Staff

Stephanie Geosits - Executive Director

Stephanie has wealth of experience working with charities and youth programming. She has previously served as Executive Director for the Burlington Youth Soccer Club and the Carnegie Initiative.

Stephanie has a background in Sports Journalism and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University which focused on diversifying hockey for the NHL. Through her consulting practice, All About Sports, she has worked with the Oakville Aquatic Club and Dive Ontario in areas of grants, strategic planning, Safe Sport training, education and reporting.

Stephanie is an Independent Director of Canada Soccer and as Head of Delegation, acted as the Women’s National Team’s Safeguarding and Integrity Officer at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Sage Beatson - Administrative Coordinator

Sage Beatson is a program alumnus with experience in administration in a variety of fields: ICT Northumberland College, fitness studios, and volunteer coordination. She is also excited to have recently completed her B.Ed. She's happy to be in a position to help prepare familes and new trainees for their upcoming voyages!

Emily Mohring - Program Manager

Emily grew up in Hamilton and has been on the water sailing the Great Lakes since she was a young girl. Passionate about sailing and seamanship, Emily joined Sea Cadets in 2012, and through her teens became involved in regional seamanship regattas, competition band, and attended the Royal Military College of Canada for summer training, where she received her Basic Sail Qualifications in 2013.

Emily remained involved with the program filling leadership roles until her departure in 2017, holding the rank of Petty Officer 1st Class. Emily began her Brigs journey aboard TS Playfair in the summer of 2016. She quickly realized just how much she loved sailing tall ships, and since has been a part of many sails, Winter Program, and continued on as an Alumni volunteer. In her spare time, Emily enjoys volunteering with various groups, most notably Brigs and the Hamilton Naval Association. Emily is passionate about youth development and has a diverse background in skilled trades, public service, and leadership.

She graduated from Mohawk College in 2021 from the Welding & Fabrication program, and in 2024 from Mohawk’s Police Foundations program with Honours, and the Mohawk College Community Mobilization Award of Excellence for Elder Safety. She is currently pursuing a B.A., Hons. in Public Safety (with Advanced Standing) at Wilfrid Laurier University. Emily served as a member of Brigs Board of Directors since 2023 until departing the board to join the staff as Program Manager.

Christine Chesterman - Captain

Christine joined Brigs as Captain of TS Playfair in 2021. In addition to sail training, she has a background as a youth worker focusing on outdoor education, volunteering, and mental health. Christine's passion for youth work is driven by the idea that all young people deserve opportunities, community support, and positive role models to reduce the impact of systemic barriers and give them the best chance at developing a meaningful life of their choosing.

Christine got her start sailing at 17 as a trainee with Bytown Brigantine out of Ottawa. She volunteered and worked there for 6 years, sailing as a watch officer on STV Fair Jeanne and later Captain of STV Black Jack, running winter programs and working on many winter refits. In 2014 she joined Brigs as First Mate of STV Pathfinder under Cpt Andrew Fryer. She has also volunteered with the crews of the Norwegian training ship Sorlandet, the whale research yacht Balaena, and with Ocean Youth Trust Scotland. She is a past Canadian Youth Council Representative to Sail Training International.

In Scotland, Christine ran Duke of Edinburgh's Award youth work projects with the charity Friends of the Award. Through partnerships with local high schools and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, she supported at-risk young people who were experiencing mental health difficulties, or struggling to stay in mainstream education, to try volunteering and outdoor programs as a way to support recovery and re-engage with their communities.

Christine has earned a B.Sc.Hons. in Geography from Queen's University, a Pg. Cert. in Outdoor Education from the University of Edinburgh, and a Master 150GT CoC from Transport Canada.

K. Bolden - First Mate (Summer), Training Officer (Winter)

Bolden first sailed as a trainee in 2019 and returned in 2021 with every friend they could muster. Since then they have volunteered extensively in winter and summer programming. Bolden joined the crew in 2022 and Playfair's wardroom in 2023. They graduated from high school in 2023 and currently supervise the winter program weekends. Bolden has achieved their Master Limited, <60GT license.

Marnie Stretch - Bookkeeper

Marnie is a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and an Advanced Certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor in Canada and the US. She has her Payroll Compliance Professional (PCP) Designation from the National Payroll Institute and is a member of the Intui Trainer/Writer network. She specializes in taming QuickBooks gone wild, untangling GST messes, all things payroll, plus training and troubleshooting. She loves teaching, answering questions, and helping people with QuickBooks challenges. Marnie supports Brigs with its bookkeeping through her company, Accounting Loft.

Captains and Mates

Captains and Mates work seasonally to run the summer program. Our Captains are usually alumni of Brigs or a similar sail training program, such as Tall Ship Expeditions Canada or Tall Ships Adventure.

Captains are required to hold a Master 150GT Certificate and to lead with respect and patience.

Chief Mates are required to hold a Master, Limited <60GT restricted to the brigantines.