The Starboard Portal – US Sailing Leadership Forum
Title: Increasing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Sport of Sailing
How to Watch: Click to Watch the Replay on The Starboard Portal
The panel discussed ways sailors and sailing organizations can implement strategies now to increase awareness and opportunities within their sailing organizations and programs for individuals from diverse backgrounds and people of color. The panelists provided practical guidance for conducting outreach in your local communities and best practices on fostering relationships with community leaders and influencers to help you achieve your diversity, equity and inclusion goals.
Ayme Sinclair: Moderator
- Vice President of the National Women’s Sailing Association
- Member of the Leadership Team for Women Who Sail, the largest online group of women sailors in the world.
- Nominated for prestigious awards including the Bill Gates Foundation Goalkeepers Award and the United Nations SDG Media Summit Leadership Award
- CEO & Founder of Sinclair Social
- CEO of Women Who Sail
- Spokesperson, United Nations
Meet the Panelists –
Karen Harris:
- Immediate Past Commodore of Jackson Park Yacht Club (JPYC)
- President of JPYC Foundation
- Vice Chair of the US Sailing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
- Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Illinois Health and Hospital Association
- 2017 One of the Most Influential Minority Lawyers in Chicago, Crain’s Business Journal
Lou Sandoval:
- Commodore of the Chicago Yacht Club
- Former Chair of the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac
- US Sailing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Member
- Member of the National Board of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, Sail America, and the Recreational Boating Leadership Council
- Navigated over 17,000 nautical miles.
Captain Bill Pinkney:
- First African American to solo-circumnavigate the world
- Captain of the first African American team for the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac (1994)
- Captain of the Freedom Schooner Amistad
- Former Commodore of the Belmont Yacht Club
- Served in the U.S. Navy for eight years
- 1999 Chicagoan of the Year, Chicago Magazine
Joe Harris:
- Manager of Sailing, Chicago Park District: Leads programs including the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing program, Endeavour Chicago Sailing
- Former Sailing Program Director: Grosse Pointe Yacht Club; St. Francis Yacht Club; Columbia Yacht Club
- Former High School Sailing Coach (Lake Forest High School, Grosse Pointe North High School, California Maritime Academy): Multiple ISSA National Championships
- 2014 US Sailing Community Sailing Award: Outstanding Adaptive Sailing Program
- 1998 US Sailing W. Van Alan Clark Jr. Trophy – National Sportsman of the Year Award