CURRENT STAFF AND CREW

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Captain Jonathan Kabak is an internationally recognized expert on maritime training and education under sail. Originally hailing from New York City, Jonathan’s maritime career began in the Sea Scouts and aboard the ships of the South Street Seaport Museum. Over the course of his career, he has sailed in command of vessels ranging from landmark tall ships to high performance racing sailboats, maritime academy training vessels to luxury motor yachts. When not involved in vessel operations, he is sought after as an instructor and curriculum developer, specializing in STCW and Coast Guard approved training for commercial mariners, and as well serving on US Sailing’s Safety at Sea Committee and serving as an approved Moderator at Sailing Safety at Sea Seminars.

A transplant to the Ocean State, Jonathan now calls Portsmouth, RI home with his wife Jennifer and two children Olivia and Nathaniel.

James “Grizz” Jennings is an army veteran, sailor, and adventurer extraordinaire. Stalwart and motivated, there isn’t a challenge on the ocean he isn’t willing to meet. As his preferred cologne is pine tar, he focuses his efforts into traditional marlinespike skills and historic seamanship. Onboard Oliver Hazard Perry, Grizz’s role is as an educator and deckhand both teaching and building seafaring skills. In his off time he teaches swordsmanship, builds models, and plays concertina. His future endeavors include but aren’t limited circumnavigations, horn roundings, and an unfortunate amount of boatswainry.

Karen Lynch, a deckhand aboard the OHP, is a Colorado native turned mariner hopeful. She is passionate about experiential learning and has a background in education, as well as having prior experience working as a deckhand/educator on Sea Education Association's SSV Corwith Cramer. Karen has a strong interest in celestial navigation, stories, and language. You might find her hiking, playing games, or perhaps reviewing sheet anchors as she is pursuing MMCs for her AB & 200 ton near coastal mate.

Holly Buresh comes to the Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island as the Educational Program Manager. She is from Nebraska and Indiana and went on to study Marine Science at Eckerd College. Her time after college doing research eventually led her into the world of tallships, where she first served as a deckhand/educator with World Ocean School. Holly has specialized in running educational programs and developing curriculum for various tallships and organizations on the West and East coast along with the Caribbean. 

Clinton Garrett is a United States Coast Guard Reserve Boatswains Mate, and USCG licensed 200 Ton Master of Sail, while on Active Duty, he sailed as part of the Main Propulsion Division aboard USCGC Reliance, completing more than 80000 Nautical Miles at sea, as well as a tour at Coast Guard Cryptologic Unit Texas as an Intelligence Specialist Third Class Clinton sailed aboard the National Security Cutters Bertholf and Hamilton. After separating from Active Duty with the Coast Guard, he attended Maine Maritime Academy and graduated in 2020 with a B.S. in Vessel Operations Technology as well as a minor in Sail Training. While attending Maine Maritime Academy, he sailed aboard the Arctic Schooner Bowdoin, the Training Ship State of Maine, and America’s Privateer Lynx. He was also a student aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer in 2016 and a trainee for the 2015 Tall Ship Races aboard the Barque Europa. After graduating Maine Maritime Academy, he sailed as second mate aboard the Harvey Gamage in 2020, before starting with Oliver Hazard Perry as second mate in 2021.

Rob Sampson is a credentialed mariner and a New England native with a background in mechanical and electrical service. Rob was introduced to Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island in April 2021 through a workforce development partnership between OHPRI and the Community College of Rhode Island. On board, his primary roles are managing the ship's modern engineering systems and being an instructor for engineering-based programming. Rob also has a season's worth of traditional rigging experience and has worked as assistant engineer on board SSV Robert C. Seamans in the Pacific.

Aj is from Seattle, WA. and has lived her life either around or on the water. And though this is her first job working aboard a tall ship, her previous work experience covers everything from steward to baker, fencer, medical officer, barista, and camp counselor. She heard about OHP through her friend and OHP Alum Ben Duffty while working aboard the M/V Liseron up in Juneau, AK. While she was working as a steward, Aj spent her free time learning deckhand skills and fostering her interest in the maritime industry. She has a great passion for doing work that utilizes both working outdoors and fostering education, so she says she’s, “lucky to be able to do both.” Aj’s future goals include working towards her AB, completing her undergraduate in Biology, and learning everything she can along the way. She likes to rock climb and cook in her free time too so if you’re looking for her, you’ll either find her in the kitchen or outdoors somewhere.

Born and raised in the Utah desert, Jay moved to New Jersey and began sailing on the AJ Meerwald in 2020 as an intern-turned-bosun's mate. There, they learned marlinspike bosunry, as well as rigging as he followed the ship to Maine for its restoration. When not sailing, Jay enjoys listening to music, writing, and gardening.

After graduating high school from the East Bay MET in Newport, RI with a handful of Marine Trades Credentials and having interned on both the OHPRI and at the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, RI, Collin Thomas came onboard the OHPRI as a Deckhand while also attending IYRS in Newport in the Wooden Boat Building Program. Besides having a Tall Ship as the best dorm room ever, on the OHPRI Collin enjoys helping with educational programming, cooking on board, and playing the ukelele.

