Board of Directors Meeting: April 2026
Meeting Details
Date + Time: Sunday, April 26, 2026 | 1606-1744
Location: In Person (ACBA Erg Room)
Attendees | Voting
Anne Diggs, President
Sujitra Pookpanratana, VP of Operations
Barbara Brocker, Treasurer
Jodi Heidmous, Secretary
Erica Prakop, At Large Director
Cullen McDonald, Finance Director
Non-Voting
Meris Steele, Safety Co-Chair
Monica Freedman, Safety Co-Chair
Cortney Dell, Junior Parent Rep
Anne Iyer, CRC Rep to ACBA
Bob Reichart, Director of Coaching
Jamie Nelson, Comp Sweep Men Co-Rep/Race Coordinator
Susan Driano, Sculling Rep
Tieran Settles, PM Sweep Rep
Kevin Oskroba, Volunteers Coordinator
Absent
Stephanie Acerra, At Large Director
Andy Rabus, At Large Director
Jennifer Perkins, VP of Programs
Kena Holmes, At Large Director
Ellis Drechsher, Junior Captain
Rachel Freedman, Communications
Rebecca Hollins, Comp Sculling Rep
Jacqueline Battistini Comp Sweep Womens Rep
Andy Waiters, Comp Sweep Men Co-Rep
Alicia Morales, AM Sweep
Maggie Burns, Sun’s Up Sweep
Toni Kerns, iCrew Manager
Bethany Banakos, AM Sweep
Taylor Eling, Sunday Rowing
Dominique Carlier, DEI Rep
Maggie Thompson, Sun’s Up Sweep
Sherman Anderson, CARP Rep
Lucas Bockner, Junior Captain
TBD, INR Rep
Meeting Agenda
I. Intent and Opening Comments
II. Introduction to Development Team
III. Operations Update
IV. Treasurer Update
V. Capital Sprints Update
VI. Volunteer Tracking Update
VII. Around the Room
VIII. Adjournment
Meeting Minutes
Managerial Opening Comments/Concerns
A. Feb minutes are approved 5 of 5
President’s Opening Remarks:
Jen Forbes unable to coach - still looking for coach
Safety and Stewardship Announcement: A local Fisherman expressed concerns over a lost line, reel and tackle.
Request all Reps share the need to be good neighbors with the fishermen. We are limited with river navigation at certain spots and that increases the potential for accidental entanglements.
“We Can Row” DC - learn to Row at CRC; move to PRC - limited with boats; Doris asked to borrow (really rent) equipment. This is happening twice a week.
“We Can Row” that we sponsor is donation based
ACBA News - Mark fixed water, gate, racks, (say thank you and good opportunity for volunteer work)
ACBA Bathroom progress - initial quote is expensive (at 30% design phase, expected 35-40K – looks more like 120K.
Next steps are: how to approach; one build or phased build.
More foundational work needs to be done; more proposal work and then on to vendor selection.
Challenge - site is unzoned, not a lot of guidance to go on; but there is a plan to get help with this through a local pro-bono real estate attorney.
Clarification on the relationship between ABCA and Clubs and the Bathroom Project..
ACBA - non-profit for the site then there are member orgs that bring in revenue.
Increasing reliance on fundraising is the plan, this is a big step forward for us
ACBA could assess member orgs but would like to look at willing participation first
Ultimately the Bathrooms need to be both good enough to meet our needs but not great enough that it will be difficult to understand tear-down when it is time for the full site build
Kena and Elyse have moved to NC - Executive Board will be doing an out-of-cycle election for Kena’s board position before the next meeting
Safety Warning: Scullers need to be aware of and not cut the traffic pattern off the dock.
First in person meeting since before covid
Introduction to the Development Team, Anne Iyer and Fana Daley
Big question - how do we raise money for a permanent structure (how do we get to $50M)
Community recognition and depth of coaching - opportunity to join in adulthood. We have space, depth of options. Need to help people understand what we have and why is it so valuable
Erika is the CRC Rep - this is what Erika does
Thinking about this as 7-10 year plan.
Concept is “simple”
Who is “here” - 1100 athletes - there is a story here. How this place sharpening iron? Developing champions? Build connection to the work?
There will be survey to “tell your story” – you have to fill out the story to make the story complete. Art and Science of Rowing
How can we leverage RFK development
Anne is working to understand what they want and how we can help make it a reality.
Dialogue in progress with development team (and parks and rec)
Lease runs out in 2030 - make sure that we broadly communicate
PR Campaign with local news
Build momentum - big donors first - then ask for more from broader base
How to build a pattern of giving
If we want real, sustainable resourcing we have to work toward endowments; it is going to take effort and persistence.
The Following is Q&A and Situational Awareness:
Bob - ACBA donations go to something substantial / Anne Iyer confirmed Bob is the best steward of everyone’s money. It is in an account earning interest.
Cullen - Do we have RFK Connections? Anne Iyer, yes - there was interest after initial meeting and we have had a call. And now working through the follow-up. Status: we have a dialogue.
Bob - we are not in the footprint but we are the access to the river.
Cullen - Consulting with DC Parks and Rec? Anne Iyer - Yes
Question about dredging? Can the developers use the dirt from the river to support the work?
Anne Iyer - Note to All: Site walks are good places to insert thoughts and feedback. Not that many people are going to these meetings, it is a place to advocate for ideas to make the development good for the community - Come to RFK Development Site Surveys
ACBA has a rep on the River commission - doing on a survey to get perspectives on the project
Anne Iyer with Rachel Freedman working on CRC Narrative - BOLO for ACBA River Commission Survey and CRC Story Survey.
