Safety Education & Instruction Department (SEI)

The SEI Department is committed to paddlesports education for everyone. The SEI Department's responsibilities are twofold.  The Department administers the National Instruction Program which covers five disciplines: Canoeing, Kayaking, Rafting, Safety & Rescue, and Adaptive Paddling.  The SEI Department works closely with the Safety Education & Instruction Council (SEIC) to develop and review the course curricula and policies for the National Instruction Program.  The other primary task of the SEI Department is to promote all aspects of paddlesports education and safety in a wide variety of ways.

Director - Jeremy Oyen
joyen@americancanoe.org / 540-907-4460 x105

Jeremy’s diverse background includes: canoe guide in Canada, Outdoor Retail Store Manager, Director of Cleveland Metroparks Institute of the Great Outdoors. Jeremy joined the ACA Staff as Director of the SEI Deapartment in 2006. He is an ITE Level 3: Coastal Kayaking, an IT for Adaptive Paddling and a Level 3: River Canoe and Level 3: River Kayak Instructor. He is the editor of two new books from Human Kinetics, Canoeing and Kayaking. Jeremy is married, has 3 children, and lives in Fredericksburg, VA.. When not paddling he can be found coaching soccer. 

Andrew Orr - Education Outreach & Club Coordinator 
aorr@americancanoe.org / 540-907-4460 x102

A native of Fredericksburg, VA, Andrew worked for the Friends of the Rappahannock as their Volunteer Coordinator through the AmeriCorps program.  During the fall of 2009, Andrew worked part time on both the annual Instructor Audit and in the Membership Department.  He joined the SEI Department full time in January 2010 to assist with the administration of the national instructor program, and event outreach.  In addition, he will serve as a direct link for ACA Paddle America Clubs to coordinate events and programs with the National Office.

Interns:

Alexandra Zelin - National Event Planning Intern 
azelin@americancanoe.org / 540-907-4460

A student at the University of Mary Washington, Alex joins us for the spring semester to organize several collegiate championship races and the National Paddlesports Conference.

The SEI Department routinely works with students during both the fall and spring semesters as well as during the summer on internships for college credit.  If you are interested in learning more about the wide range of internship opportunities with the ACA's SEI Department, please contact Jeremy Oyen.