Jacksonville, FL, February 13, 2026 –(PR.com)– After nearly a decade raising money and awareness together for heart health and youth-focused causes, Bravo’s Below Deck Mediterranean star Captain Sandy Yawn is expanding her impact through Captain Sandy’s Charities, and has named longtime trusted collaborator Randi Gold as Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Maritime Program Development.
In this new role, Gold will lead the growth of Captain Sandy’s youth maritime programs, including Ocean Rangers and Steering Toward Success. These K-12 initiatives introduce elementary, middle, and high school students, especially non-college-bound youth, to high-demand careers across the maritime and marine-science sectors, while building early connections to employers.
From Heart to Harbor: A Proven Partnership
Yawn and Gold are not new partners. For years, they have stood side by side on stages and in ballrooms raising funds and visibility for causes such as The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Initiative, JAFCO Children’s Ability Center and JSA Kids.Together, they have helped mobilize donors, corporate sponsors, and communities around heart health and youth-serving nonprofits.
Those years of heart‑led philanthropy now set the foundation for a focused push into one of the most urgent workforce challenges facing Florida and beyond: the maritime talent gap.
“I have known Randi for almost two decades,” said Captain Sandy Yawn. “She was with me when we were raising money for heart health and children’s causes, and she has always led with service. I wanted her on board the moment we launched the charity. Her experience in corporate media, nonprofit fundraising, and building major partnerships is exactly what we need to take Captain Sandy’s Charities to the next level and reach more students.”
Closing the Maritime Talent Gap for the Next Generation
The maritime industry is facing a critical workforce shortage. Skilled roles like electricians, carpenters, mechanics, and crew are in high demand, yet many young people have never been shown that these careers exist or that they can lead to strong wages, mobility, and long‑term growth.
Captain Sandy’s Charities is meeting that challenge by building a maritime education pipeline that starts with curiosity and ends with real pathways.
Ocean Rangers introduces elementary and early middle school students to the science, technology, engineering, art, and math behind ships, ports, and marine ecosystems through interactive, standards-aligned lessons and hands-on activities like shipbuilding and marine exploration.
Steering Toward Success extends that experience into middle and high school, connecting students to soft‑skills training, industry role models, and certified marine apprenticeships. The goal is clear: help students, especially those who are non‑college‑bound, see the ocean not as a backdrop on a screen but as a real career path.
Captain Sandy’s Charities partners with Young Minds Inspired (YMI) to deliver Ocean Rangers and Steering Toward Success to classrooms statewide.
“We have an aging workforce, and in the marine industry we have more people retiring than coming into the trades,” said Yawn. “We need new, young, talented people in the pipeline. These programs are about showing students what is out there and helping them step into those opportunities.”
From Cameras to Classrooms
For Gold, the work is personal and practical.
“I am deeply proud of what Sandy has accomplished in her life,” said Gold. “People see her on television, but what has always moved me is how she shows up for people who are overlooked or underestimated. The mission of Captain Sandy’s Charities is simple and powerful: open real career pathways for young people through maritime education and hands-on exposure.”
Gold continued, “I have seen students who once believed success was something that happened to other people light up when they realize there is a place for them in this world on the water, in the ports, and in the science labs.
This is not about celebrities. It is about access. Sandy has taken her lived experience, including the difficult chapters, and turned it into a curriculum any teacher can use to build confidence and open doors for the next generation. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Not everybody can be famous, but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service.’ That’s Sandy, and that is the core value of what we share.”
Why Randi Gold, Why Now
“Randi brings more than 25 years of leadership experience at the intersection of strategy, revenue development, media, and mission‑driven organizations,” said Yawn. “She has led multimillion‑dollar revenue teams, overseen complex budgets, and built scalable strategies designed to move organizations from concept to measurable, sustainable impact.”
Gold’s background includes senior roles in major U.S. media markets, where she focused on giving a platform to underrepresented communities and unsung heroes while delivering strong revenue growth, as well as leadership positions with national and global wellness initiatives. She has designed high‑impact fundraising campaigns, secured major gifts, stewarded corporate partnerships, and built systems to ensure accountability and transparency for donors and boards.
“Her early work as a volunteer with Captain Sandy’s Charities has already shown her ability to turn mission into strategy,” said Yawn. “She brings financial discipline, program scalability, and a clear framework for measuring impact, giving the board and leadership team the tools they need to grow responsibly and act proactively.”
Statewide Expansion and Digital Reach
Under Gold’s leadership, Captain Sandy’s Charities will focus on:
Expanding Ocean Rangers and Steering Toward Success into school districts across Florida, with a priority on communities that have limited access to career‑pathway programs.
Building partnerships with districts, ports, maritime organizations, and marine businesses to create real‑world learning, shipyard and port visits, and apprenticeship pathways.
Scaling digital reach through online teaching kits, classroom‑ready materials, and virtual field experiences that make it easy for educators to bring maritime STEAM content into their classrooms.
Tracking and sharing impact data including student participation, educator engagement, and youth entry into maritime training and apprenticeships to guide continuous improvement and attract additional support.
“We are using funds to create exposure, experiences, and education for young people who have no idea how big and dynamic the marine industry is,” Yawn said. “From South Florida to ports around the world, these careers are out there waiting. Our job is to help youth see them, prepare for them, and seize them.”
Call for Partners: All Aboard
Captain Sandy’s Charities is actively engaging donors, corporate sponsors, school districts, maritime organizations, ports, and community partners to expand its programs. Opportunities include program sponsorship, curriculum support, apprenticeship partnerships, and collaborative events that showcase maritime careers and industry impact.
Organizations and individuals interested in partnering or learning more can contact the organization using the information below.
About Captain Sandy’s Charities
Captain Sandy’s Charities empowers young people through maritime education, workforce development, and character‑building opportunities. By combining interactive STEAM‑based curricula, hands-on learning, and industry partnerships, the charity introduces students to meaningful career pathways in the marine and marine‑science sectors while fostering environmental stewardship and life‑ready skills.
About Young Minds Inspired (YMI)
Young Minds Inspired (YMI) is a leading provider of free educational outreach programs developed with educators, subject‑matter experts, and sponsoring organizations. Through its partnership with Captain Sandy’s Charities, YMI helps bring Ocean Rangers and Steering Toward Success into K–12 classrooms, connecting students to real‑world maritime and marine‑science careers.
