Instructor Emeritus Program

Sam Fowlkes – Level 5: Advanced Swiftwater Rescue ITE and Level 4: Whitewater Canoeing ITE Emeritus

Sam has been involved in paddlesport for 45 years. His connection with the American Canoe Association began in 1977 when he certified as an ACA Instructor while working at the Nantahala Outdoor Center as a guide and instructor. He has been an ACA Whitewater Canoe Instructor Trainer since 1981. For the last 20 years his focus has been on swiftwater rescue instruction and instructor training. Sam’s interests lie in making rescue techniques adaptable and relevant to paddlers.

Sam has also been on the teaching faculty of Western Carolina University for the past eleven years schooling students in water-based sports education. Sam’s other ACA leadership positions include: 12 years as a Divisional Instruction Facilitator, 4 years as SEIC Vice Chair (1996-2000). He served as Chair of the Safety, Education and Instruction Council from 2004-2007 and is a 5-year member of the Board of Directors of the ACA. In addition to receiving the Excellence in Instruction Award in 2005, and the ACA Joe Pena Volunteer of the Year Award in 2002, Sam received the ACA Legends of Paddling award in 2021. Sam is also a Rescue 3 International Instructor Trainer, a WMI WFR and a NC EMT-B. Sam gives special attention to providing a multi-level educational experience. Providing professional level training for colleges, universities, agencies, outfitters, summer camps and clubs for 40 years.

Steve Hutton – Level 5: Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayaking ITE and Level 2: Essentials of Canoe Touring ITE, Level 4: Whitewater Kayaking Instructor, and Adaptive Paddling Instructor Emeritus

Steve Hutton has worked for Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission for over 30 years and currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer. He holds a Master’s Degree in Recreation Management and Administration, and has served as a Board Member and President for the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education, and as a Board Member of the American Canoe Association and Chair of their Safety, Education and Instruction Council. Over the years, Steve has held a variety of ACA credentials as an instructor, instructor trainer and/or instructor trainer educator in whitewater kayak and canoe, freestyle and touring canoe, coastal kayak and adaptive paddling. In 2019, Steve was tasked to lead CCPRC’s efforts to improve accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to serve as CCPRC’s ADA Coordinator. As part of that process, Steve completed his ADA Coordinator Certification in 2020. Steve is passionate about serving the needs of those less fortunate in our community and beyond, and has worked closely with the Charleston County Parks Foundation toward that goal for years.

Robert Dye – Level 4: Whitewater Canoeing Instructor Trainer, Level 5: Advanced Whitewater Canoeing Instructor, Level 4: Swiftwater Rescue, Level 4: Open Water Coastal Kayaking, and Level 4: Whitewater Kayaking Instructor Emeritus

Robert Dye is an accomplished ACA instructor trainer and outdoor educator with almost 40 years as a certified ACA Level 4: Whitewater Canoeing Instructor Trainer, bringing nationally recognized expertise in paddlesports to his teaching and leadership. As an Assistant Professor of Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education at Brevard College since 1999, Dye is widely recognized for his engaging teaching style, his commitment to students, and his ability to extend the classroom far beyond campus walls. He has been honored with many awards for his excellence in teaching, value-centered education, and service to both students and the community.

Dye specializes in outdoor living skills, whitewater canoeing, coastal kayaking, and risk management, and has led expeditions across rivers and lakes throughout the Americas, Canada, Russia, China, and Nepal, including Brevard College’s renowned Voice of the Rivers (VOR) program. His leadership has taken students from Patagonia’s Rio Santa Cruz Rio Negro and to the Catawba-Wateree watershed and the Atlantic coast. In addition to serving as faculty advisor for the Brevard College Outing Club, he also directed the Honors Program, helping shape the college’s academic and experiential learning culture. With degrees from Western Carolina University and Radford University, and through his status as Professor Emeritus of Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education and current role as Director of Brevard Career Advantage program, Dye continues to inspire students through his blend of technical expertise, stewardship, and a deep commitment to education and student success.

Thomas Pasquarello – Level 2: Essentials of River Caneoing – Tandem Instructor Emeritus

Thomas began canoeing in elementary school while attending a summer kids’ camp along a section of French Creek in Pennsylvania, and it has been a lifelong adventure ever since. He has led numerous day trips and multi-day outings for family, friends, Boy Scouts, and church groups, primarily in Pennsylvania and Maryland. His wife and four adult children are all skilled paddlers. He credits the education he received at the Nantahala Outdoor Center and from instructor trainers Mike Aronoff and Beth Wiegandt, and he has learned extensively from authors Cliff Jacobson and Bill Mason, as well as guidebooks by Walter F. Burmeister and Ed Gertler, among others. His favorite teaching stream is Yellow Breeches Creek (Class I) in Pennsylvania, and his favorite whitewater day trip is the Lehigh River (Class II–III), also in Pennsylvania. His wilderness trips have included the St. John River and the Allagash River in northern Maine, the Bonaventure River in eastern Quebec, and the Kopka River in western Ontario. He looks forward to continuing to share his love of canoeing during retirement.