MEET THE 41 NORTH TEAM

Mark Pecot

41 NORTH FOUNDER
LEAD GUIDE & INSTRUCTOR

With over 20 years as a sea kayak guide and instructor, 41 North founder Mark Pecot brings a wealth of experience to 41 North’s programs. Mark is Ohio’s only ACA L4 Instructor Trainer, able to train and certify instructors in open water coastal environments. Mark loves teaching advanced classes, but he’s just as committed to providing new paddlers with a solid foundation, and is often an instructor in our basic courses as well. His own paddling adventures having taken him from Nova Scotia to the Florida Keys, all five Great Lakes, and San Francisco Bay. During small craft advisories, you’ll more likely than not find Mark surfing waves on Lake Erie.

Josh Scott

LEAD INSTRUCTOR & GUIDE
PROGRAM MANAGER

Spend a few moments in conversation with Josh Scott, and his passion for the outdoors will be immediately obvious. Name an activity and Josh has probably done it…big time. Climbing. Bikepacking. Disc golf. Fly-in fishing trips in northern Canada. Backpacking the entire Appalachian trail. But paddlesports—especially sea kayaking—hold a special place in Josh’s heart. As a former college athlete, Josh combines coaching acumen with a genuine desire to make outdoor activities accessible to all. Josh is an ACA L3 Coastal Kayak instructor. and a Wilderness First Responder.

Hannah Kelling

Since 2013, Hannah has made a career in outdoor recreation. She’s worked as a trip leader and administrator for college outdoor programs, a challenge course / high ropes facilitator, and has been a coastal kayak guide and instructor with 41 North since 2018. She currently works in land conservation, helping to protect and preserve outdoor spaces in Northeast Ohio. Hannah holds a ACA L3 Coastal Kayak instructor certification. There’s not a kinder, more patient, or more student-centered instructor on our staff. Just make sure you call her Hannah (Hahn-uh) not Hannah (Hann-ah). :)

LEAD INSTRUCTOR & GUIDE

Dale Versteegen

Dale Versteegen strives to create a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment where every student, regardless of their abilities, can thrive.

In addition to holding an ACA L3 Coastal Kayak instructor certification, Dale brings a wealth of experience in introducing both adults and youth to outdoor adventure. His background in outdoor education includes leading multiday experiential learning trips in the Pacific Northwest, facilitating high ropes courses, and working with urban communities to improve access to outdoor recreation for youth.

LEAD INSTRUCTOR & GUIDE