2025 Agenda
The 2025 Sailing Leadership Forum agenda is now available for a first look! While this is a draft and subject to updates, it offers a fantastic preview of the exciting event we have planned for February 2025. Breakout sessions and speakers will be featured below as they become available - stay tuned for more!
Click here to view the draft agenda.
2025 Keynotes
Dr. Greg Wells
Expert on Optimizing Health, Wellness, and Peak Performance | Bestselling Author
Dr. Greg Wells is a renowned health and high-performance expert. He has dedicated his career to studying the science of human limits and developing practical strategies to help individuals and organizations perform at their best, even under the most challenging circumstances. With over 25 years of experience working with Olympic and world champions as well as top performing organizations, Wells draws parallels between elite athletes and top executives to help audiences optimize their health and performance.
A veteran endurance athlete, Wells has participated in some of the most grueling physical challenges on the planet, including the Nanisivik Marathon, 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle; Ironman Canada; and the Tour D’Afrique, an 11,000km cycling race that is the longest in the world. He has also explored every imaginable terrain and condition in more than 50 countries, making him a true travel and expedition adventurer.
Wells is the author of five books, including the bestsellers Superbodies; The Ripple Effect; The Focus Effect; and Rest, Refocus, Recharge. His latest book, Powerhouse: Protect Your Energy, Optimize Your Health, and Supercharge Your Performance is an insightful guide to achieving optimal health and high performance in all areas of life.
With a PhD in Physiology and previous experience as an associate professor at the University of Toronto and senior scientist at Sick Kids Hospital, Wells brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his practical and actionable presentations. He has delivered keynote at such renowned events as TEDx and The Titan Summit and shared the stage with luminaries including Robin Sharma, Richard Branson, Steve Wozniak, and Deepak Chopra.
Wells is currently the CEO and founder of Wells Performance, a global consulting firm committed to helping teams, schools, and businesses become places where people get healthy, perform optimally, and reach their potential.
Anje-Marijcke van Boxtel
Organizational Psychologist, Executive (Team) Coach in Business and Sports
Assisting organizations in getting the best out of their people, coaching people to get the best out of themselves - that, in short, is what Anje-Marijcke van Boxtel excels at. ‘My passion lies in translating the latest scientific insights into the practice of coaching people, teams and organizations. This to make your learning and performance more effective, more sustainable and more fun!’. ‘When environments are constantly changing, we all have to anticipate changing conditions, adjusting to elements over which we have no control. Agility requires steep learning curves, especially during the race; handling your inner demons, realizing your unlimited potential, getting the best out of yourself and the best out of each other.
It makes great demands upon everybody’s leadership. And calls for a personal compass to sail on. In that perspective the daily practices of businesses and big boat ocean sailing turn out much the same; in a VUCA world it is all about learning and growing instead of ego and knowing’.
Anje-Marijcke works across the globe as an executive (team) coach, a keynote speaker and a thought leader. She is an organizational psychologist. Anje-Marijcke works with global corporates as a lead partner on leadership and team development. She is committed 24/7 to help leaders to grow their positive impact and performance. She coaches executives (senior management/board level), She designs and delivers customized approaches to grow high-performance business and sports teams.
Anje-Marijcke is an author and she lectures in business schools and masterclasses. While Anje-Marijcke predominantly works in the international business community, she also enjoys venturing into professional sports. During The Volvo Ocean Race, she coached Team Brunel (’14-’15 and ’17-’18). In 2023 her 11th Hour Racing Team won The Ocean Race.
"Coach" Reed Maltbie
Consultant | Author | Coach | Athlete
With dual master's degrees in sports psychology and education, and three decades of professional coaching experience, Coach Reed Maltbie has established himself as a global authority on cultivating and achieving peak performance, high-performance communication, mental skills training, creating cultures of excellence, and leadership development.
As a trusted expert, he is a sought-after educator and advisor, having worked with organizations like State Farm Insurance, Civil Air Patrol, Proctor and Gamble, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, PGA Canada, Gaelic Games Association, Sport New Zealand, and US Sailing. He has logged nearly 1,000 hours on stages in the last 20 years honing his craft so he can amplify the impact of what he has to teach to his audiences.
