Rear Admiral Rothesay ‘Ross’ Cathcart Swan was born at Orange, NSW on 1 June 1926 and entered the RAN College as a cadet midshipman in January 1940. Following a distinguished Naval career spanning more than forty years, Rear Admiral Swan retired from the RAN in 1983 and the following year became the Director Tall Ships – Australia (Bicentennial Authority). He has also been deeply involved in the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme since its inception.

Jennifer Reilly is the Executive Director of the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme. She has twenty years experience in communication strategy and corporate affairs. Jennifer has sailed STS Young Endeavour both in Australia and in Europe, participating in the Sail Training International Tall Ships Races. She was elected to the Australian Sail Training Association, now Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand (TANZ), Committee in 2013 and served in several roles before being elected President. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is also a Director of the TANZ Foundation.

Sarah is the builder, Master, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Trustee of the youth development sail training brigantine Windeward Bound. Sarah holds a Masters ticket in square sail, is a former board member and Treasurer of the Sydney Maritime Museum (Sydney Heritage Fleet), and has been involved in sail, steam and other motive power for over 45 years. Prior to Windeward Bound, Sarah was a member of the Royal Australian Navy, and then Senior Vice President of the Tasmanian wilderness based youth development project, PROJECT HAHN. Both Sarah and the Windeward Bound Trust were founding members of Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand, and have embraced the ideals of Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand since its inception.

Following almost thirty years as a volunteer, including nineteen years as a Director, Carol was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation in July 2016. Carol’s professional experience spans the corporate sector, principally in banking and finance and incorporating seven years in the City of London, and the government sector, in senior business management roles with three State government statutory bodies. Carol is focused on long term delivery of premium youth development outcomes in Western Australia.

Murray has been involved with sail training since 2000 and is a Sail Training International Trustee. As a sail trainer and high school science teacher he seeks to connect teachers and students with sail training, and is currently researching the impact sail training has on teacher pedagogy. While working as Voyage Coordinator for the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme he developed the ‘Generic Youth Development Program’ and assisted with the development of the ‘Self-Assessment Tool Kit’ for Sail Training International. Murray is a previous winner of the Sail Training International Volunteer of the Year award, and regularly presents at International Sail Training and Tall Ships conferences. He is currently developing a range of sail training support material including a facilitators’ guide and teacher training guide, with curriculum links and resources.

Jon retired as the General Manager of Sydney Heritage Fleet in 2012 and has since been an active volunteer in the tall ships community, including organising Tall Ship Festivals and events in Australia and New Zealand. Jon has been sailing since he was 11 years old. He first went to sea professionally as a 15 year old deck hand on coasters in the North Sea, before undertaking a marine engineering apprenticeship with the New Zealand Shipping Co. Subsequently, he studied industrial engineering and undertook an MBA in voluntary sector strategic management. Jon sailed James Craig as a deck hand and worked as a riveter on the restoration of the John Oxley, Australia’s last coastal steam ship. Jon has considerable experience as Chief Executive of voluntary organisations in Australia and the UK, and has consulted widely in Australia and the US. He is currently the Chair of the TANZ Foundation.

As a founder member and long serving volunteer for the Queensland Sail Training Association and the tall ship South Passage, Robyn has devoted a great deal of time, energy and hard work to delivering personal development opportunities to Australian youth. A highly experienced and respected sailor, Robyn is a relieving master for South Passage, and has been involved in the office and on deck for over twenty years, providing development opportunities for hundreds of people. In 2013 Robyn was awarded Sail Training International Volunteer of the Year in recognition of her ongoing dedication to sail training. In 2014 Robyn received a Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to youth.

Sam is a retired mariner and lecturer in maritime studies. He sailed for years aboard tall ships in Hobart including the Lady Nelson and Windward Bound, as well as brief stints aboard Rhona H and One and All. Sam moved to Canberra and lectured in maritime studies at the Australian Maritime college for 7 years before retirement. He is currently a crew aboard the Paddle Steamer Enterprise operating on Lake Burley Griffith and was previously the skipper of the historic vessel the Steam Yacht Preana (1896) for 10 years. Sam is looking forward to continuing his adventures under the auspices of the Sydney Heritage Fleet and TANZ.

An experienced event management and partnerships coordinator in the non-profit and small business sectors, Lisa has been working and volunteering with tall ships since 2016. She first sailed with STS Young Endeavour in the Northern Territory – an experience she describes as life changing. Soon after, Lisa began working with Windeward Bound and feels proud to have supported so many young Tasmanians to join youth development voyages. Lisa is now a team leader with the Smith Family and continues to volunteer with tall ships in Australia and as a member of the Sail Training International Youth Committee.

Adrian is the Australian Youth Representative for Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand. A lifelong love of the sea and an insatiable yearning for adventure drew Adrian to apply for a voyage on Australia’s national sail training ship, STS Young Endeavour. As anyone who has ever sailed Young Endeavour can attest, Adrian’s voyage from Tasmania to South Australia in February 2023 changed his life. Since then, he has served as an ambassador for the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme and has joined the Australian National Maritime Museum as a volunteer crew member and Queensland’s tall ship, South Passage, as a trainee Watch Leader. Adrian also volunteers as a sailing instructor with the Making Waves Foundation, an Australian charity which helps people with disabilities through sail training. Now keenly aware of the effect of sailing and sail training can have on the community, Adrian is energised by the impact sail training can have on the young and young-at-heart alike!.

 Phoebe has been involved with the sail training community in New Zealand since 2019, following a trainee voyage with the Spirit of Adventure Trust. Since then, Phoebe has volunteered as a crew member on almost 20 voyages, helped at the ship’s refit, crewed on the annual Inspiration Voyage for disabled youth, and fund-raised and campaigned for the Trust. in 2022 Phoebe was awarded the Trust’s Topsail Award for Young Volunteer of the Year and has since become a Watch Assistant Coach, using the skills and experience gained from my previous voyages to train new volunteers and support the youth trainees in challenging situations.