SAIPAN — Traditional voyaging nonprofit 500 Sails announced a leadership transition as co-founders Pete and Emma Perez step back after more than 11 years and prepare to relocate to Guam in January 2026.
The organization said the new leadership team includes Milton “Jun” Coleman Jr. as executive director, Yukari Hayashi as chief operating officer, Larry Sharry as boatyard supervisor, Yun Smith as senior canoe builder, and Andrea Carr as program manager. Master Navigator Mario Benito will continue to support the work alongside staff canoe sailors, builders, and administrative personnel, with additional support from the Marianas Alliance of Non-Governmental Organizations (MANGO).
The 500 Sails Board of Directors, led by Cecilio Raiukiulipiy, Tiana Reyes, and Geraldine Sasamoto, will remain in place through the transition, with guidance from the Perez co-founders, the organization said.
In the announcement, 500 Sails framed the change as continuity across generations, quoting Grand Master Navigator Sesario Sewralur: “One ocean, one people. The youth of today are our sunrise, and we, the elders, are the sunset.”
500 Sails said the co-founders are leaving with three major multi-year grants in place, along with programs intended to generate revenue as tourism returns and to expand opportunities for traditional canoe manufacturing and community boat repair as hands-on teaching work.
In Guam, the organization said Emma Perez will begin a new position focused on research, education, and outreach addressing “critical challenges facing the Marianas,” while Pete Perez will pursue forest management and wildlife restoration, with an interest in integrated pest management to reduce the brown tree snake population.
