staff
ricardo almontecollege and career coordinator
Ricardo was born and raised in the Bronx and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from Vassar College and his Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Baruch College. He has done college and career advisement work for over a decade, with professional experience at Youth and Adult Education Services, a high school equivalency program; Baruch College; and Harlem Children's Zone. A passionate advocate for social and racial justice, he also volunteers at local shelters and LGBTQ centers. Ricardo comes to Rocking the Boat committed to continue providing a safe, caring, and supportive environment for youth throughout the Bronx.
jancely ariaslead environmental program assistant & sail central park crew member
catherine banks baumsailing program manager
Catherine joins Rocking the Boat with a background in running experiential education programs on tall ships. Born and raised in Western Massachusetts she has always felt most at home on the water. Catherine graduated from Bard College in 2020 with a BA in Human Rights and History. Catherine’s sailing career began onboard the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater when she was 18 sailing between Albany and New York City. Most recently, Catherine spent 13 months living and working full time onboard the Schooner Roseway as an educator and deckhand sailing between Boston, MA and St. Croix, USVI. Catherine believes a sailboat is one of the most powerful educational tools and is thrilled to share her love for working on the water with the Rocking the Boat community.
jasmine benitezsail central park site director & alumni liaison
Jasmine was born and raised in the Bronx, and was first introduced to Rocking the Boat when her high school participated in an On-Water Classroom program in 2009. Jasmine participated in Rocking the Boat's On-Water Program until she graduated then went on to pursue her Bachelor's degree in Psychology (with a minor in Environmental Studies) at St. John's University. She returned to work at Rocking the Boat as a Program Assistant while attending college, during which she also served as an Assistant Instructor/Student Mentor with the National Hispanic Environmental Council (NHEC), participating in workshops as distant as New Mexico. After earning her degree, Jasmine began working as the Volunteer Coordinator at the Bronx River Alliance, and Rocking the Boat is now thrilled to have her back!
joe blydeputy director of development
Joe comes to Rocking the Boat with a novel perspective from a 15-year career in documentary film and television. Since completing a double major in Film Studies and History from the University of Pittsburgh and teaching English abroad, Joe has worked as a Researcher, Producer and Writer on programs for networks such as PBS, Discovery Channel, History Channel, A&E, and AMC, as well as developing new series and filming independent projects including his own award-winning documentary. Covering subjects ranging from American history, religion, criminal justice, and science, to music and neighborhood food, Joe first became interested in youth education while working on a Ford Foundation documentary exploring solutions to the academic performance gap plaguing black males in school. In 2016 he began volunteering for Rocking the Boat, interviewing alumni and developing biographical profiles. As Deputy Director of Development, Joe brings his sense of narrative to grant writing and fundraising, telling the stories of theses remarkable young people to foundations and public funders.
rob buchananmanager of public programs and special projects
Rob Buchanan has worked as a magazine writer and editor, an assistant professor of journalism and of environmental studies, and most recently as an educator and community engagement manager at the New York Harbor Foundation, now known as the Billion Oyster Project. He is a co-founder of the New York City Water Trail Association, where he oversaw the Citizens Water Quality Testing Program for more than ten years, and a board member of three community boathouses: the Village Community Boathouse in Hudson River Park, the North Brooklyn Community Boathouse on Newtown Creek, and the Sebago Canoe Club on Jamaica Bay. He has led student boatbuilding programs at The New School, the Village Community Boathouse, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the New York Harbor School, Industry City, and the Breukelen Houses in Canarsie.
lily mleczko buckdirector of environmental science and justice
Lily joins Rocking the Boat with fourteen years of experience in youth education and research in conservation biology and urban ecology. She graduated with a BA in biology from Western University of Colorado before continuing on to get a MA in biology from Miami University of Ohio and an Advanced Certificate in Conservation Biology from Fordham University. Lily began her path in education at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk leading classes on research vessels on Long Island Sound. She then led birds of prey education programs and wrangled pythons as a naturalist in Florida before returning to New York where she spent nearly a decade leading youth education programs for WCS—many of them focused on urban ecology research. Lily loves looking for birds, cooking and exploring wild places. She currently lives in Spuyten Duyvil with her dogs Willow and Lola, her cat Magpie and turtle Franky.
