Meet the Crew
MIKE HUSTON - Partner
Mike Huston originally worked in the pulp and paper industry about 9 years as an engineer, supervisor and mid-level manager. In 1984 he started NP Information Systems, a custom software development company. This company eventually grew to have (read more)
25+ employees and operated out of offices in Portland, OR. and Kent, WA. The Portland office was sold about 15 years ago and the Seattle office was sold to existing employees 3 years ago.
Mike started sailing over 50 years ago and raced both small and larger boats for many years. About 20 years ago he and his wife, Lauri, purchased their own boat, a Pearson 38. This boat allowed them to learn the ways of cruising and they ventured as far north as Desolation Sound with her. A few years later, afflicted with a bad case of “5 foot-itis”, they moved up to their Jeanneau 43DS named Illumine’. Since then they have expanded their range and skills by cruising to Alaska 3 times and around Vancouver Island.
About 15 years ago Mike gained his Coast Guard Masters license and became an instructor in SJS’s sailing and powerboat schools. He loves sharing his passion for sailing and yachting with others who are excited to learn the skills need to explore our beautiful and expansive cruising grounds.
In 2008 San Juan Sailing contracted with NP Information Systems to develop their booking software. Over the last 10 years this software has been expanded to support both the charter and school sides of SJS. Developing this project provided Mike with a deep understanding of San Juan Sailing’s operations and lead to his interest in becoming one of the partners.
LOTHAR TAYLOR - Partner
Boating has been a life-long passion for me. While growing up in the Midwest, canoe trips on Wisconsin rivers and fishing trips to various lakes and rivers, I was always happy on the water. Once out of school, I pursued a career (read more)
in commercial / business aviation for 32 years.
During that working career I had a number of boating experiences. I learned to sail at Seattle’s Lake Union (1986), owned a Bayliner ski boat and motored a lot of lakes and the Mississippi River, sailed and raced while living in Orange County California. Then it came time to move on and retire from full-time employment (2010). I have transitioned into semi-retirement and now pursue what I like to call my encore careers, sailing and powerboat instruction, charter boat ownership, business development and boat brokerage.
I’m an ASA and RPBA rated instructor and truly enjoy working with others that wish to advance their boating skills, either sail or powerboat. I’m finishing up the requirements for my Coast Guard license and expect to accomplish that goal in 2015.
My wife of 38 years, Donna, and I took the plunge in 2013 and purchased a twin screw motor yacht. It’s in the San Juan fleet and we enjoy her whenever she’s not out giving others the same wonderful experiences we know in the San Juans.
Donna and I also own a franchise business in town and that adds another element to our encore activities while keeping us engaged in the business environment of Bellingham.
And now for 2015 with a long line of experiences in home and business transactions and a wife who was a licensed real estate agent for over ten years, I’m here to support you in your next boating experience. My colleague and mentor Wes and I are here at San Juan to help you find the right boat or help you sell the one you have and move on to your next adventure.
DANELLE CARNAHAN - Partner
To me there is nothing quite as wonderful as an evening at anchor in a secluded cove. Over the years I have tried my hand at dinghy sailing and keelboat racing, but I have discovered that am a cruiser at heart. While I prefer (read more)
the quiet of a sailboat underway I also appreciate the space and warm off-season helm of a trawler. I'm perfectly happy to get there slowly if I can enjoy the fresh air, scenery and wildlife along the way. And once I reach a pristine cove or an interesting island town I'm very happy to stay a while and explore. Among my favorites are:
- Reid Harbor on Stuart Island, for the quiet anchorage and the beautiful walk to the Turn Point Lighthouse.
- Prideaux Haven in Desolation Sound, for the way the rocks reflect in the mirror-smooth water in Melanie Cove, the intricacy of islets perfect for exploring by kayak, and the history of Mike and Frenchman Phil.
- Port Townsend's Point Hudson Marine, for visits to the wooden boat center, dinner at Siren's and perusing the interesting stores on the historic Waterfront.
- Yes Bay, near Ketchikan, for the excellent crabbing, because it was the first place I saw a juvenile coastal brown bear (and he "smiled and waved" at us for nearly an hour), and for the wonderfully interesting Yes Bay Lodge.
