Sarah Everhart-Skeels

Co- Vice President On the Water Activities

Sarah is a former member of the US Sailing Team as a SKUD-18 Skipper.  She has participated in the Clagett since its inception in 2003.  Sarah teaches classes at Brown University and Boston School of Occupational Therapy at Tufts University.

Sarah currently chairs the committee at US Sailing for Sailors with disabilities.  As an athlete with disabilities, Sarah has taught other athletes with disabilities to snow ski and to sail. Sarah lives in Little Compton, RI.

Andrew Parish

CO- VICE PRESIDENT ON THE WATER ACTIVITIES

Andrew Parish grew up on the upper Chesapeake Bay, sailing and running various water crafts up and down the East coast.  This led him to graduate from New York Maritime College in 1994 with a BS in Naval Architecture and a USCG 3rd Mate Unlimited license.  As Captain of his high school and college sailing teams, he raced PHRF and one design alike to a number of wins.  In 1998, he was appointed Pilot apprentice for the Pilots Assoc for the Bay and River Delaware.  2021 begins his 20^th year as working pilot, navigating commercial vessels into the Ports of Philadelphia. 

Andrew began sailing Stars in the late 90’s, became an owner in ’02 and sailed his first championship at the 2012 Western Hemispheres.  In 2014, he was honored to chaired the Star North Americans at his home club of Tred Avon YC in Oxford, Md and in 2016, was honored again by the class to chair the 2018 Star Worlds.  He is an avid ocean racer as well, having completed his first Bermuda ocean passage in 1970, Newport to Bermuda in 1988, Navigator in N2B ’94 & Marion ’95 as well as watch captain in 5 other N2B’s.  He has raced and delivered boats extensively on the east coast. Andrew is a member of the Cruising Club of America and Tred Avon YC in Oxford, MD, past TAYC board member, helped managed the TAYC Junior Sailing program for 12 years and Co-chaired the 2010 USODA ACC’s at TAYC.  Andrew is currently the Commodore of Tred Avon Yacht Club. Andrew lives in St. Michaels, Md with his wife of 24 yrs, Christine, children, Adison (17) and Spencer (14) and 3 dogs. 

JOHN MACGOWAN

Vice President On Shore Activities

“Johnny Mac” grew up in Manhasset NY. He graduated from Long Island University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. His grandfather and older brother Andy tossed him and brother Billy into anything that floated at Bull Head Yacht Club in South Hampton NY. 

After arriving at Newport Rhode Island Labor Day weekend 1970 aboard the first Swan 37’ in North America. Johnny knew where he would settle. 

Five America’s Campaigns, Admirals Cups, TransAtlantic, Trans Pacific, Bermuda Races, Maxi Championships, SORC’s, Key West Race Weeks, Shields, Etchells, Yngling, KYC one designs and others plus SuperYacht regattas/deliveries have made him a familiar face on the seen. He and his spouse Scotty Mawhinney have been volunteering with the Clagett regatta for over a decade. Johnny sailed with Tom Clagett ``Bubba” many times during the America’s Cup Training in 1977, 79, 80, 82, 83. He and Judy Clagett believe they met wet sanding Enterprise in 1977 as eager volunteers on the Williams & Manchester's Yard dock helping the sailing team prepare for the summer trials. Tom Clagett lived aboard his custom sailing yacht Anore adjacent to the lift where 12 meter yachts were hauled and was a towering, warm and important America’s Cup backer. Bubba was all about teamwork and being organized! Steve McGowan, an Advisory Committee Member, was the captain of Anore! 

Since this time Johnny Mac has established a reputation as an locally recognized oil painter and collected by many fellow sailors. He is a member of the Storm Trysail Club, Ida Lewis Yacht Club & New York Yacht Club & Providence Art Club.  He and Scotty are excited to continue with Clagett Sailing for many years!

Robbie Murphy Benjamin

Treasurer 

Robbie is a resident of Portsmouth, RI.  Robbie was on boats before she could walk and learned to sail as a young girl in Buzzards Bay.  She signed on as tactician/navigator on a race crew with the man who eventually became her husband.  They sailed, racing and cruising, for years on a variety of boats.  She graduated from Smith College and managed a family marine business in Newport RI. She is a past Commodore of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club and a member of both ILYC and the New York Yacht Club.  She has served on numerous committees at both clubs including Race Committee and is a certified US Sailing Judge   She has been Event Chair for numerous local, national and world championship sailing regattas. In addition to Clagett Sailing's Board, Robbie's volunteer activities include the Business Development Company of RI and she has been on other boards including Sail Newport, Seamen’s Church Institute, and the Newport Art Museum. Robbie is currently the owner of a small manufacturing company in Warren, RI.

