Why do you want to be a member of US Sailing’s Board of Directors?
I have been actively engaged in US Sailing for a number of years now and see the great potential to return our sport to a path of growth. I want to be engaged at a leadership level because I believe US Sailing can be better engaged with offshore sailors and cruisers and should deliver more value to them, and I hope to help the organization prioritize this going forward. US Sailing is moving in the right direction and I am happy to help accelerate its movement.

How can community sailing centers, yacht clubs and other sailing organizations collaborate with each other more on key initiatives to grow sailing?
One thing I learned running a major regatta in the Great Lakes is how much more in common I had with similar leaders on the east coast and west coast than I imagined. I worked with my counterparts on the East and West Coast to collaborate, learn from one another, and make sure we were not working at cross purposes. All of this led to higher quality events for our sailors but also allowed me to develop friendships with similar people across the country. I hope that this same sense of collaboration can be created within other aspects of our shared passion.

How can these organizations and other sailing industries integrate with their local communities to provide more awareness for prospective new sailors?
Expanding the opportunity to sail to traditionally underserved communities is the key to growth. Demographic changes in the country demand it, but more importantly, participation in the sport we love can bring great benefit to people who haven’t been exposed to it – a better understanding of our shared environment, the joys of working as part of a team, and the connection with the water and our marine heritage.

What can US Sailing do to help facilitate these partnerships?
US Sailing can serve as the bridge to making these introductions and to encouraging collaboration. Back in 2014, I had to Google the name of race organizers, track down their contact info, and cold call them. US Sailing can serve to encourage such collaboration though shared interest groups.

How have US Sailing’s programs and services impacted your overall sailing experience?
As a big boat racer, the leadership US Sailing has shown throughout the world in Safety at Sea is directly relevant to what I do. US Sailing’s initiatives to enhance safety of offshore sailing is truly leading the world. As a parent of two teenage sailors (one a racer, the other not so much), my family benefits from the quality instruction provided by US Sailing-certified instructors who help teach my kids to sail and to love the sport.

Is it important for sailors to be members of US Sailing?
My wife and I joined US Sailing shortly after buying our first boat, long before I ever envisioned racing a boat much less getting involved in organizing regattas. Being a part of supporting the sport and encouraging its growth in healthy ways is something all sailors should embrace. It is through the strength of our members that US Sailing is relevant, and likewise by supporting the organization through membership, individual sailors can know that our sport is well represented on the national and international stage.

• Lawyer & Managing Member, Gallagher, Niemeyer & Abrams, LLC (law firm, Chicago IL) (1993 – present)
• Supervising Attorney, CARPLS Legal Aid (2000 – 2016)
• Staff Assistant, US Congressman Harris Fawell (1992-1994)
• Chair, Board of Directors, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cook County (IL)

Current
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* Chair, US Sailing Offshore & Technology Division

* Member, Governing Committee, Storm Trysail Club

* Congressman for USA, Offshore Racing Congress (ORC)

* Board member, Chicago Yacht Club Foundation

* Chair, Membership Committee, Storm Trysail Club

* Member, Sailing Committee, New York Yacht Club

* Chair 2024 ORC Worlds

Past
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* Chair, US Offshore, US Sailing

* Member, Safety at Sea Committee, US Sailing

* Chair, Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac (2014-2015)

* Chair 2017 Farr 40 Worlds

* Chair, numerous youth and adult regattas in Chicago Area

* Board member at various times:
** Chicago Yacht Club
** US Optimist Dinghy Association
** Chicago Yacht Club Regatta Association

Owner
* Endeavour, Beneteau Oceanis 37
* Surprise, J/70

I came to sailing as an adult, first starting in my early 20s but really embracing the sport in my mid-30s, first as a cruiser with my wife and kids and then quickly moving into racing. As such, I see the need for US Sailing to develop pathways for other adults to take up and embrace this wonderful sport.

My sailing has been concentrated in offshore boats and in J/70s and thus I see the need for the organization to more fully embrace those areas of our sport which, in reality, represent the majority of individuals engaged in sailing. As a dedicated race organizer, I also see the need for US Sailing to work closely with our parter local sailing organizations to ensure that high-quality events are offered everywhere our members want to race. As a cruiser at heart, I also see a need for US Sailing to enhance the relevance of the organization to those who enjoy sailing in ways other than racing.