officers
Commodore
Beth Daugherty
Beth was elected as Liberty Yacht Club Commodore in April 2022. As the first woman to hold this position, she is excited to help LYC grow its membership and presence in the NY Harbor.
Beth joined LYC in 2016, served as Secretary in 2018, Rear Commodore for 2019 and 2020, and was elected Vice Commodore in 2021. She began sailing in 2005 and enjoys extensive cruising in the Northeast US and the Caribbean with her husband, Paul, as well as participating in local sailing regattas. Beth completed the US Sailing Race Management Course in 2021 and is part of the LYC Race Committee. Beth was formerly a management consultant and has been a community organizer and volunteer for over 30 years, including serving on her local school board for almost 10 years, elected as Board Chair for 4 of those years.
Vice Commodore
David Matthew Spence
During a very windy April week in 1996 David learned to sail on a Soling in New York Harbor. The 26’ sloop was part of Offshore Sailing School’s original fleet of boats moored in front of the Colgate Clock. Though he had been around sailboats (vacationing in Newport, RI, attending college at Roger Williams University, and worked at the Herreshoff Marine Museum) David had never actually sailed. But after learning to sail that week in April he was hooked for life.
Since then, David pretty much only races. In 1999 David bought his first J105 with fellow Offshore classmates Perry Moy and Henrik Pedersen and named her Synergy. In 2011 a second Synergy was built (also a J105) and is currently berthed at J-dock at Liberty Landing Marina. All told, David and team Synergy have competed in over 500 Wednesday night races in New York Harbor, over a 125 regattas in the NYC metro area and have won prestigious trophies including the Segola and New England Lighthouse trophies for best performing yacht in long distance races. David has also twice competed in the Newport-Bermuda race.
David joined Liberty Yacht Club in 2016 and a year later became Fleet captain. In 2019 David was then elected as Commodore. In 2011 David created the Manhattan Regatta (now known as the Liberty Cup Regatta) and in 2021 spearheaded the creation of LYC’s Wednesday night series.
On shore, David is owner and principal of Windigo Architecture, a road cyclist, skier and spends time with his family when he’s not moving.
Rear Commodore
Kim McIntyre
A Jersey City local, Kim has been actively involved in club activities since joining LYC, serving as Port Captain for two years and more recently elected as Rear Commodore in 2021.
Throughout the past four years, she has been a leader in strengthening LYC's social foundation and is excited to continue to foster the club's camaraderie.
Kim's first introduction to sailboat racing was on 420s in the frigid Great Lakes while at Northwestern. After too long of a hiatus, with only occasional trips on bareboat charters, she was drawn back to the water ten years ago and has been sailing regularly ever since. Adopted into the J105 Synergy crew, she has raced with Dave, Henrik and Perry for the last six years in the harbor, Lower Bay and Long Island Sound. When Synergy sits out a race, she gets the opportunity to race on other boats. Having helped to deliver boats to Florida, Bermuda and St. Martin, she hopes to return sometime soon to blue water on an open ocean distance race.
Kim completed the US Sailing Race Management Course in 2021 and moonlights on the LYC Race Committee when needed.
Secretary
Charles Ricciardi
After introductory lessons with Hudson River Community Sailing, Charles (Chuck) Ricciardi received his New York State Boating Safety Certificate and has been sailing ever since. A member of the Liberty Yacht Club since 2019, Chuck has crewed with a number of club boats in the Wednesday night race series. He joins in on Regattas, boat deliveries, and pleasure sails whenever the opportunity arises. Chuck brings a creative background to the club, that includes film producing, writing and illustrating. He recently co-authored and illustrated his third children’s book, Immigrant, American, Survivor, that tells the heroic and inspiring story of 9/11 first-responder William Jimeno, and other heroes on that unforgettable day. Chuck writes and distributes the Liberty Yacht Club’s Quarterdeck newsletter and his artwork can be seen on our Liberty Cup Regatta commemorative shirts.
Treasurer
Mark Thorne
Mark and his wife Ashley have been sailing in New York Harbor for 14 years. During that time they have lovingly restored, sailed, and raced three classic sailboats. Their current sailboat (Koinonia) is docked at Hudson Point Marina in the Morris Canal. For the Thornes sailing is a family activity, as their son, John, is almost always along for the ride diligently filling his post as lookout.
