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United States Maggie Shea, a two-time Olympian and US Sailing Team athlete, has transitioned her extensive leadership and competitive experience in professional sailing to become the inaugural Executive Director of the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation.
Maggie Shea was appointed as the first-ever Executive Director of the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation in 2025. This role involves leading the foundation's mission to expand boating and sailing programs for youth, particularly those from underrepresented communities.
Kilroy Realty sponsors Stephanie Roble and Maggie Shea, a 49erFX doublehanded pair on the US Sailing Team, providing support for their athletic pursuits.
Maggie Shea and the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation partnered with Lost Boyz Inc. to create hands-on sailing experiences for youth from South Shore, as highlighted in a social media segment.
Maggie Shea, through Roble/Shea Sailing, participated in the 'Fast Forward' series, a partnership that delivered webinars on upwind tactics for youth sailors.
Bingham & Taylor supports members of the United States Sailing Team, including Stephanie Roble and Maggie Shea, to empower elite-level women in sailing.
Maggie Shea was born on July 13, 1989, in Wilmette, Illinois. Her sailing career began on Lake Michigan with her family, later advancing through the Chicago Yacht Club’s junior sailing program where she raced 420s and Laser Radials. She attended Connecticut College, serving as a team captain and leading her team to a second-place finish at the 2011 ICSA Women’s Nationals. During her college years, she was recognized as an All-American Honorable Mention and NEISA Sportswoman of the Year, and she received the Connecticut College Brooks-Brown Award for leadership, scholarship, and sportsmanship. Her first Olympic Trials experience was in 2008 for the Laser Radial event, which served as a foundation for her future Olympic aspirations.
After graduating, Shea co-founded Epic Racing, a professional match racing team, with Stephanie Roble. Together, they secured a bronze medal at the 2014 ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championships and won the overall Women’s Match Racing series that year. Shea also earned two U.S. Match Racing Championships and two U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championships. Her professional journey continued as the Sailing Director at Chicago Match Race Center. In 2016, she joined Team Magenta 32, the first all-women’s team to compete on the World Match Racing Tour, achieving a third-place finish at the 2017 North American Championships, and she was a finalist for US Sailing’s 2017 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.
Since 2016, Shea has primarily competed in the 49erFX class with Stephanie Roble. Their achievements include a fifth-place finish at the 2018 European Championships, bronze medals at the World Cup Series Genoa in 2019 and the 2020 49erFX World Championship. They represented the USA at two Olympic Games, finishing 11th at Tokyo 2020 and 10th at Paris 2024. In 2023, she earned a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. In 2025, her leadership expanded into a new role as the first Executive Director of the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation, where she aims to promote youth engagement in sailing.
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