About

Executive Director, Carlisle Barron Jensen

Carlisle joined Egan Maritime in the spring of 2022 as the youngest executive director in the organization's history. Carlisle grew up on Nantucket and developed a passion for philanthropy through volunteering with many Island organizations. A graduate of the University of Vermont, she has experience working as the Community Engagement Coordinator at UVM, focusing on connecting students with experiential education opportunities within the Burlington area. Upon moving back to the Island, Carlisle was hired as the Program and Development Officer at the Community Foundation of Nantucket, where she gained a deep understanding of the community and culture of the Island and its non-profit organizations. During her time at CFN, Carlisle spearheaded the Foundation's $ 10 million Endowment Campaign and helped grow funds under management to over $20 Million. Carlisle recently completed Harvard Business School's Credential of Readiness Program and earned a certificate for Nonprofit management from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. Carlisle is a trustee of the Nantucket Partnership for Children and a Nantucket Cottage Hospital Advisory Committee member. When not at work, Carlisle enjoys running marathons and raising money for ALS research and support organizations.

Contact Carlisle - cbjensen@eganmaritime.org

Museum Director and Curator, Charles J. “Chuck” Allard

Chuck has been an interpreter at the Museum since 2014. Before that, for five years he was at the Whaling Museum where he was a Senior Interpreter. An international banker for 25 years, he spent most of his adult life in Asia, including during his service in the Navy. Chuck earned a BA and MA at San Jose State University and then headed to the University of California, Santa Barbara for a Ph.D. in Asian history. He spent several years in Taiwan and Hongkong on research and Chinese language study, taught at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Maryland international program in Taiwan before returning to the US. Enrolling at Thunderbird, Chuck received a masters in international management. He then held senior executive banking positions with US-based banks in Asia before retiring in the mid-1990s to Nantucket, the family’s summer residence from 1982. Active on Nantucket, Chuck volunteered for several non-profits, operated a retail store, and taught online university courses in history and international finance. He is currently in the midst of a Certificate Program in Museum Studies at Northwestern.

Contact Chuck - callard@eganmaritime.org or 508.228.2505

Collections and Visitor Experience Manager, Tony Dumitru

Tony joined the staff of the Egan Maritime Foundation in 2021. Originally from Romania, he worked as a Curator and Department Director at the ASTRA Museum for ten years. In 2000 Tony decided to move to the U.S. to continue his career in the museum field. After earning a Masters’ degree in Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program (State University of New York), Tony moved to Nantucket together with his wife Delia in 2000, and was hired by the Nantucket Historical Association as Collections Manager where he worked for almost two decades. With years of experience in the museum field, Tony is able to understand the operational matters at Egan Maritime Institute. Tony’s major goal is to augment the role of the institution and increase its importance within the community, seasonal and year-round.

Contact Tony - tdumitru@eganmaritime.org or 508-228-2505

Administrative Manager, Renee Ceely

Renee joined Egan Maritime in the summer of 2022. Before that, she was the Executive Director of the Nantucket Housing Authority for nearly three decades, tackling the Island’s burgeoning affordable housing crisis. Her proudest accomplishment was spearheading, from conception to completion, the development of Sachem’s Path, a $20M homeownership success story for island residents.

With her many years of working in the world of non-profits, professionally and as a volunteer, Renee was also the founding Director of NHA Properties, Inc., the non-profit that would become Housing Nantucket, originating the House Recycling Program and the Covenant Homeownership Program developing affordable community housing opportunities for low and moderate-income families.

Renee arrived on Nantucket in 1980 to be employed as the Island’s first Senior Planner of the Nantucket Planning & Economic Development Commission and later the Town’s Grant Administrator. Renee’s maritime interests developed right away, making history in aquaculture with her husband, who owned and operated the Island’s first oyster farm, whose family comes from a rich maritime history beginning with whaling captains, sail makers, fishermen, craftsmen, and whirligig makers.

Contact Renee - admin@eganmaritime.org

Experiential Educator, Sonia Scherr

Sonia Scherr joined Egan as our Experiential Educator in October 2024. She will be coming to Egan from The Cabot School in VT, where she worked as the Community Education Coordinator, expanding out-of-classroom student learning opportunities. In particular, she created an afterschool program for children and youth focused on STEAM. Sonia has an M.F.A. in Writing from the University of New Hampshire, an M.A. in English from Middlebury College, and a B.A. in English literature (Phi Beta Kappa) from Swarthmore College.

Marine Science Educator, Sierra Gray

Sierra Gray is Egan's new Marine Science Experiential Educator. She will work part-time to support our science offerings at the High School and our maritime career leadership program. Sierra grew up on Nantucket and recently returned to the Island after completing her Master's in Biological science from the University of Victoria. In addition to working at Egan, she is the Education and Research Associate for the Nantucket Shellfish Association.

2023 Annual Report

Click Here to Read our 2023 Annual Report.

2022 Annual Report

Click here to read our 2022 Annual Report.

2021 Annual Report, Thank you!

To download and view the 2021 Annual Report, click here.

2020 Annual Report, A Year Like No Other

To download and view the 2020 Annual Report, click here.