Youth Maritime Programs

Associate Program Manager
Chrissy has worked as an experiential educator on or near our local waters for over 20 years, and has worked at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, the North Olympic Salmon Coalition, the WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife, as a classroom teacher, an Outward Bound instructor, and as a sea kayaking guide. Chrissy is also a regular crew member on the Schooner Martha. She has her Master’s in Teaching, a Washington State K-8 teaching credential, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Education. When she’s not at work, you can find Chrissy eating her favorite snack, guacamole, at her small homestead that she shares with her husband, lots of chickens, two cats, and sometimes goats.

Program Director
Robin began her career in maritime education as an instructor for Outward Bound’s NW Sailing program in 1994. She has worked on sail-training ships in a variety of programs on both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In 2003 Robin received her master’s degree in Education and began teaching in public schools before staying home to raise her three children. Now in the commercial fishing industry with her family since 2014, Robin has been told her daughters can tend a dock line better than some fisherman! If you’d like to treat Robin to lunch, she likes veggie dogs with bacon.

School Program Manager
Nancy brings to the team her passions for sailing and marine science along with an extensive background in experiential learning programs on the east and west coasts. She holds a degree in Environmental and Marine Science Education, is a USCG licensed Captain since 2002, and has served as the Education Director of Sound Experience, as Field Instructor for Olympic Park Institute, and as Captain/Instructor for Outward Bound. NWMC School Program Manager since 2007, when Nancy isn’t out on the water she enjoys singing, playing guitar, birdwatching, and gardening. Nancy’s biggest role model is Terry Tempest Williams, but Flipper the dolphin is a close second.

School Program Coordinator
Sonia comes to us with a wealth of experience in sailing aboard Outward Bound longboats, Schooner Adventuress, Schooner Martha, Yawl Pacifica, and on her own sailboat, Freya. She was a sailing instructor for Four Winds/Westward Ho on Orcas Island, and has been our School Program Coordinator since 2014. Licensed with her 100-ton Inland and 50-ton Near Coastal captain’s licenses, we think she’s pretty cool. When she’s not sailing, Sonia enjoys bowling, playing her slide trombone, and eating cookies.

Head Instructor, Messing About in Boats
Messing about in boats goes back to Taylor’s earliest memories of childhood growing up in Central Florida, the land of one thousand lakes. She went to Sea Camp during the summers in the Florida Keys, going on overnight sails and exploring reefs—summers that fostered her love for sailing. She attended the University of South Florida where she was able to sail during her free time while studying Historical Preservation and Education. Living in Port Townsend has given her the opportunity to engage in a maritime community and tap into a wellspring of knowledge that she hopes to help pass along to future generations through education and adventure.

Head Instructor, Learn to Sail
Alejandro is our fantastic lead instructor for Learn To Sail. He has been an assistant instructor since 2015, and before that was himself a student in the program. He was a part of the Port Townsend High School sailing team for 4 years as both crew and skipper. Alejandro is a student at the University of Washington, and lives in Port Townsend during the summers. He will be a sophomore this fall. When he isn’t getting kids stoked on sailing, he enjoys playing the piano and ukulele.