Crew Profiles

Captain: Mike Frank
Nationality: Australian
Mike originates from the Australian "bush" where his family bred fine wool on the southwestern slopes and tablelands of NSW. He studied Economics at Sydney University, ran the air fares for a commercial Australian airline, and in his spare time flew Cessna’s with his private pilot’s license. He served as an Officer in the R.A.N. on patrol boats, minesweepers and destroyers throughout the Pacific and Asia area.
Yachting has been a lifelong passion for Mike, on both a professional and personal level. His dedication has led to a career of more than 30+ years as a Captain, Manager, Project Manager and Owner’s Representative working with both Private and Charter Motor Yachts up to 240 feet in length. Mike has been in charge of Shipyards, and Yacht Management companies throughout his career.
Mike takes pride in the excess of 400,000 nautical miles that he has sailed whilst in command and has enjoyed the challenge that these miles offered as they extended north of the Arctic Circle, to Europe, the Americas, Asia and into the Great Southern Ocean.
Mike’s love for boats has taken him ocean racing across the globe as sailing master, tactician, and navigator on a variety of sailboats ranging from half tonners to maxi boats, including the 'J' Class 'Shamrock', competing in many world-class regattas and brutal ocean races.
Mike is very active, with his interests which include his family, sailing, swimming, playing golf, fishing, following rugby and traveling.

Tristyn Bruwer
Chief Officer
Tristyn grew up loving to bodyboard and explore the beautiful beaches of the Garden Route of South Africa. He has always enjoyed the outdoors, water exploration and traveling, and that sense of adventure drew him into the world of yachts. He is at his happiest when he is in the water, trying new restaurants and interacting with people from all walks of life.
In the seven years of his yachting career he has studied and worked his way to be Chief Officer. He has explored some of the most amazing parts of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean onboard yachts, and has done one Atlantic crossing. He cannot wait to cross more oceans in the near future.
Tristyn's love for sports and fitness keep him very active both on and off boats.

Renato Garma
Chief Engineer
Renato was born in Croatia and raised in Krapanj, the most densely inhabitedisland in the world. He attended a technical high school in Sibenik andgraduated from the Department of Marine Engineering as a Technician. He thenspent 5 years working on container ships before moving to the commercialindustry. In 2017, Renato brought his expertise to the yachting world, quicklyadapting to the demands of luxury yacht engineering. He manages all engines,electrical systems, and supporting mechanics with precision, ensuring smoothand safe operations onboard.Renato’s technical skills and dedication make him an invaluable asset to thecrew. Outside of work, Renato is an avid fisherman and car enthusiast whoenjoys cooking and spending time with friends. His passion for engineering andhis friendly nature

Bianca Hoar
Chief Stewardess
Bianca was born and raised in the vibrant city of Durban, situated on thepicturesque East Coast of South Africa. Her innate love for beauty and astrong creative flair naturally led her to pursue studies in makeup andspecial effects upon finishing school. An advocate of health and fitness,Bianca is not only a qualified yoga instructor but also an avid equestrianenthusiast.Passionate about the outdoors and an active lifestyle, Bianca spends mostof her free time with friends, on the beach, or riding her horses. Her deep-seated love for the ocean, wildlife and travel was nurtured during childhoodholidays, which has seamlessly transitioned her into the exhilarating anddynamic world of yachting.With a blend of artistic talent, dedication to fitness, and a zest foradventure, Bianca brings a unique and energetic presence to any crew,always eager to explore and embrace new challenges."

Ernesto Palij
Chef
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ernesto developed a deep appreciation for foodand culinary traditions from an early age. At the age of 10, he immigrated toToronto, Canada, where he later pursued a career in professional soccer. Hisathletic journey took him across South America and the Middle East, where heplayed for five years before a knee injury brought his time on the field to anearly conclusion. Following his return to Canada, Ernesto transitioned into thecorporate world, studying Oracle applications development and accounting,which led to a successful 12-year career in business analysis. However, hislifelong passion for cooking ultimately drew him back to his roots. Seekingformal culinary training, he returned to Buenos Aires to study at the prestigiousArgentine Institute of Gastronomy, refining his skills in classical andcontemporary cuisine.Since then, Ernesto has dedicated nearly two decades to the yachting industry.With an additional 10 years of experience in high-end restaurants, he brings awealth of expertise, creativity, and global influences to his culinary approach.His commitment to excellence, adaptability, and ability to craft exquisite, tailor-made dining experiences ensure that guests enjoy world-class cuisine at sea.

Rudy Lumayag
Bosun
Rudy hails from one of the 7,107 beautiful islands of the Philippines named Cebu. He speaks English and Tagalog fluently and is also conversational in Spanish.
Excited to travel and see the world, Rudy started his career as a deckhand on M/Y White Rabbit and then onto M/Y Vanish that took him all over Europe and the Caribbean. Rudy joined Aspen Alternative in January of 2022 and this year also marks his impressive 8th year in the yachting industry.
Hardworking and always self-driven in everything that he does, Rudy is a great benefit to the team and brings in a wealth of knowledge and skill and is always in a great mood and smiling. His family is a source of inspiration and strength and he has recently welcomed a new baby boy named Rafiel.

Samantha Schuchardt
2nd Stewardess
StewardessSamantha is a stewardess onboard from New Jersey. She has grownup in NJ all of her life and graduated college from the stateuniversity, Rutgers. After Rutgers, Samantha pursued a career in realestate for a couple of years. She was seeking more adventure in 2022when she decided to join the yachting industry. From a young age, she had a passion for being on the water fromlearning to sail, fish, and enjoying swimming and snorkeling. Shethought it would be the perfect opportunity to combine her love fortravel and the ocean along with her years of service skills. In Sammy’s free time, she enjoys hiking, playing pickleball, yoga, andthe beach! She’s looking forward to grow and continue providingexcellent service!

Jean-Pierre
Deckhand
Jean-Pierre (JP) Stopforth hails from the picturesque Garden Route in George,South Africa. As the eldest of three siblings, JP developed a strong sense ofresponsibility and teamwork, qualities that he seamlessly incorporates into hisrole in the yachting industry.With a passion for adventure, JP’s sporting background is as diverse as it isimpressive. He is a dedicated rugby player, a former provincial bodyboarder,and an avid motorbike enthusiast. His love for water, exploration, andchallenges fuels his ambition to one day play golf on some of the world’s mosticonic courses.Known for his fun-loving personality and natural sociability, JP brings anenergetic and engaging presence to the team. His commitment to excellenceensures he delivers outstanding service while helping create memorableexperiences for all onboard.

Rhia Garcia
3rd Stewardess
Rhia originates from the town of Camirnes Sur in the beautiful island country of the Philippines. She studied Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Northeastern Philippines.
With a desire to be in the hospitality industry, Riha started her professional career in guest services at the prestigious 5-star Peninsula Manila Hotel. She developed her skills in all areas of guest relations including housekeeping, laundry and silver service. With her high-level of standards and skills, she is a behind-the-scenes powerhouse.
Rhia's yachting experience spans over an impressive 12 year career. She has worked on many distinguished mega-yachts such as M/Y Space, M/Y Imagine and M/Y Here Comes the Sun where she quickly earned her way up the ranks to Head of Housekeeping.
It is an absolute :Rleasure to have Rhia onboard M/Y Aspen and the crew thoroughly enjoy her happy, positive disposition and qwet sense of humor. When she is not being a super-stew, Riha enjoys shopping, going to the
movies and playing competitive badminton.