Your Board of Directors
WSA-OC 2024
Your all-volunteer Board of Directors shape club events and activities.
Debra Osborne
Commodore
Deb has been active in the yachting community for several years. She began racing in the Thirsty Thursday Beer Can series in Dana Point Harbor in 2016 and became a member of the Dana Point Yacht Club Race Committee. She has been serving as part of the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race Committee ever since. As of 2024, Deb will take over as the NOSA Starting Line Chair for the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race. She is also a member of the American Legion Yacht Club, a member of Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club's Race Committee, and has raced on many local sailboats of all sizes in the local Southern California harbors. Through her race committee and club affiliations, Deb was instrumental in WSA-OC's participation as a co-host of the 2023 Rookie Regatta and Race Seminar. In November of 2023, Deb and three other boat partners, and fellow WSA-OC members, became the proud owner(s) of an Andrews 26 named Miss Informed. They plan to race in the Newport Harbor summer race series and to use the boat to teach others how to sail. By profession, Deb is an active and accomplished real estate broker, owning her own brokerage SoCal Coastal Realty Group.
Candice Coleman
Vice Commodore
Candice has extensive experience serving as a board member for a variety of organizations, including several years as the Director of Communications and Director of Membership of the American Society of Interior Designers – Palm Springs; the Vice President of the Marrakesh Lady Putters; the President of the Junior League; the Rear Commodore of WSA-OC in 2023; and she is now ready to be of service to WSA-OC as Vice Commodore. Candice first became active in the sailing community in Spring 2020. She joined the South Shore Yacht Club, where her husband Captain Jim currently also serves as Rear Commodore. Candice and Jim own a 35’ Coronado sailboat, Candy Shop, and they spend weekends working and playing aboard. Professionally, Candice is the owner and operator of Candice Coleman Interior Design, Inc.
Karen de Peralta
Rear Commodore
Karen has been involved in sailing off and on for the past 25 years in San Diego, where she earned her ASA 101 & 103 certifications. Karen has enjoyed crewing in the Beer Can races for 5 years, as well as the Yachting Cup, Hot Rum, and NOOD races. She was also a crew member on the San Salvador tall ship for 1.5 years, prior to the pandemic. Professionally, Karen was previously the president in an investment club, a high school gymnastics coach for 3 years, and physical therapist for 35 years, mostly working in outpatient orthopedics. Since retiring, she now enjoys not only sailing, but playing pickleball, Film Festivals, and volunteering at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Lindsay Steinmetz
Communications Director
Lindsay loves all activities in or near the ocean, and she became a WSA-OC member in February 2022 without prior sailing experience but 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. As Communications Director, she is 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. Professionally, she 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.
Sylvia Stevenson
Philanthropy Director
Sylvia has been involved with many non-profit organizations in Orange County, including for 20+ years with the Sierra Sage Chapter of the Sierra Club as a hike and mountain bike leader, and 4 years as the Executive Committee Vice President, scheduling speakers for bi-monthly Chapter Meetings. She has also served as Vice President of American Association of University Women, scheduling speakers for meetings, and has volunteered as a Crystal Cove tide pool educator and docent for Cottage 13 Film History Museum; as a specially trained land steward, farm steward, and docent for the Irvine Ranch Conservancy; as an art gallery host for Casa Romantica; and as a volunteer for San Clemente Village, where she has helped senior citizens remain residents in their homes with various services. She enjoys sailing, was a member of Women’s Ocean Racing Sailing Association (WORSA), and has experience racing and cruising with fellow WSA-OC members. She looks forward to leading the wonderful philanthropic program here at WSA-OC in her first year as Philanthropy Director in 2024.
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Penny Nelson
Treasurer
Penny brings over 25 years of accounting experience to our WSA-OC board. She is currently the CFO for an architectural firm in Irvine, California, and the Past National President of Society for Design Administration (SDA)–a professional nonprofit organization for operations professionals in architectural and engineering firms. Penny and her husband own a 34-foot Mainship Trawler, Shindig, docked in Newport Beach, California. They spend most of their free time onboard Shindig and love spending weekends at Catalina Island. Penny is serving her second term as WSA-OC Treasurer and is looking forward to another great year of philanthropic events, on the water fun, and getting to know her fellow WSA-OC members.
Colleen Weeks
Secretary
Colleen previously served as WSA-OC’s Philanthropy Director for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. She brought passion and energy to the position and is excited to continue serving WSA-OC in the role of Secretary in 2024. She has been a sailor for 40 years and an active member of WSA-OC. In addition to serving on the board of WSA-OC, Colleen previously served on the board of the International Childbirth Education Association, Childbirth Education Association of OC, and Alternative Childbirth Educators, including as President. Prior to retiring, she was a manager in women's health for 25+ years at Kaiser Permanente Orange County Medical Centers in Anaheim and Irvine and at Los Alamitos Medical Center.
Debby J Platt
Membership Director
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, her first boat was a J/80. She has extensive leadership experience serving on the boards of professional organizations and many non-profit organizations. She served as the initial Executive Director for the Lowry Community Land Trust—one of several non-profit organizations she helped to initiate. 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, redeveloping closed military bases. She is excited for the opportunity to serve the WSA-OC membership as Membership Director in 2024.
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