Congratulation to Dr. Anne Kolker for being selected as the 2023 Leadership in Women's Sailing Award honoree.

Kolker grew up sailing, first as a youngster, then through college, medical school and into marriage. However, when her husband died in 2008, she realized that she needed to learn more about sailing and grow her confidence behind the wheel. Up until his passing, she had never docked the boat that she had purchased with him, a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Stellar 52, or competed in an offshore sailboat race.

This inspired her to become captain of the boat and learn to manage it, choosing to gain expertise by sailing with other knowledgeable women and keeping the vessel under her ownership. Along the way, she crossed the Atlantic and, in turn, inspired dozens of women to seek out sailing opportunities, hosting all-female crews in offshore races from New England to Bermuda.

On June 3, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) and the National Women’s Sailing Association (NWSA) honored Dr. Kolker with the BoatUS/NWSA Award that annually recognizes an individual with a record of achievement in inspiring, educating and enriching the lives of women through sailing.