Catherine Fox

When I joined SOS 18 years ago, I had never sailed. On my first cruise, the skipper put me on the helm and I was hooked. His wife showed me paper chart plotting, and had me spotting for tankers. Cocktail hour was well-earned!

Thanks to so many generous skippers showing me the ropes, six years ago I felt confident enough to buy my Hunter 28.5. Now I’m the one inviting crew to join me, and I love sharing my boat and knowledge. The best part is giving someone long enough on the helm to see them get a feel for it, a priceless opportunity for the boatless.

If elected to the board, I promise to listen carefully to your insights. From my years as a writer, editor, and communications manager for environmental nonprofits, I can bring my ability to research, evaluate, and prioritize. With experience as crew and skipper, new, younger working person and now retiree, I have a solid understanding of perspectives. When we know what our members want today, we can see where we should focus for the future.

First, we’ve got to boost skipper numbers—and participation—so folks aren’t left ashore. Last year, of 70 skippers designated active, 40 signed up for one sail or more. Just 15 sailed regularly.

Skippers share their beloved boats, which cost them a lot of time, money and, frankly, aggravation. As crew, we reciprocate by helping prep for the season, providing food and drink, and lending a hand on deck. Let’s figure out how to do this even better, with more appreciation all around, so skippers new and old sign up more often.

Second, we have to attract younger members. It’s simple: the younger demographic is essential to securing the future.

Our generous skippers and volunteers are the heart of this amazing club, and I’m grateful for every one of them.

I hope I have your vote as I, too, seek to do my part for SOS. Thank you.

Laura Keough

I have been an SOS member and skipper since 2022. Through SOS I have met wonderful people who share my passion for sailing, explored new places on the Chesapeake and overseas, sailed in a wide variety of conditions, improved my sailing skills, and developed friendships that I now consider family.

Over the last 2 years, I have had the privilege of serving as Cruising Co-Chair. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as Cruising Co-Chair is how SOS works and that our club succeeds because of its volunteers. As my term as Cruising Co-Chair comes to an end, I wanted to continue serving this wonderful club, so I accepted the nomination to run for the Board.

My love of sailing began at age 18 when, despite never having sailed before - I bought a Sunfish and then taught myself to sail. A few years later I added windsurfing to the mix. After taking time away from sailing to raise my children, I gradually returned to the water, moving up to larger boats, earning my ASA certifications, and in 2021 becoming the proud owner of Satori, my Beneteau Oceanis 323.

Before retiring three years ago, I spent my career as a chemical engineer, eventually becoming a Business Director, responsible for global business strategy, financial performance, and leadership of an international team. That role included seven years living and working in Japan. While a volunteer organization is very different from the corporate world, I believe the skills of listening, collaborating, building consensus, planning, and making thoughtful decisions are equally valuable in serving SOS.

If elected, my goal is to help ensure that our club remains vibrant and welcoming so that five or ten years from now, new members will discover the same sense of community, memorable sailing experiences, and lifelong friendships that so many of us have enjoyed. I believe a strong club is built by supporting our volunteers, encouraging new members to become involved, developing future skippers and leaders, maintaining sound financial stewardship, and preserving the welcoming, friendly spirit that defines SOS.

I would be honored to earn your vote and the opportunity to continue serving this club.

 Genienne Navarro

It was early in the pandemic when a friend and I were trying to figure out how we could get together safely, and he said, do you like to sail? Now I have known David for 30 years across 3 countries and I never knew he had grown up sailing! I had never sailed before, but there we were on Lake Nockamixon on his Tanzer 16, with him at the tiller and coaching me on the jib handling, and the exhilaration I felt was like taking my first breath of oxygen! I thought, “OK, how can I do this for the rest of my life?!”

Fast forward about 10 months and my 2 teenage kids and I are moving to Annapolis! My kids got online, searching things up for me and they said, “Mom, we found it! It’s perfect for you!” Yes, you guessed it: Singles on Sailboats. I went to a Happy Hour in the fall, then joined Spring Training in March, and I have since been welcomed into an amazing community of sailors that it is a joy to be a part of. I took ASA 101, and worked through the Basic Skills and now am in the Potential First Mate’s Program.

For the past few years I’ve been working at the University of Maryland Career Center, though I spent most of my career in intercultural competence development in the US and overseas. I mention this because my work in the intercultural training field emphasizes seeing from multiple perspectives, collaborative and creative problem solving, and effective communication. I think these skills will be an asset on the Board, as we work to continue to stay relevant to current members, while also attracting new members who will stay and contribute, and help SOS thrive over the coming years.

Many people have worked so hard to make this organization what it is today. And I’d like to be a part of helping that continue, building on the current magnificent organization and culture, and integrating new members with new ideas and new skills to contribute. I would welcome this opportunity to serve you on the board.

Janet Pennewell

I first joined Singles on Sailboats just over 4 years ago – but it seems like so much longer because it has become such an important part of my life! In that time, I’ve been the chair of the Social Committee as well as the Bareboat Bursar. I was first elected to the Board 2 years ago where I’ve served as the Treasurer. So yes, I’m the one who sends your reimbursement check, processes refunds, pays our bills, and does our taxes.

I briefly considered retiring from the Board and not running again. But then I thought about how important the club is to me and how important it is that those of us who value the club give back. And I know from experience just how hard it is to recruit members to take on our most important roles – especially board members and committee chairs. So here I am again – asking for your support.

