.

Mike is in charge of the basketball program at Tecumseh. He took over the program from his father Dan, who was the head coach at Army and The Episcopal Academy for many years. Mike's older brother, Dan Jr., was a counselor at Tecumseh for many years, before playing briefly with the New York Giants. Mike's younger brother Brian was also a counselor at Tecumseh for many years. Brian was a first team NCAA All American lacrosse goalie while at the University of Maryland and is on the U.S.A. World Team.

PETER SHAIFER Head of Staff

Peter is Head of Council, Head of wrestling and track and field. He was Captain of the Cornell wrestling team and a two-time National Prep Champ at Penn Charter in Philadelphia. He is the current camp record holder in the Mini-Marathon and the Ironman competitions. His wife, Amy, and their three boys are at camp with him. Pete is presently Dean of Boys at St. Paul´s School in Lutherville, MD.

VAUGHN SMITH and DEBBY SMITH

Vaughn and Debby Smith first came to Tecumseh in 1999. Vaughn works on the basketball program and runs the riflery program at Tecumseh. He also helps manage the weightlifting program. Debby is in charge of transportation and laundry. She is in charge of The Creamery Store at Tecumseh.

Vaughn is the Athletic Director at The Phelps School in Malvern, PA. He is also the head coach for the varsity basketball team as well as the varsity baseball team. Prior to coming to The Phelps School, Vaughn was Athletic Director at West Nottingham Academy in Maryland for 15 years. He also was the head coach for the varsity football, basketball and baseball teams (Conference champs for 12 season) at West Nottingham. Vaughn played professional baseball in Holland.

Debby also works at The Phelps School where she is the bookstore manager, activities director and is a Remedial Reading Teacher. Debby and Vaughn each earned the Bachelors Degree at Springfield College in Physical Education and Health Science.

SIBBY BROWNE Director Of Soccer Program

Sibby has been in charge of the soccer program at Tecumseh for over 15 years. Sibby is a full time soccer coach in New Mexico where he coaches in the New Mexico Olympic Development Program. Sibby spent many years as an English teacher, Dorm Parent and Head Coach of the Boys and Girls soccer programs at West Nottingham Academy in Maryland.

Sibby was a four time letter winner and All-State selection in both soccer and ice hockey at Conestoga High School. He was also a four year varsity soccer player at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of Friars Honor Society.

KATHY MARSHALL Head of Waterfront Staff

Kathy is head of the waterfront at Tecumseh. Kathy is a school teacher in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Before that, she was on the staff at The Woodlynde School in Berwyn, PA. Before that, she spent many years as a teacher and coach at The Agnes Irwin School in Bryn Mawr, PA, as well as The Abington (PA) Friends School and the Hilton Head (North Carolina) Preparatory School. During her teaching years, she has coached basketball, softball, volleyball and tennis.

Kathy is a graduate of West Chester University. She also received her Masters Degree from Immaculata College in Pennsylvania. She is currently in law school at the University of South Carolina. While in school, she played basketball, softball, volleyball and was a member of the swim team.

BILL ARONSON Tennis Director

Bill’s background is extensive and this is just a brief summary! He is a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology and a former Captain in the U.S. Air Force. He coached Varsity Tennis at Springfield College (his Alma Mater) and the University of Lowell. He is a highly certified Tennis Teaching Professional presently employed by the City of Coral Gables, Florida, where he also teaches a course in Sports Psychology at Florida International University. Bill has taught internationally and at the famous Harry Hopman International Tennis Academy in Florida. In his spare time, as a certified Professional Ski Instructor, Bill teaches skiing to the disabled. We look forward to Bill and his family coming to Camp Tecumseh for his first summer in 2008!