Great Lakes Sailing Announces Mentors for Sail Her Dreams 2026!
- Bianca Kreusel
- Apr 19
- 8 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Ahoy sailors!
The days are getting longer and sunnier! We are getting closer and closer to our favorite time of year: summer vacation! With summer vacation also comes our Sail Her Dreams program.
Sail Her Dreams is a STEM Academy for girls between the ages 10-18. This week-long sailing adventure introduces girls to a whole new world, fostering personal growth and development. Each day, the girls will rotate through different stations where they’ll work on STEM-related projects like building simple machines, and conducting experiments, as well as hands-on sailing activities that teach them about navigation, teamwork, and boat mechanics. They will also hear from female role models who have built successful careers in STEM and sailing, sharing their personal journeys, challenges, and triumphs.
This year's female role models are now here and ready to be announced! We hope you are as excited as we are.
In a world shaped by science and innovation, girls are still on the margins, representing just 16% of sailors and less than one-third of the STEM workforce.
Session 1: June 15-18 The Ecosystem Beneath the Surface
During session 1, the girls will learn how insects act as bioindicators, discover how pollution enters our waterways, and get hands-on with water testing to measure key factors like oxygen, nutrients, and clarity that impact aquatic life.
Meet Your Mentors
Emma Miedema works as an environmental consultant for Gabriel Environmental, Chicagoland's industrial, commercial and residential development. She is also an active member on the Board of Directors for the Calumet Area Industrial Commission and she serves as a Committee Chairwoman for Illinois' Industrial Waste Water and Sewage Group. She got her B.S. in biology from Grand Valley State University and is currently pursuing a M.S. degree of urban planning and policy at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Natalia Szklaruk works to reduce the spread of non-native plants, animals, and pathogens in
southern Lake Michigan by supporting science-based prevention strategies and pathway-specific initiatives. Her work focuses on understanding human behaviors in key introduction pathways, including the aquarium trade, bait trade, and recreational water users. She also leads the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative, an initiative that convenes professionals to improve the management of invasive crayfish in the Great Lakes basin. Through this initiative, she develops resources for stakeholders and shares new crayfish research and programs with communities. Natalia received her B.S. and M.S. in environmental science and sustainability from Loyola University Chicago, where she specialized in aquatic invasive species control barriers and field sampling methodologies.
Janice Milanovich works to enhance Great Lakes literacy by connecting K-12 educators and their students to aquatic science. Together with Kristin TePas, she helps administer the Limno Loan, Students Ask Scientists, Loanable Kits, and The Incredible Shrinking Cup programs, which engage and inspire future stewards of the Great Lakes. She is a Project WET facilitator, chairs the marketing committee for the Great Lakes Educators of Aquatic and Marine Science, and is a member of the Environmental Education Association of Illinois. Janice has a master’s in education from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s in biology from Adrian College. She brings experience in pollution prevention outreach, environmental education, volunteer management, and curriculum development.
Kristin TePas works with the scientists in the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office to transfer their monitoring and research data into products and publications for the community decision-makers. These products are used to assist coastal communities and other clients in making informed decisions, strengthening policies, and implementing programs that improve the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Kristin holds an M.E.M. in coastal environmental management from Duke University and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Notre Dame.
Session 2: June 22-25 Engineered Support for Athletes
During session 2, our sailors will explore how health, wellness, and technology come together to support everyday life. Learn about tools and innovations that assist with hearing and joint health, helping people stay active, connected, and independent.
Meet Your Mentors
Jill Mecklenburger, Au.D., is a Principal Audiologist in the Global Audiology group at GN Hearing. She supports projects and research contributing to the development of new and innovative hearing aid technologies. Her interests include wireless connectivity and evaluating user benefits of new technology. She has worked with technology partners such as Microsoft, Intel, and Google on the development of Bluetooth Low Energy Audio for hearing aids, and shares insights from these experiences at lectures worldwide. Since joining GN in 2003, Dr. Mecklenburger has held various roles including Research Audiologist, Project Manager, and Product Manager. She is board certified by the American Board of Audiology.
Noma Shields is the Founder and CEO of the Youth Sports Science Institute (YSSI), a Chicago-based nonprofit advancing innovative education at the intersection of youth sports, data, and emerging technology. Through YSSI, Noma leads the design of immersive, gamified learning experiences that use sport as a powerful entry point to STEM education, analytics, and future-ready career pathways. Noma holds a B.A. in Sociology from Grinnell College and is a recipient of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Through the fellowship, she conducted international research on housing displacement and social cohesion in Hungary, India, and South Africa—work that continues to inform YSSI’s equity-centered approach to education, workforce development, and community-based innovation.
Session 3: June 29-July 2 The Power of Pollinators & Native Plants
During session 3, students will learn to connect science, nature, and stewardship, empowering students to take action in protecting pollinators and creating healthier habitats in their own communities.
Meet Your Mentors
Daisy Villarreal is the Assistant Operations Manager at Chicago Harbors/Suntex Marinas. She works with a robot called the trash skimmer, a robotic device that collects floating debris from the water’s surface—keeping our harbors clean and our ecosystems healthier. Right now, Daisy is currently working on creating a resourceful and environment-friendly way to help recycle the heavy plastic wrap used on boats during the winter. The new recycling initiative transforms the thick, plastic shrink wrap used to winterize boats—typically a single-use material—into reusable plastic pellets. This innovation significantly reduces landfill waste and shows how sustainable thinking can start right at the dock.