Professionally Mark is Founding Director of Buckle Insurance company currently heading up their credit business as well as co-founder of M&A Consultants and Advisors. Mark and Ashley volunteer with New City Kids' sailing program, City Sail, and attend church at Redeemer Hoboken.
When not working, or sailing, Mark surfs, skis and bikes around Jersey City.
Fleet Captain
Capt. MArc J Kornutik
Captain Marc J Kornutik has been on the water essentially his entire life. Initially as a powerboater and recreational fisherman, upon attending the Chapman School of Maritime Arts in Florida in 1982 there he was 1st introduced to sailing and got that bug instantly. A current USCG licensed Captain, has worked continually in the NY/NJ Harbor maritime industry since 1984, primarily as a boat operator & operations manager and for multiple ship/barge line-handling companies and can be regularly found on the water 12 months of the year. Re-training and beginning a 2nd career in 2006 as a licensed Radiographer and Lithotripsy Specialist has also been very proud to serve in the healthcare sector. Most recently has begun serving as a charter captain as well as providing boat handling/docking instruction and vessel outfitting consulting. Deeply involved with LYC first as a regular member then Port Captain and currently Fleet Captain also enjoys the competition of PHRF racing on Wednesdays and the occasional weekend Regatta, along with winter skiing and international travel with his lovely wife Caroline and popular pup Buckley.
Race Director
ED GUY
Coming soon...
Port Captain
Kelly McIntyre
Having sailed in many beautiful seas around the world, Kelly is proud to have made the iconic NY Harbor and specifically the Liberty Yacht Club her port of call, and is currently serving as Port Captain in 2021. Kelly enjoys weekly racing and weekend regattas. She has been involved in developing the Race Committee for LYC's Wednesday Night Racing series, as well as serving as RC in LYC's annual Liberty Cup and other weekend regattas; she completed the US Sailing Race Management Course in 2021. This year she is crewing on Marc and Caroline's No Doubt.
Marketing & Digital Communications Officer
Capt. Nitzan Levy
Nitzan was first introduced to Liberty Yacht Club in 2017 through a Wednesday Night Races in the NY Harbor. Her official involvement with the club began in 2020. Her enthusiasm and skills brought the officers to trust her as the club’s Online Marketing & Digital Communication officer, and other than taking charge of LYC’s new website, digital communications and social media, she’s been involved in organizing events and regattas with the club. In the spring of 2021 Nitzan completed the US Sailing Race Management Course, and is occasionally serving as a Race Committee Member and PRO on LYC’s Wednesday Nights Series.
Nitzan extensive boating experience of over 20 years started in Israel on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. Upon moving to NYC in 2009 she was constantly looking for sailing opportunities in the NY Harbor, which at the time were very limited and scarce. In 2013 she started Sailors NYC - a sailing school and sailing club in NYC and Jersey City, and in 2018 she started Sailors Around the World - a company that offered sailing vacations in international destinations led by her. Sadly, Nitzan had to close both shops during the early months of the global pandemic, however her continued involvement in the local boating community in the NY Harbor and internationally, brought her to restart the international charter business along with Ed Guy (LYC's Race Officer) under the name Neptune's Daughter. Nitzan currently resides in Jersey City, works as a Subject Matter Expert for Ahoy! Insurance and is enjoying racing on board Kate and spending time on and off the water with her (mostly) boater friends!
Membership Director
CAROL WEIR
Carol and her husband, George are originally from Scotland, and were bitten by “boat life” bug in Greece many moons ago. Carol and George could not realize their dream of owning a boat until 2019 due to living in states without any body of water nearby. After moving to NJ, and specifically to the NY harbor area, they bought a power boat and have never looked back.
Professionally, Carol is a RN and currently the Executive Director for a national health service in northern N.J. Carol was delighted to accept the membership director position with LYC in 2022 and is enthusiastic to welcome new members to the club.
Fleet Surgeon
Dr. Alan Sarokhan
Alan has been sailing since he met his wife 47 years ago.
They mostly double hand coastal from Maine to the Chesapeake, and hopefully beyond if they ever fully retire.
Alan has been in the active practice of Orthopedic Surgery in New Jersey since 1983 and enjoys sharing whatever medical knowledge he can with the club membership.