Get to Know Maggie Shea, CYC Foundation's First Executive Director
November 25, 2024
Incoming CYC Foundation Executive Director Maggie Shea is no stranger to boating, to hard work, or to success. She is an Olympian, having represented the United States in sailing in the Tokyo and Paris games; a two-time Pan American Games medalist; and an overall winner of the 2011 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, which she raced aboard her family’s boat, Windancer. Maggie also has extensive leadership experience, having been elected by her peers to serve on the Board of Directors of US Sailing and having held roles as Event Director and Sailing Director of the Chicago Match Race Center. But who is Maggie Shea, underneath all the accolades and success? What is her vision for the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation, now and in the future? Read on to hear from our new helmswoman in her own words.
CYCF: What excites you most about the mission of the CYCF, "To make the joys and benefits accessible to all, with a primary focus on youth from underrepresented populations?" What do you believe this means in practice?
MS: Sailing has given me, personally, so much joy and purpose in life. Boating, whether for leisure or racing, is a transformative sport that creates leaders, develops resilience, and builds confidence. Youth sailors develop life skills that translate far beyond the boat and enjoy the camaraderie of life-long friendships that are formed on the water. But unfortunately, our sport is inaccessible to many children in Chicago. We need to lessen the barriers to entry and foster their love of being on the water.
CYCF: What excites you most about joining the CYCF team?
MS: Working with kids! I find so much joy in sharing our sport with someone for the first time. After the Olympics in Paris, I felt a huge emptiness where the fire to compete used to burn in my belly. I still have a lot of energy and passion to give, and the challenge of sharing this amazing sport with more youth has ignited that flame again.
CYCF: What would you like to say to a young person who has never been on a boat before?
MS: When you try something new, feeling silly or afraid is totally normal. Remember that discomfort is a necessary part of experimenting. And often, those intimidating activities become the most amazing in the end!
CYCF: Do you see the Foundation impacting the sport of sailing more broadly?
MS: My dream is that sailing becomes as accessible as soccer or tennis, and I believe this will serve more than a charitable purpose. Widening the base of participation at the grassroots level will eventually broaden the competitive field, increase awareness in the general public, and strengthen our ability to compete on the global stage. Big change starts small, and we have a chance to be a catalyst for progress in Chicago first.
CYCF: What is your vision of the next phase of growth for CYCF?
MS: Under Foundation President Greg Miarecki’s leadership, Francesca Sigmond and Caroline O’Malley have made tremendous progress, and I’m excited to build on their momentum. In this next phase, our efforts will focus on retention, where success will be defined in terms of long-term involvement in the boating world. I hope we can zoom out from the entry points of our sport and consider how we can make the whole ecosystem of boating more accessible and inclusive for Chicago youth––everything from volunteering for race committees to doing messy boat work to enjoying the social events and this wonderful community of people.
CYCF: What will be critical to success in the short and long-term future?
MS: My first priority will be to dig deeper into our strategic plan, which has served as an excellent compass for the past few years. To understand which direction of growth will be most impactful, I want to hear from our staff, board members, key stakeholders, partner organizations, donors, and program participants. We’re going to start dreaming big about where we want to be ten years from now.
I plan to use my visibility as an Olympic athlete to increase awareness of our mission and recruit financial support. Historically, the generous members of the Chicago Yacht Club have been the primary funding source for CYCF programs. However, the CYC Foundation's long-term success will require a robust and diverse support network that includes external sources of revenue.
CYCF: What has the CYC and CYCF meant to you?
MS: The CYC junior program laid the foundation of my sailing career, which took me to the highest levels of the sport. The Chicago Yacht Club Foundation then provided much of the financial support Steph and I needed to compete all over the world and, eventually, at the Olympics. I’m proud to call Chicago Yacht Club home, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to the sport that has given me so much.
Maggie officially begins her position on December 2, 2024. The CYC Foundation welcomes her aboard and we can't wait to see where she steers our ship!