Your Board of Directors
WSA-OC 2026
Your all-volunteer Board of Directors shape club events and activities.
Karen Cooper
Commodore
Karen has been sailing intermittently in San Diego for years, earning her ASA 101 and 103 certifications. She has enjoyed crewing in the Beer Can races for five years and the Yachting Cup, Hot Rum, and NOOD races.
She also volunteered as a crew member on the San Salvador tall ship for a year and a half before the pandemic. Karen moved to Orange County in 2022 and became a co-owner of the 26-foot Andrews sailboat Ladies First with two other WSA-OC members. She crewed in the Taco Tuesday races last summer and has since sold the boat.
Professionally, Karen was a Physical Therapist for 35 years (working primarily in outpatient orthopedics), a high school gymnastics coach for 3 years, and the president of an investment club.
Since retiring, she enjoys sailing, playing pickleball and Pilates, wine tasting, attending film festivals, and volunteering for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. She recently got married and enjoys spending time with her new husband, her scientist daughter in San Diego, and her firefighter daughter in Vancouver, Canada.
Debby J Platt
Vice Commodore
Debby recently served as Membership Director of WSA-OC. Rear Commodore and is currently serving the Association as the Vice Commodore. She is excited to continue serving the membership of this wonderful organization of sailing/boating women.
Debby comes to WSA-OC as an experienced boat owner, skipper, sailboat racer, instructor, and bareboat charter-cruising skipper, with a passion for sailing and water sports. In the sailing community for 20 years, she raced her first boat, a J/80, in Colorado, and later as a member of the Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club. She has been racing and cruising sailboats in Colorado, Central and Southern California, and around the globe.
She has extensive leadership experience, serving on the boards of professional and non-profit organizations. She also served for over 12 years in the Junior League of
Denver, culminating in serving as President of the 2,200-member organization and then
President of the Junior League of Denver’s Foundation. Professionally, for the past 25 years, Debby has worked in real estate development, including the redevelopment of closed military bases. She worked most recently at the Orange County Great Park.
Linda Kiernan
Rear Commodore
Linda is honored to serve as Rear Commodore of the Women’s Sailing Association and to support an organization that has played a significant role in her sailing journey. She first discovered her love for sailing while living in Mammoth, where she learned to sail Hobie Cats. After moving back to San Clemente, her time on the water continued through windsurfing, further deepening her appreciation for wind, waves, and seamanship.
Linda and her husband, Tim, were previously the proud owners of a 27-foot O’Day. They eventually sold the boat so she could pursue another passion—showing horses in reined cow horse competition. In 2020, Linda returned to sailing and was invited to join the Women’s Sailing Association, an opportunity that reconnected her to the sport in a new and exciting way. Through the association, she was introduced to racing, which has become an especially rewarding and challenging part of her sailing experience.
As Rear Commodore, Linda enjoys giving back to the community that welcomed her so warmly. She works closely with the Board and Flag Officers to support programs, events, and member engagement, and is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where women of all skill levels can grow, learn, and thrive on the water.
Elena Yuasa
Communications Director
Elena brings over 26 years of management, communications, and volunteerism expertise to WSA-OC. Her impressive career includes managing communications for government organizations and volunteer-driven associations, focusing on enhancing public engagement and crafting messages that resonate with diverse audiences.
Elena’s experience spans leading impactful communication campaigns that drive engagement, designing successful event marketing strategies, and fostering community connections through volunteerism. She has supported causes like the Ronald McDonald House and ROTC Scholarship programs. She has held key leadership roles in the yachting community, including the 2024 Navy Yacht Club Long Beach Commodore. She is currently serving as the Vice Commodore of the Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA) for the year 2026. With a bachelor’s degree in finance and certifications in leadership and management, Elena combines strategic thinking with a passion for building connections and inspiring participation.
Elena joined WSA-OC to elevate its communication efforts, champion inclusivity, and strengthen member engagement through innovative outreach strategies.
Greta Boye
Philanthropy Director
Greta is eager to give back to WSA-OC, which she credits with rekindling her passion for sailing after a long hiatus. Having learned to sail on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, Greta later shipped her boat to Spain, where she lived and sailed for 15 years before moving to California.
Her experience includes serving on the boards of professional organizations, most recently as President of the International Coaching Federation Orange County Chapter. She is deeply committed to philanthropy, with experience in organizations that focus on women and girls, such as Soroptomist International and American Association of University Women.
