W. Keith Alexander
President & Crew Sea King
A US Marine Corps veteran with a BA and MA in history, Keith spent his career with the National Park Service and the Air Force. Now retired, he is dedicated to fulfilling his lifelong dream of leading this expedition as a Sea King.
Doug Cline
Vice President & Crew Executive Officer
A 20-year Navy veteran currently residing on the Alabama Gulf Coast. When he isn’t focused on traditional leatherwork and blacksmithing, Doug brings his extensive maritime leadership and discipline to the Vinlandferth project.
Justin Cooley
Treasurer & Crew Security Chief
A retired 27-year veteran of the Maine State Troopers, Justin now lives in Alabama where he assists veterans and first responders through blacksmithing. He applies his decades of security and service experience to the safety of our voyage.
Michael Huskey
Secretary & Crew Member
Born and raised on the Alabama Gulf Coast, Michael is a Navy veteran, blacksmith, and medieval reenactor. His lifelong passion for the ocean and historical craftsmanship makes him a vital part of the ship’s company.
Jack Dukeshire
Director at Large
A US Coast Guard veteran and multi-talented craftsman, Jack’s background ranges from electronics and carpentry to blacksmithing and river guiding. His diverse technical skills ensure our vessel remains as sturdy as the 9th-century original.
Eirik Myklebust Øien
Crew member
Hailing from Western Norway, Eirik has been on the water since age six. With experience rowing local Viking ships and sailing the Havhingsten in Roskilde, he brings authentic Nordic seafaring expertise and hands-on training to our crew.
Daniel “Deedle” Pitts
Crew member
A proud descendant of Irish, Creek, and Blackfoot heritage, Daniel blends ancestral resilience with modern technical mastery as an ASE-certified master mechanic and blacksmith. From surviving hurricanes on the Gulf to joining a Viking reenactment brotherhood, he excels in high-pressure environments that demand rapid problem-solving. He is now applying his mechanical expertise and adaptability to a historic voyage, sailing a Viking ship back to the United States.
Lyndsey Woods
Crew member
With a lifetime of competitive maritime experience and a doctorate in Medieval Musicology, Lyndsey bridges the worlds of historic scholarship and seafaring as a sailor, referee, and costume designer. As a member of Fornleið Vikingar, she specializes in Late Iron Age crafts and survival, expertise she now brings to this historic voyage. This journey serves as a tribute to her ancestors, blending her deep respect for Norse tradition with professional collaboration among maritime experts.
Evie Louise Madsen
Crew member
From a fjord in south-western Norway and a family that dates back to the Viking age. Active member of the Havhingsten sailing crew in Denmark and the Myklebust ship in Norway. Rowing instructor, Runologist and Nordic Social Media Influencer. Runs her own physiotherapy clinic in Copenhagen, and has been in the field for 25 years with practices built in 3 different countries.
Blade Handler
Fundraising and Event Development Director
A descendant of one of Pensacola’s founding families, Blade Handler transitioned from a high-achieving career as an executive chef and sales professional to a five-year journey of recovery following a devastating tornado. During his rebuilding process, he mastered metalsmithing and Old Norse while cultivating a massive global wargaming community despite significant personal and medical hurdles. Now, fueled by relentless stubbornness and adaptability, he is spearheading a $10 million fundraising effort to sail a Viking longship across the Atlantic.
Mitch Utterback
Crew member
Retired U.S. Army Special Forces officer who brings significant leadership, teamwork and crisis management experience to the team. He has sailed and rowed with a military veteran crew in an open boat off the coast of Maine, possess a basic keelboat sailing certification, and will crew on the Myklebust viking ship in Norway in April and the Saga Farmann viking ship in Denmark in July. He is an avid explorer, adventurer and athlete trained and capable of surviving and thriving in all types of terrain and weather, including on, or in the water.
Clayton Schapker
Crew member
Clayton is a Hoosier from Evansville Indiana. For the last 25 years, he has sailed across the Pacific to Persian Guld twice and participated in anti piracy interdiction, was a musician in The US Navy Band, attended Indiana State and St.Xavier Universities, and worked with production for The National Park Service at Wolf Trap National Park, the only national park for performing arts. Currently residing in Joliet, IL with his two children Ryker and Lily.
Seth Lueker
Crew member
A former Marine Corps Sergeant and winner of Netflix’s Outlast, Seth has built a career defined by high-stakes environments, from providing technical artillery support to working as a federal wildland firefighter. His diverse background includes expertise in small engine mechanics and electrical transmission, reflecting a relentless drive for technical mastery in the field. Ever hungry for the next adventure, he consistently seeks out the most demanding challenges to satisfy a lifelong pursuit of growth and exploration.
Tim Spears
Crew member
Building on a lifetime of self-reliance in the outdoors, Tim leveraged his expertise in remote survival and risk management into a career as a wildland firefighter. His ability to operate under extreme physical stress was further proven alongside Seth Lueker on Outlast, where he excelled at problem-solving and teamwork in resource-limited environments. Today, he maintains peak physical readiness through CrossFit and backpacking, bringing a disciplined blend of real-world experience and environmental respect to every new challenge.
Matthew Pace
Crew member
A native of Pensacola, Matthew is a semi-retired CFO who is an active bicyclist, recently completing the Camino Santiago French Way in 2023, Alaska 2024 and Coastal Portugal in 2026. Matthew lives on the Inter-Coastal and enjoys watching the Blue Angles practices, beach shark fishing, jet skiing and kayaking with the dolphins. Matthew has received training in basic first aid, CPR, Tai Chi fishing, and sushi/sashimi preparation. Matthew and his wife Johanna travel extensively and frequent their second home in Costa Rica often.
Matthew Morando
Crew member
Lieutenant Commander Morando is a SUNY Maritime College graduate and Navy Reserve Strategic Sealift Officer with extensive expertise in dynamic positioning and voyage planning for missile defense and deepwater vessels. His distinguished career in the oil and gas industry includes critical well-control efforts during the Deepwater Horizon recovery and overseeing the construction and commissioning of three deepwater drilling vessels valued at nearly $2.4 billion. He currently brings two decades of specialized maritime leadership and technical mastery to complex offshore operations.
Christoph Wulfric Fisher
Crew member
Christoph is an avid sailor and scuba diver native to the Emerald Coast. He spends his free time exploring shipwrecks along the Gulf Coast, connecting with the sea in every dive and voyage. In addition to his oceanic pursuits, Christoph is a driven entrepreneur, leading an artisanal labor service and consultation firm, and as the owner of Hellfire Social Club, a vibrant tattoo and art gallery that champions community engagement. Eccentric and philanthropic, Christoph uses his ventures to give back and inspire those around him.
Jenni Orr
Crew member
A UCF alumna and former Miami Dolphins cheerleader, Jenni Orr brings nearly two decades of elite human performance expertise as a three-time CrossFit Games competitor and certified athletic trainer. Though a seasoned endurance rower through the 24-hour Big Fish Foundation fundraisers, Jenni is now transitioning from the gym to the open water, fueled by the mental grit forged through the Hard Way Project. Driven by a lifelong passion for Viking history, she is ready to apply her seasoned athleticism to the ancient path of the North Sea.