Erin O’Connell Becomes First Female President of USRowing

The USRowing Board of Directors have added three female officers including the organization’s first female president at its March 22 meeting in Tampa, Fla. 

Women’s Vice Chair Erin O’Connell  has been promoted to President succeeding Peter Cipollone, while Midwest Region Representative Frances Mennone takes over as secretary and USOC-AAC Representative Esther Lofgren continues to serve as the treasurer.

O’Connell is the first female president of the USRowing Board of Directors since the organization was formed in 1982 by the merger of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen, founded in 1872, and the National Women’s Rowing Association, established in the early 1960s.

Currently the Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator at Seattle Pacific University, O’Connell joined the USRowing Board of Directors in December of 2010, serving as an At-Large Representative before taking over as Women’s Vice Chair in 2013.

“I am honored to assume the role of president of the USRowing Board of Directors,” said O’Connell. “As a board, we are charged with executing the USRowing mission statement, to provide ongoing opportunities to achieve excellence in rowing in the United States. We’ll continue to work with Glenn (Merry, USRowing CEO) to ensure the organization moves forward in a healthy capacity with an eye towards Rio, while concurrently looking to enrich domestic rowing opportunities.”