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The Foundation is guided by a Board of Directors that includes some of the country’s top sailors and others with business and philanthropic backgrounds. We are 100% dedicated to helping the Foundation pursue its mission of support for youth and young adult sailors and the sport of sailing.

Susan Daly –Susan has competed at the national and international levels in a wide range of one-design boats and has done extensive cruising and racing in big boats on the East Coast, in the Midwest and Alaska. Currently VP, Marketing at the International Yacht Restoration School, she has worked for several leading sailing companies including Vanguard Sailboats , Quokka Sports, and America3, the women’s America’s Cup team.

Brad Dellenbaugh – Brad is a top sailor, former Olympic campaigner, high-level coach, judge and sailing illustrator. He was the chief umpire for the 2007 America’s Cup and is currently the sailing director for the New York YC in Newport, RI.

David Dellenbaugh – David is a four-time America’s Cup tactician, ten-time national or world champion, coach, author and pro sailor. He is currently the chairman of the US Racing Rules Committee and the publisher of Speed & Smarts newsletter.

Robert Larsen – Bob has had a lifelong involvement with philanthropic endeavors and has spent 70 years as an active recreational and racing sailor. He campaigned in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic trials and was a co-founder of the O’Day corporation.

Dave Perry – Dave was a collegiate all-American and Olympic campaigner. He is currently a judge, a top-level match and team racer, and the author of “Understanding the Racing Rules.” He is also the chairman of the US Appeals Committee, and coached the Swedish team during the 2007 America’s Cup.

Kelly Laferriere - Kelly joined the Board during the winter of 2011. She is a sports media executive with fifteen years experience providing strategic and operations leadership at the world's largest sports entertainment company, ESPN, and the world's largest regional theme park company, Six Flags. She has demonstrated a record of building brands and developing businesses. As Vice President of Programming at ESPN, Kelly played a hand in the America’s Cup media rights acquisitions as well as the coverage of sailing across the ESPN media outlets.

Barry Simson, Treasurer – Barry has been a lifelong cruising and racing sailor. His accomplishments include seven Newport-Bermuda races, a transatlantic race, and various blue water and coastal cruises. He is a member of the Cruising Club of America.

Mary von Conta, President – Mary has been involved with junior sailing for more than 30 years at the local, regional and national level. She is a former chair of the Junior Sailing Association of Long Island Sound and is currently a regional training coordinator for US Sailing.

John Watkins, Vice President – John has raced and cruised sailboats, both inshore and offshore, for over 40 years. He is currently the chief credit officer of the consumer businesses of JP Morgan Chase & Co. and was treasurer of the Episcopal Mission Society, one of the nation’s oldest charities, for five years.

Peter Wilson, Secretary – Peter is an active sailor, senior judge, and sailing coach, spending much of his time with the US optimist class. His sailing experience ranges from 2.4 meters to ocean racers and many one-designs in between. A past division president with P&G, he now serves on public company boards in the medical device market.

Meg Gaillard Myles, Website Administrator – Meg was a long-time member of the US Sailing Team and Europe Dinghy campaigner. She represented the US at the 2004 Olympics in Athens sailing a Europe and was the 2003 US Sailing Female Athlete of the Year.

Alessandra Ghezzi, Marketing Director – Alessandra has worked for the America's Cup Team, Prada and others over the past fifteen years heading up their marketing and media relations. She also works for Rolex in the same capacity. SSF has been very fortunate to have Ale join the 'team' in 2010.