Thank you for attending the 2025 Sailing Leadership form.
Below are the media files from the 2025 Forum. If you have any questions, you can contact us.
Click here for the Conference Photos
Interactive Post-Event Agenda Below is an interactive schedule of events for the 2025 Forum.
Click on the title of the presentation you'd like to see and it will open a PPTX or PDF of that presentation*.
*We are missing some presentations and will link them when we can. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Thursday, February 6 Schedule
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Sessions
- Executive Leadership | Successful Fundraising Leadership: Building a Fundraising Program and Coaching a Fundraising Team (Steven Schwartz)
- Innovation & Tech | Sustainability Toolbox: Eight Steps to Minimize Your Organization’s Impact (Damian Foxall)
- Accessibility & Inclusion | Rocking the Boat: Fostering Diversity & Inclusion (Juan Pablo Sarmiento Torres, Catherine Banks Baum)
- Trends & Growth | The Foiling Pathway: How We Got Here & Where We’re Going (Tyler Bjorn)
- Offshore | Opportunities & Challenges in PHRF Racing (Jim Teeters, Tom Barnes)
- Regatta Management | Recruiting & Training Race Committee Volunteers (Mary Ellen DeFrias, Cynthia Parthemos)
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Sessions
- Executive Leadership | Navigating Risk & Safety: Insurance & OSHA Essentials (Whitney Peterson, Kellie Crete, Barbara Cooper)
- Innovation & Tech | STEM Educational Pathways to Grow the Sport (New England Science & Sailing, Sail Newport, Lowcountry Maritime School)
- Accessibility & Inclusion | Importance of Independence: Why Women’s Events Matter (Debby Grimm, Erica Trejo, Kim Stanford)
- Trends & Growth | The Journey to the Top: US Sailing’s Youth Performance & ODP Programs (John Pearce, Phil Muller, Rosie Chapman)
- Offshore | Scoring 101: Scoring Methods for Offshore Racing (Ed Cesare, Jim Teeters, Stan Honey, Alan Andrews)
- Regatta Management | Panel Discussion: What It Takes to Run the “Greatest Regatta Ever”
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Sessions
- Executive Leadership | Setting You Up for Success: Building a Grant Pipeline (Mary Ellen DeFrias)
- Innovation & Tech | Maximizing Your US Sailing Membership (US Sailing Staff)
- Accessibility & Inclusion | Teaching Youth with Learning Differences (Jane Millman)
- Trends & Growth | Trends from the 2024 Survey of One Design Classes (Jim Crabtree, Betsy Alison, OD Class Representatives)
- Offshore | Enhancing Leadership Through Offshore Sailing (Renee Mehl, Nancy Haberland)
- Regatta Management | Regatta Management & Race Official Town Hall
Friday, February 7 Schedule
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Sessions
- Executive Leadership | Navigating Turbulent Financial Waters: Strategic Planning for Yacht Club Stability (Mario Valente)
- Innovation & Tech | How Wingfoiling Can Save Sailing (Brendan Healy, Geoff Headington)
- Accessibility & Inclusion | Women in Sailing Leadership Roundtable (Debby Grimm, Marie Rogers)
- Trends & Growth | Leveraging Small Powerboats for Coaching, Safety & Training Excellence (Mette Segerblom, Kim Hapgood, Betsy Alison)
- Offshore | An Emergency Management Approach to Safety (Evan McCarty)
- Regatta Management | What’s New in the New Racing Rules for 2025-28 (Dave Perry)
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Sessions
- Executive Leadership | Habits of Excellence Workshop (Reed Maltbie, Chad Denham)
- Innovation & Tech | Weathering the Storm: Turning Catastrophe into Community (Barbara Cooper, Elizabeth Reynolds, Stephanie Webb)
- Accessibility & Inclusion | Meet the Community Sailing Committee with Q&A (Don Rotzien)
- Trends & Growth | Rethinking Youth Racing for Retention & Development (Max Plarr, Erik Hallback)
- Offshore | The Future of Navigation: Electronic Navigation Essentials
- Regatta Management | Bringing the Fun Back to Sailing Using Innovative Regatta Formats (Bruce Bingman, Taran Teague, Nevin Sayre, Sophie Podlich, Jeff Johnson, Lynn Lynch)
Saturday, February 8 Schedule
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Sessions
- Executive Leadership | Club-Owned Keelboats as a Business Model (Panel: Annapolis Yacht Club, Mission Bay Aquatic Center, Pequot Yacht Club, Sail Newport)
- Innovation & Tech | Technology & Race Management: GPS-enabled RC Tools at NYYC (Beau Vrolyk, Stan Honey, Lynn Lynch, Tom Duggan)
- Accessibility & Inclusion | Can You Make a Sailor in a Day? Exploring Short-Duration Sailing Programs (Chris Childers, Scott Herman)
- Trends & Growth | Ask Them What They Want: Young Leaders Panel (West Walker, Conor Mastromarco, Madeline Mulligan – Moderator: John Pearce)
- Program Development | Attracting, Training & Retaining Legacy Instructors & Coaches (Jodi Weinbecker, Adam Gee)
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Sessions
- Executive Leadership | Board Governance for Non-Profits (David Patterson)
- Innovation & Tech | Impact of Technology on Offshore Racing (Artie Means, Dave MacEwen, Michael Moradzadeh, Stan Honey)
- Accessibility & Inclusion | Panel Discussion: Growing Participation Through Inclusivity (Sam Peirson, Erica Trejo, Ernest Brody – Moderator: Whitney Kent)
- Trends & Growth | Championship Host Networking Session
- Program Development | Lessons from Sailing Program Leadership (Joel Labuzetta, Doug Reynolds, Samantha Labuzetta)