Meet our team.
The Community Sailing Center team is enthusiastic, energetic, and diverse. We have a small group of year-round staff that is supplemented by seasonal employees each summer and supported by dedicated volunteers, board members, and trustees throughout the year.
Management Team
Owen Milne, Executive Director
Owen is passionate about community service and civic engagement and has a long-standing history of non-profit work through volunteerism and board leadership. He has served on the board of directors for United Way of Northwest Vermont, Generator, Leadership Champlain, Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, SerVermont, VT Green Building Network, Partnership for Change, Governors Committee for Employment of People with Disabilities and Northeast Disabled Athletics Association. Prior to the Community Sailing Center, Owen was a workplace consultant for Red Thread and had previously worked as the Development Director for VT Businesses for Social Responsibility. Owen resides in Burlington and is a two-time graduate of Champlain College with both undergraduate and masters degrees in Business Management. In addition to his role at Community Sailing Center, Owen continues service in his role on the Board of Directors at Spectrum Youth and Family Services.
Colin Davis, Operations Director
Colin, a native of Rochester NY, has been part of the team since 2004. With his rich background of sailing instruction and management, he has held a variety of positions including instructor and program director. After helping to create many of the successful systems within the organization, Colin now devotes his time to maintaining our vast fleet and intricate dock system. He is often seen out and about in the boat yard keeping all the nuts and bolts of the CSC in line.
John Nagle, Program Director
John was raised in NY on the shores of the Hudson River. He has 20 years of experience in the field of customer service and office management. John was the Office Manager here at the CSC since 2018. In VT, he was the Office Manager at Adirondack Audiology, then Manager of Bistro de Margot. He spent ten years as the Operations Manager of the Atrium, a food service and establishment in NYC. He is also the co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Vermont Shakespeare Festival. He has been a professional actor, director, as well as adjunct faculty at UVM and St. Michael’s College.
Emily Ridgeway, Development and Communications Manager
Emily is originally a Hoosier from Indiana who realized her love for the water early on. She comes to the Community Sailing Center with over 2 years of experience in the disaster response and non-profit field as well as volunteering within communities all around the country. She is super excited to be working at the Community Sailing Center and providing everyone the chance to get out on the water. She is passionate about empowering others and providing opportunities for communities to thrive. Emily can be found kayaking, skiing, and drinking iced coffee in all seasons.
Janet Callison , Grants and Capital Campaign Manager
Janet learned to sail as a kid on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, taught sailing, built sails, married a sailor, and raced for 25 years. Newly transplanted to Vermont from Ohio, Janet has 20+ years of experience fundraising for nonprofits, specializing in increasing diversity, equity and inclusion for people with disabilities. She is thrilled to have found the perfect convergence of fundraising, sailing and inclusion at CSC, and spends her spare time kayaking, biking, reading, quilting and enjoying time with her husband and two sons in and on Lake Champlain.
Tilly Ettlinger, Office Manager
Tilly was raised in Massachusetts and grew up splashing around in both the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Champlain. With over five years of customer service and office experience, as well as volunteering and community organizing, she’s excited to join the non-profit sector. She’s passionate about CSC’s commitment to bring lake access to all, and believes everyone regardless of background or identity can find a way to enjoy paddling, sailing, or learning on Lake Champlain. She can be found answering phones, outside in the sunshine, or paddle boarding on the water.
Justin Shay, Program Manager
Justin grew up dinghy racing in Buzzards Bay before relocating to Vermont to study physics. He has a background in emergency response, including years spent with Saint Michael’s Fire and continued work in Emergency Communications. His passion for education has led him to teach in a variety of capacities, ranging from High School Chemistry and College Physics to Fire Engine Company Operations and Sailing Instruction.
Hannah Walton, Education Manager
Hannah recently moved to Vermont from Boston, MA, and was born and raised in New England. They enjoyed spending their summers growing up sailing with their dad. They have worked in education in various capacities, first in special education, working with children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and related disabilities. They then transitioned into teaching experiential nature-based STEM education at schools throughout the Northeast for Nature’s Classroom New England and Citysprouts in Boston, MA, before joining the CSC team. In their free time they love to sail, ski, hike, read, and spend time outdoors.
Community Sailing Center Seasonal Staff
A few staff members grew up in the Community Sailing Center’s learn-to-sail program. Several race competitively in the local high school and national collegiate sailing circuits. Others are seasoned racers and cruisers who have sailed in different places around the country and even all over the world. Many are students, teachers, and professionals looking to spend their spring, summer and fall outside, on the Lake, doing what they love. While each person brings their own experiences and reasons for joining the CSC team, what unites them is a shared passion for Lake Champlain and sailing, as well as a commitment to expanding the horizons of the students of all ages that they work with.
Claire Walker, Marketing and Events Intern
Claire’s from Dubuque, Iowa, where she grew up near the Mississippi River. During the summers, she would sail on Little Traverse Bay in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Currently a junior at UVM, Claire’s majoring in Business Marketing and Economics. This summer Claire is with us as the Marketing and Events Intern. She’s eager to contribute to the organization’s mission of making a positive impact on the community, while also capturing the many events on the water.
