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
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
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
With over 20 years of competitive sailing and coaching experience, Sweta began her sailing career at age 11 with the Sea Cadets in India. Representing her country of India, She has earned more than 10 medals, including a historic silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games making her a part of the first female team from India to achieve this feat. Her experience spans diverse classes such as Optimist, Laser Radial, 420, 470, and 29er, including elite campaigns for the Olympics in the 49erFX, 470, and Nacra 17 classes.
Sweta Shervegar
High Performance Director & Coach
Erin started sailing when she was young on Cape Cod. Erin became a Winter Sapling in 2024 which included a major reconstruction of a match 40. After the program, she joined the Oakcliff staff as the Farr 40 Blue Boat captain for the 2024 season including the Newport Bermuda Race.
Erin Coyne
Staff Specialist
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
Siri’s greatest passion is sailing. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio where she raced lasers and other dinghies and helped develop the Junior Racing program at Leatherlips Yacht Club from the ground up. She enjoys computer-aided design and studied Interior Architecture at Ohio University where she was the Sailing Club Commodore. Siri came to Oakcliff as a Sapling to pursue offshore racing and is excited to learn about more technical boats and associated shore skills.
Siri Schantz
Rigging
River a German Shepherd, Australian Cattle Herding dog mix flew from California in Oct 2024. River was rescued at age 6mo by Ethan. She brings her knowledge of fast running to the team workouts. She loves all adventures and may be one of the only dogs to sail on a maxi sailboat. River's short-term goal is to go foiling. Her favorite activities include; morning runs, fishing, belly rubs, and keeping the boatyard free of squirrels. River is really bringing the team together, and he can’t wait to meet you.
River
First MateOur 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.