Administration/Office

Brad Avery, Director

A lifelong sailor, Brad enjoys racing and cruising. Over the past 22 years, he has skippered OCC’s Alaska Eagle on voyages in Northern Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, and throughout the South Pacific. He has also sailed in twelve races from California to Hawaii and many long distance Mexico races.

Brad grew up in a sailing family, started teaching sailing at 15, and began crewing professionally on large yachts at 17, making four Atlantic crossings and spending several years cruising in the Caribbean and Europe. Brad received a journalism degree from USC in 1979, and a master’s degree in public administration from Cal State Long Beach in 1990. He holds an all-oceans Coast Guard Master’s license. Brad's favorite sailing experiences include voyaging to Antarctica aboard Polar Mist, and sailing to Australia's sub Antarctic island of Macquarie aboard Alaska Eagle. Much of his off time is spent exploring the coasts of California and Mexico in his classic trawler, Galatea. Brad is a board member at Newport Harbor Yacht Club, a staff commodore of the Transpacific Yacht Club, and a member the Cruising Club of America. He is also a USC Sailing Team Trustee, and sits on the advisory board of the Santa Cruz Island Foundation.

Mette Segerblom, Sailing Program Coordinaor

Mette grew up in Denmark and started sailing at the age of 12 in optimist dinghies and on her parent’s 31’ racer/cruiser, which she raced and cruised many miles around the islands of Denmark. Since coming to the United States in 1984, Mette has been involved with sailing as a racer and cruiser and she has worked in the marine industry as a sailing instructor and sailmaker. Prior to joining the School of Sailing & Seamanship as Sailing Program Coordinator in November 2000, she was the Race Administrator and Waterfront Director at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club for 12 years.

Mette is enjoying the opportunity to provide more sailing opportunities to the public and challenging classes for experienced sailors at The School. Mette enjoys cruising with her husband and three young children when not driving the kids to soccer practice and sabot regattas.

Michelle Jones-Tharp, Accounting

Michelle oversees the School’s fiscal operations and works closely with the accounting department at OCC.