These cruising experiences and the wonderful people (and fellow boaters) I have been privileged to meet and get to know have been the biggest blessings of my last 20+ years with San Juan Sailing. I even married a man that I met here! David is a maintenance pro for a neighboring charter company and an experienced power boater. He's taking to sailing pretty well now too!
I did some occasional boat cleaning for Uncle Roger and Aunt Marlene (Founders of SJS/SJY) in high school and then began helping in the office regularly during college. Over the years, I've worn many hats at San Juan Sailing/San Juan Yachting, including charter rep, sailing school manager, and cleaning manager, but my most recent hat is that of a member of the ownership team! My day-to-day focus continues to be on the charter side of the company, so most days you will find me booking charters, doing charter check-outs and check-ins, managing our website, building our brochures and ads, taking boat photos and helping with the accounting.
JESSICA NOONAN - Cleaning Manager
Living in Whatcom County since 1999, I have found myself loving everything about the outdoors; especially in places of nature surrounded by water. My hobbies include spending time with my daughter running, hiking and just being in beautiful (read more)
places of nature. On the side, I am a volunteer coach, with my daughters help, for Girls on the Run program through the YMCA and enjoy seeing these growing young ladies challenge themselves mentally through trying to achieve lap goals. As a mother who runs in annual races, it’s fulfilling to be a part of helping these girls achieve this challenge of running a 5k at the end of the season.
After graduating from Western WA University with my BA in business administration, I went into management at Rite Aid and was a store manager for about ten years. I later took a second part time job cleaning for a commercial cleaning business and a year into that I was offered a management position with that company. After working as a cleaning manager for 3 years, an old employee of mine approached me and informed me that she had recommended me to San Juan Sailing. While I was not looking for a job at the time I was immediately interested because I have always wanted to learn about boating.
Since I began in May of 2019, I have achieved my ASA 101 and 103 credentials and completed an 8 week power boat class to obtain my WA state boaters certification. I am looking forward to continuing to learn and enjoying many more boating adventures ahead. We’ll see where the breeze takes me!
JIM BISHOP - Fleet Manager
Washington University and Bellingham as my home base when I left home. Soon after arriving in Bellingham I was hired as a seasonal cleaning crew member with San Juan Sailing & Yachting. I had never stepped foot on a sailboat before, but I was intrigued by these big, beautiful boats! I was given the opportunity to go out for an ASA 101 weekender on a Catalina 42’ that was in the fleet at the time. Myself and the two other girls from the cleaning crew that went out that weekend had the time of our lives, and I was officially hooked on sailing!
When I got back to Bellingham I signed up on the crew exchange for the yacht club’s racing program, and I was surprised when I got onto a crew that very summer. With those new racing connections in addition to the ones I already had at San Juan Sailing, I began sailing as often as possible in the islands.
I’m now worked for San Juan Sailing for almost a decade, and I’ve held many different positions within the company. Currently I am Charter staff and during the summer time you can find me working on the docks helping out with Fleet Management tasks, or maybe giving you your pre-charter checkout! I am working on accumulating sea time with the goal being to obtain my Coast Guard Captain’s License and become an ASA-certified sailing instructor.
My favorite place to visit in the San Juan Islands is Rosario Resort on Orcas Island. I find the secluded cove with its high, madrone-covered walls to be so peaceful and beautiful. The mansion is a must-see stop where you can soak up the history of the area and enjoy an incredible meal. I also enjoy Sucia Island for its views and hikes through the trees, and Cypress Island for its deep, primordial-feeling forests. During the winters you can find me at the Mt. Baker Ski Area selling lift tickets, working on the chair lifts, and skiing as often as possible.
BRIANNA GRAHAM - Charter reservations, Fleet management
As a Bellingham Native I couldn’t help but be surrounded by a life full of mountains, rivers, lakes, and the beautiful Bellingham Bay. Bellingham has given me the opportunity to have access to many outdoor activities which (read more)
has allowed me to be adventurous throughout my childhood. My sailing journey began on a Catalina 22 on Lake Whatcom. I continued to pursue that interest, which guided me towards working for San Juan Sailing. After working here for a few of years I had the opportunity to take LNC to earn my 101, 103, and 104 ASA certifications. From there, I started to really become a part of the sailing community.
