Nancy Engel

Nancy grew up in Michigan sailing and messing around on boats 11 to 42 feet long on lakes both small and Great.  She moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, eventually earning a BS in Pharmacy, MBA, and MS in Population Planning.

Her career began as a pharmacist working on Indian Reservations, but quickly moved on and eventually settled into global health including two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, West Africa, a four-year stint with USAID in Washington D.C., and many years with PATH in Seattle.  Often traveling for work and pleasure, she has sailed on five continents, cruised the Great Lakes, the Salish Sea and Tahiti, and raced off the east coast of Africa.

In 2013, Nancy shifted gears and began teaching sailing and navigation at the Center for Wooden Boats and Windworks in Seattle, Offshore Sailing School in Florida, and Continuing Education courses at Seattle Maritime Academy.  She currently holds a USCG 50-ton Master’s license with sailing and Great Lakes endorsements and is a US Sailing instructor for keelboats of all sizes, catamarans and navigation.

When not sharing the joy of sailing with others, Nancy is hiking, reading, painting watercolors, teaching meditation, and enjoying being a lifelong learner.

Nancy's Teaching Style

Nancy believes adults learn best when they are actively involved and having fun.  She explains it like this: “My goal is to engage students by drawing out what they already know with questions, and deepening their understanding with practical applications.”

Nancy strives to create a safe space where asking questions is welcome and leads to better discussions.  She prefers a two-way dialogue with students, making learning much more fun than a lecture.