Our Staff
"The Sail Caribbean staff is by far the best summer camp staff I've ever known…all really friendly and open to hear my thoughts. They were truly awesome."
Adam Lonner, age 13, Los Angeles, CA
Our staff of skilled instructors, leaders and role models is the driving force behind Sail Caribbean's success. Many are teachers during the school term who join us for the summer, year after year. Our sailing staff is second to none. Among them you'll find "blue-water" professionals, sailing Olympians, and America's Cup crewmates. Our scuba staff is comprised of full-time, year-round professional PADI dive instructors who boast teaching experience from all corners of the globe. Whether on land or at sea, they all share for a passion for their work and a desire to instill that passion in the teens they mentor.
Mike Liese, Northport, NY
Thirtieth Year - Founder/Director
Mike Liese is a sailor – he grew up on the waters of Long Island Sound. He's also a father, grandfather, educator, and most of all a mentor. After obtaining his Masters in Education from Penn State University, Mike spent the next 17 years in education, first as a high school teacher and later as director of the Alternative School Program at Harborfields H.S. in New York. In 1979, he made a life-changing decision to combine his passion for teaching with his love of sailing – Sail Caribbean. Thirty years later, Mike remains committed to his original vision of empowering young people to reach heights they might never have thought possible.
Delly Harrigan, West End, Tortola, BVI
Thirtieth Year - Cultural Director
A local of Tortola, Delly is one of the most beloved personalities on staff. He shares his wisdom and stories about Caribbean culture as well as a mastery of boats and sailing born of decades of experience. As a former chief boat mechanic, Delly knows every last nut and bolt on the boats we sail and loves to teach our students how they work. Whatever it is you learn from Delly, the one thing you'll remember most is his big island smile.
Melisande Rowe, East End, Tortola
Thirteenth Year - Sail Caribbean Divers Dive Director
This Texan chose scuba fins over cowboy boots as Sail Caribbean's dive director and master instructor. Melisande put her know-how into practice to develop Sail Caribbean's summer scuba programs. Melisande now concentrates her efforts on Sail Caribbean Divers, our year-round dive center in the British Virgin Islands.
Mike Rowe, East End, Tortola
Ninth Year - PADI Course Director
Mike makes the toughest tasks seem easy and his enthusiasm for the job is infectious. As a PADI-certified Course Director, Mike is "an instructor of instructors", having certified over 800 dive professionals. With almost 25 years in the dive industry, his expertise makes him a valuable resource for Sail Caribbean. His keen focus on customer service, combined with his unique sense of humor and charisma, keep our adult and teenage divers engaged and driven while they have fun.
Nathaniel Deknatel-Brookline, MA
Seventh Year-Program Director
Nathaniel began his career of educating teens as a camp counselor, and went on to teach at the Epiphany School. He spent a semester with the National Outdoor Leadership School sailing in the Pacific Northwest, and completed a NOLS course in Baja. Nathaniel recently sailed with the St. Georges School from Puerto Rico to Newport, and is applying to grad school for a masters in education.
Sam Harvey, Dunedin, New Zealand
Sixth Year – Sailing Director/Dive Coordinator
A native New Zealander, Sam’s been surfing since he was 13. His love of the water has taken him to some of the most exotic places on earth as a scuba instructor. Sam assists Mike is overseeing all BVI programs in the summer and is in our New York office in the off season hiring staff and helping students select their programs.
Melissa Welesko, North Kingstown, RI
Fifth Year - Ashore Director/Community Service Coordinator
While at George Washington University, Melissa tutored and helped build schools in Belize and Peru, and interned with the Peace Corps. She’s hiked Macchu Picchu and through rainforests in Costa Rica and Belize. Melissa oversees SC’s academic and community service programs and is in NY talking to families from fall to spring.
Dave Craig, Prescott, AZ
Fifth Year - Program Director
Dave has been an outdoor educator for 20 years, teaching sailing, sea kayaking, free-diving and scuba, and also has an intimate knowledge of the ocean and the life it supports. Dave teaches adventure education at Prescott College, where he conducts extended diving and sea kayaking marine study expeditions in Mexico's Sea of Cortez.
Tim Westmoreland - London, Ontario, Canada
Fifth Year – Program Director
Despite growing up in Canada, Tim has family roots in the Caribbean and started sailing young. He was the head instructor at Fanshawe Yacht Club in London, Ontario, before joining Sail Caribbean. Tim’s completing an honors portion of a degree in Political Science and Philosophy at the University of Guelph, in Ontario.
Katie Upton-Cambridge, MA
Fifth Year – Program Director
Katie grew up as a bi-coastal sailor navigating the waters off Maine and Washington. She spent a year sailing through the Caribbean and up the East Coast with her family, and then became a camp sailing instructor. Katie is currently a flight instructor for Horizon Aviation out of Norwood Airport in Mass.
HEADING OUR NEW YORK OFFICE:
Janice Jay, Northport, NY
Sixteenth Year - Operations Director
You may recognize Janice as the knowledgeable voice at the other end of the phone. She's the year-round manager of our New York office. During the summer Janice splits her time between the U.S. and the islands, coordinating the Tortola, Leeward Island, and New York offices to ensure everyone has what they need for smooth sailing.
Charlie Montgomery, Northport, NY
Twelfth Year - Finance Director
Charlie is part of our "old school" staff who returned after 12 years in the corporate world. Charlie started sailing when he was eight and first joined Sail Caribbean in 1984 as a captain. He later served as a Program Director for several years, and nowadays, he melds his business background with inside knowledge of Sail Caribbean to keep our operations on an even keel.
OUR DEDICATED NY OFFICE CREW:
Nikki Donovan, Vicky Hochhauser, June Ingraham, Connie Insignares, Dora Raleigh and Carol Schwier