Beyond his captivating virtual and in-person keynotes and workshops, Coach Reed is a prolific writer and on-air guest and his invaluable insight has been featured on CNN, ESPN, ESPN Radio, Huffington Post, NBC SportsEngine, the MLS' Cincinnati FC broadcast booth, the Player Development Project, and SiriusXM Radio.
Coach Reed's compelling 2015 TEDx talk, "Echoes Beyond the Game," remains essential viewing for leaders who want to build transformational relationships with their teams. His unwavering dedication to developing leaders who transform lives and teaching them to create peak-performance environments remains a driving force in his work.
In 2023, Coach Reed released his highly anticipated debut solo book, "The Spartan Mindset: Mastering the Language of Excellence." This international bestseller (in 5 countries!), delves into the profound impact of language on performance. It is an essential read for individuals and teams striving to become more effective and supportive communicators within high-pressure, competitive environments.
Today, Coach Reed primarily focuses on helping high performers leverage the skills they forged in sports to achieve performance excellence beyond the game. In addition to coaching others, he is a flow hunter - searching for the best ways to unlock and cultivate flow states. His expansive coaching experience, at all levels of sports, has proven flow is accessible by anyone, anytime, anywhere.
His book, "The Spartan Mindset: Mastering the Language of Excellence" can be found at your favorite booksellers.
Stay tuned for more keynote announcements!
Featured Breakout Sessions
Focus Tracks:
- Executive Leadership
- Innovation, Sustainability, and Technology
- Accessibility and Inclusion
- Trends, Participation, and Growth
- Safety On and Off the Water
- Regatta Management
- Program Development
- Offshore - new for 2025!
Executive Leadership
Successful Fundraising Leadership: Building A Championship Quality Fundraising Program and Coaching a A High Performing Fundraising Team
Presented By: Steven Schwartz, CEO, Philanthropic Visions
Navigating Turbulent Financial Waters: Prudent Strategic Planning for Yacht Club Stability
Presented By: Katie Martz, Director of Institutional Business Development & Marketing, Stansberry Asset Management and Mario Valente, Portfolio Manager and Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Stansberry Asset Management
Club-Owned Keelboats as a Business Model
How have programs successfully owned and managed fleets-- specifically bigger boats? This panel will walk you through business models, membership growth opportunities, pricing and access, maintenance, storage, insurance, and pricing.
Presented By: Dave Perry, Pequot Yacht Club, Paul Lang, Mission Bay Aquatic Center
Setting You Up for Success: Build That Grant Pipeline
What to do when you know you need to write grants, but you have no idea where to find the funds. This session will walk through some of the larger foundations and funding sources and will then talk through how to locate local funding sources. The session will also cover how to build out the grant pipeline and manage it.
Presented By: Mary Ellen DeFrias, Member, Race Management Committee, Area Race Officer Working Group, Race Officer Training and Certification Working Group
Innovation, Sustainability, and Technology
Unlocking the Toolbox: 8 Steps to Build your Sustainability Strategy
How to implement a sustainability program using The Toolbox, a free suite of guides, tools and templates created by 11th Hour Racing Team for the benefit of the wider community to make sustainability strategy accessible for any organization - no matter the size or industry sector. Join us to learn how The Toolbox can help guide your sustainability journey.
Presented By: Damian Foxall, Managing Director, Foxall Munro Ltd.
STEM Educational Pathways to Grow the Sport
Attendees will learn about the challenges met and creative strategies employed when unique partnerships with local school districts to introduce students to the marine environment and sailing organizing, a 4th Grade Learn-to-Sail Course, and funding & managing a five-school 8th grade DF95 Model Building Program. Attendees will also get a report on last year’s progress and the outlook for these programs in 2025 and beyond.
Presented By: Megan Strand, New England Science & Sailing, Cortney Kingsley, Sail Newport, Sam Gervais and Bob Johnstone, Lowcountry Maritime School
Technology and Race Management: Five Lessons Learned About GPS enabled RC Tools Through Two Years of Premier Events at NYYC
The New York yacht Club, working closely with Velocitek, incrementally deployed a start automation system at its premier events over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, culminating in the first use of a high-accuracy RTK GPS race management and tracking system outside of SailGP and the America's Cup.
