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.

Stephen was appointed Executive Director of the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme in 2004, following a Royal Australian Navy career that included appointment as Commanding Officer HMAS Kanimbla. He was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 2002 for his contribution to Navy capability. Stephen is actively involved with sail training – the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme delivers a widely acclaimed youth development program in the national Sail Training Ship Young Endeavour. Stephen is a graduate of the Royal Australian Navy Staff College and holds a Bachelor of Economics and Graduate Diploma of Environmental Law. He is the Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand International Representative.

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.

Jennifer joined the sail training community in 2009, coordinating STS Young Endeavour’s circumnavigation of Australia. She is currently the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme Marketing Manager. Jennifer has over twelve years experience in marketing and public affairs, and has previously worked as a communication advisor for the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Royal Australian Navy. In 2013 she coordinated publicity for the Australia and New Zealand International Tall Ship Festival and the inaugural Sydney Auckland Tall Ships Regatta. She holds Bachelor Degrees in Communication and Applied Economics, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Jon retired as the General Manager of Sydney Heritage Fleet in 2012 and devoted himself to organising the 2013 International Fleet Review Tall Ship Festivals held 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.

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.

Dean is the CEO of the Spirit of Adventure Trust, which operates the Spirit of New Zealand, based in Auckland. He is also involved in Coastguard New Zealand for over 30 years having completed his three year term as the National President and now remains on the Board as a Co-Opt member.. He is on the board of the International Marine Rescue Federation, the Asia Pacific Regional Board and is a Board Member of Water Safety New Zealand. Dean is heavily involved with his community as a volunteer at the Surf Life Saving Kariaotahi Club and Waiuku Coastguard.

As a child Mal travelled several times between Australia and England, around the Cape of Good Hope. These voyages must have had an effect as he joined the Royal Australian Navy in his teens, and after six years as a Meteorology sailor joined the Bureau of Meteorology, including four voyages on icebreakers to the Antarctic. Mal joined the Tasmanian Sail Training Trust in 1997, achieved his skippers ticket in 2005, and joined the Board in 2007. Since 2015 Mal has been a race official of the Tall Ships Races in the northern hemisphere. Mal joined TANZ in 2012. He lives in Hobart and is a regular skipper of the Lady Nelson, he also enjoys playing and watching rugby, sea kayaking and cycling.

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.

Sam was born a long time ago in a place far away. He studied Mechanical Engineering and Music before working in South Africa as a university lecturer. In the early 80’s he migrated to Australia and has since worked as a Senior IT Professional, Aviator, Aviation Safety Analyst (CASA), Public Servant (ABC), Bus Driver and Mariner, to name a few. He moved to Hobart in 2005 as Chief Technology Officer of a computer firm. The passage on Spirit of Tasmania was the second time Sam had been on a boat, and yet he is now a Square Rig Master 4 and MED 2, and a full time lecturer at the Australian Maritime College in Launceston. Sam is also the captain of one of the world’s most beautiful boats – the Steam Yacht Preana, and is studying a PhD in Maritime Safety.

Kaela has been an avid sailor since sailing small dinghies on Sydney Harbour in her youth. She first sailed a tall ship in 2012 when she completed a voyage in STS Young Endeavour. Since then she has sailed on a number of tall ships both in Australia and overseas. Kaela started volunteering with Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand during the International Fleet Review in Sydney 2013, and now edits the quarterly newsletter and contributes to social media. After completing a degree in Paramedics in 2015, Kaela decided to follow her passion for tall ship sailing and is currently a permanent live-aboard volunteer crew member on Windeward Bound in Tasmania. She is a watch leader and is working towards her Master <24m and MED2 qualifications.