Staff

Wendy Mackie, CEO
Jen Cornwell, Director of Workforce Development
Kate Mouligne, Membership Coordinator
Sam Handy, Marketing and Communications
Brian Dursi, Workforce Development Coordinator
Susan Daly, VP, Programs and Marketing
Tricia Yeoman, VP of Events
Cynthia Goss, Public Relations & Content Strategy

(link to bios)

Office – 401-396-6919
99 Poppasquash Road, Bristol, RI 02891

Jen Cornwell, Program Director
When Program Director Jen Cornwell sees a class of students in RIMTA’s Marine Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program learn, change their lives, and move onto successful careers in the industry, she could not be more proud. Opening opportunity to young people and exposing them to work and career tracks is what she likes most about her job at RIMTA as the staff member who oversees the organization’s workforce-development programs. Prior to working for RIMTA, Jen was project manager for Workforce Partnership of Greater RI where she managed workforce development and industry grants.  Through this job, she became well-versed in state-funded training and hiring grants and was also able to connect with industries and have a better understanding of their employment and training needs and trends.  Jen is a valuable resource for members; if you have workforce challenges or questions about RIMTA programs, she wants to hear from you and help you find the solutions that fit your needs.

Susan Daly, Vice President, Marketing & Programs?

Susan Daly has over twenty-five years of leadership and marketing experience with high-tech startups, groundbreaking sports teams, educational programs for nontraditional learners, consumer goods and services, and workforce development programs. As wide-ranging as her experience has been, what she loves most is working in a start-up mode and doing what has not been done before—so she is the right person to step into the newly created role of VP of Marketing and Programs.  Before joining RIMTA, Susan was VP of Marketing at IYRS and she is a longtime member of RIMTA’s Education & Training Committee, which procured $1 million in federal and state funding for training, marketing and organization-capacity building under her chairmanship. Susan has worked for several leading sailing companies—including Vanguard Sailboats, Quokka Sports, and America3, the women’s America’s Cup team—and is an avid competitive sailor. Susan is also a board member of the Landing School, Sail Newport, and the Yale Sailing Associates.

Cynthia Goss, Public Relations & Content Strategy?

Cynthia Goss has a longtime involvement in the marine industry, first working as an editor at marine magazines before turning freelance to contribute to boating magazines in North America, Europe, and Asia and coauthor books with well-known sailors such as Dawn Riley and Gary Jobson. Today, her work is shore-based as a consultant who helps nonprofits effect change by communicating effectively with their key audiences. At RIMTA, she is the link between the organization and the media, and she edits the monthly e-publication, RIMTA News. Her goal with RIMTA’s e-news is to write about the topics that will help members better run their businesses and understand the industry they work in—and she is open to hearing from members about topics they want to read about.

Sam Handy, Internship Coordinator ?Internship Coordinator

Sam Handy first came to RIMTA as a student at Salve Regina in search of a summer job. Once the staff met Sam, they immediately recommended him for the new Marine Trades Marketing Summer Work-and-Learn Program—a six-week program for individuals ages 18-24 who are interested in water-based recreation, marketing, PR and communications. After completing the program, he stayed on as a RIMTA intern and a member of the Providence Boat Show team. This summer, he will be full-time with RIMTA and will direct the summer marketing program for Millennials. Sam brings a fresh perspective, a tech-savvy nature and a ton of enthusiasm about the marine industry to the organization. He spent his summers growing up on the Cape but is now a Newport resident—and when you can’t find him around the water, you’ll find him skiing in the mountains of Maine. He is also the token male in the office, but he does not mind a bit.

Wendy Mackie, CEO
Anyone who has met CEO Wendy Mackie knows she has a passion and enthusiasm for the marine industry that has been transformative for RIMTA. Since she joined the organization, RIMTA has expanded its staff, acquired a new property in the form of the Providence Boat Show, and deepened its impact on the state’s marine trades. Wendy has also worked with the Rhode Island Composites Alliance to launch this new organization. Wendy came to RIMTA with an expertise in workforce development after serving as executive director of MY TURN Rhode Island, which helps youth develop skills, goals and self-confidence through education, career exploration and employment training. Wendy attended a technical high school, and it taught her about the value of craftsmanship and how individuals with hands-on skills create a legacy—both for themselves and for their community. Wendy’s initial involvement with RIMTA was as a member of the Education & Training Committee, and she played an active role in creating a strategic vision for the organization. “That vision,” says Wendy, “still inspires me.”

Kate Mouligne, Membership Coordinator

Membership Coordinator Kate Mouligne has worked in many different fields—in the marine industry, in retail, and as owner of her own photography business. But there are certain constants that run through any work she does: She is a good listener, she believes in quality service, and she enjoys bringing people together. A native Rhode Islander, Kate has been in and around boats and the marine industry for 25 years. She was part of the shore crew when her husband, JP Mouligne, competed in the Around Alone race, and in the summer of 2014, she and JP sailed across the North Atlantic with their two young children. Kate came to work for RIMTA during the 2015 Providence Boat Show, and she quickly proved how valuable she would be to the organization. As Kate says, “I had a deep familiarity with many of the members of RIMTA before coming onboard, and I felt my connections would be a great fit to further the RIMTA mission.”

Patricia Yeoman, Vice President, Special Events?

For Patricia Yeoman, great special events are the heart of a great organization. They are the venues where the industry and members meet, share ideas, network, and socialize—and the happenings that people want to come to. In her role at RIMTA, Patricia plans all special events for the organization; she also oversees special events and seminars for the Providence Boat Show. An entrepreneur at heart, she launched several businesses before building Newport-based Swan USA East into a thriving enterprise with her husband Keith Yeoman; the company manages new-boat and brokerage-boat sales, and charters. If you attend a RIMTA event you may not have a chance to meet Patricia, as she will be busy overseeing every last detail of the event to make sure it meets her high standards, but she welcomes feedback from members and is always open to hearing about new ideas for events and for boat-show speakers and topics.