MEET THE CREW:
Stephi Walker
Executive Director
Stephi’s first love was the sea. Growing up in a small coastal town in Scotland, an affinity to the water has shaped much of her life.
Following a degree in Environmental Geoscience, Stephi has spent almost 15 years as an outdoor educator and guide in many wild corners of the world. As a sea kayak guide, whitewater canoe guide, commercial skipper, Mountain Leader and ship’s crew, Stephi thrives in connecting youth and adults to each other and the environment. She has also spent many years following in the footsteps of Shackleton as a Polar Expedition Leader and Senior Assessor for the Polar Tourism Guides Association.
Having held leadership roles with several purpose-led organisations, Stephi is super excited to join the ranks of the Sea School as Executive Director.
When she’s not working, Stephi loves to whitewater kayak, explore beaches and play with her niece and nephews​. Welcome to the crew, Stephi!
Vacant
Program Director
This position is currently vacant - visit our news page for information about the job opportunity due Monday March 31 2025
Ellie O'Driscoll
Recruitment Coordinator
Ellie is a Sea School Alumni, world traveler, and ocean lover. With Nova Scotian roots, she has spent much time paddling, hiking, camping, and sailing on the East Coast.
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Having had personal experience with how formative Sea School trips can be, she is passionate about supporting youth to access these opportunities!
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She loves to paint, canoe, share music, and is always up for an outdoor/ocean adventure!
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Luke
Captain
Luke Bryan is a jack of all trades. He is an excellent wood worker, boat builder and sailor. He has extensive sailing experience and he loves sharing his passion for the sea with youth.
Charlie
Captain
Charlie left home in England bound for Northern Canada in 2000 and, many adventures later, has made the South Shore of Nova Scotia her home. Though she learned to sail dinghies as a teenager, it was not until she was in her early thirties that she finally made a voyage of her own and sailed around Southeast Alaska then down the coast to Vancouver. Her passion for boats and the sea led her to the Sea School where she thrills to see young people come alive to their own capabilities while on a voyage of their own. Her other big passions are playing the wooden Irish flute and practising the Japanese martial art of aikido.
Ed
Captain
A love of sailing wooden boats, shared adventures, and a little bit of the jester.
Drawn to the slow intensity of sailing, connection to the ocean, and Sea School's curious approach to sailing instruction that combines a strong back, a soft heart, and an open mind.
Ed also works as a carpenter repairing old houses, wood boats, and has built a few boats too!
Claire
Assistant Instructor
Claire grew up spending her childhood identifying the call of a barn owl or picking volunteer compost cherry tomatoes from the garden. During the school year she explored the woods, the creek, and the farmland near her house in Pennsylvania and during the summer she waded in tidal pools, canoed, and snorkeled with her family on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. In 2018, she went on her first Sea School trip as a participant and has been returning with Sea School to practice primitive seafaring every summer since. As someone who was raised through Quaker education, she is drawn to Sea School because of its roots in simplicity and cooperation, and for the ways it fosters curiosity and adventure. When not in Nova Scotia, she resides in Ithaca, New York where she studies Environment and Sustainability. She can be found databasing preserved plants in the Herbarium, rock climbing, practicing aerial silks, with her sketchbook, or cooking for her 25 co-op housemates.
Helene
Assistant Instructor
Contents to come!
Sam
Assistant Instructor
Sam has been enthralled by the ocean since infancy. The offspring of an ocean engineer and a marine biologist, he was immersed in the science and exploration of the sea. Initially terrified of swimming, seeing his father surf at the age of ten broke that curse and he has taken every chance to immerse himself in the water, or ride on it, since. Education and learning has been a mainstay of Sam's life. With a PhD in physics and an educator for the last decade he couldn't be happier to bring his experience and passion for education and the ocean together working with the Sea School.