board

Nicole joined the Fulton Fish Market Cooperative as the market’s first CEO in June 2023. Nicole has 16+ years of progressive professional experience in program development and implementation, legal services and contract management, in expedited and high-profile project delivery, and in organizational operations. Nicole has specialized in large-scale infrastructure and transportation projects, asset management, emergency management, and in leading large teams for NYCEDC, AECOM, and Hornblower. Nicole is a native Brooklynite who is passionate about providing NYC with reliable food distribution services, sustainable waste streams, activating the NYC waterfront, and the power and importance of community.

Jen Galvin works at the intersection of health, environment, media and innovation. She forged the discipline now known as "Ocean and Human Health" and founded reelblue, a production company specializing in stories that connect people with global health challenges. Jen also leads the Henry David Thoreau Foundation that deploys catalytic investments to the next generation of environmental leaders. She holds a ScD from the Harvard School of Public Health, a MPH from Yale University, and a BS from Brown University.

Demetris Giannoulias is CEO and Chairman of the Board of Spring Bank as well as President of the bank’s holding company, Checkspring Community Corporation. Demetris was a founding member of Spring Bank, a de novo bank created in 2007. Spring Bank is the only bank to open its doors and establish headquarters in the Bronx, New York in the last thirty years. The bank’s headquarters and main branch are located in the poorest congressional district in the country. Demetris has been a community banker for over 20 years. Demetris earned a BA in economics and sociology from Yale University and a master’s in philosophy of social science from the London School of Economics.

Phillip Grant is the Founding Dean of the College of Technology and Trade at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, where he is leading the development of workforce-focused academic programs and industry partnerships designed to connect students with meaningful career opportunities. He is also the Founder and Principal of Phillip Grant & Associates (PG&A), a strategic advisory and construction management firm supporting public agencies, educational institutions, nonprofits, and private-sector clients.

Over a career spanning more than two decades, Phillip has held executive leadership roles across the public, private, nonprofit, and higher education sectors. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the Hunts Point Produce Market, where he led operations for the nation's largest wholesale produce market and advanced a major redevelopment initiative that secured approximately $395 million in public funding. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President and Director of Construction for the New York City Economic Development Corporation, overseeing a capital project portfolio exceeding $1 billion.

A licensed Professional Engineer, Certified Construction Manager, and Associate Design-Build Professional, Phillip is passionate about expanding pathways to education, workforce development, and economic mobility through strategic partnerships and community engagement. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an MBA from Mercy University.

Liz has been passionate about the ocean all of her life. Growing up in Newport, RI, she started sailing at an early age and began competing as a teenager. Sailing taught her discipline, strategy, teamwork, and community. She was excited to learn about Rocking the Boat and its important mission which intersects with another passion, supporting youth. Liz is most alive when adventure traveling and has explored over 60 countries. To support her travel habit, Liz works in Mergers & Acquisitions to help companies demystify and quantify the people-related risks in their transactions. She lives in Queens with her husband and twin boys.

Fabian grew up in Caracas, Venezuela where he started sailing and developed a passion for the outdoors, nature and the environment. He is a research scientist at the New York Botanical Garden where he has worked for over 20 years studying plant evolution and biodiversity, mostly on tropical plants. He also teaches in the graduate programs at Yale School of the Environment and Biology at the Graduate Center of City University of New York. Fabián studied biology at the Universidad Central de Venezuela and earned a PhD in Plant Sciences from Cornell University.

Carla Murphy started working for NYC Emergency Medical Service while she was in college studying computer science. Throughout her career, Carla has worked with agencies all over the world to use technology to improve public safety. She currently works for the New York Fire Department. Originally from Manhattan, she now calls Brooklyn home. Carla enjoys sailboat racing year round and looks forward to the days where she has to dig her dinghy out of the snow before racing.

Tony is an avid sailor, enjoying it all from local dinghy and small boat club racing to long distance offshore racing and boat deliveries. He joined Rocking the Boat’s Board after participating in the Rocking Manhattan fundraising row. Born in Portugal, Tony studied Computer Science at UC Berkeley and received his MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. After living for a number of years in Tokyo, he returned to the US to start his career as a quantitative finance professional with TIAA/Nuveen. Tony is currently on a break from the financial industry, spending his time among the art, music, and sailing worlds, and occasionally taking on software and finance consulting projects.

Taji Riley is a Bronx native whose curiosity for adventure led her to Rocking the Boat as a junior in high school. Participating in the Boatbuilding Program as a student and apprentice filled her with excitement for construction and woodworking. Taji began studies in the healthcare field at Bronx Community College but lost the passion needed for a nursing career. During her time as a Boatbuilding Program Assistant, she also started an eight-week intensive pre-apprenticeship training program at Non Traditional Employment for Women. After completing N.E.W, she began a four-year apprenticeship program at the Carpenter’s Training Center. Now, Taji is a journey level carpenter with Local Union 157 and sits on the Women's Steering Committee as the recording secretary in her union. She has become an advocate for women's equality and leadership opportunities on and off the jobsite. Taji’s enthusiasm for making creative education, woodworking and environmental justice accessible for kids, earned her the opportunity to become the Lead Educator for Islesford Boatworks located on Little Cranberry Island in Maine. Taji spent a summer teaching the art of traditional wooden boatbuilding to children on the island and through doing so helped create a future for Maine’s working waterfront. Outside of boatbuilding, Taji enjoys growing food for her family at her local community garden and has begun a partnership with the New York Restoration Project to bring awareness of food equity issues surrounding the South Bronx.

John Ryan lives in Westchester County with his wife Allison and his two teenage sons. He currently serves as President of US Banks at Morgan Stanley, where he has worked since 2004. John grew up in Staten Island, NY as the youngest of eight children. He graduated from Hobart College in 1994, where he studied Economics and Art History. He currently serves as a Trustee of the New Canaan Country School. Previously, he has served on the boards of the Nativity Mission Center and St. Ignatius School in Hunts Point—organizations with a focus on providing high quality education and development opportunities to children in underserved communities. He also served as a trustee and Treasurer for the Westmoreland Sanctuary, an education-focused nature preserve in Westchester.

Harris came to Rocking the Boat by way of the water. An enthusiast for marine science and conservation, he has volunteered aboard sailing vessels including the tall ship Bounty and the USCGC Eagle, and he has participated in Rocking the Boat’s fundraisers. Professionally, Harris is Operations Lead for Grid Services at GM Energy, where he works with utilities and technology partners to turn electric vehicles into a resource for the grid and giant backup batteries for people’s homes. He spent nearly two decades in public-sector and institutional sustainability before General Motors, in Director-level roles at the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Columbia University, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. A Fulbright recipient, Harris holds a BA in Physics from the University of Chicago and an MS in Physics from the University of Iceland. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son.

Recipient of a Big Apple Brownfield Award for Economic Development in 2019, Waterfront Alliance Hero of the Harbor in 2018, NYC Small Business Association’s Bronx Small Business of the Year​ Award in 2012, SoBro's Developer of the Year​ Award in 2011, and Brick Township NJ Hometown Hero Award in 2011, Steve Smith is a developer of domestic and international infrastructure projects. He has an engineering degree from Stevens Institute of Technology and has held key management positions with several international infrastructure development companies. He is the owner of Oak Point Property on the South Bronx waterfront. Steve and his wife, Ana Lavdas, are avid water sports enthusiasts and snowboarders.