Meet our tireless and talented staff

Executive Director: Dorothy Bassett

Dorothy Bassett was born and raised in Chatham on Cape Cod. She grew up swimming and sailing in Pleasant Bay and learning about the Cape’s ecology during walks in the woods and clamming trips with her grandfather, father, and brother, who were all commercial fishermen. Through Cape Cod Community College, she earned an Associate’s degree and completed two internships at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory. She later graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts Boston with a certificate in Geographic Information Systems and bachelor’s degree in Earth, Ocean, and Environmental Science.

After working as an environmental specialist and hazardous materials chemist in Boston, she took a solo trip around the world through thirteen countries across four continents, learning about different environments from the African Maasai Mara to the New Zealand glow worm caves. After returning to the US she worked in robotics at MIT, at the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center’s Wireless Technology Museum and STEM Education Center, and at the Chatham Conservation Foundation.

Since 2014 she has been working with Cape nonprofits and earned a Tufts certificate in Leadership and Nonprofit Business Management. Dorothy volunteers as a trustee of the Friends of Pleasant Bay, a member of the Scholarship Committee for the Cape Cod Association, and is an enthusiastic founding board member of the Sipson Island trust. She previously volunteered her time with the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts. She brings nonprofit experience, a passion for science and conservation, and a drive to increase public access to waterways and conservation land on Cape Cod.

Dorothy can be reached at bassettd@pbcb.cc

Development and Communications Director: Jennifer Curran

Jennifer Curran was raised in Eastham and her fondest memories as a child are those spent in and around the water – whether boating in Pleasant Bay, beach camping on Nauset and Race Point, fishing out of Wellfleet, or hauling lobster traps. She is grateful she had the opportunity to experience the joys of being outdoors as child and was also able to raise her two daughters on Cape Cod doing much of the same.

Following her passion for helping others, she pursued a degree from the University of New Hampshire in Child and Family Studies. Upon graduating, she worked as Social Services Coordinator for Head Start programs and as a Child Advocate for the state of New Hampshire Child Services. Through this work, she quickly learned that funding for community programs was one of the biggest challenges and began a career in fundraising. Jennifer comes to us with more than 25 years of nonprofit experience and remains deeply connected to the Cape community.

When she is not on the water, she spends her free time coaching skating in Orleans and as a volunteer for various youth programs. Jennifer also serves on the executive board as Vice President of the Philanthropy Partners of Cape Cod and the Islands.

Jennifer can be reached at curranj@pbcb.cc

Program Director: Ali Hogue

Ali grew up in North Attleboro, where she spent her childhood exploring the woods with her dog (and visiting the Cape, of course!)

Ali graduated Magna Cum Laude from Colgate University with a major in Biology and a minor in Spanish. She researched invasive earthworms, lifeguarded, picked vegetables at a CSA farm, and sailed with Colgate’s club team. She spent an unforgettable semester abroad in South Africa’s national parks, where her team studied everything from aquatic snails to butterflies. Ali worked at Seacamp in the Florida Keys, where she taught sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, diving, and marine science using a fleet of floating classrooms. She also worked at Cape Cod Sea Camps, where she was the Department Head of Bay Sail for the day camp. She has dabbled in just about everything else…baking, boat maintenance, philanthropic work, and working on a dive boat in Australia. She loves working with people of all ages and walks of life, especially on the water. She’s a USCG Launch Tender, a US Sailing Level 1 and Adaptive Sailing Instructor, and a PADI Divemaster.

When not on the bay, dock, or in the office, Ali can be found spoiling her sheltie, Rudy. She also likes to run, cook, read, watch documentaries, hang with her houseplants, and travel.

Ali can be reached at hoguea@pbcb.cc

Catboat Program Director: Suzanne Leahy

Suzanne Leahy joined the staff in 2019 to develop PBCB’s Catboat Program. When she came onbSuzanne Leahyoard, the fleet had grown from four to seven catboats in a very short time. She was able to see the tremendous potential that a full-fledged adult catboat program could become, and how perfect the fit was for her at PBCB.

Suzanne grew up sailing in Marblehead, and left the States to attend undergraduate studies in Brussels. In 1979, she received her MFA in Sculpture at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where she continued to work as a sculptor and graphic designer. Her sculpture reflected her love of boats and sailing. It was inevitable that at some point she would build an actual boat, which marked the end of one career and the beginning of another. For the next few years, she spent as much time as she could racing A-Cats on Barnegat Bay, NJ, where she slowly started to absorb the catboat mystique.

