Water Sports Foundation Staff

Jim Emmons

Executive Director, WSF

Jim Emmons has been a passionate advocate of boating and boating safety for more than three decades. As the WSF Executive Director since 2010, Jim worked tirelessly to promote a culture of safety among recreational boaters and paddlers. Under Jim’s leadership and in partnership with the United States Coast Guard, the WSF’s consumer outreach campaigns have delivered nearly one billion online impressions.

He served 12 years as president of the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA), unifying major brands in support of the organization and laying the foundation for its continued success by creating membership benefits tailored to many segments and founding the biggest annual conference of industry leaders. In two decades as a boating media executive, Jim was co-founder and publisher of WakeBoarding magazine and publisher of WaterSki magazine and created the highly successful WakeAwards. Jim is a former Chair of the Coast Guard’s National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC). He currently chairs the Wakeboarding Hall of Fame and a member of the NASBLA Paddlesports Committee.

A lifelong boater and surfer, Jim lives with his wife in Deland, Florida.

Jeff Moag

Content Director

Jeff Moag has been an outdoor sports writer, editor and film producer for nearly two decades, and brings a keen storytelling sense to his role as WSF Content Director.

Before joining the WSF, Jeff was managing editor of Paddler magazine and editor-in-chief of Canoe & Kayak magazine, where he led the team that created Kayak Fish magazine, SUP the Mag and the Canoe & Kayak Awards. His freelance writing and production credits include Sports Illustrated, Reader’s Digest, Adventure Journal, Outside, Men’s Journal, The Washington Post, Boating, and Sail.

A lifelong waterman with experience in power and sail in addition to whitewater kayaking and canoeing, Jeff lives with his wife and two daughters in Dana Point, California.

James Krawczyk

Internal Control Officer

James Krawczyk has been a creative director and graphic designer for over 20 years, with a skill set that includes virtually all mediums from print to digital.

For the Water Sports Foundation, James creates and manages our website, marketing materials and various technology platforms.

James currently holds a similar role for the Water Sports Industry Association, and previously for the World Wake Association. He was the co-founder of The Standerd and Wake Journal magazines, and was the wakeboarding section editor for FUEL TV.

His designs have been used nationally and worldwide by major brands like Coca-Cola, Sprite, Burger King, the Olympic Torch Relay, Rockstar Energy, EA Sports, Nautique Boats, Malibu Boats and Centurion Boats.

Wanda Kenton Smith

Communications Consultant

Wanda Kenton Smith is a marine industry professional whose career spans more than 35 years in media, marketing and public relations.

A former editor of multiple boating publications and a freelance writer, Wanda has served more than 20 years as the national marketing columnist for Soundings Trade Only, the leading marine industry B2B.

Wanda previously owned an award-winning international advertising and public relations firm, managing more than 35 iconic marine brands in both the power and sail sectors. She is a former vice president of marketing for a global marine manufacturer, chief marketing officer for the world’s number-one boat club, and head of marketing for the top-ranked boat retailer in North America.

Besides her work with the Water Sports Foundation, she currently services a handful of leading marine accounts through her consulting firm, Kenton Smith Marketing.

An avid boater and motorcyclist, Wanda lives with her husband in Pace, Florida.

Bailey Hill

Social Media Manager

Bailey Hill is a digital strategist specializing in content creation, brand storytelling and online communications across multiple platforms. Bailey manages the Water Sports Foundation’s social media outreach on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn, helping shape and grow the organization’s digital presence.

Bailey is also the owner of Captivate Digital Creative, where she works with brands to create distinctive voices and personalities through strategic storytelling and engaging content.

Having grown up on the Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven, Bailey developed an early connection to the water, earning her boater’s license before her driver’s license. This background brings an authentic perspective and passion to her work promoting boating safety on behalf of the Water Sports Foundation.

Joel Staley

Media Relations

Joel Staley is a public relations professional and executive communications trainer with more than 25 years of experience in creating and directing media relations, crisis communications and social media campaigns for general and multicultural audiences in the education, health care, travel & tourism, recreational marine, finance, sports and professional services industries.

Joel is based in Central Florida, is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Brigham Young University.

Naomi Haworth

Bookkeeping

With strong organization and communication skills, Naomi was promoted to Senior Collection Manager and her duties were to bring past due accounts current, work with customers to obtain amicable results when full payment was not possible, and to receive and enter daily deposits. She was also in charge of special billing for the Weldon Owen Books division, which required understanding foreign contracts, invoicing and accounts payable policies.
 
Naomi is the current Office Administrator for the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) as well as the Bookkeeper for Water Sports Foundation (WSF).  She lived most of her life in South Florida but now lives in Orlando, Florida with her daughter.

Born and raised in Florida, this native has been an active water sports enthusiast her whole life. From managing a wakeboard school to becoming sales representative for WakeBoarding, WaterSki & Boating Life magazines, Naomi’s passion for boating and being on the water only grew.  After her sales career she transitioned into accounting for the same company which, in total, covered a span of twenty years.

Mary Jean “MJ” White

Owner, MJ White Consulting, Inc.

Federal Compliance Consultant

Mary Jean “MJ” White has over twenty-six years of experience in Federal compliance, grants management, procurement, cost accounting, grant writing, strategic planning, and compliance monitoring, as well as grants and legislative process training for public sector, non-profit, and commercial organizations.

MJ is a recognized Subject Matter Expert in the Uniform Administrative Requirements (2 CFR.200) and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (the FAR), as well as state/local procurement and compliance requirements surrounding federal and state-funded programs.

MJ holds a Bachelor in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida Atlantic University. Since mid 2020, MJ White has served as the Water Sports Foundation Federal compliance consultant. During this period, monthly services have helped the non-profit become more compliant with Federal regulations such as the Uniform Administrative Requirements (2 CFR.200) including an improvement of internal controls by recommending Water Sports Foundation add an Internal Control officer for an extra layer of internal control, formalizing an official Policies & Procedures Manual, updating procurement policies, consulting with the Board of Directors and developing improved documentation including all supplemental forms.

MJ White Consulting, Inc. serves federal agencies, state, local, and nonprofit organizations by providing grants management consulting, training, active grants management, policy and procedure development, internal control review and enterprise risk management services.