Kris Von Wald, PhD
Executive Director
Newport, Rhode Island USKris Von Wald, PhD
Kris Von Wald joined Tall Ships America as Executive Director in January 2019. She offers a wealth of experience in organizational development, with a focus on strategic and business planning and leadership development. Kris has worked across the commercial, nonprofit, and public sectors in the United States and the United Kingdom, with specialist expertise in leading transformational change and direct experience in youth development and education. Growing up along the front range in Colorado fostered her keen interest in outdoor pursuits, and she feels fortunate to have the opportunity to combine her education and experience with her life-long interests. She has first-hand experience of the value of learning through outdoor and adventurous activity including a sailing adventure with Hurricane Island Outward Bound, as a leader on a Greenland expedition, and by sailing aboard the Norwegian tall ship CHRISTIAN RADICH. Kris’s goal is to build a business model for Tall Ships America that creates a sustainable future built on a solid past, resulting in more resources and opportunities for the entire tall ship community.
Nicolas Hardisty
Program Coordinator
Newport, Rhode Island USNicolas Hardisty
Nicolas Hardisty joined Tall Ships America as Program Coordinator in 2019. His work in this position draws largely on his background in sailing and experiential education. He earned an MA in History from Rhode Island College, specializing in African American and Colonial Atlantic history. Prior to this position, Nic worked as an instructor of history at Community College of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College, and was the coordinator for RIC’s experiential education program at the Rhode Island State House. Nic’s family has been involved in tall ships and sail training for generations, and he is excited to offer his own contributions to the industry. He conducts historical research and analysis in his spare time and has presented articles on African American history, presidential assassinations, and identifying/managing vicarious trauma in historians at numerous conferences throughout the United States. He is a co-founder of the academic collective Global Empire & Resistance Scholarship, serves on the executive council of the New England Regional World History Association, is a member of the COPE° Working Group for Psychological Safety, Bullying & Sexual Assault and Harassment in the Maritime Sector, and is on the board of the Battle of Rhode Island Association. He was married on board the tall ship Kalmar Nyckel in 2021, and recently welcomed his daughter Marigold to the world.
Erin Short
TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Director
Providence, Rhode Island USErin Short
Erin Short joined Tall Ships America in 2006 and is the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Director. Over the course of sixteen years, she has helped coordinate over 85 TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® maritime events on the Pacific Coast, Atlantic Coast, Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico. Her main role is as liaison between Tall Ships America’s Host Port Partners, tall ships fleet, US Coast Guard, city partners and community stakeholders to ensure every event is safe, secure, and successful. Erin is passionate about promoting tall ships, maritime history and our waterfront communities through the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® events and on social media. Erin grew up sailing Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay and has sailed in several of Tall Ships America’s member vessels, culminating in a transatlantic voyage. After graduating with a BS in Anthropology from University of Colorado, Boulder, she now lives in Providence where she volunteers at the Gamm Theatre and Providence Preservation Society. When not travelling with the tall ships (and sometimes when she is) Erin is on a quest for the perfect bowl of ramen.
Amanda Weischedel
Membership Coordinator
New Jersey USAmanda Weischedel
Amanda Weischedel joined Tall Ships America as the Membership Coordinator in October 2021. She earned a BS in Marketing and a MBA from Caldwell University with the intention of using her business education to aid non-profits in achieving their goals. During her freshman year of college, she sailed aboard the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater as a deckhand apprentice. There she discovered her love for sailing aboard Tall Ships and their unique programs, merging her experience in teaching with her newfound passion for sailing. When not talking about Tall Ships with friends and strangers, Amanda enjoys finding new shows to watch on Netflix and cooking different dishes from around the world.