Our Staff
"The Sail Caribbean staff is by far the best summer camp staff I've ever known…all really friendly and open to hear my thoughts. They were truly awesome."
Adam Lonner, age 13, Los Angeles, CA
Our staff of skilled instructors, leaders and role models is the driving force behind Sail Caribbean's success. Many are teachers during the school term who join us for the summer, year after year. Our sailing staff is second to none. Among them you’ll find "blue-water" professionals, sailing Olympians, and America's Cup crewmates. Our scuba staff is comprised of full-time, year-round professional PADI dive instructors who boast teaching experience from all corners of the globe. Whether on land or at sea, they all share for a passion for their work and a desire to instill that passion in the teens they mentor.
Mike Liese, Northport, NY
Twenty-Ninth Year - Founder/Director
Mike Liese is a sailor—he grew up navigating the waters of Long Island Sound. But he's also a father, educator and, most of all, a mentor. After obtaining his Masters in Education from Penn State University, Mike spent the next 17 years in education, first, as a high school teacher and, later, as director of the successful Alternative School Program in New York. In 1979, when he made a life-changing decision to combine his passion for teaching with his love of sailing, Sail Caribbean was born. Thousands of teens have been the beneficiaries. Almost 30 years later, Mike remains committed to his original vision of empowering young people to reach heights they never thought possible.
Delly Harrigan, West End, Tortola, BVI
Twenty-Ninth Year - Cultural Director
A local of Tortola, Delly is one of the most beloved personalities on staff. He shares his wisdom and stories about Caribbean culture as well as a mastery of boats and sailing born of decades of experience. As a former chief boat mechanic, Delly knows every last nut and bolt on the boats we sail and loves to teach our students how they work. Whatever it is you learn from Delly, the one thing you'll remember most is his big island smile.
Melisande Rowe, East End, Tortola
Twelfth Year - Sail Caribbean Divers Dive Director
This Texan chose scuba fins over cowboy boots as Sail Caribbean's dive director and master instructor. Melisande put her know-how into practice to develop Sail Caribbean's summer scuba programs. Melisande now concentrates her efforts on Sail Caribbean Divers, our year-round dive center in the British Virgin Islands.
Mike Rowe, East End, Tortola
Eighth Year - PADI Course Director
Mike makes the toughest tasks seem easy and his enthusiasm for the job is infectious. As a PADI-certified Course Director, Mike is "an instructor of instructors", having certified over 800 dive professionals. With almost 25 years in the dive industry, his expertise makes him a valuable resource for Sail Caribbean. His keen focus on customer service combined with his unique sense of humor and charisma keep our adult and teenage divers engaged and driven while they have fun.
Seventh Year - Program Director
Stuart is one of our most physically active staffers. He bikes, rock climbs, sails, and cooks, all while working his way toward medical school. A water-sports enthusiast, he worked as sailing master and then waterfront director for Rodney Scout Reservation on the Chesapeake Bay before joining Sail Caribbean. Stuart's creativity, intelligence, and enthusiasm for the outdoors make him a great leader for both students and staff. He recently graduated from Boston University with a Masters degree and plans to attend medical school next fall.
Nathaniel Deknatel-Brookline, MA
Sixth Year-Program Director
Camp Nonquitt on Cape Cod is where Nathaniel began his career of educating teens. He was a counselor for six summers, but spent his down time boating around Cape Cod. Nathaniel traded the east coast for the bustle of Los Angeles where he ran cross country and track for Occidental College. He completed a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) semester backpacking, rock climbing, and sailing in the Pacific Northwest. Nathaniel just completed a two-year internship teaching at the Epiphany School, an independent, tuition-free, middle school for children of economically disadvantaged families from Boston neighborhoods.