Session 4: July 6-9 Data Collection for the Health of the Great Lakes
During session 4, the students will learn how sensors and apps are used to test water quality and interpret the results. They will analyze live data to understand the health of the Great Lakes and develop real-world solutions.
Meet Your Mentor
Shelby Brunner has been a part of the GLOS team since 2020. Her work includes interfacing with the data platform operators, tracking observing technology trends, and contributing to scientific aspects of GLOS’ work. Shelby brings observing expertise from experience at NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Office and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences. In her various roles, she has worked to improve in-situ observing systems by conducting field research with novel technologies, managing observing projects with numerous partners, coordinating publications, and organizing conferences. She has lived on three of the five Great Lakes and has spent time on four of the five.
Session 5: July 13 -16 Archaeological Discovery led by Museum Curator
During session 5, the girls will be stepping into the world of conservation science and discover what happens to objects that have spent years underwater. They will learn the science behind protecting history, from preventing decay to restoring fragile materials exposed to water, salt, and time.
Meet Your Mentors
Madeline Crispell has been the curator of the Chicago Maritime Museum since September of 2023, where she's curated exhibitions on architectural photography and the Black Chicago impressionist James Bolivar Needham, among others. Before the Chicago Maritime Museum, she was involved in curatorial projects across Chicago, including an exhibition for the Historic Pullman Foundation on neighborhood preservation, for the History Center of Lake Forest and Lake Bluff on the Thorne Miniature Rooms and the history of miniatures, and for the Newberry Library on American travel. She holds a Masters degree from the Bard Graduate Center in decorative arts, design history, and material culture. Between conservation science and environmental history, she often works at the intersection of STEM and the humanities.
Maddie Fernandez is a bilingual environmental science communicator with a B.A. in environmental studies and a minor in geography and industrial design. She is passionate about the intersections of disciplines, specifically when conservation intersects with design and social justice. At Urban Rivers, she serves as the community outreach and programs manager, which means she's helping transform Chicago's waterways into wildlife sanctuaries through planning, coordinating, and building partnerships. Most importantly, she is creating initiatives to help support Urban Rivers' goal of sanctuaries for all.
Session 6: July 20-23 Become a Biologist Led by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
During session 6, the students will engage with female engineers, scientists, and
environmental specialists from MWRD to explore how Chicago manages water, protects ecosystems, and supports public health through innovation and infrastructure.
Meet Your Mentors
Erica Spiess is an aquatic biologist at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), with over 12 years of experience in fish and wildlife biology. She holds an B.S. degree in fish, wildlife, and conservation biology, and a M.S. degree. Prior to MWRD, she worked for U.S. Geological Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and Forest Preserve District of Will County. Erica’s experience spans a wide range of ecosystems throughout the United States, from as far east as Pennsylvania to as far west as Alaska, with many regions in between. One core focus of her career has involved surveying fish populations and monitoring water quality to better manage and protect natural resources. She now applies her breadth of knowledge to monitoring and research of aquatic ecosystems in a multifaceted urban setting, within one of the most heavily engineered urban waterways, the Chicago Area Waterway System.
Paula Brinkman Lowe is a Senior Environmental Research Technician, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Paula has worked on and around the Chicago Area Waterways for 24 years. For the last 9 years she has worked for MWRD in Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality as an Environment Research Technician (ERT), and then as a Senior ERT. She works with a team to perform much of the hands-on duties involved in monitoring water quality. As a Senior ERT she helps to organize and review the work of the four ERTs in her section. Paula earned her Associate Degree in Science from Truman College, a City College of Chicago, and her BA in University Studies from Southern Illinois University.
Session 7: July 27-July 30 Sustainable Architecture
During session 7, the girls will learn the value of repurposing steel materials to create more sustainable homes and buildings. Innovative engineering and sustainable practices are transforming the real estate industry.
Meet Your Mentor
Janet Olsen is the Founder of Material Element Studio. She got her BSAS and MA at the University of Nebraska. Throughout her career, she's led multi-disciplinary teams nationally and internationally for new construction, adaptive reuse, and renovation projects. She is a strong advocate of biophilic design, sustainability and architecture's role to positively impact the health and well-being of occupants and foster memorable experiences. She participates in multiple collaborative networks, including Chief, Sustainable Design Leaders, Illinois Green Alliance and Professional Women in Construction (PWC), and she leads the Board of Directors for Architreasures, a non-profit positively impacting Chicago's neighborhoods through art and community engagement.
Girls remain vastly underrepresented in both sailing and STEM. Help us provide access to opportunities where their voices and leadership are critically needed.
SAIL HER DREAMS IS A 501(C)(3) Nonprofit Organization
Empower the next generation of female leaders by supporting Sail Her Dreams, our youth girls STEM sailing Academy. We provide young girls with the opportunity to combine hands-on sailing experiences with STEM education, fostering skills in science, technology, engineering, and math while building confidence and teamwork on the water. Your donation will help us provide these life-changing opportunities, creating future innovators who are prepared to excel in both STEM fields and beyond. Join us in inspiring and shaping the future of young women — together, we can make waves of change.