The faces of Longacre Expeditions

Directors Jason and Nicole Eckman
Jason Eckman first joined Longacre Expeditions in 1998. A graduate of University of Oregon, Jason has a diverse background in education, business and adventure travel. For over 15 years, he has been positively impacting the lives of young people as a wilderness guide, environmental educator, outdoor program director and high school teacher. His love for the outdoors has led him to the summit of Mt. Rainier, a thru-hike of the entire Appalachian Trail, sea kayaking in Fiji, tele skiing in the Colorado Rockies and backpacking over much of the Pacific Northwest and New England.

Nicole Eckman has been involved with the Longacre family since 2000. She is a graduate of Colorado State University and a Registered Dietitian, who practices a holistic approach to caring for the body and mind. Nicole believes in the true value of the Longacre Experience, where physical challenge, communication, and personal growth are highly emphasized. Nicole’s passion for world travel and outdoor adventure has led her to visit most of Europe, much of Central America, Fiji, Morocco, British Columbia and most of the 50 US. States. Jason and Nicole are the proud parents of future Expeditioner, Mckenzie, age 3 and are expecting their second child in January. The Eckman family enjoys spending their free time in the outdoors with their dog Sebastian.

Director Robert Manning
Robert Manning, a native of the Jersey Shore brings his love of working with kids and surfing to Longacre Expeditions. A graduate of St. Peter’s College, his experience includes time well spent on the NY Mercantile Exchange, studying Spanish in Ecuador, organizing surf camps, coaching junior lifeguards and traveling the world searching for the best waves. His surfing fervor has taken him to exotic locations such as El Salvador, Tobago, Peru, Mexico, Bali and Nova Scotia. He looks forward to sharing his passion with both kids and staff at Longacre Expeditions. Bobby, along with his wife Kathy, also enjoys teli skiing, SCUBA diving, and traveling.

Director Roger Smith
Roger Smith has devoted his life to the growth of young people: as a teacher, as the founding director of a participatory science museum and as a camp director for over twenty-one years. Rog loves to kayak and during the summer he cultivates a leadership style that could be described as “managing by paddling around.” Rog’s long-term view of Longacre’s programs and history bring continuity and know-how to the Longacre team. He and his wife Susan are the parents of 27 year old Matthew, 23 year old Alex and 15 year old Courtney. Rog holds B.A. and Master’s degrees from Colgate University. When not acting as the “Expedition’s Sage,” Rog consults with non-profits and teaches a course in Entrepreneurship at Elizabethtown College.

Chief Office Administrator Polly Hartzell
Polly brings years of accounting and administrative experience to the Longacre mix. A graduate of Duke and the University of Virginia, she and her husband, Larry, are the proud parents of Amy, age 15 and Sarah, age 13. Raised as an international traveler with residency in Nepal and Liberia, Polly believes that traveling is the great educator.