Board of Directors
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Chris O’Neil - President
Chris O’Neil brings over 35 years of combined experience in human resources and insurance to his role as President. For 15 years, Chris worked as an HR professional in a variety of specialist and management positions across multiple industries. He then founded an insurance agency in Granby, CT, which he has successfully operated for more than two decades, focusing on Employee Benefits and Commercial Business insurance.
Chris earned his MBA from the University of Connecticut, with dual concentrations in Human Resources Management and Business Law, and holds a BS in Management from Western Connecticut State University. Dedicated to education and mentorship, he served as an adjunct instructor for Human Resources certificate courses at Central Connecticut State University for 10 years.
A lifelong learner, Chris has achieved numerous professional certifications, including SPHR and PHR from the Society for Human Resource Management, CCP from the American Compensation Association, and both CIC and CRM from the National Alliance For Insurance Professionals. He is currently working toward his USCG Captain’s license.
Chris resides in Granby, CT with his wife of over 30 years. Together, they have three grown sons. In his free time, Chris enjoys sailing, fishing, and working on old cars and tractors.
Gordon Hiltz - Veteran Advocate
Bill Connors - Next Generation Advocate
Scientific researcher, husband, and father to two wonderful daughters. Together with my wife, we are members of the Westbrook Congregational Church.
Craig O’Neil - Vice President
Craig O'Neil is a lifelong educator and administrator in public and private CT schools and a non-profit environmental education organization. For the past years he has served as Principal at Christian Life Academy in Brookfield, CT. He has been a foster parent over 20 years, mostly for disabled children. Craig has 50 years sailing experience from dinghies, college sailing team in Boston, to 30 foot cruising yachts.
Margy Schuck - Secretary
Michael Harris - Employee Advocate, Director of Operations
Michael Harris started his formal sailing experience and education on Lake Michigan on an 18 foot catamaran and also on a 34 foot sloop as part of the curriculum for the American Sailing Association's (ASA) coastal cruising class. He has sailed on Long Island Sound waters since 1999, first on a 26 foot sloop, and more recently on a 32 foot ketch. He has driven the pump out boat in Mystic, New London and Clinton, and as a holder of a Coast Guard captain's license has driven the launch on the Mystic River as well as piloting a tour boat in Chincoteague, Virginia. He has been with SailConnecticut for over seven years in the capacity of Skipper and continues to sail his own boat, Bird, out of the Thames river.
He has also provided energy consulting services under his professional engineering license in the state of Connecticut since 2008. In addition to being technically competent as an engineer and teaching the physics of sailing, he has an artistic streak that includes painting and playing music. He has been playing the fiddle since 2018 and other instruments since college.
Karen Green - Communications
Mike Green - Adaptive Advocate
Robert Rackliff - Member at Large, Director Emeritus
Rob Rackliff served as SCTA’s Director of Sail Operations from 2004 to 2025 and continues to volunteer as a Captain with his wife Irene and their dog Anne. Rob earned his USCG Captain’s license from Northeast Maritime Institute, and Sailboat and Towing endorsements from Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy. Rob has a lifetime of sailing experience that ranges from small and medium sized sailboats on Long Island Sound to large sailing yachts in the Caribbean, and everything in between!