Our Team
Emma Gunn Thomson (she/her)
Lead Rigger / Sailor / Captain Board Vice President
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Emma developed a passion for the sea and sailing at an early age. Her upbringing on the water instilled a deep respect for nature and a spirit of adventure that continues to guide her career. Emma started teaching sailing as a teenager and has worked in many capacities on sailboats of all size and style around the globe. Early on she was employed by organizations such as the Wooden Boat Foundation, Northwest Maritime Center and the Center for Wooden Boats, inspiring youth and adults alike to embrace the challenges and rewards of life under sail. After graduating with a BFA from Seattle University, Emma worked at NW Sails and Canvas, repairing and building new sails, rigging, and canvas work for nearly a decade. Studying art and learning the trade of sailmaking further nurtured Emma’s love of crafting with her hands. In 2020 Emma received her 100 ton captain license and began running sailboats around the east and west coasts, voyaging to Alaska, Baja, Nova Scotia and the Bahamas within her first year. Most recently she has captained the 84’ schooner Martha, of the Schooner Martha Foundation, leading sail training programs around the San Juan and Gulf Islands. As a female captain she has seen many challenges and felt the pressure of a steep learning curve. Through The People’s Boat Project Emma looks forward to creating more space for experiential learning that fosters inclusivity and community while also helping preserve maritime traditions.
Ginny Wilson (she/they)
Lead Shipwright Board President
Having grown up on both the east and west coasts, Ginny has always been a lover of the ocean, and the creatures in it. She got her first taste of boat life while spending the summers sailing with her college boyfriend in the San Juan Islands and then in 2011 she spent 3 seasons working on commercial salmon tenders in Bristol Bay & Southeast Alaska. In 2017, Ginny found herself at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, and after graduating from in the fall of 2018, joined a team of boat school alumni that were chosen to go to Tasmania as part of a collaboration between NWSWB and the Australian Wooden Boat Festival. The team spent 2 months building a Haven 12 1/2 that was then auctioned off at the AWBF. After returning from Tasmania, Ginny worked in the boat yard and in the fall of 2019 started at the Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop. In 2021 Ginny left the Shipwrights Coop and started Thorn Boatworks and after a few months of working out of her van, she rented a bench space at a shop that her friends were leasing. The shop has since grown into a 12 member cooperative of independent tradespeople - The Boat Shop Cooperative - of which Ginny is a member. She currently spends part of her time in Alaska working with her partner, salmon tendering, on his 80 foot wooden boat. She loves planking, corking, interiors, and making things pretty. She is dedicated to being a presence in this trade, working to shift and shape the culture, if even a little bit, to be a more inclusive place.
Our Board of Directors
Sonia loves baking pies, beach walks with her pup Rocco, playing cribbage, hiking to waterfalls, and impromptu dance parties!
She works at The Nest / OWL360 in Port Townsend advocating for young adults.
#loveislove #blacklivesmatter #protecttranskids
She/her
Sonia Frojen
Port Townsend local since 2003. Joined PBP in 2025.
Taylor Austin
she/her
Boats, bikes, and books can take you anywhere you want to go!
Taylor enjoys skill sharing, problem solving, and helping cultivate can-do energy on a project.
Port Townsend local since 2016. Joined PBP in 2025.
She/her
Port Townsend local since 2015.
Joined PBP board in 2025.
Loves exploring by foot, bike or kayak.
Grateful for this community.
Sharon Comer
Alicia Dominguez
Loves arts and crafts, science and adventure; especially messing around on boats.
Currently working as a biologist with USGS.
Worked on the Felicity Ann Project.
Attended the NW school of wooden boatbuilding 2006-2007
She/her
Quilcene local since 2006. Joined PBP in 2025.
Amber Heasley
Port Townsend local since 2012. Joined PBP in 2025.
She/her
Amber is a captain, educator, and entrepreneur dedicated to expanding access to boating.
She is passionate about creating inclusive, positive first experiences on the water and building confidence through diverse skills and embracing beginner-hood.