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Meet the Staff Pages:
Return to Department Staff Page | Environmental Protection Division
| Marine Safety Division
Commercial Vessel Examination Division |
Communication and Education Division |
America's Waterway Watch Division
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Meet the Staff
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Communication and Education Division
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Karel Kester
Division Chief
Communication and Education Division
DVC-MO
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Ms. Kester joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary in 1987. She has held
elected positions of Flotilla Vice Commander and Flotilla Commander. In
addition, she has served is various staff positions at the flotilla,
division, district and national levels. In addition to her current
national staff position of Branch Chief in the Marine Safety Department
she also currently serves as Division Staff Officer for Marine Safety
for the states of Colorado and Wyoming. In addition, she is Assistant
District Staff Officer for Marine Safety – Administration for the 8th
Western Rivers Region. She also serves as Assistant District Staff
Officer for Operations – Team Coordination Training.
Following 9/11, Ms. Kester served as Communications Officer and Sea Marshall driver for MSO
San Francisco. She volunteered for training with MSO St Louis as a
member of their Tiger Teams for MTSA implementation. In addition, she
later
began working with the Port Operations – Facilities Branch at MSO San
Francisco, where she assisted with training of reserves and active duty
in the new MTSA requirements and completed her Assistant Maritime
Transportation Security – Facility qualification and her Assistant
Facility Inspector qualification.
Ms. Kester assisted with the production of Auxiliary Personal
Qualification Standards for Marine Safety and Environmental Protection.
These documents are the basis of the on-the-job training requirements
for the Auxiliary Trident device.
Ms. Kester attended North Texas State
University with a major in Music Education. She also attended University
of Colorado with a major in Geography. After working as a Computing
Specialist for 16 years, Ms. Kester changed careers and is currently a
Licensed Massage Therapist.
Ms. Kester is holds Auxiliary qualifications
as Coxswain, Instructor, Air Observer and Vessel Examiner. She has
earned both the AUXOP device and Trident Marine Safety M-Pro pin. She is
qualified as an Assistant Harbor Safety Observer, Assistant Facility
Inspector, Marine Environmental Education Specialist, Auxiliary Marine
Safety Administrative and Management Specialist, and Assistant Maritime
Security Inspector Facility. She is a qualified Team Coordination
Training Facilitator and currently coordinates all TCT training within
8WR for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Ms. Kester also serves as the
Auxiliary America’s Waterway Watch coordinator for 8WR. In addition, Ms.
Kester attended Coast Guard Recruiter training in Cape May, NJ, earning
her Coast Guard Recruiter
device.
Ms. Kester’s awards include the Auxiliary Achievement (2
awards), PE Service, Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation with
Operational device, and Coast Guard Unit Commendation with Operational
device (2 awards).
Ms. Kester is married to Greg Kester. They have 2
daughters and 2 grandchildren.
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John D. Sprague-Williams
Branch Chief
"M" Training Support
BC-MOT
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John joined the Coast Guard
Auxiliary in 2002 and became Branch Chief of the Communications and
Education Division in 2004. In this capacity he provides support
for education programs within the Division.
John obtained his BS from the Texas
A&M in 1964, his MA in 1972 from Chapman University, his MS in 1974
from Pepperdine University and his Ed.D. from Nova Southeast in
1983. John is Professor Emeritus in Electro-Mechanical Technology,
retired from the College of DuPage.
John holds qualifications as
Trident, Coxswain, Instructor, Vessel Examiner, Partner Visitor (RBSVP),
Aton Verifier, Watchstander and Auxiliary Operational Member (AUXOP).
John has held the offices of
Flotilla Staff Officer in PE, MS, MT and MA and Division Staff
Officer in MT and IS. His Auxiliary awards include Auxiliary
Commandant Letter of Commendation, Sustained Auxiliary Service Award
(6), Coast Guard Unit Commendations (with “O” & “S” device), Coast
Guard Meritorious Team Commendation (3), PE /VE service awards (3).
Commodore’s Certificate of Appreciation ( 7th District ISAR
finalists – 2004), Commodore’s Certificate of Excellence –
Multi-directorate, Auxiliary Operational Excellence Award, Auxiliary
PE service award (2), Operations Service Award (3) and
Transportation 9-11 ribbon.
John is married to the former Janet
(Jan) Sprague of Aurora, IL and has 3 sons and 7 granddaughters. He
is an avid scuba diver and underwater still photographer. John and
Jan are clowns for charity performing in schools, nursing homes,
hospitals and churches.
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Jan Sprague-Williams
Branch
Assistant
"M"
Training Support
BA-MOT
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Jan joined the
Coast Guard Auxiliary in 2002 and became Branch Assistant in the
Communications and Education Division in 2005. In this capacity she
provides support for education programs within the Division.