Carol Barrow

Secretary

Carol Barrow lives in Chatham on Cape Cod. She learned to sail in Barnegat Bay, NJ where she grew up. She is a National Judge. She serves on the New York Yacht Club Judge's Committee, as well as their Race Committee. Carol is also a Board member of the Cape Cod Maritime Museum, a member of the Narragansett Bay Appeals Committee, the Barnegat Bay Appeals Committee, and is an Advanced Judges Seminar Instructor. Carol is an abstract painting and photography artist, exhibiting her work at the Provincetown Art Museum.

Grace Elizabeth Adam

Grace started sailing with her father at age 5 and continued to compete at the collegiate level. She currently sails a Shields in Newport, RI.

Grace has a BS in Marketing from the College of Charleston. She has applied these organizational, developmental, and financial skills to her career in banking. Grace has been an integral part of the event fundraising committee at Claggett Sailing for the past couple of years.

Bill Cassidy

Bill received his undergraduate and law degrees from Georgetown University.  He served as a Naval Officer on a Destroyer after college; as the Law Clerk to the Chief Judge of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia; as an Assistant United States Attorney; as a partner in a Washington law firm, specializing in litigation; as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy; and as a defense consultant.  Bill raced International 110’s at the Ocean City Yacht Club in Ocean City, New Jersey, and is a member of the New York Yacht Club.  He and his wife live in Newport.  Bill has been an active supporter of Clagett Sailing. 

Matthew Hill

Matthew is a resident of Barrington, RI and is the Race Administration Director for US Sailing. A lifelong sailor, in his previous career Matt was a classroom teacher at the elementary and middle school levels. He is past Commodore of the Saunderstown Yacht Club and a US Sailing race officer, judge and instructor. Matt has been the Principal Race Officer (PRO) for a variety of sailing events for both youth and adult sailors. Matt has been a board member and Junior Programs Chair for Narragansett Bay Yachting Association (NBYA) and served on the Rhode Island International Sailing Association (RIISA) board.

Liz Isdale

Born into a sailing family, growing up racing on Long Island Sound, Narragansett Bay, and continues to crew on a variety of boats in the northeastern US, Liz Isdale has saltwater in her veins. She has served the sailing community as a race official for more than 30 years and is a US Sailing certified race officer running regattas including both national and regional championships and club events for many organizations. She earned her BA from Wheaton College and her certificate in fundraising from Boston University. She has found her niche in helping not-for-profits develop their potential in helping the communities they serve and supporting their important programs. She is a valued member of the Clagett Sailing Development Committee. 

Karen D. Lloyd

Karen Lloyd retired as the Library of Congress’ Director of Veterans History Project in April 2021.  She came to the Library after retiring as a Colonel from the U. S Army where she was the first female Medical Service Corps Officer to receive Aviator Wings. During her distinguished military career, Karen received numerous military decorations to include 3 awards of the Legion of Merit for her superb and outstanding service. Since Karen’s retirement, she has been associated with numerous boards and associations including the Army Navy Country Club Board of Governors, co-founder of the Fort Rucker Community Foundation, Army Aviation Association of America’s Scholarship Foundation, Newport (RI) Historical Society’s Leadership Council as well as the Clagett Sailing Development Committee. Currently Karen resides in Alexandria, Virginia and Newport, RI.

Tom McGue

Dr. Tom McGue graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1975 and then completed a Navy Residency in Family Medicine in Jacksonville Florida. Tom served 30 years in the United States Navy till his retirement in 2012. In the Navy he progressed from a clinic level physician to be the Commanding Officer of Naval Hospital Great Lakes, Illinois. During his Navy time Tom deployed to the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the Indian Ocean, and to the waters off Norway. Following his Navy career, he served as the Chief Medical officer at Newport Hospital. Tom is a Fellow in the American Academy of Family Practice, a Member of the American College of Health Care Executives, and a lifelong member of the Naval War College Foundation.

Catherine Peacock

Catherine Peacock, graduated from the University of Oregon with a BA in Business Administration and Marketing. She took these skills into the corporate world and had a successful career in customer sales and services for CIGNA, Chase Manhattan Bank and Goldman Sachs.

Cathy’s love of sailing and her dedication to volunteering and her extensive board experience in leadership roles continues to keep her busy as a member of the New York Yacht Club’s Race Committee, Upper Keys Sailing Club, League of Women Voters, and St James Episcopal Church in Islamorada, FL. Cathy has volunteered for the Clagett Sailing Race Committee. Cathy lives both in Newport RI and in Islamorada, FL.

Spencer Raggio

Spencer is a marketing/communications consultant, and an avid sailor and racer. He is certified as a US Sailing Basic Keelboat Instructor and Adaptive Sailing Instructor. Spencer has been volunteering with Y-Knot Sailing, an adaptive program on Lake George, NY, since 1999. He also volunteers with US Sailing as a member of the Training Committee and as chair of the US Sailing Para Sailing Committee. He lives in Malta, NY.