chiara castañedaassistant public programs manager
Chiara's journey with Rocking the Boat began as a high school student in the Environmental Science program, where she advanced through the Job Skills program and later became a Program Assistant. She went on to earn a B.A. in Geography from Vassar College, focusing on spatial and environmental inequity. After gaining experience in invasive species management and native plant propagation at The Preserve at Vassar, as well as serving as a youth instructor at Queens Botanical Garden, she returned to Rocking the Boat as the Assistant Public Programs Manager. She is excited to give back to the organization that first sparked her passion for environmental justice.
chris childerschief program officer - san francisco
Chris joins Rocking the Boat from the world of youth sailing, bringing his experiences with program delivery and administration to bear for Rocking the Boat's San Francisco expansion. He originally hails from New Jersey and the Barnegat Bay and has spent the last 12 years in San Francisco helping young people learn and grow on the water. Chris attended the University of Vermont and graduated with a degree in Environmental Science, helping him learn how to stay curious and keep searching for the truth. In addition to a distinguished sailing career, Chris has also pioneered environmental education programs, consulted with non-profits on student-centered programming, competed in national level adaptive sports competitions, bicycled across the country, escaped Alcatraz and became a minor youtube star. Chris is excited to bring Rocking the Boat to the Bayview- Hunters Point community and the Bay Area.
joaquin cottencommunications director
Joaquin has been involved with Rocking the Boat since the early 2000s. In that time he has been a volunteer, boatbuilding student, On-Water Program Apprentice, and always a photographer. He became Rocking the Boat's first Photography Apprentice, and has now elevated to the first full time staff position ever held by a former student. Joaquin is responsible for all visual documentation and presentation of Rocking the Boat activities, including photography, graphic design, and web design.
basilous falconerfacilities and boat maintenance assistant
Basilous, a student of Art History at Hunter College, has probably built or restored the most Rocking the Boat boats of any other member of the staff. Basilous’ progress from student to apprentice to Program Assistant and now full time staffer began in 2009, when he was a freshman at Bronx Guild High School. A versatile member of the team, he is equally comfortable working independently to repair a leaky Whitehall or teaching a class of first-semester students about shop safety, how to use power tools and the process of creating the backbone structure of the boat. Basilous has enjoyed meeting fellow craftsmen through Rocking the Boat trips to the WoodenBoat Show in Mystic, CT and the Clearwater Festival in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. If a tool isn’t in his hand, Basilous can be found biking or skateboarding in the Bronx.
angela frondastudent program social worker
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Angela comes from a family line of fishermen and carpenters. Summer visits with family in Italy always included lots of time in and on the water and fed a passion for protecting the environment. She graduated with a BS in Psychology from Brooklyn College and earned a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University. Angela learned about Rocking the boat as a volunteer with the Billion Oyster Project and comes to her position with years of experience supporting young adults across various academic and clinical contexts. Angela is excited to contribute to Rocking the Boat’s practice of cultivating a space where students not only feel confident, but also empowered to navigate the challenges of everyday life and uncertainties of the future.
leland gibsondirector of boatbuilding
Leland, born and raised in Michigan, comes to Rocking the Boat from Port Townsend, Washington. He is entering the Director of Boatbuilding role after 18 years as a shipwright and boatbuilding instructor. Leland received his Associates of Occupational Studies in boatbuilding from the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding (NWSWB). He then went on to work for ten years at Haven Boatworks in Port Townsend, honing his skills in traditional wooden boatbuilding and becoming a master shipwright. Leland’s boatbuilding career led him back to NWSWB where he became an instructor and spent the past seven years teaching students all aspects of the craft, from basic joinery to the most complex parts of a build. He brings with him his passion for education and woodworking. He believes in the use of boats as a tool for teaching self-confidence, teamwork, and problem solving. Leland and his partner Pearl live in the East Village surrounded by houseplants and bicycles.