During high school I participated in the Running Start program which allowed me to obtain college credits during my Senior year. After high school I continued my education at Whatcom Community College, graduating with a degree in Human Services. I transferred my credits to Western Washington University, where I furthered my education for two more years. I graduated in June of 2018 with a degree in Kinesiology. During College, I started racing sailing boats through the Bellingham Yacht Club. Along with racing, I learned how to ski, which I became very passionate about. My year consists of Sailing in the Summer and Skiing in the Winter.
After graduating College, I took the opportunity to travel for four months. This was a huge step in my growth for it was my first time traveling out of the country other than quick visits to Canada. My travel mate and I chose to experience India, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. My return home made me appreciate the Northwest. Even while trekking around Nepal and biking around Vietnam, places full of beauty and wonderful people, it never met the expectations of my hometown, Bellingham. After returning, I had the opportunity to travel to the British Virgin Islands to obtain my 105 ASA certification. This was my first time in the BVI’s and on a catamaran. These experiences are encouraging me to continue building my sailing and travel background.
JERMAINE LARSON - School Director
As a native Northwesterner, I grew up sailing on a Cal 29, with long day sails on Lake Washington and summers cruising the San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands and north to Desolation Sound. My father later outfitted a Perry design (read more)
48 sailboat, so boat construction was often a topic of conversation around my childhood home.
I married into a large sailing family and to a husband who would pick going for a sail as one of the best things to do on a windy day and my love for sail adventures continued to my adult years. The only problem was that my primary role was that of crew and I found fear creep in (that wasn’t there before) when my young children were on the boat, possibly because I had three children in three years - two being very active twin boys!
That all changed when I joined the San Juan Sailing Team in 2006 and was trained through the American Sailing Association. Even though I had more than 25 years of sailing experience, it wasn’t until I learned again from the beginning, and from ASA certified instructors, that I moved on to becoming a confident and far more excited-about-sailing sailor. I am now certified with the American Sailing Association through Bareboat Cruising and as an instructor through Basic Sailing and serve as the director of San Juan Sailing and Yachting School.
I so enjoy cruising these beautiful islands and never tire of revisiting a favorite spot. Our children are now young adults, in college and beyond, and summer and holiday highlights include exploring the area both near and afar. Destination favorites are Sucia Island (love the Lawson bluff hike), Rosario (everything there brings us back and a visit isn’t complete without a hike to Cascade Lake and a refreshing dip in the lake) and an amazing spot we’ve just discovered is Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park, next to Nanaimo, BC (long, winding trails, hikes and vistas…we didn’t want to leave!). Sailing and cruising is by far one of our family favorites and something we all look forward to doing together – it is that getaway that restores the soul!
JENI MIHELICH - School
Growing up in Anacortes, WA surrounded by a family of fishermen & crab boats, I couldn’t help but be exposed to a life centered around the Puget Sound and Alaska. After graduating high school I left the small town life to (read more)
explore the world. I went to school in England for a year and was able to travel a bit during that time which gave me an even greater appreciation for growing up in such a beautiful place.
When I came home, I studied to become a Legal Secretary and was blessed to marry my high school sweetheart. Our first major purchase together was a Santana 21’ which we spent many weekends launching out of Skyline Marina and learning to sail through trial and error on our own.
Four years later we started our family and once our son and daughter came along, we had a major priority shift and fun & free-time took on a different look. I retired from my position as a Legal Secretary to focus on my favorite position to date, Mom. After a job transition took us to Eastern Washington for a few years, we were fortunate to relocate back to Bellingham 14 years ago. Once here, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to introduce our kids to the great adventures of sailing while they were still young enough to want to hang out with us. We owned, upgraded and sailed a 1980 Newport 30’ throughout the San Juan, Canadian Gulf Islands and Hood Canal for about 10 years until college tuitions & work schedules dictated otherwise.
