The Institute for Rowing Leadership Welcomes Class of 2024

The Institute for Rowing Leadership (IRL) at Community Rowing has begun accepting fellows for its Class of 2024! The IRL is excited to welcome Serena Blacklow, Margaret Brown, David Osborne, Adam Sanin, and Danielle Swan.

The IRL is accredited at the highest level (5) offered by USCCE-NCACE and is the only accredited US Coaching Education Program for the sport of rowing in the world. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the program is filled or May 1, 2023. CRI is committed to supporting all coaches, and strongly encourages people of color, women, LGBTQIA+, people with a disability, older candidates to apply to the IRL. Learn more.

Serena Blacklow
BS - Harvard University 2017
MSc - University of California, Berkeley 2020
MD - University of California, San Francisco 2023

Serena is finishing up medical school and coming back to her hometown to coach rowing. While in medical school, Serena sought out experiences in sports medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation. She transitioned from rowing in college to competing in long-distance triathlons and ultramarathons. She also started volunteer coaching with the Novice Boys at Berkeley High School, which inspired her to take the leap into a career in coaching, starting with the IRL. Serena hopes to learn more about coaching methods, build a supportive training environment, and make rowing a more inclusive sport.

Serena started sculling in middle school, and one of her favorite rowing experiences was bowing a parent-child double in the Head of the Charles at age 13. She walked onto the Harvard-Radcliffe Lightweight team, eventually helping the team medal at Eastern Sprints and win Head of the Charles.

When Serena is not learning, you can find her baking, practicing Spanish, trail running, or cranking intervals on the bike trainer. She also does research on sports and sustainability with the Sport Ecology Group.

Margaret Brown
BA - Skidmore College 2023

Margaret will graduate from Skidmore in May as a Psi Chi International Honor Society member with a degree in Psychology and concentrations in Sociology and Studio Art. They own a small business called Miles River Mud to sell pottery and have honed their problem-solving and time-management skills by working in 3-D art. While at Skidmore, Margaret served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, working on topics such as student-athlete community programs and NCAA DEI training programs within Skidmore Athletics.

Margaret rowed for four years while at Skidmore, earning recognition as a Liberty League All-League Athlete and Skidmore Athletics MVP, and serving as Captain starting in the spring of their sophomore year. They love cross-training by hiking, biking, paddle boarding, or practicing yoga. Margaret coached the para and adaptive groups at CRI in the summer, and would like to use rowing to foster a passion and growth mindset in others, helping to unlock their potential. They believe rowing teaches invaluable life lessons, and are eager to support athletes through any adversity. They grew up in Hamilton, MA.

John Inman
BA - Boston College Carroll School of Management, 2021

John started his rowing journey with Saint John's on Lake Quinsigamond, where he first noticed the impact a coxswain could have on a crew's performance. He worked to develop that potential in himself, to help elevate his boat to the team's best NEIRA finish in a decade. He then coxed in college, first at Wentworth and then transferring to Boston College until Covid disrupted the club program for his final year of school. Upon graduating with a finance degree and working in technology, he still felt passionate about rowing, and soon channeled that into coaching, starting at CRI with the competitive high school and U23 programs. John joined the Boston College Men's team as an assistant for the 2023 spring season. John is motivated to push himself during his IRL year, and dig deeper into topics such as leadership, communication and technique. He is known for his contagious enthusiasm, and his ability to get others to work hard with him as part of a team in any situation. When not at the boathouse, Johnny gets out to golf, bike, and travel, and enjoys cooking.

David Osborne
BA - St. Lawrence University 2022

David graduated from Saint Lawrence University with a degree in Sociology and is a recipient of the Dean's Incentive Award. After graduating and working in commercial real estate, David realized his passion was not in a downtown Boston office, but in the coxswain seat on the Charles River at dawn. During his collegiate career, he coxed St Lawrence to their highest conference finishes in program history. He is currently an Assistant Coach at St Marks Girls. and looks forward to developing his coaching ability to be a positive influence, mentor and advocate for his athletes, just as he experienced in his collegiate career.

He grew up in Wellesley, MA and coxed for CRI for both the Competitive Boys team as well as with the Para and Vet programs. David is a member of Union Boat Club where he coxes, and when he is away from rowing, he plays squash and enjoys taking his two Labrador retrievers, Dougie and Daisy, for long walks.

Adam Sanin
BS - Saint Joseph's University 2023

Adam started his rowing journey at Gonzaga College High School where he won the Barnes Award for leadership before heading off to Saint Joseph's. He notes that the challenge of intense rowing against the beautiful backdrop of rivers and lakes is what first caught his heart. He graduated from Saint Joseph's with a degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Economics.

He currently assists with coaching the Princeton National Rowing Association's U19 Women's team, and in the past has coached youth programs at CRI and volunteer coached for the Gonzaga College High School U17's. His dad's thoughtfulness and lesson of 'everything counts' has helped him bring consistency and kindness in his approach to coaching athletes to achieve their goals. Although Adam is a fan of many sports, including lawn games, ask him about his experience as a Batboy when the Washington Nationals won the World Series in 2019—or his pizza-making skills!

Danielle Swan
BA - University of Rhode Island 2023

Danielle will graduate with a degree in History and Secondary Education. During her time at URI, she was a student teacher at local middle and high schools, and a coxswain with the URI Women's Rowing, winning A10 Championships and competing at NCAA Championships in 2021 and 2022.

Danielle has been inspired, motivated and empowered by the all-women staff at URI to pursue her own coaching journey, and is excited to create a similar environment for her athletes. In the summers she competed on CRI's U23 team, racing at Henley and Club Nationals, and got a taste of coaching working with the U23 4-. Danielle is originally from Nutley, NJ where she rowed in high school. Besides her coaching interests, she enjoys reading about American history, running, and exploring nature in the Rhode Island area.