Susan Absher

I joined SOS in 2002. When I was asked to run for the Board, I decided it was time to up my volunteering to this club that has been an anchor in my life. SOS members taught Bob Hohl, my then future husband, to sail and invited us along on club sails, including bareboat cruises. SOS members were comforting when Bob died, and they have helped me welcome new member Ertan Eren to the club this year.

If elected to the Board, I would support the club’s commitment to Training, Safety and Outreach. These factors allow SOS to provide a variety of sailing experiences to accommodate our members’ different life stages, abilities, and interests. Outreach includes social activities which both attract new members and retain existing ones, including those no longer actively sailing.

SOS has an incredible cadre of volunteers. I would support Board actions that recognize and facilitate volunteerism. We can look at procedural changes that make volunteering easier such as using Zoom for meetings, as SOS has done, or finding ways to streamline sail coordinations.

I’ve been a member of Singles on Sailboats since 2010.  When I joined SOS, I’d actually NEVER been on a sailboat, but had been power boating for about 30 years with my ex-husband.

I’ve participated in SOS in many ways during my 14-year membership. One of my favorite volunteer activities is helping new members to become comfortable in the club.  I’ve hosted educational Fireside Chats, BBQs, Valentine brunches and just plain old parties to get people together. And I make a habit of calling new members to issue a personal invitation to encourage them to attend.  I’ve found this to be a highly successful technique for improving attendance and - best of all – new members get to know their new club!

I’ve learned a lot about the inner workings of SOS by volunteering on various SOS committees including Social, Nominating, Coordination, Public Relations, and currently First Mates.  In 2019, after I heard that discussions were taking place about cancelling Spring Training for that year, I stepped up and volunteered to take the lead as the Chair of the event. With a very small committee, we pulled it off successfully!

Professionally, I’ve always worked in the IT (Information Technology) field – in Sales, Marketing, and as most recently as a Project Manager until I retired during COVID.  I also held several leadership positions in the Women in Technology (WIT) organization, whose mission is to  “…advance women in technology from the classroom to the boardroom.” I also held both the Secretary and Treasurer position on my condominium board for four years.

Joining SOS has been an enriching experience for me, enabling me to meet people with all levels of experience and from many different backgrounds careers and their lives.  Our members are the most amazing people! My hope is that by serving on the SOS Board, I can make a contribution to a strong and vibrant future for SOS. I bring an open mind to this Board, along with business, management, and communication skills that are required to successfully guide and grow any organization.

Martha Haines

I appreciate your consideration of me for the SOS Board of Directors. I am excited to become more involved with the club.

First, a little background about me: Originally from the Midwest, I am a retired municipal bond lawyer who helped states, local governments and not for profit organizations finance infrastructure using municipal bonds. I became the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Municipal Securities and moved to Virginia with my two daughters in 1999.

Once here, I learned to sail as soon as I could through SCOW (the Sailing Club of Washington). Then I had an opportunity to sail one day on the Chesapeake and was immediately hooked! Since then, I have sailed as crew with my many sailing friends. In addition to the Chesapeake, I have sailed on charters on Lake Superior, around the US Virgin Islands, the San Juan Islands, and the Mediterranean Sea (out of Nice) among other locations.

I have been in a total of four sailing clubs over the years. I am currently a member of The Sailing Club Inc. (which does charters) and SOS. I sailed frequently with SOS until I herniated a disc in my back two years ago, which required me to pause. I am now fully recovered and sailing again. I have ASA 101, 103 and 104 certifications.

I have served on multiple boards in the past, including the boards of three small non-profits (one that supported new performing arts organizations, one a nursery school and one for both a nursery school and a food bank), two HOA boards, the Board of my church and the Welcome Club of Northern Virginia (a women’s social club). I am presently serving on the Board of the Public Utilities Commission of the City of Falls Church. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via the information in the SOS directory.

Thank you for your consideration.

 Ray Harris

I love SOS but I fear that we are getting away from the principles that made us such a great organization during my 24 years as a member. If I am elected to the board, I will do my best to get us back on track, hopefully to be able to do circle rafts (which require 14 boats) every cruise! Maybe we can get lucky and have another Monster Raft (60 boats).

We have recovered from the loss of members due to Covid, but skippers continue to decline and skipper participation has also declined. Power boaters do not contribute to day sails, (nor should they.)

As a successful CEO and businessman for 20 years in my own high-tech company, my engineering, management, and financial skills offer valuable resources to SOS. I typically sail over 1000 miles a year; no one in SOS has sailed more than me for the past 2 years and probably not this year, too. As a former Cruise Chair, I introduced SOS firsts such as fun racing, the first computer-based coordination process, and a separate cruise treasurer to reduce the burden on the SOS treasurer. (Many thanks to Ed Menegaux for great help on the last two!)

I am strong believer in getting feedback from members as I did when I became Cruise Chair. I will do this through questionnaires (and meetings) and will have the results published in our (fantastic!) Whisker Pole along with monthly statistics on how many boats and members sailed that month. I will also work to get the board meetings open again to all members and disallow board sanctions on members based on complaints that are kept secret from the sanctioned persons.

Finally, we need to recognize that participating skippers and new members are the lifeblood of SOS. I will work to make dockside training for new members available monthly. We have the members; we need to increase the number of active skippers. Help me help SOS to do this!

Judy Hunt

In my life work I was a Fed working on Medicare legislation and then in Medicare’s customer service operation. I have been an SOS member for more than 10 years and live in Eastport. I play a recorder in an English band.

I have done lots of sailing and four international trips with SOS as a fully contributing member of the crew.