Presented By: Alec Stewart, Velocitek, Stan Honey, Honey Navigation, Lynn Lynch and Tom Duggan, New York Yacht Club
Accessibility and Inclusion
Innovative Inclusion: Building A Strong Institutional Foundation to Enhance Diversity and Inclusion in Maritime Training
This exciting and interactive presentation will highlight the two-year trajectory of building the Seafarers Summer Seamanship School in Annapolis, MD. Based at the Seafarers Yacht Club, one of the oldest historically Black yacht clubs in the country, the Seafarers Summer Seamanship School built upon an historic 18-year Summer Youth Program to develop an inclusive one-week boating training program that included two days of powerboat instruction, two days of keelboat sailing instruction, and one day of cruising, and two-days of dinghy sailing, all following the US Sailing, Powerboating curriculum, and REACH modules.
Presented By: Dr. Derek Cogburn, Commodore, Seafarers Yacht Club, Inc. and Sean Manuel Cogburn-Enchautegui, High School sailor at Indian Creek School in Annapolis and Quarterdeck member of Sea Scout Ship 1959
Adaptive Sailing Sampler: A Tasting Menu of Inclusive Program Essentials
Primarily hands-on tasting of what is offered in the adaptive workshop and how it can benefit all organization. The sailing population is aging, and if clubs can offer adaptive programming, they have the opportunity to keep their members engaged longer. The session will act as a teaser to get leaders of sailing clubs and programs interested in adaptive sailing. We will: dispel myths about liability, difficulty of including in their programming, and discuss skill development opportunities for coaches/instructors/program directors
Presented By: Besty Alison, Adult Director, US Sailing, Deb Sullivan, and Chris Childers, US Sailing Adaptive Instructor Trainer
Can You Make a Sailor in a Day? The Case for Short-Duration Sailing Programs
This session explores the role of short-duration sailing programs in creating accessible, impactful pathways for new and diverse boating enthusiasts. Drawing from youth sports participation trends and techniques adapted from the "Surf Therapy" field, this session will present a compelling case for the value of brief, engaging sailing experiences. Attendees will gain insights into how short-duration programs introduce skills and foster a sense of belonging in ways that are approachable for new participants.
Presented By: Scott Herman, Executive Director & Founder, Spectrum Sailing, and Chris Childers
Why Women's Events Matter
Sailing is more than just a way to navigate the open water - it's a profound journey toward independence and confidence. For many women, learning to sail and being with their peers on the water represents an opportunity to break free from comfort zones, embrace new challenges, and cultivate self-assurance. This session will cover a case for why women's-only events matter and the opportunities they create. We will hear from a variety of speakers representing the country about their experiences, successful events, and lessons learned along the way!
Presented By: Debby Grimm, President, National Women's Sailing Association, Erica Trejo, Owner, Great Lakes Sailing Foundation, Kim Stanford, Women's Events Committee Chair, San Diego Yacht Club
Differently, Teaching Well: Helping Youth with Learning Difference Build Confidence Through Sailing
Helping youth with learning differences build their self-confidence, independence, and personal growth by combing SEL methods and learning to sail.
Presented By: Jane Millman, Executive Director, Brendan Sailing
The Community Sailing Committee - Meet the Members and Open Forum
Open meeting for the Community Sailing Commitee with brief agenda of working items and egagement with Community Sailing affliated attendees
Presented By: Don Rotzein, Community Sailing Committee Chair
Trends, Participation, and Growth
From the Base to the Top- US Sailing's Youth Performance and ODP Programs
Led by US Sailing's Rosie Chapman, Phil Muller, and John Pearce this presentation will walk through US Sailing's Performance Pathway, including ODP and US Youth Team. Join us to learn about the details of the program's structure at each level and how at each level and how sailors, coaches, programs, and clubs can get involved.
Presented By: Rosie Chapman, Olympic Development Program Director, Phil Muller, Youth Performance Manager, and John Pearce, Youth Racing Director
Ask Them What They Want - A Young Leaders Panel
Join us for a Q&A discussion with the next generation of sailing leaders. This moderated panel features emerging leaders under the age of 25, who are cutting their own path and reimagining the future of the sport.