Now that our kids have become wonderful adults with their own adventures, I felt it was time to start a new chapter. I came to San Juan Sailing as the School Manager in February 2013 and am excited to pass on my enthusiasm for sailing to new students. Working here at San Juan Sailing gives me the opportunity to be in the sailing community while we save for our dream boat. In the interim, my spare time is spent with my husband golfing as much as possible, riding my Honda Shadow 750 and snuggling with our Mini Australian Shepherd, Shelby.
ROSEMARY GRAHAM MORA - School Manager
As a native of Florida, most of my youth was spent with my family around the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico where I enjoyed boating, water-skiing, swimming, fishing, and Hobie-Cat sailing. At an early age, my father taught me (read more)
to navigate the sandbars, islands and channels of the Intercoastal Waterways in our 22’ AquaSport.
I graduated from Manatee High School and continued my education at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee where I studied Natural Resources and spent my first years in a temperate climate. After leaving Sewanee, I worked at Mote Marine Laboratory (Sarasota) as a biology tech, sorting and staging ichthyoplankton, and within six months as a staff biologist involved in research of the Common Snook. This position, literally, kept my hands in, on, and around the Gulf Waters, seining for Snook, collecting plankton, monitoring water quality, and managing the research lab.
Three years later I moved to Scotland to pursue a Masters of Science degree in Aquaculture and Fisheries Management. Upon completion, I started as a bioassay technician with an environmental engineering firm in Tallahassee and six months later I married Shayne from my hometown. Over the course of 10 years, I became a project manager and staff scientist in aquatic toxicology, our family grew to five (with a daughter and two sons) and we moved from Tallahassee to Gainesville to Jacksonville and then one giant leap to Bellingham. Our move was inspired by Bellingham’s coastal location and my husband’s opportunity to practice medicine!
Shortly after moving to the NW, we bought a powerboat which allows us access to the beautiful marine environment of the San Juan Islands and the recreational opportunities of crabbing and camping around the many marine parks in this cruising paradise. Our family has enjoyed many bareboat sailing adventures in the warm waters of the Caribbean and the Sea of Cortez as well as staying connected with the Gulf of Mexico through our family in Bradenton. In 2016, I earned my USCG captain’s license.
I came to San Juan Sailing in July 2017 and have enjoyed working in the enthusiastic environment of the sailing school. Being able to share in the excitement of our sailing and yachting students has been a highlight!
WES KOENIG - Certified Professional Yacht Broker
I was born in Billings, Montana - you guessed it, no water. However, it all changed for the good when I was drafted in the Army and stationed at Madigan General Hospital in Seattle/Tacoma area, and worked as an x-ray tech (read more)
during my 3 years. I never went back to Montana.
The water, the islands, and yes, BOATS, well, I was 'Hooked"!
Married, and with a teenage son and daughter (back in the 1970's) we put our kids on correspondence schooling, bought a 35' Fuji cutter sailboat sailed around the Pacific Northwest...then on to Mexico, the Marquesas Islands, Tuamotu Atoll Islands, Society Islands, Tahiti, Hawaii and back to Bellingham Wash. All with a sextant and a depth sounder. A great 4 years!
My passion for the water and boats has never left me. I lived aboard our sailboat for 10 years, started working in boat brokerage in 1984, and also was on staff with MasterCraft Ski Boats from 1986 - 2008 as Western Regional Coordinator and a competitive water skier.
This professional lifestyle with boats has included deliveries to Mexico, through the Caribbean, Bonaire, Panama Canal, Cocos Island, and Costa Rica. Lot's in the Northwest too!
The passion lives on as a "Certified Professional Yacht Broker", working with clients and finding the "Right Boat" for them. My boat search and travels with clients has reached beyond our local area, including the East & West coasts, Great Lakes, Florida, Mexico, and British Columbia.
Being involved for 29 years in the boat brokerage with surveys and sea trials on a lot of different boats and of course the "friendship" formed with clients from all over, really is a special highlight to my profession!
The Pacific Northwest is sooooo "Beautiful" ~~~ "Thank You LORD! - Brand New Day!