I was first introduced to SOS when I became a widow over a decade ago and was looking to meet people with similar interests.  I was looking to make friends who could navigate and operate boats because I had been left a power boat.  That plan worked out well.  SOS has given me a great outlet for meeting people who like to sail and be on the water, like I do.

My first international trip with SOS was on the French waterways with a stellar crew with whom I have sailed again and again.  My roommate on this trip was a dream, and I always think of her first in any trip planning.

Another trip I went on took us to Greece.  Same roommate and other remarkable SOS friends.  Same great fun.  We had an amazing time swimming in the Aegean, eating at restaurants recommended by the captain, sightseeing on the islands and in Athens, and of course, sailing.

When Dana Stoffregen suggested I run for the Board, I was immediately interested, though it was not something I had ever done before.

Being a member of the Board would make it much easier to become more involved with SOS.  Also, I owe a debt to all of the organizers and board members who have gone before me creating such a fun and inclusive atmosphere around boating.  And I like trying new things to keep my brain muscle moving.

I believe I can bring to the Board my fresh view of the organization from the perspective of a returning member.  And I will bring my passion for SOS’s purpose and guiding principles such as safety, courtesy, and inclusion.

Judy Hunt
Joined SOS 2012

I’ve been an SOS member since 2012.  Most of my SOS activity has been related to bareboat cruising.  

I retired this year and one of the things I want to do is to become more involved in SOS.  When asked to be a candidate for the board elections, I saw an opportunity to learn more about SOS and to contribute to this organization that has given me so many memorable adventures and friends.  

While working, I was a Senior Director for a government contractor. I oversaw division level quality management, process improvement, data privacy, and compliance programs.  

I have previously served on a non-profit board; I understand the role of the board and the purpose of the bylaws.  I am a good listener.

I would be honored to receive your vote.

Janet Pennewell

My love of sailing began in my teens when I learned to sail on Lake Huron with my uncle. A little later, I got involved in racing one-design Lightnings with the Severn Sailing Association and loved every minute! I took a break from sailing to raise my family and then ended up moving to Arizona for work (not much sailing there!). Fortunately, I was able to get back to the water when I returned to the DC area in 2020 after my husband’s death. I took a couple refresher courses at Annapolis Sailing School, and then joined their Keel Boat Club where I was an active participant in their Rainbow racing program, and racing on their Tartan 24 in the AYC Wednesday night races.

Joining SOS in 2022 added a whole new dimension to my sailing experience - with weekend sails on the bay, bareboat cruises, and best of all, the invaluable friendships. I have found that the more I get involved with SOS the more I get back from it - although I have to admit that I may have overdone it this year: Chairing the Social Committee, coordinating the Mallorca Bareboat trip, and taking over as Bareboat Purser.

I do have a history of getting involved in the organizations I love: from running fund raising events for charities including Susan G Komen and a Phoenix-based medical respite center, to organizing the all-night graduation party for my son’s high school class. Most recently, I served on the board of the golf club my late husband and I belonged to in Scottsdale.

Rich Stewart

During my time with the government, I served as a technical representative  on various contracts where I was responsible for evaluating multi-million-dollar proposals for technical acceptance, cost efficiency, performance, and adherence to specifications.

After retiring from government service, I successfully owned and managed several businesses.

In addition, I have over 20 years of experience sailing and maintaining a sailboat, with several years spent cruising along the East Coast to the Florida Keys and beyond.

As a board member, I would bring a blend of common sense and practical solutions to the table, working together with fellow board members to ensure that Singles on Sailboats remains an affordable and enjoyable experience for all members.

Susan Zevin

I am happy to be a candidate for a second term on the Board of Directors. A former member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, I have been a boater and sailor since I was six years old.  My journey with SOS began in 2018, and it has been a privilege to serve and grow with this terrific community. During the pandemic, I took on the role of Brunch Chair, navigating the challenges of organizing and “un”-organizing events in unprecedented times. As an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, in 2022 I helped develop the SOS Fit Sailor scoring system. And, I have been fortunate to serve on the Board for the last two years.

My career as a senior executive in federal science and technology departments, combined with extensive experience on the boards of various volunteer organizations (a running club, a religious group, a condominium board, my college sorority), has equipped me to manage and lead both large organizations and small teams.

Over the past year, as Commodore, I relied heavily on our wonderful Board and our dedicated veteran committee chairs. Working together, we have continuously refined our operations, events, policies, and procedures, pursued excellence, and ensured we meet the evolving needs of our members.  We’ve worked hard to develop business cases for our budget and financials to support decision making and to ensure the financial stability of the organization.  This strategic approach has allowed us to offer extensive educational and social experiences that essentially pay for themselves.   We are reviewing incentives and procedural changes to grow skipper participation so that fewer crew are left ashore while our membership grows.  Our SOS policies against harassment, abuse and discrimination have been updated and strengthened.  The New Zealand Bare Boat proposal provided extensive and detailed information for both skippers and crew; and a new trip (to Lake Huron) already is scheduled for next September.  The First Mates program has been reinvigorated to provide incentives for First Mates.

While growing a commodious, harmonious, and friendly environment within our club, I have been committed to fostering excellence in safety, education, socializing, and camaraderie. This is our BRAND.  Our collective focus must be to create a positive and forward-looking atmosphere where members collaborate effectively and support one another. Our future depends on unity and a shared vision for the betterment of all.  As a member of the Board, I will be committed to continuing this work, to further strengthen our community, enhance our events, and uphold the values that make SOS a remarkable organization.

Thank you for your trust and support