Jan earned
Bachelors (1970) and Masters (1972) degrees in Communication from
Northern Illinois University. She later completed the Certificate
of Advanced Study (1976) and Doctor of Education (1980) programs in
Curriculum and Instruction. A published author, she is Professor
Emeritus of Communication, Broadcasting and Critical Thinking,
Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, IL.
Her Coast Guard
Auxiliary qualifications include: Boat Crew, Instructor, Vessel
Examiner, Partner Visitor (RBSVP), Aton Verifier, Watchstander and
Auxiliary Operational Member (AUXOP).
Jan has held the
following Flotilla Staff Offices: FSO-PB and FSO-CC. At the
Division level, she served as FSO-PE and FSO-PB. During her 2004
term as Division 13 newsletter editor, “The Sea Grapevine” was
recognized as the top division publication at the District 7 and
National levels. Auxiliary awards include: Sustained Auxiliary
Service Award (6), Coast Guard Unit Commendations (with “O” & “S”
device), Commodore’s Certificate of Excellence – Multi-directorate,
Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation (3), PE /VE service awards
(3). Auxiliary Operational Excellence Award, Auxiliary PE service
award (2), Operations Service Award (3) and Transportation 9-11
ribbon.
Jan is married to
the former John D. Williams, II of Sinton, TX, and has 3 sons and 7
granddaughters. She is an avid scuba diver and underwater
videographer. She also produces, shoots and edits programming for
cable television. John and Jan are clowns for charities, performing
at schools, nursing homes, hospitals and churches.
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George Datz
Branch Chief
Information Services
BC-MOI |
George Datz first joined Coast
Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 13-5 (East Rockaway NY) when he turned 17,
back in 1957. (Prior to that he was a consistent "hanger on" since
his father was a charter member of 13-5 and held various flotilla
offices dating back to 1947.)
In 1959, George enlisted in the
active duty Coast Guard, serving as a Radioman (RM) at Coast Guard
Radio Washington (NMH) and on two Summer Cruises on the Coast Guard
Cutter Eagle (1961, 1962).(The Coast Guard did not issue medals and
awards to the extent it does today, but he proudly wears the CG Good
Conduct Medal in celebration of "not getting caught" for three consecutive
years.)
He was honorably discharged in
February 1963 as an RM1, returning to Flotilla 13-5 and serving for
a year as Flotilla Communications Officer. He left the Auxiliary
when the flotilla disbanded about a year later, and dedicated his
"volunteer" life to membership in the East Rockaway Volunteer Fire
Department and Rescue Squad. Before moving to California five years
later, he attained the rank of Company Captain, and completed
numerous fire science courses at SUNY, Farmingdale.
From 1963 through 1977 George
worked as a commercial air/ground radio operator with Aeronautical
Radio Inc. (ARINC). In 1977 graduated from the Labor & Urban Studies
program of the Industrial Relations Department, University of
California, Berkeley, and he took a full time union job with the
200,000 member California School Employees Association (CSEA),
serving as a Labor Representative, Director of Training, and
Director of Education and Research. During his tenure he was
instrumental in integrating computers into the organization's
operation, established its initial presence on the Internet, and
formed a Video Section for producing educational and informational
video programs. Immediately before retirement in 2001, he served as
the Association's Director of Special Projects, serving as liaison
to other public education organizations and state agencies.
After one year of "just plain
retirement" and a 40 year break in Auxiliary service, in 2002 George
joined Flotilla 12-5 in Fremont, California -- immediately taking an
appointment to FSO-CS. He has also augmented as a radio watchstander
at the Sea Marshal office at MSO San Francisco, and serves as SO-CS
for Division 12, and ADSO for District 11NR. While less-than-optimum
health has restricted him from participating in some of the more
"active" Auxiliary activities which interest him, he has focused on
Internet based contributions. In addition to maintaining the
flotilla and division web sites, he developed and maintains the MDA/OPR
web site, the DIRAUX 11NR web site, and the Coast Guard's America's
Waterway Watch web site. He has also developed Intranet sites for
MSO San Francisco, and MLC/PAC San Francisco.
George has been married to the
former Linda Lovenberg since 1974. Together they have raised two
sons, Chris and Jamie. Chris died several years ago in a tragic
private aircraft accident. Jamie works as a video editor in Los
Angeles, California. Four dogs (Tasha, Dodger and the pugs, Pauli
and Gus) round out the family, and keep both George and Lin busy.
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Aline "Lindy" Harrison
Branch Assistant
Information Services
BA-MOI |
More to follow on Lindy Harrison |
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