STAFF & BOARD

STAFF
BOARD

STAFF

Rowing Director & Head Coach, JLAC Junior Rowing DeDe Birch was introduced to the sport of rowing by chance when she signed up for what she thought was theater stage crew in high school.  In the 30 years since then she has competed and coached on the Juniors, National, Collegiate and Masters levels of rowing. DeDe uses her passion for water sports and her Masters in Kinesiology to empower the diverse youth of Oakland to discover and enjoy their waterfront.  DeDe holds a Level III USRowing Coaching Certification and is American Canoe Association Trained. dede.birch@jlac.org

Head Coach JLAC Womens Masters Rowing Peggy Johnston was a founding member of the JLAC Board of Directors and was chair of the Junior Womens Rowing Committee.  She served as Interim Head Coach during the 2005-06 Season and Interim Program Director during half of the 2007-08 Season.  As an undergraduate she rowed on the women's varsity crew at U.C. Santa Barbara; in 1987 and 1991 she won sculling gold medals at the Pan American Games as a member of the US Rowing Team.  Ms. Johnston has served as a board member of the U.S. Olympic Committee. peggy.johnston@jlac.org

Kayaking Instructor Quaintis ("Q") Ramon Cann, was born in Maryland but raised in Oakland. He has always been very passionate about water, but it wasn't until the age of 14 that he really got into kayaking and water sports. Coming from a family of natural outdoor enthusiasts, he has it running in his blood. "Q", as he is also known, has worked with mentally and physically disabled participants, sharing the beauty of nature. He is also a wilderness survival guide and holds certificates in massage therapy and personal/athletic training. Q is American Canoe Association Trained. q.cann@jlac.org 510.208.6060

Assistant Coach, Junior Rowing Jordan Gill is a recent graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where she competed on the Womens Crew her freshman year.  She was introduced to the Jack London Aquatic Center through TeamUp for Youth's Coaching Corps program in 2007-08 and loved it so much she was eager to join the team as Assistant Coach in 2008-09.  In addition to coaching at JLAC, Jordan works as a Personal Trainer at 24 Hour Fitness.

Sea Kayak Instructor Mark Burk, a native of Arkansas, has been involved in canoeing or kayaking his entire life. He led canoe trips in Arkansas (Spring and White rivers) and started a canoe company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on the Snake River. At JLAC since 2003, he has taught a variety of youth and adults how to kayak including the Oakland Housing Authority, Aim High, East Bay Asian Youth Center, Life Academy High School and Laney College. Mr. Burk is one of a small number of people in California to have an Open Water Coastal Kayak Instructor Trainer certification from the American Canoe Association.

Development Director Naomi Sultana Young is a native San Franciscan and new to water sports, if not to fund development. As an outdoor enthusiast, bicyclist and long-distance hiker, she is passionate about making outdoor sports accessible to the residents of her adopted city, especially to its youth and low-income residents. nsyoung@jlac.org 510.208.6067

Bookkeeper Sara Kaplan, who grew up in Berkeley, was an accomplished equestrienne as a youth.  She has a 20-year work history as an accountant and has been an active soccer parent for over a decade.  She is excited to make JLAC her first work experience in the non-profit sector.  Sara is American Canoe Association Trained.  sara.kaplan@jlac.org

Community Room Scheduler Dorothy L. Fields, a Bekeley native and longtime Oakland resident, is originally a stop loss auditor and has a background in working with non-profit youth groups. Ms. Fields has an innate flare for party planning and presentation and looks forward to working with you to make your next big event here at JLAC a resounding success. facilityrentals@jlac.org 510.208.6066

Facility Maintenance Frank Cabrales has spent most of his life in Oakland. He attended Oakland Technical High school and worked in shipping & receiving before starting his own janitorial business. Mr. Cabrales enjoys working for JLAC - there are always new and different challenges.

Event Security Glenn Worden, a native of Oakland and graduate of Skyline High School, is an avid classical pianist who plays the organ for his church. For Mr. Worden, working at JLAC has been a great opportunity to work for a good cause and meet interesting people.

BOARD

To contact board members please email boardmembers@jlac.org.

President
Wil Hobbs Vice President, Community Bank of the Bay

Treasurer
Will King Partner, Accenture Health & Life Sciences

Sharon Albert Founder & President, S. Albert & Associates
Fred Brown Regional Director, Entegrity Wind Systems, Inc.
Fred Conrad Dentist
Daniel M. Gonzales Corporate Mgr., Virtual Design & Construction, Swinerton, Inc.
Jon Gresley Executive Director, Oakland Housing Authority
Richard Griffoul Marketing Communications Consultant
Michael Hammock Oakland Dept. of Parks and Recreation, retired
Laura Henry Director of Membership & Development, YMCA of the East Bay Downtown Oakland YMCA
Thomas Limon Public Market Manager, The Unity Council
Robert Thombs Management Assistant, Oakland Fire Department, Personnel Division
Jayne Williams Attorney, Meyers, Nave, Riback, Silver & Wilson

ADVISORY BOARD

Shirley Gee Executive University Manager, Stanford University
Keith Miller President, California Canoe & Kayak
Hon. Carl Morris Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court, Alameda County Superior Court
Lee Chamberlain Special Agent, United States Drug Enforcement Agency
Sandy Threlfall Executive Director, Waterfront Action, Inc.
Henry Williams Vice President, Western Division Comerical Bank
Richard Winnie County Counsel for the County of Alameda