Tara Hoffmann, Executive Director
A collegiate rower for Drake University, Tara found her way back to the sport after many years away when a cancer diagnosis led her to ROW. She thrived in the environment of challenge, focus, and friendship, pushing off the dock with her teammates day after day into the Chicago River in all types of weather to practice. After five seasons as an athlete, Tara leaned into the coaching itch and pursued her certifications to train teammates on the ergs and in the boats. Before long, she determined to make her team her career, and now leads ROW as its Executive Director.
A professional background in construction and design complements her coaching and cancer outreach experience. She brings over twenty years of planning, management and directing teams on building sites to a new role building athletic identities and resilience in women. As Executive Director, she oversees operations, implements organizational strategy, and ensures ROW and its mission are well-known and well-supported.
Tara is often asked “why rowing for breast cancer?” The answer is simple but not small. Rowing as part of a team can increase the quality and quantity of life after a breast cancer diagnosis. Maintaining this depth of impact through high-quality programs, and making them accessible to more women who would benefit informs and inspires her every day as ROW’s leader.
Email Tara: tara@recoveryonwater.org
Jackson Krupnick, Programs Manager
As ROW’s Programs Manager Jackson plans, implements and evaluates all ROW fitness and social programming. He brings a wealth of rowing experience to the role as both an athlete and coach. “I started rowing at age 13 in Asheville, North Carolina with my local high school team, continued in college and afterward with a number of masters programs." His coaching experience includes collegiate, juniors and community programs, including Sparks Consulting rowing camps, Bryant University, and the Harvard Lightweight Novice Men.
Jackson is excited to bring the sport he loves to an entirely new group of athletes at Recovery on Water. He has seen in his own family how keeping active through breast cancer treatment can boost mood and energy, and improve health outcomes after a diagnosis.
Email Jackson: jacksonk@recoveryonwater.org
ROW Coaches
Colin Darnton, Head Coach
Colin’s rowing resume includes four years as a varsity crew member at the University of Michigan and a strong high school career with notable performances at regional and national championships. His love of the sport soon brought him to coaching, and he includes Northwestern University Men’s & Women’s teams and Chicago Rowing Union Masters among the teams he has led.
As Head Coach, Colin develops team training plans for water and indoor rowing and leads the ROW coaching staff in teaching rowing technique and conducting safe practices for both Novice and Masters team members. Colin says rowing has taught him how to tackle challenges by acting with intention and consistency. He hopes to instill in his ROW athletes a desire to row well, and is confident that every woman on the team is capable of becoming proficient in the technical aspects of the sport.
Mia Inman
Mia was originally introduced to rowing in high school through an ERG at her parent’s gym. She walked on to the Michigan State University Women’s Rowing team where she rowed her way through every racing boat from the 4N8 to the 1V8.
She comes to ROW after coaching high schoolers out of Eleanor Boathouse for the last 3 years. Mia loves the mindfulness and intentionality that rowing requires and enjoys sharing this with her athletes. When she is not coaching, she is working as a High School Bridge Counselor for Chicago Jesuit Academy.
Rania Hammami
Rania Hammami was born and raised in Tunisia, North Africa. She attended Bryn Mawr college and joined the Novice rowing team as a freshman. “Once I got into a boat, she never got out. I enjoyed the unity and sense of community that rowing offers, as the goal is not to stand out, but to blend in. It allowed me to focus on my performance for the greater good of the team, from all the way out in my ‘forever bow’ seat! I enjoy sweep rowing more than sculling, and really enjoy rowing a four when it is going super fast.”
Rania studied biochemistry and molecular biology and is currently working on her EMT certification. She enjoys coaching for ROW as it allows her to continue her involvement in the sport and share the knowledge she gained from four years of rowing competitively. “I am proud to be a part of the organization as I believe in the mission, and I’m looking forward to coaching for many seasons to come!”.
