Leadership Team
We returned to Camp Pinnacle this year because we felt it was very important for Conor to be outdoors, take part in all the activities available, and see some old friends and make new ones. Also, all the steps and precautions Camp Pinnacle took to open really made us feel at ease. Coming from NY, that was not an easy decision! While clearly a different year with respect to the pandemic, the experience was just as good as his first year. The team at Camp Pinnacle has done a fantastic job in ensuring such a great experience for all of the kids. It’s the reason we make the trip from NY! – Tom Torpey, parent from Tomkins Cove, NY
Fayssoux & John “JG” Moss
Executive Directors
Camp Pinnacle has been part of Fayssoux’s story for as long as she can remember. A third-generation camper who grew up exploring Wolfe Lake and singing in the dining hall, she learned early on the power of camp to build confidence, friendship, and belonging. After years of working at a premier summer camp in Maine, she returned to Camp Pinnacle in 2014 to help carry forward the traditions that shaped her own childhood.
John’s camp journey began just down the road at Camp Highlander, where he served as a director and discovered his own passion for helping kids grow through outdoor adventure. The two met through the North Carolina camping community, married at Camp Pinnacle in 2016, and later joined forces to lead the Pinnacle director team.
Today, Fayssoux and John feel privileged to create a place where campers feel at home — a community where every child can shine, connect deeply, and grow through fun and adventure. Their belief is simple: all kids deserve the chance to discover their best selves.
They live just across the street from camp with their two sons, Hobbs and George, and their loyal dog, Holly. Whether it’s summer or the off-season, the Moss family can usually be found outdoors — hiking camp trails, camping in Pisgah, or biking the new Ecusta Trail.
Deeply rooted in the North Carolina camp community, Fayssoux serves as Vice President of the North Carolina Youth Camp Association, and John acts as a liaison between area camps and Pisgah and Dupont Forests — continuing their shared mission to protect and strengthen outdoor experiences for all children.
Walker Hendry
Director
Walker is responsible for assembling and managing our amazing team of counselors and activity instructors, focusing on our staff’s personal and professional growth, and assisting in day-to-day operations. Walker has a degree in Outdoor Education from Georgia College and has an extensive background in wilderness medicine and safety management, maintaining his Wilderness First Responder certification since 2010. Walker’s family includes his wonderful wife, Sara Jane, and his springer spaniel, Wyatt, who you will certainly see running around camp this summer. You’re sure to catch Walker on the disc golf course, casting his fly rod on Wolfe Lake, or running and biking the trails of western North Carolina.
Rylie Young
Program Director
Growing up in Minnesota, Rylie attended summer camp for three summers and began her love for camp at an early age. She found Camp Pinnacle in 2020 and the rest is history! Over her first five summers, Rylie held a number of seasonal roles at camp; including Wolfe Pack Counselor, Head of Evening Programs, and Head of Older Girls – “Let’s go Otters!”. Before becoming a member of the Director Team, Rylie worked for two years in the Outdoor Education field full time, starting at The Outdoor School in Marble Falls, Texas and then moving to the Pali Institute, located in southern California. At Pali she worked as the Assistant Ropes Director and gained a wealth of knowledge surrounding programming and risk management. We are so glad to have her on our team and she can’t wait to see you all this summer.
Gretchen Roeder
Administrative Director
Tom McCartney
Facilities Manager
Tom is a master craftsman and carpenter and oversees the Camp Pinnacle facilities. From treehouses to lily pads to the Lognasium, much of the magic of Camp Pinnacle’s facilities is a result of Tom’s understanding of how our children’s experiences can be affected through the camp’s beautiful grounds. Tom is a native of Western North Carolina and has an associate’s degree in forestry. He’s worked with the United States Forest Service and as the head of the Environmental and Conservation Organization in Henderson County.
Michelle Zimmer
Events Coordinator
Michelle fell in love with the mountains spending her childhood summers in North Carolina. Originally from Michigan, she earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Central Michigan University. With her passion for continuing education, Michelle is currently pursuing her master’s degree in mathematics education through East Carolina University, and she just received her TEFL certification while studying and teaching in Thailand. In her free time, Michelle enjoys planning her next travel adventure, practicing yoga, and cooking for her friends and family.
Parker Allen
Director of Conservation & Adventure Programs
Hailing from Texas, Parker is joins Pinnacle’s year round team as head of all adventure programming and of conservation of Pinnacle’s 128 acre property. Parker began his summer camp career in Texas in 2009, where he spent 10 great summers at Camp Champions, working his way from camper to counselor. After making his way to Camp Pinnacle in 2019, he spent the next few summers working as a Trip Leader and Adventure Program Coordinator. Parker has a Bachelors and a Masters degrees in conservation and environmental education from Colorado State University. He has worked around the world leading youth into unique wild places and conducting conservation research. When not working, you can find him hunting with his brother, traveling with his family and enjoying a good book and view.
Steve & Susie Baskin
Owners
Susie and Steve Baskin live in Texas with their four children: Wiley, Liam, Terrill, and Virginia. Though they reside in Texas, Steve and Susie play a valuable and supportive behind-the-scenes role at Camp Pinnacle.
After graduating from Davidson College, Steve worked on Wall Street before attending Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar. Steve has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and American Way publications, serves on the board of the American Camping Association, and is a featured blogger for Psychology Today.
Prior to dedicating herself to summer camp, Susie was a family and adolescent counselor at a hospital in Wellesley, MA, and later became a manager at a Boston hospital. She attended the University of Michigan and got her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business.
On two separate occasions, they took their children out of school for a year to backpack as a family. They remain surprisingly sane.