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As the 501(3)c charitable arm of the Eastport Yacht Club, we are committed to preserving the maritime character of Annapolis and inspiring appreciation, conservation and education of our treasured Chesapeake Bay by today’s youth.
The Foundation works with local 5th grade through college students by way of annual events like 5th Grade STEM on the Water and the High School Marine & Maritime Career Expo, as well as Junior Sailing and Marine & Maritime scholarship programs. Each year EYCF supports hundreds of students and works to award over $50,000 in scholarships.
Learn more about these initiatives by visiting our PROGRAMS section.
EYC Foundation is led by a passionate and dedicated Board of Directors composed of Eastport Yacht Club and community members. The foundation is additionally made up of four committees: Executive, Development, Promotion and Fundraising.
Meetings are held the fourth Monday of each month at 6 pm in the clubhouse lower level conference room (317 First Street, Annapolis 21403). We welcome new energy and involvement! Let us know if you would like to attend a meeting info@eycfoundation.org
“To enable diverse groups of young people to explore, learn about, and value opportunities on the water and in marine and maritime careers while protecting the environment”
Get to know us a little better by clicking on each name below
Wendy Madden, Vice Chair
Sarah Trees, Treasurer
Rahel Rosner, Secretary
Bill Phillips, EYC Rear Commodore
Tara Potter
John Staub
All EYCF Board Members, Committee Chairs and volunteers honor and adhere to our Code of Conduct
• DEVELOPMENT – Becky Ranzenbach, Chair
The Development Committee seeks big-picture ways to expand the Foundation’s outreach to local youth and supporters, and pursue new resource and revenue opportunities.
• PROMOTION – Heather Gaetano, Chair
The Promotion Committee tells the EYCF story in order to promote each EYCF program as well as general outreach and fundraising campaigns.
• FUNDRAISING – Carroll McGillin, Chair
The Fundraising Committee creates revenue raising opportunities throughout the year including new small scale endeavors like Super Bowl and March Madness challenges as well as the annual fundraiser event and virtual auction.
EYC Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in Maryland organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes.
Blake grew up boating in North Carolina and worked with two different custom sport fishing yacht builders throughout his college years. He moved to Annapolis in 2017 to work as a yacht designer until 2020, when he became a full-time yacht broker. Blake has traveled extensively throughout the Chesapeake Bay region and can be found spending time on the water with his family.
Volunteering with the Marine & Maritime Career Expo is what first brought Blake into the EYCF fold, and it has grown from there. Working in the marine industry, he sees first hand the need for motivated and trained individuals to fill job vacancies and enjoy all that the industry has to offer. Being a part of a Foundation that supports students and the advancement of their careers in the marine industry has been so rewarding, and he looks forward to being able to help EYCF with that mission in the years ahead.
Carroll and her husband, Rob moved to Annapolis over 20 years ago because of their shared passion for sailing. They joined EYC and became early volunteers with EYCF’s STEM program.
After starting her career as a high school history teacher, Carroll spent the rest of her professional career in the education technology industries at Apple Computer and Cisco Systems. She says she had the best job in the world because she got to see how technology can really help revolutionize education, empowering teachers as they work with their students.
With Cisco‘s philanthropy program, the Cisco Networking Academy, Carroll worked nationally with State Departments of Education and community colleges IT STEM programs, helping states build programs to encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM careers.
Carroll is excited to be part of the EYCF Foundation and enjoy seeing how it truly helps young people see a future for themselves in the marine industry.
Vicki is so excited to be part of the EYC Foundation and work together to further the mission. Her introduction to EYCF was through volunteering at the 2023 Career Expo and STEM on the Water. As she tells it, she was hooked immediately.
Having served as a Girl Scout troop leader, church youth group leader, and parent volunteer for school PTAs and Boosters for many years, she enjoys mentoring students of all ages.
For over 30 years her day job has been in the medical device and laboratory diagnostic field in a variety of areas including product research and development, manufacturing, regulation, and health communication.
Vicki loves science, protecting our environment, hiking, traveling, and, of course, spending time with family and friends cruising around the Chesapeake Bay on our Sabre 386.
Becoming a member of the EYC Foundation is an intersection of Christy’s personal and professional lives. She grew up in Southeastern Connecticut where she spent many hours on the water on her grandparents’ powerboat. She caught the sailing bug after taking sailing classes in college.
As an adult she has had both power and sailboats. Professionally, Christy is a developmental psychologist/university professor, whose research and service largely focuses on children in low-resourced communities.
As a member of the EYC Foundation, she will focus on bringing maritime experiences to children and youth who would not otherwise have the opportunity.
Larry joined EYC in 2016 and discovered the good work and lovely people of EYC Foundation in 2023. He serves on the foundation’s Marketing/Promotion team and on EYC’s IT Committee. A 30+ year sailor, his early water days were spent off the Atlantic coast of Florida and the Bahamas, before finding his way to the Chesapeake Bay in the early 2000’s.
