Staff

Jeff received his BS degree in environmental science from S.U.N.Y. Purchase, and his MS.ED degree in environmental education from the University of Northern Illinois. Jeff grew up in Nyack, a self-proclaimed Pete Seeger loving “Hudson River Rat” steeped in the nature, culture, and spirit of the Hudson. Jeff has over 20 years of experience in the outdoor education and youth development fields. The last 10 years he served as Executive Director for several award-winning initiatives. In 1997 he led the development of the Community YMCA branch in Somers NY. In 2000 he founded YMCA Camp Combe in Putnam Valley, NY. From 2002-2006 he ran “Little Heroes” Camp programs for the children of 9/11, including an organic farm and an adventure camp recently featured on the Learning Channel. Jeff, his wife Laurie and their three boys, Walker, Wilder, and Wyatt love the Hudson Valley and are passionate about the Clearwater mission and its wonderful people!

Amy came to Clearwater in the fall of 1996 after graduating with a Bachelor degree in English from Trinity College in Burlington VT. After 6 years of Vermont life, she wandered south to the Hudson Valley. She started here as Development Assistant and after a few years became Office Manager. When not at her desk in the main office, you can probably find her skiing in Sugarbush VT, camping on Lake George, paddling on Saranac Lake, or working on her house and building bonfires with her husband Scott and cat Doogan.

Roger came to Clearwater in September of 2007 after spending most of his career in the corporate and educational worlds of employment. He is very happy to be aboard the sloop after swimming the Hudson the last two summers. He is also happy to include both worlds of accounting and music into one great job, and looks forward to keeping the mission of Clearwater going strong for the next generation of environmentalists.

Born and raised in Newton, MA, she holds a USCG 500-ton Ocean Master License and a B.A. in Political Science from Lehigh University. After her twin brother, Leigh, got her into traditional sailing on Martha’s Vineyard, she started as an apprentice on Clearwater in 1994. She has sailed aboard the schooners Roseway, Ernestina, and Westward and has crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific on the Pride of Baltimore II. She has been through the Panama Canal twice and is captivated by such a feat of engineering. She sailed around the world as Chief Mate on the barque Picton Castle visiting the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Indonesia, Africa and the Indian Ocean. She was Captain on Clearwater for four years prior to that epic voyage, and has returned to the best education program on the seven seas. When not barking orders, she loves watching both live theater and old movies (the cheesy 80’s genre included). She has the best music collection around and isn’t afraid to dance to it (and dance well). She is very fond of the Red Sox, beautiful boats, a spotless galley, cheeseburgers, dogs and a good night’s sleep.

Captain Nick Rogers returned to Clearwater as relief Captain in October of 2007 and full Captain in January of 2008. During his previous stints on Clearwater, he worked as 2nd Mate during the 2005 season, and as Engineer & Bosun before that. Nick received 2 degrees from the University of Rochester in physics and applied mathematics. He has experience working with youth as an Environmental Educator and Trail Crew Leader with the Student Conservation Association and as an Educator with a YMCA camp in New England.

Thomas Staudter grew up in North Tarrytown (now Sleepy Hollow), NY, and has resided in the Town of Ossining since 1996. Prior to joining Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Tom served as press secretary for US Rep. John Hall (having held the same post during Hall’s 2006 underdog victory) and then later as national press officer for US Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich’s 2007-2008 presidential campaign. For the past several years Tom has owned and operated Green Man Media & Management, an independent media consulting business specializing in the music industry, and as a freelance writer his articles have appeared in many newspapers and periodicals across the country. From 1992-2005 he was an adjunct professor at Westchester Community College, teaching in both the Communications and English Departments, and until recently was an adjunct professor at Purchase College, where he taught a “Business of Music” graduate seminar in the Conservatory of Music. Tom earned his BA at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Communications and English, then received his MA from the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University. He and his wife Carol, a manager of subsidiary rights at Reader’s Digest, have two children, Margaret and George. Tom is presently vice president of the Ossining Public Library’s board of trustees and also a member of the board of trustees at the Union Church of Pocantico Hills. He can be seen trying to crack a murder case as Det. Tom Stoddard in Joe Queenan’s cult film classic, “Twelve Steps to Murder”

Ann Mellor started working at Clearwater as Development Assistant / Membership Associate in April 2009. Previously, Ann served as Membership Associate / Administrative Assistant at the Hastings Center in Garrison, NY for 7 years. She is married and lives in Beacon, NY with her husband Michael Mellor. They came to the Hudson Valley in 1984 from Rochester, NY. Ann and her husband raised their two wonderful daughters in Beacon; one daughter, Mary Joe, is married and serves in the U.S. Navy, and the other daughter, Christine, served in the Air Force and is now married to an Airmen and lives in Virginia. In her free time, Ann loves to cook, read, travel, listen to music and watch movies.

