Jane Millman
Executive Director
Jane Millman brings over fifteen years of leadership to Brendan Sailing and has been previously recognized for building a strong culture of high performing programs for the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis Yacht Club, Beverly Yacht Club and Davis Island Youth Sailing Foundation.
In her current role as the Director of Basic Sail Training at the Naval Academy, she trained and built a team of twenty civilian instructors and over fifty-five newly commissioned Ensigns on the basics of sailing a Navy 26 so they can teach the incoming first-year class of 1,200 how to sail during Plebe Summer. In building a team, Jane looks to create a culture of safety, fun, and trust as the primary goals.
Jane’s leadership at Davis Island Youth Sailing Foundation resulted in significant expansion of the program, demonstrating her ability to effectively strategize and execute plans for growth. Through her efforts, the non-profit achieved impressive results and made a lasting impact on the youth sailing community.
Jane is also a certified US Sailing Level Instructor Trainer. Jane has certified over 450 individuals across the US since 2014, using safe sailing practices and experiential, customized instructional techniques tailored to the audience for maximum effectiveness. In addition to certifying students in sailing instruction, she is also a USCG 50-ton Captain, US Sailing Basic Keelboat and Powerboat Instructor.
With her multiple levels of certification, Jane was selected to represent US Sailing as one of seven American coaches among the different Olympic sports to participate in the 2018 - 19 International Coaches Enrichment Certification Program (ICECP) hosted by the US Olympic Committee in partnership with Olympic Solidarity and University of Delaware.
Jane Millman brings over fifteen years of leadership to Brendan Sailing and has been previously recognized for building a strong culture of high performing programs for the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis Yacht Club, Beverly Yacht Club and Davis Island Youth Sailing Foundation.
In her current role as the Director of Basic Sail Training at the Naval Academy, she trained and built a team of twenty civilian instructors and over fifty-five newly commissioned Ensigns on the basics of sailing a Navy 26 so they can teach the incoming first-year class of 1,200 how to sail during Plebe Summer. In building a team, Jane looks to create a culture of safety, fun, and trust as the primary goals.
Jane’s leadership at Davis Island Youth Sailing Foundation resulted in significant expansion of the program, demonstrating her ability to effectively strategize and execute plans for growth. Through her efforts, the non-profit achieved impressive results and made a lasting impact on the youth sailing community.
Jane is also a certified US Sailing Level Instructor Trainer. Jane has certified over 450 individuals across the US since 2014, using safe sailing practices and experiential, customized instructional techniques tailored to the audience for maximum effectiveness. In addition to certifying students in sailing instruction, she is also a USCG 50-ton Captain, US Sailing Basic Keelboat and Powerboat Instructor.
With her multiple levels of certification, Jane was selected to represent US Sailing as one of seven American coaches among the different Olympic sports to participate in the 2018 - 19 International Coaches Enrichment Certification Program (ICECP) hosted by the US Olympic Committee in partnership with Olympic Solidarity and University of Delaware.
Penny Alison
Sailing Director
Meet Penny Alison, our Sailing Program Director! A native South African who grew up in a sailing family, Penny could sail before she could walk. So, it was natural that Penny was helming an Opti when she was six years old! Her family may have had an inkling of what was to come when very quickly after picking up the tiller, Penny started beating her older sister around the buoys! A natural competitive athlete, she played a multitude of sports growing up: volleyball, water polo, hockey, and squash, to name a few. However, she really loved sailing! Penny quickly graduated from Optis into Lasers. Her competitive spirit took off and Penny was competing in regattas throughout South Africa. However, she really loved sailing. In 2005, Her sport was taken to a higher level when another sailing friend – future fellow Olympian Dominic Provoyeur--suggested they “Do the Rolex” – the Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship-- hosted right here in Annapolis. So, the South African team came to Annapolis! Returning in 2007 they finished mid-fleet. Most importantly, she realized they were competing against Olympians and did well. “So, I said to our team, why can’t we be in the Olympics?” The 2008 Olympics were right around the corner, and she started training in earnest. Her hard work paid off as Penny achieved a spot representing South Africa for the 2008 Beijing Games, sailing in the Yngling class. It was an amazing experience – sailing against fourteen other women’s teams from around the world. The pageantry and level of competition was incredible, and it is an experience she will cherish for the rest of her life. After the Olympics, what is next? Penny really wanted to keep sailing as an avocation, not a vocation, and so decided to pursue a degree in Fine Arts with a desire to work in the Art Restoration Industry. But jobs in that field were not materializing, so when a friend was starting a sailing school, he asked Penny to come teach. She took the job, “just for the season.” Soon she was the owner and ran the organization, coaching high school students in team racing and sponsored development programs with under privileged high schools. It was a fun and successful experience. She saw the Sailing Director position on a friend’s social media post and was intrigued, as it was a summer position abroad in the States and would be an opportunity to have a job where she could truly make a difference. Penny connected with Charlie, and accepted the position of Sailing Director in 2023!
