Meet the Class Afloat Crew

Land Based Crew

David Jones
President

Before joining Class Afloat In July 2011, David served 15 years as Director General of the World Youth, Student & Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation and ISTC, based in Amsterdam. Representing 550 student and youth travel companies in 120 countries, the membership provided international experiences to more than 10 million young independent travellers each year: study abroad, backpackers, volunteers, adventure travel, language education, cultural exchange, au pair, work abroad, student flights and the International Student Identity Card (ISIC), as well as hosted WYSTC, an annual conference for up to 1,000 specialist youth travel professionals.

He started his life-long career in student services when elected President of the student union at the University of Toronto. After graduation and a year spent travelling around the world, he became Executive Director of The Canadian Federation of Student - Services, operating student service programs including: Travel CUTS, a specialist student travel bureau that grew into a $100 million operation with 70 offices serving 500,000 young Canadian travellers each year; Canadian Programming Service - a national speakers bureau; The Student Work Abroad Programme; The National Student Health Plan.

David has held many positions on travel industry bodies, including:

• Vice President, UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Affiliate Members Board
• Board member, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
• Chairperson, European Travel Action Group (ETAG)
• Member, the UNWTO Committee on Sustainable Development of Tourism

Bruce Middleton
Chief Operating Officer

Bruce has been a valuable member of the Class Afloat crew since 2007. He has served 3 terms as Shipboard Director onboard the Concordia, Chopin and Sorlandet, served as the Director of Operations and now holds the Chief Operating Officer position in the Lunenburg office. For the past 16 years Bruce has managed or directed residential outdoor and experiential education schools and programs in Ontario, New York, and Nova Scotia. Bruce has a Bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Recreation from Lakehead University.

Terry Davies 
Provost

Terry founded the Class Afloat programme in 1984. As Provost, Terry provides direction for the delivery of the school's academic mission to ensure a rigorous educational experience that equips our students for their higher education and life ambitions. He has worked consistently in the field of education for over four decades in the areas of teaching, educational management and curriculum development. Terry has undergraduate and graduate degrees from McGill University, Middlebury College and Université de Paris - Sorbonne.

Originally from Victoria, B.C., Terry now lives with his wife and children in Montreal. Terry loves hearing the success stories of our Class Afloat alumni. When Terry isn't dedicating his time to Class Afloat, he enjoys traveling, spending time with his family, flying his own aircraft and - you guessed it - sailing. Golfing, classic sports cars, business, sports, reading and writing are a few of his additional hobbies.

Stacey Benoit
Administrative Assistant 

Stacey has been a part of the Class Afloat team since 2008, filling the role of Administrative Assistant. After graduating from Mount Allison University with a French major and a German minor, Stacey spent a year living and working in France, where she cultivated an appetite for international travel.

Holly Clarke
Student Recruitment & Admissions Associate 

Holly joined Class Afloat with a background in marketing, recruitment and student services in both the ESL and public education sector. She has an Advanced Diploma in International Business and has spent many years travelling the globe by land and by sea. When she’s not out spreading the word about Class Afloat she calls Toronto, Ontario home.

Faculty & Shipboard Administration 

Jennifer Williams, Shipboard Director 
Vancouver, British Columbia 

Jennifer is on her third assignment with Class Afloat as our Shipboard Director. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) from Queens’s University and a Master of Arts degree in Environmental Education and Communications from Royal Roads University. Jennifer brings years of experience as an educator and environmentalist to the Class Afloat crew.

Christine Maloney, Field Studies Coordinator 
Needham, Massachusetts 

Christine, Class Afloat Alum 05-06, will continue in the role of Field Studies Coordinator for her second year as crew aboard the Sorlandet. Aboard the vessel, Christine will act as lead manager of field studies and will also teach Sociology of Community, Law and Anthropology. She is a graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University in New York and holds an honours degree in Anthropology.

Megan MacLeod, Higher Education and Career Advisor
Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia  

We welcome Megan back for her third year teaching with Class Afloat and this year Megan is also taking on the role of shipboard Higher Education and Career Advisor. Megan will be available to assist students with university/college application and admissions process and academic program information and choices.

Megan has taught in Nova Scotia, Quebec and aboard the Sorlandet and is an avid traveler and canoe/kayaker.

Bryn Hammett
Vancouver, British Columbia 

Bryn will be joining Class Afloat for the first time as an Advanced Math, Physics and Pre-Calculus teacher. He attended the University of Northern British Columbia in the Bachelor of Science programme and the University of British Columbia in the Bachelor of Education programme. Bryn also served as head sailing instructor for the Hollyburn Sailing Club in West Vancouver, BC.

Carmen Benke
Vancouver, British Columbia 

Carmen joins Class Afloat with a Master of Arts in English Literature from Acadia University and a Bachelor of Education, French Language and Global Studies from the University of British Columbia. Carmen will be teaching English and French aboard the Sorlandet for the 2012-2013 voyage.

Jennifer MacDonald
Belleville, Ontario

Jennifer teaches Humanities aboard the Sorlandet. Prior to Class Afloat she has taught in New Zealand, Quebec and Ontario. During the summer she runs curriculum-based outdoor education programs.

Mathew Chyzyk
Calgary, Alberta 

Mathew was first involved with Class Afloat in 2003 as a student. He returned in 2012 doing a student teacher placement and now holds a teacher position in the 2012/2013 academic year teaching Mathematics and Astronomy.

Professional Maritime Crew

Halvor Hanssen, Captain
Norwegian

Georgina Micet, Chief Officer
Australian

Sune Blinkenberg, Chief Officer
Danish

Peter Flint, Bosun
American

Jessica Reale, Head Chef
American

Tobiaz Forsberg, Chief Engineer
Swedish

Christian Barmettler, Engineer
Swiss

Pania Warren, AB
Pitcairn Islands 

Jason Bolt, 2nd Officer
Canadian 

1st Semster

Stefan Edick, 1st Officer 
American

Dirk Lorenzen, 2nd Officer

Sarah Herad, AB
American 

Amanda Foubert, Medical Officer
Canadian 

Emma Dobson, Cooks Mate
Canadian 

2nd Semester

Paul Bracken, 1st Officer 
American

Shawn Anderson, AB & Medical Officer
Canadian

Rachael Farkas, Cooks Mate
Canadian

First Semester Crew

Back left to right: Jason Bolt, Stefan Edick, Bjarke Wahlqvist, Pania Warren Middle left to right: Jessica Reale, Sune Blinkenberg,  Amanda Foubert, Megan MacLeod, Matthew Chyzyk, Carmen Benke, Dirk Lorenzen, Tobiaz Forsberg  Front left to right: Bryn Hammett, Emma Dobson, Jennifer Williams, Christine Maloney