Williwaw Instructors

Each expedition travels with one male and one female instructor, and additional instructors are often brought on for the sailing and paddling components. All instructors are highly qualified and competent leaders who genuinely enjoy working with young people. They have wilderness first aid training and the average age is 26. While not leading trips for Williwaw Adventures, your instructors are employed as teachers, outdoor educators and professional sailors.

Cordy Ransom is a native to Orcas Island in Washington State and a graduate of Williams College. She has sailed as a crew member on sailing ships engaged in educational programs in the Pacific Northwest as well as the U.S. East Coast, the Caribbean and South America. Cordy has a background in Geology and has taught high school science and math. She is a certified Wilderness First Responder as well as an United States Coast Guard licensed Captain.

In the off-season, Cordy can be found intensely studying, drawing and building models in pursuit of her Master's Degree in Architecture. When it comes to making pies, Cordy does not fool around. Her lemon meringue and blackberry pies are legendary.

Nisa grew up on Martha's Vineyard and is a recent graduate of Prescott College in Arizona earning her degree in Wilderness Leadership and Education. Her backcountry experience includes leading whitewater kayaking in California and New Zealand, rock climbing in Joshua Tree and Yosemite, telemark skiing in the Northwest, and backpacking in many different places across the country. As a professional sailor, she has spent time on the schooners Alabama & Spirit of Massachusetts as well as several yachts. She is a U.S.C.G. licensed Captain and a Wilderness First Responder.

Not too many years ago, Nisa was a student of Mike (Williwaw founder & director) while sailing for four months on the schooner Spirit of Massachusetts from South America to New England. If pancakes are on the menu, it is best to just step aside and let her take over.

Colby has recently earnined her degree in Adventure Education and Wilderness Leadership from Prescott College where she has been a student for the past three years. Prior to this, Colby completed a semester with NOLS, sailing, sea kayaking and backpacking in Baja, Mexico. In addition to having Wilderness First Responder training and being a registered Maine Trip Leader, she is a certified sailing instructor and has been teaching on the coasts of Maine, and California for the past seven years. She is a native to the coast of Maine. When not by the ocean, she can be found skiing and backpacking in the mountains of the Southwest.

Colby has recently developed and planned our 18-day Southwest Expedition, and is excited to lead it this coming summer. She is also a master of the hula-hoop.

Dave is in the process of completing his degree in naval architecture at the NY Maritime College, after spending a year at Maine's Landing School for boat design. When not thinking about boat design, Dave finds time to cycle, sail, snowboard and surf kayak. Dave began his outdoor leadership career as a high school student leader in the Cirrus Program. He has served as a freshmen dormitory resident assistant and has completed extensive training in crisis management and conflict resolution. Additionally, he is a registered Maine Trip Leader and has wilderness first aid training.

He is determined to hike the entire Appalachian Trail to cycle across the entire United States - including Alaska, but not necessarily Hawaii - unless he can get his hands on one of those floating bikes.

After traveling and moving quite a bit in his youth, Stratton settled on Davidson College in North Carolina and now calls the Carolinas home. Since college he has been primarily teaching experiential outdoor education, in varied locales from the California coast to Bar Harbor, Maine. He most recent endeavors have found him in the Eastern Sierras leading trips, teaching coastal and marine ecology in Charleston, South Carolina, and writing for a local paper. When he is not busy teaching or tracking down story, he's out kayaking the Lowcountry marshes. Stratton has Wilderness First Aid training, Lifeguard training, and is a registered Maine Trip Leader.

Stratton often straps a backpacking-sized guitar to his pack when he is in the backcountry and has been known to whip up low-country cuisine like cheese grits.

A native to Maine. Rob completed a semester in the Rockies with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). He is currently studying Adventure Education at Prescott College in Arizona.. Rob has traveled all over the country backpacking, paddling and skiing - most recently as a kayak guide in Acadia National Park. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder, LNT (Leave No Trace) Trainer, and a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide.

In addition to begin an all-around great guy, Rob once walked 10 miles in his wet-suit and a full pack (just for fun) and he took top honors at a spelling bee in his youth.

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