Sam Harvey, Dunedin, New Zealand
Fifth Year – Program Director/Dive Coordinator
A native New Zealander, Sam's been surfing since he was 13 years old. His love of the water has taken him to some of the most exotic places on earth- the Kingdom of Tonga, the Great Barrier Reef, and Japan among them—where he sailed and served as a scuba diving instructor. Now based in the U.S., Sam is pursuing his love of rugby in this devout football nation, while following his passion for acoustic guitar. Sam is in our New York office from September through May and can assist you in finding the best program to suit your needs.
Melissa Welesko, North Kingstown, RI
Fourth Year - Program Director / Community Service Coordinator
Melissa's travels have taken her far and wide. This outdoor adventurer has hiked the Inca Trail at Macchu Picchu in Peru, and the rainforests of Costa Rica. While a student at George Washington University, she helped tutor children and build schools in Belize and Peru, and later interned with the Peace Corps. No wonder coordinating community service programs for Sail Caribbean is such a perfect fit for her. Melissa is in our New York office from Sept. through May and can assist you in finding the best program to suit your needs.
Dave Craig, Prescott, AZ
Fourth Year - Program Director
Dave is a professional outdoor educator with experience teaching a wide variety of outdoor skills in mountain, river and ocean environments over the past twenty years. Dave is a mariner and marine naturalist who not only teaches sailing, sea kayaking, free-diving and scuba, but also has an intimate knowledge of the ocean and the life it supports. During the school year, Dave teaches in the adventure education program at Prescott College, where he conducts extended diving and sea kayaking marine study expeditions in Mexico's Sea of Cortez.
Tim Westmoreland - London, Ontario, Canada
Fourth year – Program Director
Despite growing up in Canada, Tim has family roots in the Caribbean and grew up hearing stories about life in Jamaica. He started sailing as a boy and earned his Canadian Yachting Association certification. He went on to become head instructor at the Fanshawe Yacht Club Sailing in London, Ontario, before joining Sail Caribbean. Now completing a Bachelors degree in Political Science and Philosophy at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Tim loves music, skiing, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He credits Sail Caribbean for developing his love of cruising but still gets his greatest rush from sailing performance dinghies.
Katie Upton-Cambridge, MA
Fourth Year – Program Director
Katie grew up as a bi-coastal sailor navigating the waters off Maine and Washington. She later spent an entire year sailing around the Caribbean and then all the way up the East Coast with her family. Katie was a camp counselor at Little Wohelo in Maine and then went onto a three-year stint as a sailing instructor. Katie is currently a flight instructor for Horizon Aviation out of Norwood Airport in Mass.
Laurel Gaudet, Epping, NH
Fourth Year - Program Director
New Hampshire born and bred, Laurel grew up a year-round sports enthusiast, hiking, skiing, scuba diving—you name it. Her sailing adventures have taken her all over, from the British Virgin Islands, up and down the East Coast and over to Europe. At the University of New Hampshire, she earned her degree in oceanography and ocean engineering and discovered her love for competitive sailing.
HEADING OUR NEW YORK OFFICE:
Janice Jay, Northport, NY
Fifteenth Year - Operations Director
You may recognize Janice as the knowledgeable voice at the other end of the phone. She's the year-round manager of our New York office. During the summer Janice splits her time between the U.S. and the islands, coordinating the Tortola, Leeward Island, and New York offices to ensure everyone has what they need for smooth sailing.
Charlie Montgomery, Northport, NY
Eleventh Year - Finance Director
Charlie is part of our 'old school' staff who returned after 12 years in the corporate world. Charlie started sailing when he was eight at Camp Viking on Cape Cod and became one of their head sailing instructors. He joined Sail Caribbean in 1984 as a captain and served as a program director for four years. Nowadays, he melds his financial expertise with inside knowledge of how Sail Caribbean runs to continue our tradition as the leader in the Sailing and Scuba adventure industry.
OUR DEDICATED NY OFFICE CREW:
Vicky Hochhauser, Sharon Fricker, Carol Schwier, Dora Raleigh, June Ingraham and Connie Insignares