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Jan Miles, Interim Executive Director &
Senior Captain

Captain Miles, an Annapolis High School graduate, has been with Pride of Baltimore, Inc. since 1981, when he joined as one of three rotating captains on the original Pride of Baltimore. He was the first to sail the original Pride across the North Atlantic to Europe and was at the helm for Pride of Baltimore II‘s maiden voyage in 1988. He is a tall ship master with more than 50 years of experience as a professional sailor. His voyages have included six Atlantic Ocean crossings, as well as three Pacific voyages of 5,000 miles, each taking about 25 days. He has traversed the Saint Lawrence Seaway more than a dozen times. He holds a USCG 500 Ocean Master License for Power and Sail, as well as numerous other certifications. Captain Miles has served as master or mate aboard many other vessels, including Lady Maryland, Californian, Bill of Rights, New Way, Alexandria, Brilliant, Clearwater, Elissa, Oliver Hazard Perry, and Tiare Toporo. Along the way, he also helped develop model sailing programs for youth at risk.

His accomplishments and contributions have been recognized both within and outside of the maritime community. In February 2013, Captain Miles was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Tall Ships America. In September 2005, he was the master aboard when Pride of Baltimore II suffered a catastrophic dismasting. As a result of the crew and trainees’ conduct during that event, Sail Training International awarded the ship the Special Seamanship Award. Capt. Miles was named Sail Trainer of the Year by the American Sail Training Association in 2004. He has also been recognized for his efforts to shine a positive light on Maryland, having been named Marylander of the Year by the Maryland Colonial Society in 2001.

 

Lori FerreraLori Ferrara, Development Director

Lori joined Pride of Baltimore in June 2023. She fell in love with Baltimore’s port history during her seven years working at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, which is located right on the waterfront of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. She would watch Pride sail by the museum, captivated and enchanted. As development director, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to build relationships that will raise awareness and support for Pride. Lori has a B.A. from Maryland Institute College of Art and an M.A. in Museum Studies and Historical Preservation from Morgan State University.

 

Patrick Smith, Brand & Vessel Relations ManagerPatrick Smith

Patrick Smith is the Brand and Vessel Relations Manager at Pride of Baltimore, Inc., where he connects audiences to Pride of Baltimore II through storytelling, partnerships, and a strong digital presence. He first joined the organization as a deckhand in 2014 during the War of 1812 Bicentennial season and again for the 2016 Great Lakes tour. Patrick transitioned to the office in late 2016, serving as a liaison to the ship and leading the organization’s social media outreach. After a brief time away working with the Chesapeake Conservancy, he returned to Pride in 2019 as Program Coordinator and now oversees both brand strategy and vessel relations.

Originally from Pasadena, Maryland, Patrick has called Baltimore home for nearly a decade. He holds a B.A. in History from Saint Michael’s College and serves on the boards of the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race and Sail Baltimore. In 2020, he was named to the Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.