For CRC - Erika is the POC. (ACBA can’t send surveys to Club Members)
Board will need a push plan
Shifted to General Awareness and Fundraising Options:
Idea from Anne Iyer (very new): Hypothesis: If we have a standing Friday LTR Intro (people could sign up to spend a couple hours of well curated familiarization, this would increase exposure and bring in some revenue, however, recommend the person needs to be paid. Initial questions: who could do this? Is it feasible?
JPerhaps include ACBA (other programs) - good for getting ACBA’s name amplified
BL: Proposal needs to be scoped, planned out and re-presented.
Idea from Barbara - look at Embassy outreach as a potential revenue source.
Operations Update (Sujitra Pookpanratana)
Sold: Velocity (1x, $1200), Bratichko with Croker oars (8+, $5000)
Professional Repairs completed over winter:
CAPS LOCK (2x, $4772.50* insurance claim so actual will be $1000),
OCMC (2x, $3568.75)
Das (4+, $2150)
Callinectes (2x, $1387.50)
Professional Oars painted and repaired over winter
17 pairs of sculls and 8 sweep oars ($2070)
Volunteers who picked up/dropped off: Marty Burkhardt, Larry Curran, Stephanie Acerra, myself
New Shells
2026 VHP 41 4+ (midweight) arrived 4/9/2026 (Comp Sweep Women)
Dedication Ceremony for 2023 VHP 51 8+ (lightweight) and 2026 VHP 41: June 2026
Voting name ballot to be distributed within 1-2 weeks (K Zareski)
Standard (4+) moves to Club and Juniors use
Oars: planning for gently used set of 4 sweeps from C2
Equipment Maintenance Policy (Link)
Lots of good work from many programs (and coaches!) in being pro-active with repairs
Some work is assigned by Ops to program
Launches
Launch 2 still pending pontoon repair
Launch 7 engine repair (shift linkage)
Capacity limits 4 people on all with signage (Mike Arnold, Chris Floyd)
Environmental Concerns / Extreme Low Tide
Wakeless Launches have trouble getting in / out of dock
Evening Sweep had cancellation 4/20/2026
Some consideration for future ACBA to move dock down stream
Rental truck (Arrived late March)
Will shift payment to CRC Truist Credit Card
Electronics
(2) GPS Cox Box, (1) stroke coach battery and/or issues turning on. Sent to NK for repair
(2) Megaphones traded in for new ones
VHF Radio Storage + 2 new radios (expand from 8 to 10 radios)
Charging / electrical issues
Cables get damaged at the strain relief (RowKraft Lights)
GFI outlets has tripped and gone unnoticed for days (mid March)
Jim Smailes return to his volunteer role as “lights manager”
US Rowing United We Row Grant Application (focus on CARP)
Round 1 White paper passed and onto Round 2 (due May 7)
Lead: Rachel Decter Hyman. Team: Anne Diggs, Brandon Dubois, Barbara Brocker, Meagan Thomas, myself.
Will need Membership and DEI to collaborate on required data submission expect emails
Treasurer Update (Barbara Brocker)
Budget is done - line items updated to recent actuals
Added reasonable amount for fundraising
Opened up new account - 3.4% interest (most of the money has moved until accounts are all transitioned)
We have a credit card! Ops will get one clone and Juniors will have one too.
BOLO - soft copy of budget. - reviewed and we are as expected.
Cash balance is a deficit - that is expected
Question on Network for Good? Is that “other contributions”?
Question: ACH versus CC - these are system dependent.
Question: JP can you send membership numbers + program numbers.
Bob - JP working on out of cycle new members based on intro program graduates
For races: Share new CC number with Jamie (race coordinator)
Jamie - keeps expected versus actuals for records and future planning
Barbara - open to tracking funds in new ways - maybe a click down approach
Should we be differentiating regatta coaching from other coaching (answer is yes)
We could be expensing and tracking funds for regattas separately and document accurately
Jamie - National Regattas - CARP and Juniors get subsidized by the Club (your membership)
Capital Sprints Plan (Mae Wu)
27 Jun
We have a chief Ref
Post on RC by 10 May
Email on Event list - getting feedback (clean up events that get no registration)
Ease for athletes and Kevin
Going to try for handicap
Invoice for RSVPs
Add CC to Regatta Central
RC is working on boatclub as a business
Would be helpful to find sponsors for the Regatta
Jared (owner of Sonoma Restaurant) also working on thoughts on community outreach
Link Jared with Erika
Sending out personalized invitations to past participants
Running the day - volunteers and racing balances
Anne I - should we have a single event with a Cash prize - could this be something to look into.
Rachel Freedman is going to design and print shirts (on site and at-cost)
Volunteer Tracking Approach (Kevin O)
Focus is to increase communications - weekly and targeted asks mid week
Volunteer Calendar sign-ups are posted to the calendar invite.
Not sure going down the tracking route is productive but lifting up the attendance through active communication and contribution to the club is based on positive motivation and how good it is for you and for the club.
Look at volunteer opportunities that are infinite.
Time scarcity is cyclical - as lives change, time availability changes
Don’t want to put a time $ value on volunteer hours || but there is a tradeoff because the club does need help.
Ops has ways to help with volunteering through outreach with special skills.
Kevin BL: keep the volunteer culture positive and the target is variable - doesn’t have a formula for it.
If we need to quantify, we will need a tracking method and an accountability factor.
What does count as volunteering?
If we need to make a change, it is a longer development effort.
Erika - how we can help is to communicate early and often about when the club will need volunteers.
New programs need to be on a masters programs calendar
Expand the squad of volunteer coordinators.
Work on a plan for next year.
Around the Room:
Bob - BOLO for volunteers for replacing wooden racks on the side of the boathouse. (May)
[Jodi], motion to adjourn, seconded by [Anne]. Meeting is adjourned.