Board Member at Large
I have been a member of LBRA since 2007. I am married and have two children ages 14 and 12. I have been a business owner since I was 25 and currently am the administrator for my husband’s psych practice. I worked as Suzie Price’s field deputy during her first term as a councilwoman where I was able to meet and work with city staff including the Marine Bureau, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Public Works and the council offices.
As far as my rowing career, it started by being introduced to erging through Rowbics. After my first class, I became completely obsessed with the movement and numbers of the erg and immediately started taking lessons on the water. I was totally hooked. Six months after being introduced to erging, I won Beach Sprints for my age group. I raced my first four as a novice in Southwest regionals, summer of 2008 and continued to practice and race throughout the next few years.
I served on the board for two years starting in 2010. My goals then were to implement more efficient ways to run the club. I started by recruiting and organizing volunteers for the Christmas regatta. I then started using sign-up genius to email members and formalize actual positions needed for the regattas. In 2011, I took over membership and converted from excel to our current software program Member Ties.
In 2015, I was voted in to the Treasurer position and 14 months ago, I started back to rowing regularly with Katrin’s women’s competitive team. For the past 6 months I have been rowing my single with Carlos’s group, rowing a double with Michelle Mowery and filling in where I can for team boats.
Why am I running for a board position now?
I want to help make the boathouse processes more efficient and effective. A club manager position has been brought to the table and I think that it should be explored. We need someone here at the boathouse to manage the volunteers, pay attention to who is coming and going and give tours and information to those coming in the door. We need a point person for regattas who can implement the board’s plans and organize these events as it is an enormous job for strictly volunteers. This position could help organize boathouse “needs” in regards to equipment maintenance so AC can focus on fixing equipment instead of always being interrupted with requests. We are a non-profit business that needs someone to manage the planning so members can focus on rowing and when it comes time to volunteer, members know what they need to do to help.
I want to see a more formalized process for those who make it through learn-to-row to how they get to their first race as a novice. How are they reminded of the little things like which side to launch off the dock, what time the stadium closes, what oars to use, what are the rules of the water? Yes, new rowers learned these things in their learn-to-row class but there should be some additional hands-on support for their first few times out without a coach. They need a point person to keep them enthusiastic and who provides opportunity as well as encourages them in continuing to learn good technique in rowing.
I look forward to serving on the board and hope that you will consider voting for me. Our club is a unique gem that I want to help make as enjoyable and accessible as possible.
Thank you, Kristina Duggan