Camp Directors
Rob Wipfler
Spending every day focusing on Kingswood is my dream come true. I’ve never missed a summer at camp in my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. For sixteen years, I was the 4th grade teacher at The Hill School in Middleburg, Virginia. At camp, I am out and about overseeing the action and with the boys as much as possible. I also serve as a lifeguard, boat driver, hiking trip leader, and resident camp naturalist. During the off-season, I enjoy both coordinating camp improvement projects as well as meeting prospective camper and their parents via Zoom. Getting the right camp fit is essential for both the child and for Kingswood. My twins, Maddie and Lexi, joined the team in the summer of 2017. They love camp! My parents, Bob and Alice, started running Kingswood in 1985, when I was just ten years old. Both of them remain every bit as hands-on as I endeavor to be.
Mike Wipfler
My parents became owners and directors of Kingswood when I was 5 years old, and I have been lucky enough to spend every succeeding summer on the shores of Lake Tarleton. After graduating from Davidson College (2001), I spent the next nineteen years teaching at The Hill School, an independent JK-8 school in Middleburg, Virginia, where I was a homeroom teacher, history teacher, coach, and administrator. In 2020 I decided to join my brother in the family business, where together we work to ensure that current campers and future generations have summers full of joy, friendship, opportunity, and growth, just like we experienced in our days as campers. During the “off-season” I live in Middleburg, Va with my wife, Cristin, and our children, Liam (12) and Olivia (7). While I am far away from campus for most of the year, camp is never far from my mind, and I thoroughly enjoy working on all the “behind the scenes” elements of camp, especially working to find counselors who will be great teachers and role models for our campers. During the summer, one of my main responsibilities is program director. My goal is to have a program that takes advantage of our beautiful surroundings and mirrors the diversity of our camp – offering competitive inter-camp and intra-camp tournaments, more casual pick-up or “original” games, opportunities to play music or make art, and moments to relax and enjoy some down time…and of course, getting kids out on the water and up in the mountains.
Bob Wipfler
Known then as Bobby, I went to camp in 1951, at age four. Mom and dad were teachers and took a job at Camp Norway in Vermont “so we could afford to buy our first television set,” as dad later told me. Of course, that first summer I was too young to live in a cabin with boys, so I had to stay in a cottage with my mother. To this day, I easily recall running away from mom every day and hiding under a bed in Cabin 1. Mom had the fix: The following summer, she placed me in that very bunk and when, as she knew would happen, I got emotionally clobbered by much older boys and ran back home to her, she sent me packing back to Cabin 1, saying literally, “You made your bed, so sleep in it!”
Sixty years later, I can report having missed only two camp summers in the interim. Eighteen years at Norway, another thirteen at a camp on Squam Lake in New Hampshire, and now over thirty years at Kingswood, I can say with a certain assuredness, “I know boys.” Those were all boys’ camps, as is Landon School, in Bethesda, Maryland, where I taught Middle School and coached baseball and soccer for nineteen years. I “retired” from Landon in 1988, enabling me to spend all my time on Kingswood. With all that fabulous help I get at camp, especially from family members, I can spend my days roaming about the grounds, observing boys, and getting to know every one of them personally. I never tire of Kingswood issues, so feel free to contact me at any time with your questions. I’ll have an answer!
Alice Wipfler
Having been at Kingswood for over thirty summers, I never tire of attending and enjoying camp activities. I love getting to know each boy, and his parents as well, for that matter. I also try to make daily life at camp run smoothly, whether it is returning lost and found clothing, making sure each letter home is addressed and stamped, or just giving those little reminders – put on sunblock, wear shoes .. Oh, well, once a mother, always a mother.
Cristin Wipfler
My first summer at Kingswood was in 2004 and I have loved the camp ever since! Over the years, I have enjoyed being a lifeguard, going on hikes, and being there to support my husband, Mike. While my profession as a Registered Dietician and Health Coach (and full time mom!) keep me pretty busy, my naturally strong maternal instincts are always in full-effect; I keep an eye out for safety, emotional states, and making sure it looks like boys are clean, washing their hands before meals, and properly dressed for the weather. Mike and I can’t wait for our son, Liam, to join in the fun full-time in 2021!
Sara Acharya
My first experience at camp was when I was a mere 6 months old! Kingswood has always, and will always be a central part of my life. I studied anthropology at Dickinson College where I cultivated my love of travel and world cultures. I met my husband at college and got married in 2011. He now shares my passion for camp and I share his love for Nepal- his home country. These days I am a professional photographer both off-season and during camp. During the summer I post daily photo reports on the website so that you can get an authentic view into what’s happening at camp. When not taking pictures (almost never!!!), I teach nature photography, and am the self-proclaimed safety czar! I know every camper well and send photo reports to any parent who wants an update on their son.
Baibhav Acharya
I first arrived at Kingswood Camp in the summer of 2009 after Sara convinced me that it is the best place on Earth! Sara and I have now been married for several years and I cannot imagine spending my summers anywhere but at camp. Being an avid cook, I worked in the kitchen for the first three summers, bringing eclectic tastes/dishes from my home country of Nepal to the already superb array of food offerings at Kingswood. In addition, hiking is my favorite outdoor activity and I was blown away by the options available to campers in and around the pristine White Mountains. Needless to day, I jumped on the opportunity and have been on numerous hikes under the Camp’s organization. I would encourage any and all campers to go on camp hikes as they provide great outlets for building friendships and realizing your potential. I work as an energy consultant, a job that I can do from my Kingswood office overlooking the lake and distant hills. What a dream come true.