staff

Joaquin has been involved with Rocking the boat for over six years. In that time he has been a boatbuilding student, both a Boatbuilding and 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 still photography, video, and website design. To see examples of his work, follow this link to the Rocking the Boat Media page.

Rachel brings a wealth of sailing and creative teaching experience to the Rocking the Boat team. She was recruited to sail at Fordham University in the Bronx, where she was captain of the women's and coed sailing teams before graduating with degrees in Anthropology and Spanish Literature in 2005. A past Board member of the US Sailing Community Sailing Council, she has sailed and coached sailing and racing in New Orleans, Key West, the British Virgin Islands, and Newport, most recently serving as Executive Director of the nonprofit Community Sailing of Colorado. Rachel knows first hand the positive effect that sailing can have on young people from the years spent working in the Bermuda public schools on Waterwise, an outreach sailing program. Her incredible experience exposing students to a sport they might not otherwise have become involved in—integrating it into their school curriculum and affording it great meaning in their lives—is something she expects to relive working at Rocking the Boat.

Aurea Freitas earned her Master's Degree from New York University Silver School of Social Work in 2009. Aurea also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Barnard College-Columbia University. In her six years of experience working with youth, Aurea has worked to support healthy teen development, even when adolescents were confronted with numerous institutional and mental health barriers. Offering bilingual clinical and advocacy services to teens and their families in settings such as The Door and the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, Aurea has engaged young people around the values of internal resilience and the possibility of creating realistic and achievable goals for themselves--for the purpose of self empowerment and a sense of agency in their own lives. Additionally, Aurea actively participates in community organizing efforts in New York City centered on confronting structural racism with organizations such as The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond and the Anti-Racist Alliance. Aurea is excited to be joining the Rocking the Boat staff, as her position is a prime opportunity to utilize both the clinical and community organizing aspects of her social work skills.

Born and raised in Manhattan, Adam began Rocking the Boat as a volunteer project during a semester off from Vassar College and graduated from Vassar in 1996 with a focus on folklore and storytelling in American Culture. Through his work developing Rocking the Boat, Adam has received an Echoing Green Fellowship, a Union Square Award for grassroots organizing, a Manhattan Institute Social Entrepreneurship Award, has been the subject of a Queer Eye for the Straight Guy episode, has been featured as a New York 1 New Yorker of the Week, and is honored to be included in the inaugural class of New York City Venture Fellows. He completed the Columbia Business School Institute for Not for Profit Management Executive Program in 2009 and currently serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Bronx River Alliance.

Dawn graduated in 2005 from Columbia University with a dual major in physics and environmental engineering. Prior to joining Rocking the Boat, Dawn worked in both the private and non-profit sectors, using her technical skills and expertise on watershed planning and pollution to address the needs and concerns of communities. Most recently, Dawn worked as an environmental planner at Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, where she led projects designed to improve the health of the Bronx River, increase public access to new waterfront parks, and empower community members to take action to further improve their local environment. Dawn has been a dedicated member of the Bronx River Alliance for over four years and currently serves on its Board of Directors and as the Co-Chair of its Ecology Team.

Victor first came to Rocking the Boat as an accounting consultant through Robert Half International, and then after a few months became Rocking the Boat's Director of Finance and Administration. A graduate of SUNY Purchase, Victor is currently pursuing his MBA in Accounting from CUNY Baruch.

Liz recently earned an M.A. in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware, where she concentrated in Community Development & Nonprofit Leadership. She also holds a B.A. in Journalism and Sociology from the University of Massachusetts and has five years experience working in the nonprofit sector. As a grant writer for Rocking the Boat, Liz is very happy to have the opportunity to combine her interest in nonprofit development with her passion for social and environmental justice. Originally from Western Massachusetts, Liz possesses a great love for the outdoors and is excited to work for an organization that provides inner city youth with unique opportunities to experience nature and develop a deeper appreciation for their local environment.

Bryce graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and recently completed a two-year Wooden Boat Restoration Program at the International Yacht Restoration Program in Newport, RI. In addition to a strong background in boatbuilding that includes an internship at the Alto Adriatico Boat Yard in Monfolcone, Italy, Bryce brings to Rocking the Boat a wealth of sailing experience. Growing up in Florida, Bryce learned to sail at a young age, worked as a sailing instructor for five years, and later served as captain of the St. George's School sailing team (helping it to a ranking of second in the country) and of Penn's sailing team (nationally ranked 14th). Bryce's work as a deckhand with Puma Ocean Racing provided a great deal of relevant experience to his new position on Rocking the Boat's teaching team: sailing up and down the east coast; repairing and maintaining the Puma; and helping to build the racing boat, Il Mostro.

Liz Lindgren earned her Master of Social Work from New York University's clinical program in 2006 and holds a BSW from Providence College. Since graduating, Liz has worked with New York City youth in different capacities and was most recently a Program Manager for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Workplace Mentoring Program where she supported mentoring relationships between students and employees at different companies in the city and helped students prepare for life after high school. Prior to this, Liz spent a year working for Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast through AmeriCorps where she led groups of volunteers on construction sites and gained an appreciation for the building process.

Geoff McKonly comes to Rocking the Boat from the Philadelphia Wooden Boat Factory, an organization he founded in 1996 to help young people develop self-reliance through boat building. His own unchallenging high school experience, contrasted with the skills and self-confidence he gained while learning to sail with his father on the Chesapeake Bay, spurred his interest in nontraditional education. He also has extensive experience in building, restoring and designing boats (www.geoffmckonlyboatbuilding.com) and has taught boat building courses at Independence Seaport Museum, Peters Valley Craft Center, Chesapeake Light Craft, and the WoodenBoat School. Geoff earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography from the University of the Arts, pursued graduate work in art education, and is currently studying Naval Architecture at Westlawn School of Yacht Design.

A graduate of Vassar College, Jaye works from home in northern Westchester with the help of her six year old son Cole and new baby daughter Robin. Her husband, Peter Pockriss, is the Development Director of Historic Hudson Valley, a Rocking the Boat Advisory Board Member, and introduced Jaye to Rocking the Boat. Boy are we glad!

Chrissy was a NYC high school teacher when she developed a program called Urban Green Spaces that connected high school students with opportunities in environmental programs; she helped children in Harlem start a gardening program; and she started an environmental high school internship on the Bronx River. As an educator at Clearpool Education Center, she introduced hundreds of students to the natural environment and stewardship. Chrissy co-founded Butterfly Project, an all-volunteer organization that works with community and school gardeners to assist in the development of native plants pollinator gardens. Butterfly Project has worked with over 100 gardens to educate about pollinators and to help reestablish native plants throughout NYC.