About Us - Jack London Aquatic Center Junior Rowing

JLAC Junior Rowing is one of the programs of the Jack London Aquatic Center, a non-profit group in Oakland, CA dedicated to opening up the Estuary to all the communities of Oakland. JLAC Junior Rowing is led by a dedicated team of coaches, volunteers and staff. Our leadership team is made up of people who have coached and competed at the highest levels as well as community leaders, educators and businesspeople.

Jenny returns to us having coached the inaugural JLAC Junior Rowing program in spring 2004. She is a graduate of Harvard University, where she rowed on the women's crew for four years. She coached the Novice Women's Crew at the University of California for three years in the late eighties. Following that she founded and for seven years coached the Kansas State University Women's Crew.

Scott has been involved with coaching and teaching water related activities for over thirty years. He is a graduate of Jacksonville University, where he coxed and rowed for four years. After college, Scott received a commission in the U.S. Navy where he spent thirteen years as a member of the Navy's SEAL Teams. Most recently Scott came to us from coaching the men's & women's collegiate rowing teams at Jacksonville University and he continues to stay involved as a coach for Masters Swimming.

Peggy grew up in Berkeley and graduated from U.C. Santa Barbara where she rowed with the women's varsity crew. In 1987 and 1991, she won sculling gold medals at the Pan American Games as a member of the US Rowing team. Peggy served as a member of the United States Olympic Committee Board of Directors from 1988-96, and served as an Athlete's Representative for Team USA at the Olympic Games at Albertville and Atlanta. Peggy has been on the board of the Jack London Aquatic Center since 1996 and works as a software designer/business analyst/musician.

Dede is the Executive Director of the Jack London Aquatic Center, overseeing all activities at the center. Dede was born and raised in Oakland, and attended Oakland High School. She recently graduated from Hayward State University with a degree in Kinesiology. Dede has coached rowing for 15 years, and is still competing in the sport, this being her 25th year as an active rower.

Alona is an Oakland resident who serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peralta Community College District. She graduated from Golden Gate University, and for over 30 years has been involved in social and political activism in Oakland. She confesses that she has no background in aquatic sports, but is vocally and firmly committed to creating new recreational opportunities for youth in Oakland.

Richard Griffoul is the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Oakland Museum of California. A native of San Jose, California, Richard is a graduate of Santa Clara University and recipient of a Masters Degree in Advanced Writing at San Francisco State University, with graduate studies at University College, Dublin. A life-long rower and sailor, he competes regularly in Masters Rowing Association events and is a member of the Berkeley Paddling and Rowing Club, Lake Merritt Rowing Club, and Nashaquitsa Rowing Club on Martha's Vineyard. He also serves on the board of Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. He lives with his wife and two school-age children in Piedmont, California.

Robert, spouse Joan and family reside in Oakland, where he is a member of the law firm of Stein, Rudser, Cohen & Magid, LLP. He graduated from Columbia University where he was a member and captain of the varsity crew. After a four-year stint as an Oakland policeman, he attended law school at the University of California, Davis. He has served on several community boards: Legal Assistance for Seniors; St. Paul's Episcopal School; Oakland Ballet; Oakland Waterfront Coalition; Bishop O'Dowd High School; Columbia Alumni Club; Oakland Strokes; Lake Merritt Rowing Club; Lake Merritt Breakfast Club; Oakland Rotary Club.

Michael is a graduate of Oakland High School and Columbia University; in 1978, as a member of Columbia's varsity baseball team, he broke the University's home-run record, then held by the immortal Lou Gehrig. After a stint playing with the New York Yankees minor league farm system, Michael worked with Intuit and with Syntex SysteIn 1999, Michael opened The Athlete's Foot franchise at Oakland's Gateway Center.

Phone: 510.208.6060

Fax: 510.208.6071

Email: Rowing@jlac.org

Webmaster: rowwebmaster@jlac.org

c/o Jack London Aquatic Center

Mail Address: Box 72347

Oakland, CA 94612

Street Address:

115 Embarcadero West

Oakland, CA 94606-5138