adam greenfounder and executive director
Adam started the volunteer project that would become Rocking the Boat in 1995 during a semester off from Vassar College. Influenced by his experience teaching kids about the Hudson River aboard the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, he developed a program that used the process of building and using wooden boats as a way to educate and empower young people from underserved communities. He has received numerous awards and accolades for Rocking the Boat, including an Echoing Green Fellowship, a Union Square Award for grassroots organizing, a Manhattan Institute Social Entrepreneurship Award, and in 2014 was named one of 25 international CNN Heroes.
anton hottnerboatbuilding program manager - san francisco
Anton was born and raised in Bavaria, Germany. After stays in Hamburg and New York City he attended the Arques School for traditional Boat building in Sausalito, California, in 2002.
Immediately after, he co-founded and co-operated North Bay Boatworks, a boat shop in Sausalito. During the last 22 years, Anton repaired and restored all types of wooden boats, from motor- and sailing -yachts, from 16’ to 130’. His career also included the building of some 20 smaller sailing and rowing boats for local clients.
Anton is excited to join the Rocking the Boat community and to share his experience and love for wooden boats.
bryant jaramarine operations assistant
Curious to join the newly launched Sailing Program, Bryant first became involved with Rocking the Boat when he was 15 years old—and never left! With his US Sailing Level 1 and 2 certifications, Bryant has broad experience as a sailing teacher and racer and loves sharing his passion for sailing with his students, both fellow Bronxites and others from across the City. Skilled at a wide range of maintenance tasks from fiberglass repair to electrical system troubleshooting, Bryant now ensures that the organization’s sailing fleet—consisting of six wooden boats, 12 dinghies, and five powerboats—is always ready for action.
isaiah joynerlead sail central park crew member & boatbuilding program assistant
Isaiah joined Rocking the Boat in 2018 as an Environmental Program student and rose to Program Assistant, considering the position an opportunity to pay forward the sense of belonging he has enjoyed. After three years in the role, Isaiah was recruited to be part of the first Sail Central Park crew and currently focuses on promotion and social media. Crediting the program for contributing to his professional experience and personal growth, Isaiah puts it this way, “I already had the ship, but Rocking the Boat gave me the compass.”
ciaran mcenroeenvironmental program manager
Ciaran McEnroe comes to Rocking the Boat with a strong academic background in marine science, environmental studies, and aquaculture. Born and raised on the Long Island Sound in Stamford, CT, where his love of the outdoors took hold, Ciaran graduated from Colby College in 2021 with a BA in environmental science and Columbia University’s Climate School in 2023 with a Master’s. Holding various roles in state parks, oyster farms, and ski lodges, he has built an eclectic set of skills with a through line of environmental sustainability. Ciaran currently lives in Inwood and can be found rock climbing, writing, and reading outside as much as he can.
eve montanarodevelopment manager - san francisco
Eve joins Rocking the Boat with 12 years of experience in non-profit development with a strong background in watershed science and education, grant writing and fundraising. With a double major in Geomorphology and Linguistics from the University of Oregon, her aim is to facilitate a connection between land, water and people to conserve natural environments. Eve fostered community-based stewards through the development of a youth watershed education program, now recognized in Oregon as a model program for watershed education. In partnership with Oregon’s largest private foundation, her collaborative efforts in achieving effective, large-scale river restoration with a high level of community involvement was recognized with the Thiess International Riverprize, a prestigious global environmental award. Eve loves rowing her Whitehall and has been a competitive rower of traditional wooden boats and crew in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2017. Together with a passion for conservation, rowing and youth development, Eve brings her professional grant writing and fundraising experience to the position of San Francisco Development Manager.