Leanna Blanchard
Leanna has been a breast cancer survivor and member of ROW since 2018 and a member of the ROW Associate Board since 2019. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from The George Washington University. Before discovering the sport of rowing, she had competed in gymnastics and running and performed as a modern dancer and violinist. In 2020, Leanna became certified as a Concept2 Indoor Rowing Coach, and she has deeply enjoyed being able to give back to the ROW team in this new role. Her mission is to bring her strong and unique background in human movement, passion for improving the lives of cancer survivors, and enthusiasm for lifting up her peers to her role as a coach. She enjoys every seat in the boat (even the launch) and believes that the principles of rowing are truly a metaphor for life.
Jennifer Lockbaum
Jennifer came to ROW in 2018 as a breast cancer survivor and, though she had never rowed before, she fell unexpectedly in love with the sport and the team. She now believes that it is her duty to impart her love for rowing to others and take an active role in making sure her teammates row safe and have fun. It then comes as no surprise that when she was invited to become a Concept2 Certified Indoor Rowing Coach, she immediately advanced on the opportunity. Always one for a party, when she isn’t on the water herself, Jennifer is somewhere nearby rooting for her teammates. Outside of rowing, she received her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and she currently works in finance for Mesirow Financial.
Christina McClintock
After joining their team as a walk-on, Christina rowed for four years with the Radcliffe Heavyweight Crew at Harvard College. A lifelong bow seat, she competed in the NCAA championships twice, helped the first varsity eight win its first "Case Cup" in eight years, and won the team's "Most Inspirational Award." Christina moved to Chicago for law school and initially became acquainted with ROW through environmental advocacy work through the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School. She is currently a Staff Law Clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and is pursuing a public interest law career. Outside rowing and law, Christina enjoys running, bouldering, basketball, and reading, and she also volunteers as a mentor and in animal rescue. She is an avid believer in the power of exercise, time spent outdoors, and the camaraderie of team sports, and is committed to leveraging those beliefs as both a ROW coach and member of the ROW Associate Board.
Danielle Reed-Hudson
At 15, Danielle began rowing at Halifax Rowing Association in Daytona Beach, and she then rowed all four years at Stetson University, where she was part of the Florida school’s first boat to ever medal at Dad Vails in 2009. Following graduation, Danielle pursued rowing with Penn AC in Pennsylvania, where they were rebuilding a women’s program; at Embry Riddle University in Florida as a coach; and then in Asheville, where she rowed recreationally while pursuing other aspects of her career. In 2015 Danielle moved to Chicago and began rowing for Lincoln Park Boat Club, but a medical issue pushed her toward coaching; she has since coached various programs with LPBC, coached the St. Ignatius novice girls’ team from 2016-2018 she, and in 2020 she joined ROW. Danielle is committed to making this sport accessible to a broader, more diverse group of athletes. She credits rowing with transforming her from an uncoordinated kid into an athlete and overall more confidant human being and for pulling her out of her darkest moments. It is an incredible passion that she brings to the women of ROW!
Karen Rice-Heidewald
Karen joined ROW in 2016 after having seen the team on a local news broadcast the prior year. Raised on the West Coast, Karen has always loved the water, and she viewed ROW as an opportunity to get back to the water on a regular basis. At the same time, Karen had never been athletic and thought she would be intimidated by the team’s athletes. But her fears were for not. Karen soon fell in love with the team and, in short order, found her inner athlete, too. When the opportunity emerged to obtain her Concept 2 certification and become an indoor coach, Karen knew this was a way to give back to the team that had given her so much. She believes her perspective coming from a non-competitive background helps when working with new members who are also new to a team sport.
JoAnn Baldwin-Glenn
JoAnn was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 while living in New Orleans. When she and her husband moved back to Chicago in 2014, JoAnn was like Goldilocks, looking for support but finding most of her options “too little” or “too big” but nothing “just right.” Having been active throughout her life, she wanted a support group with an athletic endeavor that offered both emotional and social support, but she couldn’t find that mix—until she met ROW member Joan Neal and was introduced to this amazing rowing team. ROW has been JoAnn’s opportunity to develop friendships with her peers while becoming part of a community, learning a new sport, and claiming her identity as an athlete. After five years with the team, JoAnn was inspired to become a certified Concept 2 coach, tapping into her 20 plus years of teaching and coaching experience, and give back to this team she loves so much.