Be the Calm or Be the Storm: Leadership Lessons from a Woman at the Helm

Everyone experiences a moment in life when they need to lead. Sometimes it’s a team, sometimes it’s a company, a classroom, a patient ward, a family, or simply your own individual self. Based on the leadership lessons she’s gathered from her resourceful and resilient life, Captain Sandy, a superyacht captain and star of Bravo’s Below Deck Mediterranean, shares the leadership skills and critical thinking inherent to being a captain that can empower anyone to navigate their way to a successful life.

Captain Sandra Yawn, a.k.a. Captain Sandy, is a leader and a businesswoman. As a renowned superyacht captain with over 30 years of international maritime experience, Yawn has broken through the proverbial glass ceiling to achieve the highest status in an industry where women at the helm are rare. She’s earned accolades from the International Superyacht Society, which honored Yawn with the prestigious Distinguished Crew Award for her heroism in ensuring the safety of all guests, crew and the vessel during a catastrophic fire in pirate-controlled waters that occurred in 2004 off the coast of Yemen.

In 2015 she became a series lead on Bravo’s hit series Below Deck Mediterranean. Now in her sixth season with the show, Yawn has broken through yet another barrier to become a powerful female role model and one of the network’s most beloved and respected personalities.