Oakcliff Sailing Staff
As CEO and captain of America True, Dawn Riley was the first woman to manage an America’s Cup sailing team. She has raced on four America’s Cup and two Whitbread (now The Ocean Race) teams. She is the former president of the Woman’s Sports Foundation, served on the board of US Sailing, and is an advisor to several public service organizations.
Dawn Riley
Executive Director
Ethan began racing at high school in Southern Maryland, gained skills quickly & began coaching the school's team, expanding STEM programs and racing keel-boats. Determined to follow his dream to race around the world, he left everything behind to train at Oakcliff. Arriving in 2015, Ethan has skippered & navigated successful offshore races, while cross training in Match Racing & Foiling Cats. Onshore, Ethan enjoys backpacking, photography, and fishing. Currently he is pursuing shorthanded racing and his love for fitness.
Ethan Johnson
Training Program Director
Wyz grew up locally sailing Blue Jays, Lasers, Fireballs, and Shields. She has an extensive resume. After high school, she worked at the New York Stock Exchange. In college she dabbled in college sailing. Post college, she taught and coached at the high school level before moving back to Oyster Bay to work at the Oyster Bay Boat Shop (ironically, this was located at 2 South St., now Oakcliff’s Clubhouse). Wyz also ran the repair loft at Banks Sails and throughout, raced inshore and offshore, and most recently frostbiting on Lasers.
Wyz Mooney
Bookkeeper
Patrice has volunteered at Oakcliff since 2014 and is the new Regatta Director. She is a US Sailing Certified Regional Race Officer working towards Judge Certification. Patrice joined the sailing scene late in life and has developed an avid love for the sport and Oakcliff. Patrice has been boating on the south shore of Long Island since 1985. Patrice has been a PTA advocate since 1995. Patrice is active nationally, in the state, regionally, and locally. Patrice is also on the BOD for BCADA and Treasurer/Scholarship Chair for AOB Alumnae.
Patrice Rachlin
Regatta Director
Mamadou originally worked in the Shellfish industry in Oyster Bay but after the downsizing he walked down the street and began working at Oakcliff. He has brought many things to the table including a great work ethic and French lessons. Added to this he is a musician from a small island, Somone, in Senegal and later moved to Oyster Bay.
Mamadou Yade
Shore
Geoff is from the landlocked state of Oklahoma and grew up as a bicyclist primarily. Learning bike mechanics from his dad at a young age, he found a love of all things mechanical very early. While attending university at Oklahoma state university for a degree in Russian language and linguistics, he discovered a love for sailing that has taken him all over the us and abroad. After university, Oklahoma City Riversport foundation took him on as sailing program director managing sailing program community outreach and managing a 1000 slip marina. In his spare time, he loves to travel and explore as well as work on cars and his own project boats. Geoff came to oakcliff as a sapling in June of 2022 and hopes to go on enriching sailing culture for some time to come.
Geoff Barbour
Staff Specialist
Matt is a Long Island local that has experience in the public and private sectors in the financial, Emergency Management, and personnel fields. He is also an accomplished sailor, who began sailing at age 7 in the Knickerbocker YC and JYRA programs around Long Island. From there, he took up dinghy sailing in BlueJays and Lasers. After youth sailing, Matt got involved in the big boat scene, winning multiple YRA of LIS championships in the PHRF, IOR and IMS divisions. Joining Oakcliff, he Recently, he's interested in getting back into match racing.
Matt Temares
Operations
Joe started sailing in 3rd grade sailing sunfish on Canandaigua lake in Canandaigua, NY. Joe was a 2021 Sapling and after the program has now began working at Oakcliff. In 2022 he successfully ran the Mid-west program and plans to do the same in 2023. Joe sails various boats but thoroughly enjoys sailing his Laser at a highly competitive level.
Joe Seiffert
Staff Specialist
Allie is from San Diego, California. She has been sailing for as long as she can remember. She started racing her favorite boat, lasers, when she was twelve and she grew to be very competitive in the fleet. Her first time here was at the WMRT Acorn Program in 2022 and she developed into a sapling, intern, and is now on staff. She races lasers, offshore, and match racing. While at Oakcliff, she is enrolled in college full-time and wants to do an olympic campaign in her future.
Allie Shand
Public Relations and Media
Luke grew up sailing in Ireland’s Dún Laoghaire Harbor on everything from dingys to yachts. He realized sailing was quickly becoming something he felt passionate about, dedicating all his free time outside of school to being a sailing instructor. He has held unusual marine jobs such as marine operative for tv shows and filming sets in Ireland, a hub, or water filming. After moving to New York City in late 2021, he joined Oakcliff to prepare the fleet for the sailing season after which he became Farr 40 Fleet Captain.
Luke Galvin
Shore Manager
Thomas recently graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Neuroscience and Behavior. He sailed for the Wildcats for 4 years, spending 2 years as team captain. He worked as an Aerospace Ground Equipment mechanic for the NH Air National Guard for 6 years. He also spent time working in fiberglass boat repair before making the move to Oakcliff. He takes every opportunity to race Optis but especially enjoys J24s and his time with J133 team ‘Jump’.
Siri Schantz
Rigging
At age 10 Ryan began racing for the Sailing Club in Westerville, Ohio. He developed his skills in the Opti while training with travel sailing teams, from Hoover, Edgewater, and LOOT. Ryan has extensive dinghy racing experience as both a skipper and crew on a variety of boats. Most recently his focus has been training and coaching in the ILCA. Coaching with yacht clubs around the U.S. Ryan he has developed many successful sailors using the Socratic method. Joining Oakcliff in 2023, Ryan plans to pursue a career in professional sailing.
Ryan Squires
Development Director
Marlow a German Shorthaired Pointer, Poodle, Golden Retriever mix has roots in Louisiana. Marlow was rescued at age 6mo by Jasmine. He brings his southern hospitality on most adventures & shares a love for Dawn’s famous sandwiches. Marlow's short-term goal is to be the youngest racing pup at Oakcliff. He loves lounging as much as playing. Favorite activities include; morning runs, hugging friends, and using lightning fast speed patrolling beaches for seagulls. Marlow is really bringing the team together, and he can’t wait to meet you.
Marlow
Chief Morale OfficerOur on-site support network
Dobby is the pup that rules the office. He first came to us in May of 2021, along with his assistant Wyz. Dobby is notorious for his short yet muscular stature. He is calm, collected, and makes sure to make his food rounds during morning meetings. Although he is not much of a sailor, he did serve as admiral for the Saint Maarten Yacht Club Islands Challenge Team from 2011 to 2019. He believes it was his leadership that helped the team win the event. There is nothing he loves more than sunbathing and scratches.
Doby
The Admiral
Job opening - sail on fast boats, manage an energetic team, be the guiding force on building American Leaders through sailing. Email race@oakcliffsailing.org for more information.
OPEN POSITION
SailmakerJob opening - sail on fast boats, manage an energetic team, be the guiding force on building American Leaders through sailing. Email race@oakcliffsailing.org for more information.
OPEN POSITION
Staff SpecialistJob opening - sail on fast boats, manage an energetic team, be the guiding force on building American Leaders through sailing. Email race@oakcliffsailing.org for more information.
OPEN POSITION
Staff SpecialistJob opening - sail on fast boats, manage an energetic team, be the guiding force on building American Leaders through sailing. Email race@oakcliffsailing.org for more information.