Captain: Dan Sferle
Dan grew up in Transylvania, Romania and from a young age, aspired to be a professional soccer player. Just at the turning point of going pro, an injury altered his course. Dan graduated from University with a Masters degree in Sports Science and Sports Management and worked as a swimming and P.E. teacher in schools and was an aqua aerobics teacher for adults in his free time.
At 24, Dan joined the yachting industry in the South of France and discovered his newfound passion. Formal training, over 15 years of experience at sea, a 350GT Masters certificate and a qualified PADI rescue diver, Dan is the most decorated member of the team. A well respected and accomplished navigator, Dan speaks 4 languages and has worked on a variety of boat builds with differing programs and itineraries which has greatly expanded his knowledge base across all platforms. Areas of cruising include, the Mediterranean Sea, multiple transatlantic crossings, the East and West Coast of the USA, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. His strong leadership abilities, calm disposition and charismatic personality earn the respect and loyalty of his crew and the trust of his guests.
Dan looks forward to taking M/Y Kefi and her guests to remarkable locations, where he may finely tailor their time onboard to not only meet but well exceed their highest expectations.
Mate/Engineer: Allen Dudley
Born in Guildford, England, but raised in Lansing, Michigan and Port Clinton, Ohio. Allen was well traveled from a young age. Growing up on the Great Lakes, he naturally had a love for watersports - everything from jet skiing, kite surfing, wakeboarding, kneeboard, and freediving. Allen tookhis passion in mechanics and the ocean to Orlando, Florida where he studied at the Marine Mechanics Institute. After graduating from MMI, Allen was offered a diesel apprenticeship in the US Virgin Islands through All Points Marine. Allen worked on several yachts in various capacities out of Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas, until being offered his first position on a 120’ Broward where he spent the next year as first mate and chief engineer, and the captain’s allover right hand man. Allen is welcoming, extremely knowledgeable, and has a desire to please. When not onboard traveling the world at sea, he enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends.
Chief Stewardess: Erika Guerrero
Erica was born & raised in Colombia until the age of 16 when she moved to Wisconsin where she lived for four years. She decided the cold weather was not for her, so she relocated to Los Angeles to attend University.
After eight years in California, she decided it was time for another adventure. She ended up in Florida where she heard about the yachting industry for the first time. It seemed like the perfect fit for her with her love for travel, adventure & the fast pace, exciting environment.
Erica has been working in yachting for over two years and has had the opportunity to acquire & perfect many skills in the industry such as table décor, cocktail making as well as organizational skills and multitasking. She was able to put all her skills into practice and in just one year worked her way up to a Chief Stew position.
She always strives to be the best at what she does and has jumped at every opportunity to pick up new skills along the way. She has taken many courses to improve her quality of service such as barista, cocktail & silver service courses.
Yachting has provided her with many opportunities to not only work in some exciting places but also the ability to spend time doing many of the things she loves such as beach days, hiking, spending time in nature and wandering down the streets of many new cities.
Mate/Stew: Amber Petroelje
Amber was born and raised on a farm in Holland Michigan where her love for the outdoors began. At the age of eighteen she moved to Hawaii to be a nanny and although she only planned on living there for a year, the island life sucked her in and she ended up staying for almost a decade. The ocean became a huge passion of hers and she ended up working for a nonprofit organization where she was heavily involved in the education, research and conservation of humpback whales, sea turtles, dolphins and the Hawaiian marine life in general.
During her time in Hawaii, she attained a bachelor’s degree in education and in her spare time she could often be found scuba diving, hiking, camping, or participating in a local triathlon. Over the years Amber has jumped at every opportunity to travel or move to new destinations, some of which include, New Zealand, Uganda, Alaska, Iceland, Europe and Southeast Asia.
While living in New Zealand, Amber first learned about the yachting industry and she decided to embark on a new adventure. After joining the industry, she worked her way up the ladder and eventually became a Chief Stew. Along the way though, she realized her passion for being on deck and jumped at any opportunity to spend more time on the exterior and learn whatever skills she could. She landed a couple of Deck/stew positions and decided she really loved the variety of juggling both roles.
Chef: Brooke Powers
Brooke was born and raised on a farm in rural Virginia. This way of living sparked a love and appreciation for food through the process of growing, preparing, and preserving fresh harvests. Brooke never stopped exploring her culinary interests, and after attending VCU Arts in Richmond VA with a major in painting and printmaking she decided to leave school early and pursue her passion for cooking. Through determination and hard work she worked her way up through many kitchens and positions to eventually be a Head Chef and have the opportunity to share her own personal creations with individuals from around the world. From the mountains of Colorado to cities such as Boston MA, Boulder CO and Charlottesville VA, Brooke has spent more than a decade learning from some of the best Chefs in the industry; helping them build their restaurants from the ground up and becoming a Chef in her own right. Through a serendipitous encounter she ended up leaving the restaurant industry to pursue a job in yachting. This new industry has proved to be the perfect outlet she was seeking to express her creative nature and push her talents to a new level. Brooke absolutely loves what she does, and it comes across in the way she expresses herself through her culinary artform. Her priority is always to provide an exceptional personalized experience for the guests that is memorable, enjoyable, and beyond doubt- delicious.