For those of you who may not know me, my love of sailing began in my teens when I spent summers on Lake Huron learning to sail with my uncle. In my twenties, I graduated to racing one-design Lightnings with the Severn Sailing Association. After years living in Arizona with no sailing, I made my way back to Annapolis in 2022 and joined SOS. It has added a whole new dimension to my sailing experience - with weekend sails on the bay, bareboat cruises, and best of all, the invaluable friendships. And I have found that the more I get involved with SOS the more I get back from it.

I do have a history of getting involved in the organizations I care about: from running fund raising events for charities including Susan G Komen, to organizing the all-night graduation party for my son’s high school class. I served on the board of the golf club my late husband and I belonged to in Scottsdale, and most recently co-chaired two major regattas here at Eastport Yacht Club.

A little bit about my professional background. I have a Master’s degree in Finance and Accounting and have spent my career in a variety of positions at major financial institutions. I worked my way up to becoming a senior executive at Fannie Mae in Washington DC and then served as Chief

Financial Officer of the Home Equity Division at Wells Fargo Bank. I continue to work part-time as an accounting manager at Weems & Plath here in Annapolis.

I would be delighted to continue to share this experience by serving on the Board for another two-year term if elected.

Janet Pennewell
Joined SOS 2022

I’m Gerald “Gerry” Ragland, though most people know me as Gerry. Having been invited to run for the SOS Board of Directors, I’d like to share a little about myself as you consider the candidates.

I am widowed and have three grown children. My primary residence is in Alexandria, Virginia, but I spend much of my time in Annapolis, where I own a condo and boat slip at Severn House on Back Creek. My Tartan 34-2 is berthed there.

Professionally, I’m an attorney. I graduated from Temple University School of Law. During a 45-year legal career, I practiced as a trial lawyer in Pennsylvania, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. Today I remain licensed in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia.

Sailing has been a lifelong passion. I began boating in the 1960s and purchased my first sailboat, a Tartan 27, in 1981. Since then, I’ve sailed throughout the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers, as well as the Virgin Islands, San Francisco Bay, and, most recently, on the SOS trip to Grenada.

Some of my favorite memories include a two-week circumnavigation of the Delmarva Peninsula aboard a chartered Tartan 37 and an offshore voyage to New York Harbor aboard my current boat. Although weather forced us to change plans, the trip included sailing into New York Harbor, passing the Statue of Liberty, and a memorable overnight run down the Jersey Shore.

Beyond sailing, I have administrative experience managing social services programs for the Philadelphia Housing Authority and have served as President of the Friends of the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria. Along the way, I’ve also worked as a schoolteacher, auto mechanic, carpenter, and railroad brakeman.

I joined SOS nearly three years ago to expand my sailing opportunities and have thoroughly enjoyed the friendships and experiences the club has provided. If elected, I would be honored to give back by serving on the Board and helping ensure SOS continues to thrive for all members

Gabriel Ruiz

Joined SOS 2021

Gabe holds a BS in Science with major in Math and minor in physics. He attended University of Maryland Math Graduate school in College Park. He has worked as contractor to the Space Agency, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Defense Department. He was self-employed for many years in the computer field.

Gabe has been boating since a very early age, including in the Caribbean, around Puerto Rico, and through the Chesapeake Bay.

He has been a member of SOS twice--first around 1990, and most recently, since 2021. He has served on the Board of Directors for the past two years, initially as liaison to the Database Committee and currently as liaison to the Skippers Advisory Committee. 

Gabe has also been actively involved in SOS activities. He assisted Mylin Jordan with the recent Experienced Sailor event and volunteered at the New Members’ Education event. He is currently coordinating the relocation of the club's storage locker, which should save the club a good chunk of money.

Peter Van Houten

Dear SOS members:

I've been a member for approximately two years at SOS, and others have suggested that I should run for the board to help the SOS Club.

My sailing experience started when I was 10 years old in a summer camp. Earlier than that, my father was a naval officer and had sail and power boats all his life. My training was through his instructions. After playing with lasers and lightning sailboats, I graduated to a Wind Surfer. When I purchased my 45-foot sailboat in 1989, the insurance company asked me what my previous experience was. I filled out the form "wind surfer". I'm quite sure that gave them a little bit of a pause.

Since joining SOS, I have tried to be more and more active in the sailing activities. I have been on one of the bare-boat charters and plan to go on several more. The opportunity that this Club provides to do these things and travel to places I normally would not have considered is exquisite.

The vast majority of the SOS membership have experienced a severe loss. We have all lost "crew" in our lives. We love sailing and we love interacting with others as sailing alone is typically a very lonely sport. I have joined the club after losing my wife of 37 years in 2022. What I seek out of the club is friendship and crew. We can still and should still get on with life enjoying it as much as we can before we pass over the bar.

As a board member, I believe our focus should be getting new members in and making our current members experience the time of their lives. I don't know that I can do that, but I certainly am willing to try, especially with all the other dedicated individuals that give freely of their time to this club. This club would not exist without all the dedicated volunteers that selflessly give freely of their time. I hope that all the membership continues to volunteer. I hope to honor the club with my efforts.

Sincerely yours, Peter Van Houten

Peter Van Houten
Joined SOS 2024