The World Ocean School is an internationally focused nonprofit, nonsectarian organization dedicated to providing challenging educational programs aboard the schooner Roseway.

Staff & Trustees

Staff

Captain Dwight L. Deckelmann
Marine Operations Director and Co-founder

Dwight started the World Ocean School out of a desire to use the sea as a way to teach students about responsibility and community building. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Principia College, in Alton, Illinois, Dwight has spent many years building boats, performing yacht deliveries, and expanding his knowledge of marine ecology and navigation. As a self-taught sailor, Dwight is passionate about education and learning. With his tremendous skills in carpentry and design, as well as his contacts throughout the marine world, Dwight managed the restoration of Roseway in 2002. Serving as Roseway’s full time captain, he holds a 100-ton U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License and continues to oversee the maintenance and operation of Roseway.

Abby E. Kidder, M.A.
Executive Director and Co-founder

Abby Kidder started the World Ocean School while working at the Institute for Global Ethics in Camden, Maine, where she joined the staff in 1990. Holding a master’s degree in Human Ecology and Environmental Ethics from College of the Atlantic, she has authored a secondary-school curriculum titled How Big is Your Backyard? An Ethics-Based Approach to Environmental Decision Making, published by the Institute in 2001. As a certified trainer for the Institute, she organized seminars for teachers in the United States and abroad, presented widely to educators using the Institute’s curricular materials, designed new products and services, and worked directly with teachers, administrators, and students. With her passion for experiential education, she spends much her time overseeing the day to day administration of the school, fund-raising and building long term capacity for the organization.

Captain Thomas E. Ryan, Relief Captain

Tom grew up sailing the waters of New England with his father and mother, and then started racing turnabouts, eventually moving up to 420’s, and then on to the cruising class.  It wasn’t long before he fell in love with schooners and purchased his own 50 ft schooner in 2004 named St Brendan. In 2005 Tom received his 100-ton USCG license and sailed his schooner south. Tom lived aboard and chartered the vessel for a winter season in the Virgin Islands and then returned to New England to operate private charters aboard St. Brendan in Boston.  In 2006 he was hired by the World Ocean School to serve as a part time chief mate aboard Roseway–a job which quickly turned in to full time captain. He has sailed Roseway ever since and now serves as her primary relief captain.

Elizabethe B. Silverio, Executive Assistant and Office Manager

Betcie is an office generalist of the most diverse kind. She has worked for an assortment of non-profits with responsibilities ranging from Executive Assistant (including interface with board of directors) to Office Manager. Among other work, she has worked for a publishing house as an editor’s personal assistant; a PBS television series as Business Manager, involving event planning; and a rare-breed preservation farm with administrative, bookkeeping and desk-top publishing tasks. Most recently, Betcie owned her own public relations and administrative outsourcing business before her daughter was born. She has a BA in Communications from Principia College in Illinois and taught English as a second language in Taiwan. Working from the head World Ocean School office in Camden, Maine she is known as “Base-camp Betcie.”

Board of Directors

Abby Kidder, Camden, ME (Chair)
Pamela Cunningham, Rowayton, CT
Dwight Deckelmann, Portland, ME
Rushworth Kidder, Lincolnville, ME
Louisa MacNeill, Conshohochen, PA
Amanda Pullen, Boston, MA
Andrew Rowley, Duxbury, MA
Mark Zook, Salem, OR