Club Ho'okele (Board of DiRectoRs)
David Schofield, President/Head Coach/Lead Pastor
Professional experience:33 year career in marine conservation. MSc, cetacean behavior –University of Maryland (2005). MA in Christian Ministry, Pacific Rim Christian University, Oahu (2020). Majority of career spent coordinating large groups of volunteers in large and small scale marine animal responses, engaging with community with a focus on cultural sensitivity and responder and public safety.
Paddling or relevant experience: Founder with 13 years of experience of Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling. Competed in nearshore and interisland change races in Hawaii and races in CA, DE, MA and NJ.
Why do you participant on the club ministry Ho'okele? I am striving to bring people to Jesus through the awesome sport of Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling using experience gained through New Hope Canoe Club (Oahu). After a career where I got to be in nature, I see this club as an opportunity to give back to the community and expose others to the joy of God’s creation on the water.
Gene Taylor, Vice President/Safety Officer
Professional experience:Gene attended of University of Delaware, Gene is a former certified
EMT/Paramedic, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with an associate degree.
Paddling or relevant experience: Gene Taylor is the Director of Risk Management & Campus Public Safety for Notre Dame of Maryland University where he is responsible for Safety & Security Management, Training, Staff Development, Life/ Safety, and the overall university EHSafety Program and Campus Public Safety. Prior to this role, Gene had the opportunity to manage the Safety and Security program for the National Aquarium in Baltimore which presented many unique safety/risk issues (1986 – 2017). For the last twelve years he takes two weeks off to work for the NFL Super Bowl with focus on safety and security operations, leads a team of 220 at the NFL Media Center and Super Bowl game day at the stadium. All of this has allowed Gene to provide safety risk and incident reporting and tracking for the canoe club.
Why do you participate on the club ministry Ho'okele? I have a love for the ocean and what this club stands for. I am a faithful Christian dedicated to the safety of the Club participants in and out of the canoe.
Carole Wehn, Treasurer
Professional experience - Carole Wehn is a content developer for High Performing Culture, LLC, a consulting firm that specializes in company culture implementation for small to medium-sized businesses. This is her third career, following time spent helping run a small home inspection business and as an accounting and finance executive for Fortune 500 consumer products companies. Carole is a former CPA who has served in treasurer/financial roles for nonprofits including her church and garden club. She holds a BS in Accounting and MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Paddling or relevant experience – two years as a member of the Cooper River Dragon Boat Club and participation in five dragon boat festivals sanctioned by the International Dragon Boat Federation. One year as a member of NHCCM-TA. Competed in 9 mile OC6 race in Brigantine. NJ.
Why do you participate on the club ministry Ho'okele? – I enjoy being on the water and the camaraderie of being part of a team. As a Christian, I appreciate this club’s acknowledgment of God’s awesome creation. I am thankful for the opportunity the club provides for mutual support of members’ faith journeys.
Ho'okele (Board of Directors
Tom Ager, Secretary
Professional Experience: Part-time consultant, author and teacher in space imaging technology after completing a career as a technical Program Manager. MS in Civil Engineering, Virginia Tech 1988; MA in Geography, University of Hawaii, 1982.
Paddling or relevant experience: Recreational kayaking, 1stseason outrigger canoe paddler with NHCCMTA starting in May of 2022. Competed in 10 mile OC6 race in DE and 9 mile OC6 race in NJ in 2022 season.
Why do you participate on the club ministry Ho'okele? I was privileged to live in Hawaii for a few years when I was a young man, and I can remember watching in awe the completion of the great Molokai to Oahu outrigger race on Waikiki beach. I want to help the NHCCM-TA succeed in its mission to bring Hawaiian outrigger paddling and its principles to this maritime community. Paddling fosters physical and spiritual fitness as you work in synchronicity with other paddlers to move a long and heavy canoe smoothly through the waves, and the ocean links us to all the lands of this world.
Come paddle with us!