Jeremy Schmich was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri and began sailing as a hobby while working an office job. After a few years of sitting behind a desk, he ran for the sea and started working on tallships. He has sailed in Oregon, California, Maine, Florida, and now Rhode Island, and is eager to share his love of sailing with a new generation aboard Oliver Hazard Perry. He is working towards his 200 ton Mates license.
In his spare time, he has hiked, biked, and camped his way through most of the country, and has always felt most at home in the great outdoors. He plays the harmonica (not very well), prefers dogs over cats (only slightly), and his favorite color is purple.

Joshua Greenwood is a sailor, scuba diver and resident historian with a dry sense of wit and a flare for the dramatic. In his time he has dove with sharks off the coast of the Yucatan, Safaried in the wilds of South Africa, and roamed the ancient streets of Istanbul Turkey. His formal education is from the University of Rhode Island where he studied foreign affairs and marine affairs with a concentration in Russian and Chinese foreign policy. His Maritime background includes time as a maintenance diver working out of Safe Harbors Newport Shipyard as well as time spent as a Deckhand aboard the schooner Tree of Life, the research vessel Endeavor and the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry. In his role Joshua works with students as one of the ship's educators leading lessons in aloft training, marlinespike seamanship, and maritime history. 

Kevin Ureta is a deckhand aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry coming from San Diego, CA. He studied at San Diego State University and got a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He's worked on several tall ships on both the east and west coast of the US and is here working towards a 200-ton mates license. 

Luke Brantley is a Vagabond Marine Biologist. Whose love for the water was nurtured on the coast and rivers of Alabama where he obtained a degree in Biology from the University of South Alabama. After graduating college, he spent his time working for Alabama Marine Resources before heading off to Hawai’i. While on O’ahu he worked as a Longline Fisheries Observer for NOAA and learned how freeing the boat life can be one bucket ride at a time, but this was brought to a new level when he went south of the equator to American Samoa. When not at sea he explored Tutuila by foot and aiga bus, learning the importance of a big umbrella and a can of long shooting bug spray. One night at a local watering hole he met Cassie sleeper, a future OHP Alum. She guided him to the Perry three years later. After a few more boats out of Hawai’i he ran to the mainland to wait out the pandemic but learned that the maritime world never stops moving. Since the pandemic he has been busy working for the Perry, dredge projects, NOAA surveys, and even on a Navy Aircraft Carrier for US Navy Full Ship Shock Trails.  

Nathan Hyde is a student at Maine Maritime Academy for Vessel Operations and Technology. Being a Maine native, Nate has been on, in, or around the water his entire life. Nate has a primary background in racing dinghies, but when he isn't actively sailing, he is the student second mate aboard the Schooner Bowdoin helping organize events, doing day sails, or doing maintenance. He came to OHP after a training cruise aboard Bowdoin and is now a deckhand. You'll often hear Nate humming whatever song is in his head or looking out on the water and saying "ooooo I like that boat."

Georgia Hilton has been sailing since she was 12 and is a U.S. Navy veteran. Originally from Portland, Maine, Georgia began her maritime career by delivering yachts and charter boats along the U.S. East Coast and to and from the Bahamas. Over the course of her career, she has sailed as a senior deck officer or master of vessels ranging from small sailboats to 80 ft private yachts, and as crew on tall ships, including the Clipper City, Californian, and Manitou. While advancing her maritime career, she has also had 20+ years working in the tech field as a senior executive at Fortune 500 companies, such as Citigroup, and has run her own video production/post-production company. Georgia is also an ASA certified sailing instructor, teaching and coaching sailing and power boating. 

Georgia’s credentials include:

• USCG National Master of self-propelled vessels incl. Aux Sail of less than 500 GRT upon Near Coastal Waters
• RADAR Observer Unlimited
• GMDSS Operator and Marine Radio Operator
• STCW Officer In Charge of a Navigational Watch

Alexander Miller is from Denver, Colorado. He graduated from the US Merchant Marine Academy in 2015 with a BS in Marine Engineering. He was active in USMMA's Waterfront, and was appointed Regimental Chief Engineer of the Kings Pointer his senior year. Immediately after graduation, his first job was Assistant Engineer on the Kings Pointer for the class of 2020's indoctrination summer. Alexander has worked as an engineering officer and Electronics Officer aboard the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command on Bob Hope class LMSRs (Large, Medium-Speed, Roll-on/Roll-off Ships) for the past five years, supporting various Naval missions and operations.

Alexander's credentials include:

• USCG 2nd Assistant Engineer Diesel, Unlimited Horsepower
• USCG 3rd Assistant Engineer Steam & Gas Turbine, Unlimited Horsepower
• STCW Electro-Technical Officer, 750kW-1,000 HP or more
• STCW Officer in charge of an Engineering Watch
• Lieutenant, US Navy Reserve