Eileen graduated from Binghamton University with a B.A. in Political Science. She grew up in the Hudson Valley and spent most of her childhood in trees, bushes and the ocean. After a brief stint in the legal world, commencing work at Clearwater in April 2009 seemed like an important step in Eileen’s quest to work towards a more sustainable future for the Earth and its inhabitants. Prior to her present position at Clearwater, Eileen was Merchandise Coordinator and took part in the planning of the successful release of the DVD of Pete Seeger’s 90th Birthday at MSG, among other logistical projects. In her spare time, Eileen loves playing rugby, cooking, a good article on sound development practices in Africa, traveling around the world and meeting passionate, pragmatic and purpose-filled people.

Manna Jo Greene, Clearwater’s Environmental Action Director since 2000, was formerly the Recycling Coordinator/Educator for the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency for more than 10 years and a registered Critical Care Nurse for 22 years. She holds an AAS in Nursing, a BA in biology (pre-med) from SUNY/New Paltz, and completed course work toward a Masters in Environmental Sciences at Bard College. A lifelong environmental professional and community activist, Manna avidly supports collaborative land use planning and problem solving. Working to promote sustainable agriculture and green building and landscaping practices, she teaches communities how to integrate environmental preservation, economic prosperity (based on quality of life indicators), and social equity using effective communication. Manna also serves as Councilwoman on the Rosendale Town Board.

Victor-Pierre Melendez is a six-year Hudson Valley resident who received his B.S. in Environmental Science & Marine Biology from the University of Tampa, FL. He has interned with the City of Kingston’s Economic Development Department, performing residential and commercial space inventories in Uptown Kingston. Later, working for Scenic Hudson as a Community Outreach Coordinator in the Ulster, Westchester and Columbia County areas, Victor educated communities about the importance of applying sound waterfront principles in newly proposed developments, sat on the Diversity Committee for the New York State Outreach Education Association and served as a Board Member for Sustainable Hudson Valley. As an entrepreneur, he managed a café and art gallery that hosted many awareness events for the communities of Kingston’s Waterfront district.

Currently consulting for Clearwater, Victor is the project coordinator for the Rondout Creek Watershed Council while he prepares to submit his Master’s thesis for review with the Center of Environmental Policy at Bard College in fall of 2008.

Dave Conover first joined Clearwater in 1991 as an onboard educator and has worked off and on for the organization in various roles, including Navigator editor, grant officer and even storyteller at the Clearwater Festival. He received a BS in forest biology from SUNY ESF and an MS in environmental studies with a teaching certification from Antioch University New England. Dave has experience working on American shad research in the Connecticut River, water treatment for the NYC DEP, and environmental education at the Ashokan Center. He has also traveled to Russia and Syria as part of citizen exchange programs and he is currently an adjunct instructor at Marist College and SUNY New Paltz. Dave returned to Clearwater in 2007 as education director after serving as a high school teacher for the Dutchess Academy of Environmental Studies.

Maija was born to a family of musicians in the heartland, far from the sea. Minnesota was her first hailing port. School, university and adventures took her to Finland, Wisconsin and Lebanon. She followed the smell of sweet salt air and ran away to see the sea aboard her 28-foot sloop. Clearwater appeared on the horizon and she jumped at the chance to combine her interests in music, sailing, teaching, water ecology, environmental advocacy and pumping the bilge.

Linda Richards – rarely seen without a guitar in her hand or a song coming out of her mouth – has been involved with Clearwater in one way or another since the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Yes, it’s true. First a Sloop Singer, then rising through the ranks from contract educator to Education Director, she cast off 3 years ago to return to public school (having been a classroom teacher for almost a decade), only to realize that The Power of Song is her best gift to her students and Clearwater is the best school. So, she’s back. And she’s singing!

Born and raised in the Hudson Valley, Jen traveled north to Syracuse to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology. Sick of the long, cold winters of Central New York she moved with her husband Mike, to Louisiana, where she dodged water moccasins and giant mosquitoes in the wetlands of the Deep South. Her feet and interests firmly stuck in the muddiness of wetland ecology, she continued her studies at Penn. State where she spent four years learning about riparian restoration and watershed issues, before completing her Master’s degree in Ecology. Eight years, three dogs and two kids later, Jen and Mike decided to return to the Northeast and settle back in the Hudson Valley. Jen started working at Clearwater in January of 2006 as Events Assistant, wrangling volunteers for Revival. She is now applying her considerable skills to the protection of the Fall Kill creek, and chasing after her two children.

