US Sailing Leadership Forum: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Series
LGBTQ+ Community in Sailing
Panelists:
Liam Faudree, Francesca Clapcich,
John DeRuff, Stephanie Helms
Moderated by Kimball Livingston
Thursday, September 10 at 7pm EDT / 4pm PDT
The next episode in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Series focuses on the LGBTQ+ community in sailing. The Starboard Portal panel will share their personal and professional perspectives, and provide recommendations on how sailing organizations can work to be more inclusive to individuals who represent this community. The panel will discuss ways sailors and sailing organizations can implement strategies to increase awareness and opportunities for individuals from these diverse backgrounds. The panel will offer practical guidance for conducting outreach in your local communities and best practices on fostering these relationships.
Click to Watch LIVE on The Starboard Portal
Liam Faudree (Rochester, N.Y.)
- Junior Sailing Director at Rochester Yacht Club
- Coached at Fair Haven Yacht Club, Oswego Maritime Foundation, Lake George Club and Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (Australia)
- Participated in Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (2014)
Francesca Clapcich (Park City, Utah)
- 2-Time Olympian (2016, 2012)
- 49erFX World Champion (2015)
- Olympic Sailing Coach
- Crew for Turn the Tide on Plastic – Volvo Ocean Race (2017-2018)
- Co-Skipper for State Street Mixed Marathon Sailing
John DeRuff (San Francisco, Calif.)
- Senior, two-year captain for the George Washington Sailing Team
- Published a story in Outsports in the fall of 2019
- Contributor to Athlete Ally report on the Athletic Equality Index, measuring LGBTQ inclusion across all NCAA D-I institutions.
- Contributor to George Washington Athletics inclusive policies and practices.
Stephanie Helms (Yarmouth, Maine)
- President of the Northeast Sailing Association
- Regional Race Officer
- Former J/24 District 1 Governor
- RSA Committee Member
- Sailmaker
Kimball Livingston (San Francisco, Calif.) – Moderator
- Commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club (2016)
- Chair of the Junior Sailing Committee and Historian at STFYC
- Member of Board of Directors for Transpac Yacht Club & Pacific Coast Yachting Association
- Columnist for Sailing World magazine
- Author