Will Avis
Sailing Instructor
Will is new to Brendan Sailing but has been sailing vessels in all shapes and sizes since he was little. He has 10 years of dinghy racing experience and has loved sailing on the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic. Will is also involved in many efforts to save the Bay and the environment in an attempt to preserve the waters that so many of us have come to know as a second home. He attends the University of Maryland in College Park studying Engineering with a minor in Sustainability.
Will is new to Brendan Sailing but has been sailing vessels in all shapes and sizes since he was little. He has 10 years of dinghy racing experience and has loved sailing on the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic. Will is also involved in many efforts to save the Bay and the environment in an attempt to preserve the waters that so many of us have come to know as a second home. He attends the University of Maryland in College Park studying Engineering with a minor in Sustainability.
Gary Hague
Volunteer
An Army veteran and retired physical therapist, Gary lives in Rhode Island where he grew up in a family who got him sailing as a young boy in Narragansett Bay. . As a youth, Gary spent plenty of time messing around in sailboats. He fondly recalls weekend sails out to Block Island, and evening sails rounding the buoys up to East Greenwich nightlife! His career took him into the Army, where he lived and sailed in San Francisco and eventually settled in Macon, GA where he settled into a physical therapy practice. Once retired, he decided to move back to Rhode Island. What to do with all this time on his hands? Enter Brendan Sailing. Gary had known Brendan Sailing Board President Joanne Dorval since college and had been following her work with interest. He was soon following Brendan Sailing on social media, became extremely impressed with the program and wanted to learn more. He soon became a donor, and asked if he could provide any assistance with camp. Could he teach sailing? He was not an instructor, but he jumped into it. He attended a Brendan Approach training in Newport, RI to learn more about methods to instruct youth with Learning Differences and did his Level 1 US Sailing Instructor work. Then he came to camp to help.
Beth Berry
Marketing Consultant
Beth Berry joined Brendan Sailing in the fall of 2020 and currently handles all the marketing, and communication responsibilities. Prior to her current role, she spent 29 years with Marriott International, where she held a variety of leadership roles in Sales, Marketing, and Operations. As a lifelong sailor, Brendan Sailing’s mission of getting kids on the water and helping them thrive particularly resonates with her. Beth is a longtime member of the Annapolis Sailing Community, she has raced and cruised from Maine to Bermuda and the Caribbean as well as many places in between. She has a USCG 100-ton Masters License and is a US Sailing Basic Keelboat Instructor. She also does deliveries, and started and managed a charter business in Key West. She currently owns and ocean races KYRIE, a Tartan 4100. She enjoys giving back through her work with the community and as a member of Eastport Yacht Club, chaired the Annapolis Bermuda Ocean Race Committee for six years. She is Past President of Saefern Saddle and Yacht Club Homeowner’s Association and a Past President of the Penn State Metro Washington Chapter.
Davis Connors
Technical Adminstrator
Davis helps Brendan Sailing with technical tasks such as maintaining this website, video editing, and more. He resides in Chicago, Illinois where he works remotely for Brendan Sailing and METCOR/LSI, although will occasionally make appearances at Brendan Sailing events as a helping hand.
Joanna Wilson
Administrative Assistant
Joanna is so excited to be a part of the administration of Brendan Sailing! While not currently a sailor, Brendan Sailing's mission of making a difference in the lives of differently abled kids, resonates with her. Joanna believes we should make a positive difference, in any way we can in the world, when we have the chance. Joanna lives in South Jersey. She is involved in animal rescue/advocacy and shares her life with her Rescue Golden Retriever, Hank and her cats. She also enjoys getting out in nature and has greatly enjoyed mountain biking when she is able to get out and ride.