Eli was born at a very young age to a female mother in the fair state of Indiana. Schooled and corn-fed he departed for the big city only to fall in with the wrong crowd. They hung out by the dock, tying knots and climbing things using unseemly or archaic language. They would yell at kids things like “haul away” and “avast you land lubbering scuds”. Permanently fixed to their salty spirit by shared spider crabs, speaking sea robins and estuarine adventures, his fate was sealed. He roamed from the brackish in Baltimore to the salty mists of Maine. To his eternal benefit, the ravages of age (and love) brought forth a beacon from the shore. He navigated a course to the tideline for a wife and babe. Eli still has the brackish water in his veins though, and still bellows to the children a gravelly “ahoy”.

Catherine Stankowski, Clearwater’s Sail Coordinator, is from Canada. Since settling in the United States in 2003, she has fallen in love with the Hudson Valley and has taken to extolling its beauty and virtues to anyone who’ll listen. Catherine’s professional background is in volunteer and program coordination, and she’s worked in paid and voluntary capacities with organizations dedicated to strengthening communities and improving the quality of life for all people, including Housing Works in NYC and Best Buddies- Vrais Copains Canada in Toronto. When she’s not busy being an office maven, Catherine enjoys reading poetry aloud to her daughter, who has yet to show any sign of appreciating it.

Esther grew up in Washington State and started sailing 10 years ago. She was homeschooled through high school, after which she took a year off, living and working in Spain as a nanny. She came back home and completed a two year degree at community college and has been working primarily on boats since then. Before coming over to fore-and-aft sailing and joining Clearwater, Esther worked aboard the Lady Washington, Hawaiian Chieftain, and Kalmar Nyckel, cementing her proficient square-rigging skills. She likes good books, good coffee, and good music and when she’s not sailing, she likes to travel and spend time with her family.

While Erik came to the boat with aspirations of being an education intern, his fate quickly changed upon the discovery of his perfect hands and miraculous touch. He keeps the Clearwater engine as happy and boisterous as a llama in a cage match with a platypus. Erik is a connoisseur of biodiesel, bare feet, and meatless smorgasbords. While sometimes mistaken for a Viking, he is, in fact, a Georgia peach.

Julie believes in time travel and the power of onions. She has been known to stow away in cargo ships to Hawaii and Seattle. Things grow in her hands, and the weak tremble at her approach. She does not own any creepy horseshoe crabs. She can recite “It just doesn’t matter!” in a great Bill Murray voice. She is also arguably the best boat cook in existence, EVER.

Christopher was born and raised in Syracuse, NY and landed in Seattle after dropping out of two colleges. He lived in Seattle for eight years where he dropped out of a third college. He came to NYC via New Orleans two years ago, where he met a real nice girl from Seattle who was (and luckily still is) cooking aboard the Clearwater. He has spent a lot of time in and around the boat since then and now here he is in his first season, having graduated from being a Deckhand’s apprentice in Spring of 2008 to being a full-fledged Deckhand for the Fall season.

Andrea grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. Known to those closest to her as “Blimp girl” or “Dr. Dre”, Andrea Deyling has always possessed a talent for navigation and exploring. It was not surprising when Andrea graduated from Kent State and began to fly airplanes and later on, get this, blimps. The sky was not the limit. In 2003, Andrea jumped aboard a steel barque and spent the next two years sailing around the world, the Great Lakes and the Caribbean. Go Andrea! When not practicing celestial navigation, reading engine manuals or travel books, Andrea can typically be found with her backpack and hiking boots trekking through the most difficult trail she can find. She can also be found on the Clearwater tending jib, assisting in the engine room and rocking out on the air guitar.

Also known as “Bobo”, Sam grew up in Pittsburgh and is the product of two historical sailing families. He caught the bug on a “Semester-at-sea Program” and, upon graduation from Carleton College, he set about squandering his education by going back to sea. Aboard Clearwater, Sam has found a job that combines his two great passions in life: the Majestic Hudson River and yelling at little kids (and by yelling, of course, we mean cheerfully showing them the ropes).

Zoe grew up in Ohio, the heart of it all. She came to Clearwater as an education intern to learn and teach about the Hudson River. On her rare days off she likes to roam and look in the trash for flowers to bring back to the crew.

Francis first sailed aboard Clearwater at 15 with the first Young Women at the Helm program. Since then we haven’t been able to keep her away. She returned that summer as an Urban Outreach Intern and again the following summer as an apprentice. She’s back for a third tour, this time as an Education Intern. When she’s not aboard Clearwater she reps Yonkers hard and dotes on her grandmother. In September, Frannie will be teaching Special Education in New York City.

Born and raised in the lower Hudson Valley, Jack has always been fascinated by the ocean and sailing. When not teaching and sailing on the Clearwater, he enjoys scuba diving, hibernating, and existence.

Chelsea is a 23 year-old Wisconsonite who happens to be really keen on cheese… all kinds. She thinks sailing on the Clearwater is pretty sweet because of all the knots she gets to learn and all the people she gets to meet. When living on land she enjoys fermenting things, especially malted barley.