Presented By: West Walker, Madeline Mulligan, and Conor Mastromarco. Moderator: John Pearce
Tell Tales: Stories and Lessons Learned from Sailing Program Leadership
Lighthearted recounting of relatable mistakes with lessons learned and practical next steps from an experienced panel of sailing program leadership.
Presented By: Samantha Labuzetta, Joel Labuzetta, and Doug Reynolds, Larchmont Yacht Club
Flip the Switch: Powerboating Programs
How powerboating programs can support your org's sailing efforts. We will discuss the importance of small powerboats to programming; what exists from US Sailing and what courses you can offer; strategies to using small powerboats outside of the jr sailing season for training and revenue resources; what it takes to host a course.
Presented By: Mette Segerblom, Program Coordinator, OCC School of Sailing & Seamanship and Kim Hapgood, Program Director, Sail Newport
Offshore - New for 2025!
Scoring 101: Scoring Methods for Offshore Racing and How to Implement Them
Panel discussion on offshore racing scoring methods including: PHRF, 5-band, triple number, custom scoring, PCS, F-TCF. This session will cover how to implement these methods and best practices.
Presented By: Jim Teeters, Offshore Director, US Sailing, Ed Cesare, Chair, US Sailing's Offshore and Technology Committee, Stan Honey, Honey Navigation, and Alan Andrews
Opportunities and Challenges: Overview and Advancements in Handicap Racing
Moderated panel discussion centered around the pros, cons, and future of the handicap systems in the US (PHRF, ORC, ORR, etc.), and future of Offshore Sailing in the US.
Presented By: Jim Teeters and friends
Program Management
Colors and Letters: Rethinking Youth Racing for Retention and Development
Green Fleet Optis are treated at many clubs as another year of Learn to Sail, which disadvantages your program and does not provide the sailors the tools needed when they do transition to Championship Fleet. Rethink your approach to Green Fleet, they are capable of way more than you know!
Presented By: Max Plarr, Director of Sailing, Hampton Yacht Club, and Erik Hallback, Junior Sailing Director, San Diego Yacht Club
Attracting, Training, and Retaining Legacy Instructors and Coaches
Regatta Management
Recruiting and Training Race Committee Volulnteers
Tips to create a grow a future pipeline of Race Officials. US Sailing's Race Committee Fundamentals class is a fun way to engage volunteers with little to no experience with racing. Understand the audience this class is created for and learn how to offer this course at your club to enhance your race committee volunteers.
Presented By: Mary Ellen DeFrias, Member, Race Management Committee, Area Race Officer Working Group, Race Officer Training and Certification Working Group and Cynthia Parthemos, Chair, Area Race Officer Working Group of US Sailing
What's New in the Racing Rules for 2025-2028
Dave Perry explains the significant changes in the 2025-2028 Racing Rules of Sailing that racers, officials and OAs need to know. Review the overview document [we will link to the overview document when it’s available] in advance and bring your questions to this interactive session.
Dave will be available during SLF to sign his books!
Presented By: Dave Perry, Author, Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing through 2028, Dave Perry’s 100 Best Racing Rules Quizzes and Winning in One-Designs
Attracting, Training, and Retaining Legacy Instructors and Coaches
Bring the Fun back to Racing using Innovative Regatta Formats
Present new and inventive ways to get away from the typical drop mark windward-leeward courses with the objective of increasing participation and introducing new sailors to less intimidating race formats.
Presented By: Bruce Bingman, Annapolis YC/Storm Trysail Club/New York Yacht Club, Taran Teague, International Race Officer, and Nevin Sayre, Master of Ceremonies, O'pen Skiff Class USA
Panel Discussion: What Does it Take to Run the "Greatest Regatta Ever"?
What does it take to put on "the greatest regatta ever"? Hear from surprise guests on what is needed to take your regatta to the next level and have it stand out as a world class event.
Safety On and Off the Water
An Emergency Management Approach to Program Safety
This session will introduce sailing program leadership to the phases of the emergency management cycle, and how each phase can apply to their program's safety. We will explore Community Boating's emergency action plan through the lenses of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Presented By: Evan McCarty, Director of Auxiliary Services, Community Boating Boston