Leadership

Captain Chris Cusson, Wife Rosemary and Daughter Cordelia

Captain Christopher Cusson has most recently served in the position of Waterfront Manager of the Bayfront Maritime Center. He comes to BMC with 24 years of maritime experience from small boat instruction to leading sail training programs under sail.

Captain Cusson began his maritime career in the U.S. Coast Guard at the age of eighteen. After his service, he attended Maine Maritime Academy where he first discovered his passion for sailing, maritime education and saw the impact sail training has on people’s lives. He has experience as a sailing instructor, educator, and sail trainer at many reputable organizations including Boston Sailing Center, Offshore Sailing School, Mystic Seaport, Sea Education Association and Flagship Niagara League. His professional sailing career brought him to Erie in 2008 to be an officer on the U.S. Brig Niagara.

In 2015 Captain Cusson became part of the full-time crew of Niagara where he met his wife, fellow crew member and ship’s cook Rosemary Cusson – O’Brien. Captain Cusson was appointed as one of the Captains of the U.S. Brig Niagara and Schooner Lettie G Howard in 2018. Captain Cusson holds a 200-ton NC Master License, a 1600-ton Oceans Mate License and is a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy, University of Connecticut, and the Williams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program.

Captain Cusson and daughter Cordelia at Wheel of Lettie G Howard

Captain Cusson and his wife Rosemary welcomed their first child in 2022 which prompted his shift to a more land-based operational role with BMC as Waterfront Manager. They are welcoming their second child this spring and look forward to having their children participate in BMC programs.