ADULT STAFF
LTJG William Youngblood, Commanding Officer
Bill joined the military in 1983 as part of the NROTC program at the University of Pennsylvania while attending Drexel University. He graduated from Drexel in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree (Chemical Engineering), was commissioned as an Ensign and attended the Navy’s Nuclear Power School, Surface Warfare Officer School and other schools before being assigned to the Operations Department of the USS Aylwin (FF-1081) in Newport, RI. After decommissioning the USS Aylwin, he was assigned to the USS Constellation (CV-64) where he served as a Lieutenant in the Engineering Department.
After completing his active duty commitment, Bill entered the U.S. Navy Reserve, spent several years working as a chemical engineer and attended Temple University Law School in the evening. After graduating from Temple Law, Bill spent approximately ten years at law firms in Philadelphia during which he transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve, Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. In 2019, Bill retired from the Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Since 2010, Bill has worked at three different pharmaceutical companies as an Intellectual Property attorney. His current role is Associate General Counsel at American Regent, Inc.
ENS Jeannine DiMeo, Executive Officer
Instructor DiMeo has been a volunteer Instructor with the US Naval Sea Cadets since March of 2022. She is a 1998 graduate of Cabrini University where she majored in Elementary Education and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She began her career in education by teaching fourth and first grade in Philadelphia. During her four years in this position, Jeannine earned her Master’s degree with a Master of Science in Education from Saint Joseph University in 2003.
Currently, Jeannine teaches and learns with exceptional fourth-grade students and colleagues in West Chester, PA. Jeannine is a team player on her school’s leadership team, involved in analyzing data and continually setting and reviewing school goals. She is also a level leader for grades three through five at her school. She aims to create academically engaging learning experiences through an environment that fosters creativity, curiosity, and kindness. Jeannine’s work is rooted in the belief that excellent education is foundational to life’s success.
Auxiliarist Jeff Shannon, Assistant to Executive Officer
Instructor Shannon has been a volunteer Instructor with the US Naval Sea Cadets since August of 2019 when his son joined the Mason Division. He is a 1996 graduate of Drexel University where he majored in Operations Management. He first worked in pharmaceutical manufacturing and then joined the construction industry where he has 20+ years’ experience managing and consulting on various civil / infrastructure projects including a new port facility on the Delaware River, a US Army airfield, and a Veterans cemetery.
Instructor Shannon previously served as the Vice President of US Navy League – Philadelphia Council. He is an avid runner and finished four Marine Corps Marathons. Instructor Shannon is a Philadelphia native and also lived in the central mountains of Colorado for two years.
LTJG DA. Freiberg, Training Officer
DA has served as both an enlisted soldier in the United States Army, and as an enlisted soldier and an officer in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey National Guard and the United States Army Reserve. She enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1974, and after graduating from the University of Delaware with a degree in American Studies, she served a 4-year tour in the United States Army as a Military Intelligence Linguist. She was commissioned in 1986 as a Military Intelligence Officer in the New Jersey Army National Guard. DA. graduated from Villanova University with a degree in Computer Science in 1992.
In 1997, she transferred to the United States Army Reserve and the Civil Affairs Corps. As a Civil Affairs Officer, she was deployed to Bosnia in 1999 for the NATO peacekeeping mission (SFOR), and to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom-1 (2003-2004) and Operation New Dawn (2011). DA. retired from the Army Reserve in 2014 as a Lieutenant Colonel with 38 total years of service.
DA became a volunteer Training Officer with the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets in 2014 after her son joined the Sea Cadets. He is now a Naval Reserve Officer and an Officer in the Military Sealift Command. DA. has commanded Recruit Training twice at WCTC Red Horse Squadron, Ohio.
As a civilian, DA. worked at Lockheed Martin Corporation as a Software Engineer for 17 years and then homeschooled her 3 children for 14 years. Since 2016, she has been employed as an Information Technology Instructor at FDM Group. where she prepares veterans and college graduates for employment as FDM Consultants in the Financial IT Industry.
Auxiliarist James Washington, Jr.
ENS Jennine Dawicki McKenna, Admin Officer
Instructor McKenna has been a volunteer with the US Naval Sea Cadets since December 2022. She graduated from Saint Joseph’s University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and earned her PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, she is a Senior Research Investigator at the Center for Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, established by Penn Medicine and CHOP, where she works to develop therapies to treat neurodevelopmental disorders.
Instructor Chigusa Haldeman, Training Officer
INST Haldeman joined Mason Division in April, 2023. Born and raised in Japan, she moved to the United States in the early 1990’s to attend college and study Applied Behavior Analysis. Upon completing her graduate work at Simmons University and Northeastern University, she worked as a behavior analyst for 20 years. INST Haldeman also had her own practice as a behavior consultant and trained professionals and parents in behavior modification. She closed her practice to focus on her 3 children’s education, homeschooling them for the past 9 years. In her free time, she enjoys mentoring young homeschool parents and working with the youths at a local church.
Instructor Joyce E. Koh, Recruiting and Public Affairs Officer
Instructor Joyce E. Koh has been a volunteer Instructor with the US Naval Sea Cadets since September 2022.
Ms. Koh is a seasoned corporate transactional attorney with solid experience and training as a large-firm associate as well as in-house senior counsel. Ms. Koh was an associate in the Business and Finance departments of Ballard Spahr and Morgan Lewis. In June 2005,
she was recognized by the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Magazine as “Rising Star” for her work as a corporate transactional lawyer. In 2007 she moved to serve as Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel at Capmark Finance, Inc. working with varied structured products. Her representations have included clients of ranging from blue chip companies, major national and local community banks, quasi-governmental agencies and small privately held corporations.
Ms. Koh is a 1996 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, College of Arts and Sciences, where she earned her Bachelors of Arts in English and Economics, and a 2002 graduate of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor. She has been admitted to the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bar and maintains her corporate practice under the Pennsylvania bar. In addition to her service with the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets, Ms. Koh serves as Trustee of Salus University and on the Board of directors for the Greater Philadelphia Film Office.
Instructor Hetty Wong, Asst. Supply Officer
Instructor Wong has been a volunteer instructor with the US Naval Sea Cadets since June 2022. She is a 1994 graduate of McGill University majored in Microbiology and Immunology and received her Doctor of Philosophy degree at the same institution in 2000 from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.
Instructor Wong conducts basic science research in a laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania since 2009. She is involved in experimental designs, execution of experiments, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. She also serves the role of a laboratory manager to assist other researchers, mentor undergraduate students, and coordinate laboratory supplies. She believes in teamwork and a supportive environment.