Meet Our Alpha 1 Adventure Leadership Team

Alex Polli
Program Director
Northport, NY

Alex spent the past year living in the San Francisco Bay Area working for a non-profit which provides free home repair for low income homeowners. She spent almost every weekend sailing on the bay or hiking in all of the beautiful parks California has to offer. Alex graduated from Penn State University in 2016 with a degree in Psychology. She sailed for the Penn State Sailing team for all four years and served as Commodore in 2015. Having lived on the water all her life, Alex grew up sailing since she was 7 and attended Sail Caribbean as a student from 2008 until 2012. In September, Alex starts her Master’s degree in Education with a focus in School Counseling at Seattle University.

Aoife Smeaton
Fleet Captain
Dublin, Ireland

Leaving Ireland in 2014 after graduating with a BSc in Zoology, Aoife has spent the past few years traveling between the USA, the Caribbean, and Canada. This year’s highlights include working as a ski instructor during the winter at an adaptive ski school in Banff National Park, and hand raising 7 wolf puppies at a nonprofit wildlife education facility this spring. After a 4th summer at Sail Caribbean, Aoife plans to move to Vancouver in September.

Courtney Sarik
Captain of Mont Louis
Manassas, VA

Growing up in Northern Virginia, Courtney enjoys all elements of the outdoors. She graduated from George Mason University in 2013 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Intelligence Analysis. This coming fall, she will start her journey at medical school to become a Physical Therapy assistant. Her true love for the outdoors lies not only within her own adventures but also in inspiring and teaching others. Ever since she could walk, her feet were on skis and snow, and in the summers, she would backpack and sail. As a certified ski instructor, ASA sailing instructor, PADI OW Diver, and a licensed USCG Captain, Courtney is always looking for the next skill that she can learn and teach. On days off, she will go kayaking or hiking, but truly loves to bake up some incredible desserts!

Adam Grant
Captain of Grand Plaisance III
Ballivor, Ireland

Adam has worked in the outdoor industry all over the world and for the last 5 years in Australia and Ireland. He has worked for various summer camps and has instructed kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and rock climbing. Adam grew up in Ireland and has a diploma in outdoor education in which he learned various skills required to teach using the medium of the outdoors, with 5 years of yacht sailing with a day skipper license. The only thing Adam likes more than being outside is writing about himself in the third person!

Zosha Wiktor
Mate of Mont Louis
Avalon, California

Growing up in sunny California, Zosha has always been in love with the outdoors, especially the ocean. As a pesky travel bug inspired by her passions, she studied abroad in New Zealand and continued on to travel through Southeast Asia where she got her PADI Master Diver certification in Indonesia. She graduated with a BSc in Marine Biology from University of California, Santa Cruz. Following graduation, Zosha started her career in outdoor education working for Catalina Island Marine Institute as a Marine Science instructor. At CIMI, she teaches students about the ocean and conservation while leading guided snorkel, kayak, and hiking expeditions. On days off, you can find Zosha camping, freediving, or rock climbing. She is so excited to share her passions and stories with others.

Erika Florian
Mate of Grand Plaisance III
Southington, CT

Erika is in her third year studying Nutrition & Dietetics at Montana State University in Bozeman. She grew up ski racing in the winters and sailing in the summers. Erika is a certified Wilderness First Responder along with a Rescue Scuba Diver, and hopes to further her education in the medical field. She has traveled all over the globe — from teaching English in Cambodia, to serving two months aboard a tall ship, to being appointed as a Watch Captain teaching coastal sailors the skills of offshore sailing. Her favorite motto is “Learn to live, live to learn” and is excited to share all of her experiences with you both in, out, and on the water!

Allie Faulkner
Provisions Manager
Austin, TX

Allie Faulkner grew up in Austin, Texas and now attends the University of Texas at Austin as a marketing student within the McCombs School of Business. Allie grew up going to the beach for family vacations, and after vacationing in Tortola the past couple years, she fell in love with the beauty of the BVIs. Allie has lots of experience working with kids as she has been a counselor at two different summer camps, worked at the nursery at her church and is currently a nanny for three fun girls. After graduation in two years, Allie plans on attending culinary school and hopes to work on private boats as a chef and one day own her own restaurant. When she isn’t working or studying, Allie loves exploring all Austin has to offer with her friends.

Marina Chissus
Dive Coordinator
Seldovia, AK

Marina was raised in the waterfront town of Seldovia, Alaska, off the road system, only accessible by plane or boat.  As her name implies, Marina “Rina” has always loved the water, from swimming to kayaking and sailing with the family on their 32 foot Westsail on Kachemak Bay. During her past student experience on SC’s Foxtrot program, she discovered a new love — to be “under the sea” scuba diving. She returned to the BVIs to pursue her professional diving career. Rina has now received all her PADI dive certifications, all the way up to her PADI Dive Instructor certification from our Sail Caribbean Divers. Introducing boating and diving – making an impact on kids’ lives the way Sail Caribbean did for her – it’s just where she wants to be! Rina is even counting her boat “sea” days and working towards getting her captain’s license! When she’s not diving, she loves to cook, snack on great food, fish (as a self-proclaimed fish whisperer), travel, play volleyball, enjoy camping and campfires, sew, hang out with great friends, and watch Disney movies with her cat “Stitch”.

Andrew Dyer
Mate-In-Training
Eugene, OR

Having grown up exploring the deep green forest and the high snow-capped peaks of his native state of Oregon, Andrew carries an excitement for nature and an eagerness to share its treasures. From passions ranging from photography and videography to sailing and diving, he offers a wide range of life passions. Andrew is currently completing his associate’s degree from Lane community college, he’s majoring in multimedia design. Finding himself right at home at Sail Caribbean, Andrew is greatly anticipating the adventures that await.

Megan Lundequam
Mate-In-Training
Winter Park, FL

Born and raised in Winter Park, Florida, Megan grew up under the sun. Whether it was skurfing, surfing, fishing, scuba diving, sailing, hiking, or camping, Megan took every chance she could to be outside. As a rising junior at the University of Florida, she has taken her learning indoors and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Science. After joining the Sail Caribbean family as a camper while in high school, Megan has come back this summer as a staff member and she cannot wait for all the adventures to come!