After moving to the Cape in 1993, Suzanne began working as a boat builder and designer. She owned and operated Pleasant Bay Boat and Spar Company in Orleans, where along with her crew, she built, restored and maintained catboats, Baybird sloops and many other boats as well. Her business developed a solid reputation for wooden spar fabrication and had the great fortune to collaborate with boat builders across the country.

In 2014, Suzanne retired from Pleasant Bay Boat and Spar Company and went to work for Bill Womack at Beetle Inc. helping them set up their spar fabrication. When Jim Donovan and Woody Metzger bought Pease Boats of Chatham in 2016 she was again enticed back to boatbuilding and spar fabrication as she proudly watched a First Light Boatworks take shape and grow.   After four years, she made her final retirement in 2018…until Pleasant Bay Community Boating opportunity appeared on the horizon.

Throughout the years of owning the boat shop, part of her mission was to train young people in a hands-on environment, developing skills in the workplace as well as in customer relations. Her shop had an open door policy- welcoming curious folks in to see what was being built. Teaching was always a core value and one that Suzanne shares with PBCB. Her position at PBCB is a dream come true, incorporating her love of sailing and teaching, and sharing the knowledge that she has gained from the many generous sailors and teachers she has met over the years.

Suzanne can be reached at catboats@pbcb.cc.

Waterfront Director: Matt Haas

Matt Haas is a Cape Cod native and grew up in Brewster.  At an early age, he had an affinity for boats, the ocean and waterways of any form.  Swimming lessons at the ‘Y’ and Brewster Green led to a record setting career on the Nauset High School competitive swim team.  Matt began to sail  at Elbow Pond and Cape Cod Sea Camps, then spent numerous years at the Orleans Yacht Club. Those experiences sealed the deal for his love of sailing. Matt went on to teach sailing for the Brewster Recreation Department and OYC, while also receiving numerous accolades himself in the many regattas he participated in around Cape Cod.

In 2010 Matt left the shores to head west to pursue his other passions, snowboarding and skiing. He soon discovered that Vail, Colorado held much allure for a young man starting out, and he found a place in the hospitality domain where he worked for six years at the highest ranking restaurant in Vail. Returning to the Cape in 2016, Matt spent a few seasons working for corporate high-end restaurants, and then joined the team at the Brewster Fish House.

Matt came to PBCB in early 2023 and is excited to take on this new challenge and share his love of sailing with others.

Matt can be reached at haasm@pbcb.cc

Adaptive Program Coordinator: Jeff Primeau

Jeff raised his family in Westborough, MA., and has recently moved full-time to Chatham, where his wife’s family has lived for over 40 years. Jeff graduated from UMass Boston with a B.S. in Human Performance and Fitness, then continued there to earn an M.Ed. in Education. He worked as a physical education and adapted P.E. teacher for 27 years in Newton, MA. During his career, he held many coaching roles from middle school basketball and lacrosse to high school Special Olympics soccer and basketball. Jeff is excited to be joining the dedicated PBCB staff and to continue helping build an inclusive and accessible community on Pleasant Bay.

Jeff can be reached at primeauj@pbcb.cc

Property Manager: Huntley Harrison

Huntley HarrisonHuntley Harrison has been involved with PBCB since 2010, as treasurer, board member, and property manager. Huntley grew up in New York City and has lived on Cape Cod since 1999. His educational background is in mathematics, with a Bachelor of Science degree from Hobart College and a Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology from Bridgewater State University. He was a teacher for 30 years at Blair Academy, a co-educational boarding school in New Jersey; and he finished his teaching career serving 14 years at Chatham High School, retiring in 2013.

Huntley’s involvement at Pleasant Bay Community Boating expanded to that of treasurer and project manager when PBCB purchased the McClennen property in 2014. He now ably serves as property manager and bookkeeper for our facilities and operations. He is involved outside of PBCB as the Chairman of Chatham’s Cable Advisory Committee, and he is the producer of Chatham Today, a monthly cable TV program. He is also the Chairman of the Chatham Airport Commission.

Huntley is wholly dedicated to PBCB’s mission and the sense of community and accessibility we are creating on Pleasant Bay.

Huntley can be reached at harrisonh@pbcb.cc.

Registrar: Ellen Peterson

Ellen Peterson joined the team at  PBCB in 2022 as the Program Registrar. Ellen was born and raised locally on Cape Cod where she still resides today. She grew up swimming, sailing and boating on Pleasant Bay with her dad’s boat being moored in Round Cove.

Ellen has an extensive background in recreation management within the golf, ice skating and ice hockey realms. She has broad experience working with many youth nonprofit organizations in all capacities from day to day operations, program development and governance. When not in, on or at the ocean, Ellen and her husband Roger can be found hiking the endless conservation trails in the area or hitting the links.

Ellen can be reached at info@pbcb.cc