A lifetime of summers in Niantic Bay fostered a love of the sea in Pamela Woodruff. Her childhood explorations of beaches and shoals led her to major in marine science at the University of South Carolina. She decided that she preferred to share her knowledge over spending time in a lab and pursued the field of education. She is certified to teach Math and Science in the State of CT in grades 7-12 and holds a Masters Degree in Education for Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Joseph. She currently works as a math teacher in the alternative education program at Manchester High School where she has been teaching for over almost 20 years.

Pamela learned to sail at Niantic Bay Yacht Club on a Blue Jay in middle school. After a more than 10 year hiatus, she returned to sailing for NBYC’s Wednesday Night Racing in a Pearson Ensign. It was here she learned the most important post sail question: “did you have fun?”. Having been bitten by the sailing bug, she pursued racing further by competing in weekend racing, ECSA series, Regional and National Championships. During this time she met and married her husband Gary and they soon had a son, Donovan. She has continued to sail both competitively and recreationally on the Ensign as well as the Laser, Blue Jay, the family Nonsuch and almost any boat that will take her. She has participated as a skipper every year of the She Sails program, hoping to share her love of sailing with other women. She has also acted as crew or skipper for the adaptive sailing days hosted by NBSA and The Miracle League.

In her fourth season as Program Director for NBSA, Pam looks forward to bringing her knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm to another season. She is happy to talk with the families who entrust their young sailors to our program. Here’s to fair weather, sailing fast and having fun.

Sarah is a rising senior at Springfield College majoring in Physical Education and Health Education.  She is also captain of the field hockey team at SC. She grew up sailing at NBYC in Optimists during which she was a volunteer junior instructor. Sarah is a Level One certified instructor and is looking forward to her fourth year at NBSA, now as co-Head Instructor.

Brendan Peary is a rising junior in the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. He first learned to sail at NBYC when he was nine years old. Brendan decided to pursue competitive sailing when he joined the sailing team at Xavier High School, where he was captain during his senior year. He also gained experience on the Club 420 circuit and at other high-level Club 420 events while sailing with MudRatz. Brendan has been a consistent crew member on Atlantics for four seasons and competed in the 2022 Nationals. Last summer, Brendan competed at Ensign Nationals with Team SeaFoam. Currently, Brendan sails on the Boston College Sailing Team. This past fall, Brendan was appointed ECSA Junior Sailing Committee Chairman, where he now oversees interclub racing and junior sailing events within ECSA. Brendan is excited to be back for another summer of sailing in the bay!

Lily Margiotta will be a sophomore at Sacred Heart University this fall. Lily grew up in the NBYC sailing program where she competed nationally in the Optimist, Club 420 and Lightning class. Last summer she competed in the Ensign Nationals with her co-worker and two of her students. This summer she hopes to compete in Atlantic nationals with the same team. Lily had a great season coaching last summer at NBSA and it excited to return for her third year.

Luciana is a third-year Graphic Design student at Universidad Siglo 21 in Córdoba, Argentina. She has been coaching Optimists for the past four years and holds a World Sailing Level 1 instructor certification. This will be her second summer at NBSA, where she’s excited to return as a coach.

I’m a rising junior at East Lyme High School with a strong passion for sailing. I began my sailing journey at Niantic Bay Yacht Club and spent two seasons at Ram Island Yacht Club, gaining valuable experience along the way. Over the years, I’ve sailed a wide variety of boats including Optis, 420s, Lightnings, Ensigns, and more. I've competed in numerous regattas that have sharpened my sailing skills and deepened my love for the sport. Notable events include the Lightning Junior North Americans, the Ensign Nationals, and the Opti New England Championship. These experiences have taught me important lessons in leadership, teamwork, and resilience. I also spent three seasons volunteering as a junior instructor at NBYC where I supported sailing programs and helped younger sailors build their skills on the water. That role helped me grow as a mentor and reinforced my commitment to giving back to the sailing community. This season, I’m excited to step into the role of sailing instructor and share my knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm. I look forward to helping young sailors grow in confidence and develop the same love for the sport that has shaped my own journey.

I am a rising junior at The Williams School in New London, Connecticut, and also take additional coursework at Connecticut College. I began my sailing journey in Optis at the Thames Yacht Club. After two seasons, I found a new sailing home at Niantic Bay Yacht Club, where I continued to race Optis before transitioning to 420s.

Over the past two years, I’ve been a dedicated member of The Williams School sailing team each spring, and I’ve also sailed with the MudRatz program in the fall. These experiences have strengthened my sailing skills and taught me the importance of leadership, communication, and teamwork—qualities I’m excited to bring to my role as an instructor.

I'm really looking forward to sharing my love of sailing and helping younger sailors build confidence on the water this summer.

I attend the Parker Charter School in central Mass where I play varsity ice hockey. My summers have been dedicated to sailing, racing and teaching. My family has a summer house in Waterford, which led me to Niantic. I enjoy working with kids and teaching and look forward to a great summer at NBSA