The MSA Team
Tommy McCormick
Program Director
Key Biscayne, Florida
Kenyon College '26
tommy@manchestersailing.org
Tommy joined MSA's leadership in 2024, bringing deep expertise, exceptional energy, and a clear commitment to MSA’s mission. He has spent his entire life immersed in the sport of sailing, both as a competitor and as a coach. At Kenyon College, Tommy studied Political Science and History, focusing on classical political philosophy and American government. With over ten years of competitive racing experience across the Optimist, Club 420 (as both skipper and crew), and ILCA/Laser classes, Tommy has competed at the highest levels and attended three ILCA Youth World Championships for Team USA. In addition to his personal sailing achievements, Tommy is an experienced race official and regularly contributes to regatta management at leading events across the country.
At MSA, Tommy works with the Board of Directors to continue advancing the organization’s mission. He has assembled an outstanding staff of instructors and coaches. Through mentorship and training, he empowers them to thrive, encouraging personal and professional development while ensuring MSA delivers a consistent, high-quality experience to all sailors. Under Tommy’s leadership, MSA is embracing a more disciplined, professional approach to instructional pedagogy while still maintaining the fun and joy that define summer sailing. He is committed to operational excellence and strengthening organizational processes, overseeing every aspect of the program with professionalism and passion.
Whether a sailor is looking for a fun, confidence-building experience on the water or training to compete at the highest levels of racing, Tommy is dedicated to helping each sailor succeed!
Sebastien Wells
Head Instructor
Sebastien Wells is from Newburyport, MA, and is currently an undergraduate student at Wesleyan University, where he studies Physics. Growing up, Sebastien learned to sail in Ipswich and competed in the Club 420 class across the regional circut. After many summers spent sailing himself, Sebastien began teaching as an Instructor, then Coach, and eventually leading the Ipswich Junior Sailing
Program as Head Instructor.
Now at MSA, Sebastien works alongside the Program Director to support our Instructors and oversee MSA's Junior Sailing Program. Drawing on four years of instructor experience with sailors ages 7–18, he enjoys helping instructors grow while creating a fun, organized, and welcoming environment for every MSA family.
Sebastien believes the best sailing programs combines skill development with genuine enjoyment of being on the water. Whether introducing someone to sailing for the first time or helping experienced sailors master their craft, his goal is for every sailor to leave Tuck's Point more confident on the water and eager to return than when they arrived!
Leo Somma
Opti Coach
Hamilton, Massachusetts
Tabor Academy '27
Leo is from Hamilton, MA, and is a rising senior at Tabor Academy. He has been sailing at MSA for 9 summers, starting off with Introductory Level classes before eventually working up to the Opti and Club 420 Race Teams. He has also raced Club 420s on behalf of Pleon Yacht Club's team and competed in High School Team Race regattas as a student-athlete at Tabor.
Leo is returning to MSA for his second year as a coach, having led his Opti sailors through a great season in 2025. This year, Leo will be coaching the Opti Race Team. He is excited to introduce sailors to the thrill and joy of competitive sailing while maintaining a fun and relaxed team environment.
Nate McCormick
Opti Coach
Key Biscayne, Florida
MAST Academy '28
Nate grew up racing Optis and is excited to return to the class as the coach of MSA's Opti Green Fleet Team! As a junior sailor, Nate qualified for multiple US Team Trials and competed in numerous international events, including representing Team USA at the Palamós International Regatta in Spain. He was offered a spot on Team USA for the 2021 IODA Asian Championship (unfortunately, USA opted out due to COVID) and for ILCA 4 Worlds in Portugal. He continues to race successfully in the C420 and ILCA Dinghy, and on behalf of the MAST Academy High School Sailing team, which finished 1st and 2nd in the SEISA conference championships during the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons, respectively. Nate is passionate about helping young sailors develop strong fundamentals, confidence, and boat speed while making sure they enjoy the process. His goal is not only to help sailors become faster racers, but to build a lifelong love of sailing. Please welcome him to MSA when you see him around Tuck’s Point!
Charlie Carner
C420 Coach
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Middlebury College '29
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Dahlia Beltramini
Senior Instructor
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
Brooks School '28
Dahlia Enjoys being on the water and loves spending time with kids. Dahlia lives in Manchester and is a junior in high school. She learned to sail at camp and wants to share her love of sailing with others!
Payt Bradbury
Senior Instructor
Payt is currently a rising sophomore at Wheaton College. He started sailing in ninth grade on the Beverly High School Sailing Team. Since then, he's worked as an instructor in Salem. Payt enjoys being on the water and has a passion for teaching!
Ryan Carner
Senior Instructor
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Berwick Academy '27
Ryan has been sailing for ten years and instructing for two. As a sailor, he competed in the ILCA, Optimist, and C420 classes. As an instructor, he enjoys teaching any age, boat, or level of experience. Much of his previous instructional experience has focused on teaching Beginner Level sailors in the Optimist and C420 classes.
An enthusiastic racer, Ryan was very interested in the different methods and strategies for sailing both fast and strategically sound. After completing his first regatta five years ago, Ryan took every available opportunity to race. While his racing career has given way to a summer of teaching for now, Ryan is eager to share his knowledge of sailing and engage with each of his students, with the hope of helping them learn to love it as well!
Will Hardie
Senior Instructor
Key Biscayne, Florida
Hobart and William Smith Colleges '30
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Beckett Gibbons
Instructor
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
Manchester-Essex Regional High '27
Beckett is currently a high school student. He started sailing in seventh grade when he joined the school’s spring sailing team. He later participated in MSA's Summer Camp and has been sailing there ever since! Beckett fell in love with racing on the C420 Team in 2024, and he's excited to teach kids to sail and continue sailing during 2025 as a new instructor!
Nicholas Paratore Bock
Instructor
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Heather Ryan
Adult Sailing Instructor
Hamilton, Massachusetts
heather@manchestersailing.org
Heather is a long-time MSA family member with years of experience teaching Adult Sailing. She's also served on the organization's Board of Directors and helmed MSA's operations as Program Director in 2024.
A lifelong sailor, Heather's excited to continue sharing her love of the sport, Manchester's beautiful coastline, and our tight-knit community with her Adult Sailing students!
Shannon Walker
Adult Sailing Instructor
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
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A former Junior Sailing Program instructor, Shannon's excited to return to MSA, where she's taught Adult Sailing for many years!
Doug Walker
Adult Sailing Instructor
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
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Doug's a veteran sailor and MSA Program Director, having led our organization for decades. He's looking forward to another fantastic summer and can't wait to be back on Manchester Harbor soon!
Caleb Sylvester
Junior Instructor
Caleb is from Wenham, MA, and is a rising junior at the Waring School. He has 7 years of sailing experience with MSA. This is his first year as an instructor, and he is very excited to share his love and knowledge of sailing with new sailors!
Grace Corbett
Junior Instructor
Grace is a junior in high school who has been sailing since 2019. She started at Sandy Point Sailing Association, later participated in MSA's Summer Camp, and then joined the Beverly High School Sailing Team. She loves being out on the ocean and helping kids learn how to sail!
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Isaac Sapire
Junior Instructor
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James Donohoe
Junior Instructor
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Davy Cowan
Junior Instructor
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Michael Carner
Administrative Assistant
Newburyport, MA
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