She is enthusiastic about ensuring the continued success of WSA-OC’s signature and other events, especially with the support of fellow members and partnering organizations.
Professionally, Greta recently transitioned from a long-standing career in international economic development to executive and leadership coaching.
Regine Smet
Treasurer
Regine was born and raised in Belgium until she was 16, when her family moved to California. She studied Biology at the University of California, Irvine, and later earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from Southern California College of Optometry.
Her sailing journey began at about age 9, when she learned to sail dinghies. Three years ago, she purchased her first boat, Et Voilà, a Beneteau First 40.7. After spending the first couple of years primarily cruising, she competed in the 2025 Newport to Ensenada Race with an all-women crew from WSA. Since then, she has participated in the Catalina races hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club aboard her own boat. She also assisted in delivering Bolt, a Nelson/Marek 68, back from Honolulu following the Transpac and has crewed on several other race boats.
In May, she added a Melges 15 to her fleet. Together with her daughter, Mathilde, she raced the boat in Wet Wednesday races and at Long Beach Race Week.
In preparation for serving as Treasurer of WSA-OC, she brings more than 30 years of business experience, having managed three businesses, including two optometry practices and multiple rental properties. Her responsibilities include payroll for 18 employees and comprehensive income and expense tracking.
Cynthia Priddy
Ship Store
Lisa joined WSAOC in 2023. Being new to Orange County, she wanted to meet new friends who share her love of the water. Although she has been boating most of her life, she only learned to sail in 2020 after taking courses from Marina Sailing in Newport Beach.
She is serving her 2nd year as the Ship Store Director, bringing over 25 years of experience in product customization, wholesale, and retail sales.
Lindsay Steinmetz
Secretary
Lindsay loves all activities in or near the ocean, and she became a WSA-OC
member in February 2022 without prior sailing experience but with a desire to make
new friends and explore a new hobby. After joining WSA-OC, she quickly discovered that she wished to become more involved and was especially drawn to the philanthropy efforts of the organization.
Lindsay served as the Communications Director of WSA-OC from 2023-2025 and
was responsible for directing and overseeing WSA-OC’s communications and
marketing for events through various platforms, including email communications,
newsletter, and WSA-OC social media.
Lindsay brought tremendous value to the
Board through her leadership and work behind the scenes, as she developed and
implemented new operating procedures for communications, leveraged social
media and communication channels to attract new members and re-engage inactive members, and provided a high level of attention to detail and organizational
support. During Lindsay’s tenure as Communications Director, WSA-OC doubled
its membership, which Lindsay’s efforts helped achieve.
After completing her two-year term as Communications Director, Lindsay jumped
at the opportunity to continue serving on the Board of Directors, taking on a new
role as Secretary. Lindsay enjoys the sense of community and responsibility of
serving on the Board and hopes to continue to make a positive impact on the
organization.
Professionally, Lindsay is an attorney working for a law firm in Irvine, representing
public school districts in special education matters. Her background and skill set
make her an asset to the WSA-OC Board of Directors.
Jeanette Jordan
Membership Director
Jeanette’s passion for water sports began in childhood with competitive diving and later expanded to include water polo and surfing.
A few years ago, she began taking sailing lessons at OCC’s School of Sailing and Seamanship and was immediately hooked, eagerly seeking every opportunity to get on the water and further develop her skills.
Since joining WSA-OC last year, Jeanette has actively participated in on-the-water events and has enjoyed connecting with, and learning from, fellow sailors.
Professionally, Jeanette is an eCommerce consultant and is enthusiastic about leveraging her digital marketing and technology expertise to support and advance WSA-OC’s initiatives.
Interested in Serving on the board or a committee?
Serving on the Board for WSA-OC is a tremendously rewarding experience. It affords you the opportunity to leverage your existing skills and learn new ones as you endeavor to evolve the club and reach the goals of our non-profit organization. By volunteering as a Flag Officer or Director Role, you will have the opportunity to fully engage with boat owner members, general membership and your fellow board members. You efforts will be rewarding and fun, while making a difference for women and our philanthropy partners.
If the Board isn't for you, please consider assisting the Board by joining one of the many committee opportunities we have available and volunteering to help at WSA-OC events and Philanthropic events.
If interested, contact the Commodore via email at commodore@wsaoc.org