reem morselead sail central park crew member & lead boatbuilding program assistant
A Bronx native, Reem has been a part of the Rocking the Boat family since 2018, progressing through every level from student to Program Assistant in the Boatbuilding Program. Reem has developed many connections through Rocking the Boat, including with instructors at the WoodenBoat School and members of the Central Park Model Yacht Club, as well as students, staff, and patrons. Reem's dynamic leadership shines in his various roles as Lead Boatbuilding Program Assistant, Sail Central Park Lead Crew Member, and Rocking Manhattan coxswain. Reem's enthusiasm and strong work ethic extend to his hobbies, working on cars and riding his bike.
jaye pockrisschief operating officer
A graduate of Vassar College, Jaye has worked in development for more than 20 years including for a historic preservation organization, a music festival, and a residential social service agency. She also raised funds in her free time as a past President of the Brooklyn Heights Music Society. Jaye learned about Rocking the Boat during the summer that 20 students came to build a boat at Philipsburg Manor, a living history museum operated by Historic Hudson Valley, where her husband Peter is Senior Vice President.
edmanuel romanfacilities and equipment manager
Manny grew up living three floors above Rocking the Boat's shop back when it was located on 174th Street and Walton Avenue. As soon as he was eligible, 14-year-old Manny signed onto the Boatbuilding Program and worked to build Aurora—the first of 14 vessels he would help to construct. Over the years, Manny has held various roles at Rocking the Boat including Boatbuilding Assistant, Interim Boatbuilding Job Skills Program Director, and Restoration Manager.
kisha romerooffice manager
Kisha Romero was raised in the Bronx and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School. She came to Rocking the Boat with considerable experience in office administration and human resources, including nearly 10 years at Manhattan Beer Distributers. Thrilled to join an organization that is changing the lives of children in her neighborhood, Kisha enrolled her own son in Rocking the Boat’s Middle School Program, which he loves and which Kisha calls, "the best choice I've ever made."
alex severinomiddle school program manager and parent advisory committee coordinator
Alex was raised in the Bronx and introduced to Rocking the Boat by a high-school classmate when she was 15 years old and continued to be involved as a seasonal Program Assistant while earning her Associate’s degree at Borough of Manhattan Community College. After college, an internship with the Student Conservation Association, a position with the National Park Service’s River Trials Association, and roles with the Bronx River Alliance furthered Alex’s interest in environmental education. Beyond the Bronx, Alex has sailed the Caribbean with The Beautiful Nation Project studying plastic debris in the ocean and, in collaboration with Cornell University, traveled to China to speak on the behalf of Rocking the Boat about oyster restoration on the Shanghai River. For the past five years, Alex worked for the New York City Department of Education, supporting special education students in her old elementary/middle school and is thrilled to return to the outdoor classroom of Rocking the Boat.
nick siewertchief business development officer
The son of New York public school educators, Nick grew up in Sea Cliff, NY on the north shore of Long Island. His first paying job was teaching sailing on Cape Cod. After college, he spent ten years in the marine trades as a mechanic and captain before embarking on a career as a middle and high school teacher and administrator, working at schools in Colorado, California, Florida and New Jersey. In 2010 he moved back to New York to serve as an instructional coach in New York City schools, working with teachers and school leaders across all five boroughs to improve educational outcomes for kids. He holds a BA and MA from Middlebury College and an Ed.M from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
juan pablo sarmiento torresdirector of sailing
Juan Pablo comes to Rocking the Boat as an experienced sailing instructor with an emphasis in advanced cruising and keelboat education. Originally from Colombia, Juan Pablo holds a bachelor's degree in Film and Anthropology from Denison University. He is an ASA and US Sailing certified sailing instructor with offshore emergency medicine expertise. His love of sailing started at a young age when he lived at an international boarding school in British Columbia, Canada and now he looks forward to passing down his sailing knowledge to a new generation, and to continue bringing diversity to the sailing world.
