Our high caliber staff is chosen from all over the globe.  They have impressive resumes from the collegiate ranks and beyond.  Each instructor is US Sailing certified (or equivalent) and trained in CPR.

ERIN PIERCE - PROGRAM DIRECTOR
erin.pierce@pleon.org

This will be Erin's fifth summer at Pleon having moved through the ranks as a coach and now program director. Erin grew up in Freeport, Maine where she spent summers sailing in Casco Bay. She spent a year after high school working for an organization called Ocean Classroom Foundation as a deckhand aboard two wooden schooners. Ocean Classroom is a semester at sea program for high school and college students. After a year of traveling at sea, she attended George Washington University for a year and a half, and is now a student at the University of Vermont where she is an active member of the sailing team. Outside of sailing, she is wild about traveling and an avid skier. She can't wait for another summer at Pleon!

INSTRUCTORS

Kristin Altreuter - Sailing Coach

Having been a member of Pleon since she was nine-years old, Kristin is really excited to return to the program as a coach. She learned to sail in Optis and then spent the past four years racing 420s. This past year she was a freshman on Brown University Sailing Team. 

Dan Carney - Sailing Coach

This summer will be Dan Carney's 8^th summer returning to Pleon Yacht Club, and his second summer as a Pleon coach. While a sailor at Pleon, Dan moved from 420s to Lasers and then, finally, to the Laser Race Team. Dan has spent previous summers as a Junior Instructor, while also serving the club as a flag officer. Dan graduated last year from Portsmouth Abbey School and, now attends the College of Charleston, where he continues sailing

Allastair Thompson - 420 "A" Coach

Alastair Thompson grew up in Auckland, New Zealand and has lived there all his life. He is 22 years old and the brother of Jamie Thompson, who is also a coach at Pleon. Alastair began sailing at the age of nine at Torbay Sailing Club, which is based at Wiake Beach on Aucklands, East Coast Bays. At the age of 12, he competed in his third Optimist Nationals. He placed 4th and earned a position to represent New Zealand at the Worlds in Martinique. In the year 2000, he again placed 4th at the Optimist Nationals and went on to compete in the worlds in Spain coming in 49th place and also the highest placing Kiwi. In his final year of Optimist, he managed to win the nationals and make his way to the optimist worlds in Quindao, China. From the Optimist, Alastair moved into the P-Class, in which he won the National title of the Tauranga Cup. After P-Class, he sailed Starlings and gained 3rd place at the Nationals in his final year. He also sailed for school as a crew in the Sunburst where his team won the Secondary Schools Teams Racing. His most recent years have been spent sailing 420s. In the 420 class, Alastair gained top places at the Open and Youth Nationals, and by winning the Youth Nationals two consecutive times it gave him a place in the National Youth Team in 2003 and 2004. Alastair has been a club coach for the Torbay, Murrays Bay and Wakatere Boating Clubs coaching a wide range of Optimists, P-Class and Starlings. He has also coached Optimist clinics held yearly for up to 60 Optimist sailors. Since 2004, he has been working towards a Bachelor of Design specializing in Transport Design. Alastair graduated in 2008 and is now on to find a job in the marine design industry. Alastair is looking forward to yet another great summer at Pleon!

Taylor Maag - Adventure Coach, Assistant

Taylor is one of the Adventure coaches for the 2011 season. This will be her 11^th year at Pleon Yacht Club. Taylor sailed at Pleon for eight years. During those eight years she learned to sail Optis, JYs, and 420s. She finished her last summer of racing 420s with skipper, Grace Quigley. She was then elected Vice Commodore for Summer 2009 and worked as a full-time Junior Instructor. During the year, Taylor attends the University of Connecticut at Storrs. Her summers have always been spent at Pleon, so she is extremely excited to come back and coach again, and she is looking forward to another great summer.

Zachary Marks - Laser "A" Coach

Zack Marks hails from St. Petersburg, Florida and has been racing Lasers for eight years. He has competed on the national and international level and was a member of US Sailing's 2008 Youth Development Team. He is currently focused on his college sailing career and earning an economics degree at the University of South Florida. In his spare time, he likes to windsurf and sail 470s and 505s. Zack coached at Pleon last summer and looks forward to another great summer.

Leah Moncheur - Laser "B" & O'pen BIC Coach

 Leah Moncheur is coming back for her fourth summer at Pleon coaching beginner and intermediate lasers. Since summer 2008, Leah has been traveling around South America, Egypt and Thailand and is currently back in New Zealand studying Political Science at Victoria University in Wellington. Leah is so excited for yet another summer at Pleon!

Ellie Myers - Opti Coach

Ellie has spent her summers at Pleon since she was just eight-years old. She has raced lasers, 420s, and FJs throughout high school and college and has, as well, lived on a boat for six weeks during high school. This is Ellie's fourth summer as a coach at Pleon. She is a senior at Hamilton College, where she is member of the sailing club, the college choir, and an all-female a cappella group. She will be spending the fall semester studying biology in Tanzania. Ellie lives in Swampscott and is excited for another great summer at Pleon.

Max Junda - Adventure Coach, Head

Through his many years of junior sailing at Pleon, Max is a homegrown product of the club.  Although he has experience sailing a variety of boats, he has spent the bulk of his time sailing Optimists, 420s, and FJs.  After completing his tour as a Pleon sailor, he still had Pleon fever and found the only effective treatment was five years of instructing.  Max has previously taught a variety of classes including all levels of Optimists and Adventure.  Last summer was his first summer away from Pleon and he got a slightly different taste of teaching sailing in on San Francisco Bay.  He enjoyed his time in California, however could not be more excited to be back at the club he loves for another summer teaching Adventure classes.

Geoff Woolley- 420 Coach

I am 26 years old from Auckland, New Zealand and I have been sailing my whole life beginning on our family yacht. When I was 10 I began sailing optimists and moved through the New Zealand Junior and Youth classes. I made the New Zealand team for 2 Optimist Worlds and went to 2 ISAF Youth Worlds winning a silver medal at the Youth Worlds in the 29er Class. After this I began sailing the 470 and have campaigned for the Olympics for the past 8 years. I've competed on the international circuit full time for 4 of these years and sailed in seven 470 World Championships with a best result of 13th. As well as the 470 I've sailed keel boats both skippering and crewing in New Zealand regattas. I have also done an extensive amount of coaching in junior and youth classes from optimist through to keel boats ranging from beginner to World Championship level. This is my first year coaching at Pleon. I have a degree in Property and will follow just about any sport but particularly enjoy skiing, rugby and golf.

Grace Quigley- Adventure Coach

Grace has spent her last ten summers at Pleon, and is looking forward to another fantastic year at the club. During her time in the program Grace sailed Optis, JYs, and 420s, and spent her last few years on the 420 race team and as a Junior Instructor. For the last two summers she was also the club's Commodore. Grace is extremely excited to get back on the water and work for the club as a coach. She is a rising junior at Bucknell University and will be studying abroad in Costa Rica come September.

Garbrielle Cross

Gabrielle Cross, from Christchurch New Zealand. Was brought up around water and Sailing, and ever since have grown to love the sport. Have represented New Zealand in Optimist and 29er. Have recently got into coaching, which has been very satisfying being able to pass on my knowledge down to other keen optimist sailors. Currently studying towards my commerce degree. 

These will be posted this Spring/Summer. If you are interested in employment opportunities click here.