Bill Bahen

Executive Director/Founder

Founded by Bill Bahen, a lifetime sailor and educator, HRCS builds upon the model set by numerous community sailing programs around the nation. Having run sailing centers and community sailing organizations for more than twelve years, Bill brings a seasoned expertise to the value of managing a successful sailing organization.

Having spent numerous years teaching sailing and working with diverse populations in many different educational settings, Bill brings a real passion and drive to the waters of New York City. HRCS is quickly gaining the attention of a diverse group of interested people, creating an organization that is dynamic in its offerings and strong in its mission.

Bill holds a near coastal 50 ton master coast guard captains license, is a certified USSAILING instructor in all aspects of their accreditation, has a Wilderness First Responder certification and all water safety and emergency related first aids certification.

Alex Baum

Program Director

Alex was born in Rochester, NY and grew up sailing on Lake Ontario and Keuka Lake. In 2008, he graduated from Fordham University where he got his degree in International Political Economy. While at Fordham, Alex was an active participant and captain of the Fordham Sailing Team. For five years during high school and college, Alex instructed at and eventually directed the sailing program at YMCA Camp Cory in Upstate New York. From this, Alex gained valuable experience in teaching sailing, the ability to work with kids of all ages and backgrounds, and a genuine pleasure in seeing kids learn and develop.

Greg Azzaretti

Racing Manager

Greg has sailed on the Hudson River his entire life. He attended Shattemuc Yacht Club Sailing Academy in Ossining, NY for six summers before beginning to teach there himself. Sailing has taken Greg up and down both coasts of the United States as well as Puerto Rico and Hawaii. A recent graduate of Fordham University with a degree in General Science, Greg sees HRCS as a perfect opportunity to combine his love of sailing with youth education. He is excited to join the HRCS team to foster leadership and autonomy in the youth of New York City.

Julia Hale

Instructor

Julia grew up sailing on Cape Cod where she was an active member of the Cotuit Mosquito Yacht Club.  She attended Tabor Academy whose sailing team won numerous national sailing competitions. During the summers, she directed the expansion of the youth sailing program at Barnstable Yacht Club and organized the club’s first annual Optimist Invitational.  Julia attended the University of Vermont where she was a member of the sailing team for two years.  It was at this point that she began working with children with developmental disabilities.  Julia worked for the May Institute during her summers and after graduating from college.  She is now working on her Masters in Social Work at New York University.

Spencer Merlis

Instructor

Spencer grew up teaching small boat lake-sailing to teens.  During his graduate studies he built a 15 foot wooden sailboat and spent the summer living aboard and sailing the New York waterways.   He has crewed on several tallships as well as taught adult sailing on J-24s and other boats.  Besides his personal love of sailing, it is the camaraderie and joy that sailing brings to others that Spencer values and hopes to see spread across New York Harbor.