Atley Sanders
From Buffalo, NY, Atley joins the CSC as a Sailing Instructor this season, driven by a passion for sailing’s history and adventure. One of Atley’s most memorable moments involves a regatta in rain and thunderstorms. Off the water, Atley can be found enjoying a unique snack of radish and peanut butter.
Sawyer Bouley
From Branford, CT, Sawyer joins CSC this season as a Sailing Instructor. Sawyer has a passion for playing the guitar and aspires to sail in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands one day. Sawyer enjoys music, food, and the Community Sailing Center.
Will Nye
From Hinesburg, VT, Will takes on the role of Youth Camp Manager at the CSC with a passion for sharing the sport of sailing. A seasoned adventurer, Will has sailed in every month and skied in all but three. Dreaming of future adventures, Will’s ultimate sailing goal is to navigate the globe via the Great Loop.
Margie Bowen
From Webster, NY, Margie joins the CSC this summer as a Sailing Instructor, driven by a passion for sharing the joy of being on the water, especially with kids from diverse backgrounds. Margie lives on a farm back home and dreams big of one day sailing on the Mediterranean.
Alexander “Zander” Preis
From Shelburne, VT, Zander takes on the role of Waterfront Manager at CSC, driven by a love for making sailing impactful and fun for everyone. Zander is a dual citizen and enjoys photography, aviation, cooking and nature. Zander one day hopes to sail around the world and eliminate cyanobacteria in Lake Champlain.
Jansen Hill
From Addison, VT, Jansen joins us this summer as a Sailing Instructor, drawn by the community and mission of the CSC. Jansen has had a fair share of falling out of the boat due to hiking strap malfunctions, but that doesn’t change the love of sailing and hoping to one day sail the Mediterranean.
Hannah Head
From Stratford, CT, Hannah brings a passion for the environment to CSC as a Sailing Instructor, finding joy in being on the water. Hannah owns a pet axolotl named Samia, and hopes to one day sail in the Caribbean…maybe bringing Samia along. Outside of work Hannah can be found crocheting or appreciating art.
Sami Gibbons
From Port Washington, NY, Sami helps coordinate the waterfront activities at CSC, finding joy in sailing with children and building lasting friendships. Some of Sami’s favorite things include science and the color pink. Sami has two Newfoundland dogs and hopes to one day sail the Mediterranean.
Julia Bartlett
From Middlebury, VT, Julia loves the independence sailing has created and hopes to share that with others through working at the CSC. A fond memory of Julias is the first time trapezing, and hopes to continue creating sailing memories by sailing all the way down the west coast. Out of the water, Julia enjoys cats, baking, and hiking.
Jay Sullivan IV
From San Diego, CA, Jay is a Sailing Instructor at CSC this summer, finding it a fun and relaxing environment. Jay has some great experience from sailing catamarans with friends, but he also has skills off the water especially when it comes to bowling. Additionally, Jay enjoys nature and photography.
Alex Boni
From Needham, MA, Alex brings a passion for lake access and stewardship to CSC as a Sailing Instructor. Alex has many talents, from being an Irish step dancing world champion to chugging Arizona Ice Teas to make balers. If there is anywhere Alex could sail, it would be the San Fran Bay.
Yann Calderwood
From Branford, CT, Yann is joining the CSC as a Sailing Instructor and brings the rare talent of being “one with the wind”. Yann’s sailing experiences include once pausing a regatta to let a submarine pass, demonstrating unique skills. Yan also excels in the kitchen, especially when it comes to making a mean beef stew.
Peter North
From Strafford, VT, Peter shares a passion for sailing as a CSC Sailing Instructor, having once lived on a sailboat. Peter enjoys folk music, humid weather, and hopes to one day sail around the Aleutian Islands. Hopefully that goes better than the time his dinghy motor was stolen at West Point.
H Deacon Bowen
From St. George, VT, Deacon celebrates a decade-long association with the CSC and joins us this summer as a Sailing Instructor. When Deacon isn’t wishfully thinking of sailing in Bolton Valleys snowmaking pond, Deacon can be found collecting trinkets or on the verge of sinking in Buzzards Bay Massachusetts.
Finn Monahan
From Richmond, VT, Finn embraces the spirited sailing community at CSC as an Instructor. Introduction to sailing came through a lost bet for a sailing class, but now Finn is always eager to get out, especially on fast wind days. Outside of the CSC Finn can be found playing soccer, ultimate frisbee, or skiing.
Natashka Pankey
From Williston, VT, Natashka fulfills a dream of sharing sailing experiences with others as a Sailing Instructor at the CSC this summer. Hoping to sail through Typhoon Alley one day, Natashka’s off-water activities include racing go-karts and drawing.
Owen Calderwood
From Branford, CT, Owen joins CSC this summer as a Sailing Instructor. With a passion for exploration, Owen brings enthusiasm and curiosity to the CSC team. Off the water, Owen can be found drumming for his band.
