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. When not on board, Dwight lives with his fiance in Portland, Maine.

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. When not on board the ship, Abby lives in Camden, Maine.

Eden Leonard
Education Director

Eden joined the World Ocean School as the Education Coordinator in September 2009 and quickly made her way to the top. With a degree in Chemistry from the University of Puget Sound and raised in the farm country of  Silverton, Oregon, Eden had a lot of on-the-job training. Her first few weeks with World Ocean School, she sailed from Boston to St. Croix and learned quickly what living at sea was all about. With a love for the outdoors and a background in working with kids in experiential settings, Eden took on the education programs in St. Croix with a lot of energy and focus. She now directs the World Ocean School’s education programs which include not only those in St. Croix, but also the summer programs in New England. When not on board, Eden calls Oregon home.

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. Tom lives with his fiance in Atlanta, GA

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.” She lives with her husband and daughter in Lincolnville, Maine.

Zachary Swick

Chief Mate and Engineer

Zack learned to sail sunfishes as a kid on lakes in Maine. As a teenager he sailed his small catamaran to the far reaches of Sebago Lake – repairing it all the way. After receiving a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2002, he spent several years working for Bath Iron Works, a U.S. Naval Shipbuilder in Bath, Maine. Though his engineering work took him all over the world, he left to pursue other goals and to spend more time outdoors. Zack joined the World Ocean School in February 2008 while taking a break from the corporate environment.  He quickly found his break form into a new career, merging all his passions and interests. On board Roseway he is able to bring together his passion for sailing and engineering as well as his love for teaching crew and students.  When not at sea he splits his time between Raymond, Maine and traveling in his Volkswagen Camper.

Board of Directors

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