Larry hails originally from Pittsburgh, PA where he began his career in television production, first as a camera operator then as a broadcast engineer. He was hired by his wife Heather and together they worked live sports and entertainment production in the early days of MTV, HBO, and ESPN, as well as the major networks. They moved to Florida to work for another client, Walt Disney World as they embarked on studio tv and film production. He shifted to cable and network news in 1997 designing and building studios and managing major events like inaugurations until he happily retired in 2017.
Larry and Heather live in Ellicott City’s historic district where they’ve volunteered tirelessly through two flood recoveries, over a dozen music festivals and helping with friend’s IT and marketing needs. He loves to cook, makes fabulous pasta and knows his way around a wine store.
Kimberly has over 20 years of experience teaching Preschool – High School. She has taught a variety of subjects and especially enjoys working with her STEM students. Kimberly is currently a Work-Based Learning Facilitator based out of South River High School in Edgewater. She works with students and businesses to set up internships and apprenticeships. The most enjoyable part of her job is preparing high school students with the skills necessary to be successful in college and in the workforce.
Kimberly looks forward to serving as an EYCF Board Member and working on the Marine & Maritime Career Expo. She loves to network and hopes to connect and build new relationships with local businesses interested in providing opportunities for high school internships and/or apprenticeships.
Rahel currently serves as the CFOO of the Epilepsy Foundation of America. Rahel has served in similar capacities at Leffell School, Georgetown Day School, Washington College and The St. Paul’s Schools. She has focused on financial sustainability leading non-profits through transformational reorganization. Prior to her service with non-profits, Rahel was with PwC for 10 years. In addition to serving as board secretary for EYC, Rahel serves on the board of EBS, as treasurer of CSEE, on the Finance Committee of Kent School and the accreditation commission for AIMS.
Rahel and her husband, Jordan moved full time to Edgewater five years ago where they live on the Rhode River. You will find them out and about on their powerboat, On the Rhode Again or crewing on OPB. They are proud parents of Tovia and Ari, sponsor parents to a middie (or two) at any given time, and caregivers to thousands of oyster spat who they nurture at the end of their dock.
Since 2012, Sarah has served as the Executive Director of the Woodland Beach SCBD (a special taxing district in AA County). She manages the budget and finances and is the project manager for maintenance contracts and capital improvements for the waterfront community. Before that, she was the events manager for Union Station in Washington, D.C. From press events for fifty people to inaugural balls for six thousand guests, she had the opportunity to coordinate fun and challenging events and work with creative and interesting clients.
Sarah and her husband Greg Pitser enjoy living and playing on the Chesapeake Bay. Currently, they sail a Hunter 28 or snoop around nearby creeks and coves in a Boston Whaler or on paddle boards or canoe. When not on the water, they like to follow sports, dine out and travel.
Sarah always finds time to volunteer. Currently, she handles the finances for the non-profit wing of her community, serves as chair of EYC’s Finance Committee and is a member of EYC’s Race and Nominating Committees. Sarah has a BA in History from Maryland so there’s no telling where her tendency towards managing finances comes from. Sarah is a strong believer in positive reinforcement for happy volunteers and enjoys supporting the Foundation members that have vision and drive.
Wendy combined her passions while traveling and teaching English all over the world until 2004 when she moved to Annapolis from Casablanca, Morocco, to teach at the United States Naval Academy. She taught there until September 2018 when she retired from full-time teaching to work as Human Resources Manager for M Yacht Services, her husband Steve’s company.
Attracting young people to the vibrant marine industry is one of Wendy’s favorite EYCF goals. She serves as Chair for the foundation’s annual Marine & Maritime Career Expo. She also serves on the board of MTAM and has mentored several On the Job Trainees with MTAM’s Marine Trade partnership.
Becky first sailed while growing up in Ohio. Racing really took hold in 2006 when she moved to Delaware. She spent many seasons driving to Annapolis to sail on Wednesday nights and weekends before moving here in 2015. Becky has also raced in the Heineken Regatta, Marblehead to Halifax, and Newport to Bermuda races, and found deep friendships all along the way. With her husband Robert they race their Viper 640 that docks at EYC.
As a student, Becky was introduced to STEM by a chemistry teacher so long ago that it wasn’t even called STEM yet. That led her to choose engineering as a college major and working in the recycling industry. Her first job was turning soda bottles into carpet and clothing fiber. She moved on to work in Quality Engineering and Leadership rolls creating GORE-TEX® products, printed circuit boards, radar systems and ocean wind farms.
Throughout her career, Becky experienced a shortage of people working in the skilled trades and had difficulty filling job openings. She sees tremendous value in cultivating people and job opportunities, especially marine trades. Thanks to scholarships and paid co-op sessions she put herself through school and graduated debt free. She’s passionate about the foundation’s efforts as she’s seen first hand how they impact lives.