Staff Biographies
Our diverse staff here at LARP Adventure Program come from a variety of professional backgrounds. They possess skills and specialties across the broad range of activities that take place in our programming. All of our staff are working professionals with clear organizational responsibilities and purposes, whether they are members of the leadership staff, core staff, or auxiliary staff. However, they also participate of the same rank system that our youth participate in. In that way, they are instantly connected to the youth and share a community responsibility beyond their position with L.A.P. Thus, all of our staff are identified by both their rank and their positions within the program.
Eric Love
Director and Founder
An award-winning professional artist in the fine and performing arts, Eric has been teaching art, music, technology, science, theater, martial arts, and self-development for the last two decades. Starting in 2002-2005 with the Fine Arts Museum of Springfield MA, Eric has been developing the curriculum behind LARP Adventure Program for well over a decade.
From 2006 onwards, Eric began teaching his curriculum in the Metro Boston area until formalizing the organization in 2012. Presently, Eric serves as L.A.P.’s director, for programming and development. Having attained his B.A. in Fine Arts at Bradford College, Eric has achieved an M.Ed. in Community Arts at Lesley University. In addition, he is an initiated cultural leader in multiple traditions and holds five black belts in the Bagwa-Chung, Kendo, Aikido, Karate, and Kempo schools of martial arts.
His certifications include QPR Leadership, CERT-Safe, Mandated Reporter, First Aid/CPR, and other cultural leadership certifications.
Jennifer Iannaconi
Program Coordinator
Jenn is a self-proclaimed “Chaos Management Artist” and she has worked in a number of different fields since graduating from Hampshire College in 1998. At Hampshire she majored in Educational Toy Design, focusing her studies on play theory as it applies to child development. After a brief stint working in the toy industry, she switched gears to e-commerce & marketing.
Her work with LAP began in the spring of 2019 and she took care of many behind-the-scenes tasks like updating the website, putting together newsletters and posting on social media. After taking on the role of managing the IT needs that come from having a virtual office she then started building digital tools to make staff lives easier. In May of 2022, she accepted that the job title of Program Coordinator was the most accurate description of her role.
When Jenn isn’t herding the LAP community she runs a size-inclusive online store for her geek-centric fashion designs or helping small businesses in Western Massachusetts create a web presence. She is also on the Board for a new Renaissance Faire opening in 2023.
Nicki Bauman
Game Logistics Manager & Instructor
Nicki joined LAP as a student in 2009. Since then, she has taken a leading role within LAP, directing events, teaching at all locations and summer camps, and leading the Player Logistics team. In addition to her involvement with LAP, Nicki works full-time as an elementary school teacher. Her extensive classroom experience helps her engage and support our youth.
Nicki attended Wheaton College, Massachusetts, where she studied English and Education. She is certified as a QPR Instructor and Emergency Medical Responder and volunteers as a Crisis Counsel
Alison Love
Accounting Consultant
Alison has been with LARP Adventure Program from the beginning in 2011 and helped grow the company from a single after school program with three contract workers to include after school programs in three locations, day camps during school breaks, a summer camp, and immersive international events with as many as twenty-five contract workers at one time. Most of her responsibilities include the daily administrative operations of programming, including enrollment, community information, invoicing, finances, and overall operation. She is a musician, artist, kickboxer, and gamer nerd who found a niche in office administration. She has been in the office world working since as early as 2005 and is currently enrolled in school to complete a BA in Accounting.
Todd Wood
Instructor
As a Cape Cod native (saltwater in the blood and sand in the shoes) Todd learned to occupy the long winter months with things like Dungeons and Dragons, musical theatre, crafting, and LARP from a very young age. He was very involved in community leadership through the 4-H program and has won several awards for his development of youth enrichment programming.
After obtaining his BS in Clinical Psychology with a Minor in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst he traveled the world before returning to New England.
Todd began working with L.A.P. in 2017 after discovering that it was in fact feasible to do what you love as a job. Nowadays you can find him running D&D games, teaching core curriculum, Directing events, developing Customer Service, and scheming up new ways to present art and education to the community. In his personal time, he enjoys photography, pyrography, fire spinning, leatherwork, gaming, and hiking.
The current running theory, since no one seems to be able to properly ascertain Todd’s true age, is that he is actually a 300 year old lich. Information as to the whereabouts of his phylactery or horcrux can be emailed directly to the L.A.P. office.
Turner Winkler
Counselor & Instructor
Turner Winkler has been with LAP since 2010, and spends most of his time as a Councilor and lead NPC leadership. He helps make sure events and classes run smoothly and helps cover for staff when needed. Turner has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo and is currently working towards his Masters of Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Turner has multiple STEM certifications and awards, from most enthusiastic engineer to MRI Saftey.
Turner is a professional Dungeon & Dragons aficionado and fitness enthusiast. He has competed and medaled in bouldering events, crew regattas, and frisbee tournaments. He brings this physical knowledge to make sure LAP students are safe, healthy & educated.
Doggos
Lobo Love
Assistant Director
Lobo is a dog with noble lineage, a descendant of the dogs cast as “dire wolves” on Game of Thrones. He received his Canine Good Citizen Certification in 2019 and is currently training to become a therapy dog. His responsibilities include eating cheese, playing, and making everybody smile. He enjoys belly rubs and ham.
Figment Audacity Johnson, Esq.
Of the legal firm Johnson & Cheese & Marketing Intern
This is Fig’s first job since moving to Massachusetts and she’s excited to learn about marketing and LARPing, just as soon as she masters her basic commands. For now her responsibilities include eating, sleeping and supervising all marketing related tasks. Her hobbies include digging holes in the yard and pruning trees to make sticks.