Sam Gervais
Executive Director
Sam joined LMS in the summer of 2019 after nine years in education teaching high school history. He brings years of experience working with students of all ages and is excited by the educational opportunities LMS is able to offer children in the Lowcountry. Sam majored in History and Education at Clemson University and has a strong interest in our local history, especially as it connects to our maritime heritage.
A native of Johns Island, Sam grew up messing about in boats in the Stono River and other local waterways. He enjoys sailing, fishing, shrimping, or any other excuse to be on the water and is excited to share his love of the Lowcountry with students.
Contact Sam: sam@lowcountrymaritimeschool.org
Rachel Bergquist
Rachel is a boatbuilder with an affinity for traditional oar or sail powered wooden craft, as well as making that kind of boating accessible to everybody. Rachel loves working with children and watching them gain confidence and competence using tools, and taking pride in their work. She is delighted to help the students begin to acquire a skillset which will be of practical use throughout their lives, as well as inspire the spirit of dreams and possibilities being achievable. If at ten years old, a kid who has never picked up a drill before can build a real boat that floats and row it themselves – what a wonderful point of departure to show them what they are capable of.
Rachel spent a considerable part of her childhood in the water; swimming in the pools, rivers, lakes, and beaches of Texas, but did not dive into the world of boats until she finished university. A trained geographer, she has lived on the Gulf, West, and Mediterranean coasts, and has learned boatbuilding from a trial-and-error self-taught foray to an apprenticeship under a master boatbuilder. She has worked with several historic boat organizations, and even owned and restored a couple herself. She is thrilled to now be on the Carolina coast and bring her experience and enthusiasm to LMS and the students we serve.
Contact Rachel: rachel@lowcountrymaritimeschool.org
Brandon Clark
Brandon is the Director of Development and an Educator at Lowcountry Maritime School.
A native of Southeastern North Carolina, Brandon spent many years in the NC mountains and is a graduate of Appalachian State University. He settled in Charleston in 2000. Brandon has been a dedicated volunteer with LMS since 2016 and officially joined the school full-time in the summer of 2024.
Brandon is deeply committed to LMS’s mission and actively participates in various facets of the school. He organizes events such as oyster roasts and fundraisers, as well as RC Sailboat regattas with students. Additionally, he contributes to school programs like the DF95 RC Sailboat Program and the Wooden Skiff Program. He is also dedicated to fostering relationships and collaborations with other organizations.
As a key point of contact for the Lowcountry Maritime School, Brandon manages social media campaigns and contributes articles about the school to publications such as WoodenBoat and Scuttlebutt Magazine. He is always eager to showcase the boatyard and programs.
In his spare time, Brandon enjoys spending time with family and friends outdoors. He maintains a year-round garden, is a weather enthusiast that loves boating and surfing and being around water.
Contact Brandon: brandon@lowcountrymaritimeschool.org
Lowcountry Maritime School 