ACADEMIC COACHES
Our academic training is as demanding as our athletic training. But our academic coaches not only have high expectations, they’re also highly supportive and patient. Their wide range of backgrounds and experiences make them ideally suited to work with the students of Row New York.
Melissa Pancoast
Director of Academics
melissa@rownewyork.org
Melissa Pancoast rowed for four years with the Stetson University crew, where she was team captain for two years. She also worked as a rowing coach for the Norwalk River Rowing Association. Melissa is a veteran of Teach for America and a consultant for Youth Factor, an international nonprofit that provides program assistance for youth development organizations around the globe. Melissa holds a B.S. in Political Science from Stetson University.
Darise JeanBaptiste
Academic Assistant for College Prep
darise@rownewyork.org
Darise JeanBaptiste is the Academic Assistant for College Prep at Row New York. In 2011, Darise graduated from Brooklyn College with a Master of Arts degree in English literature. She earned her BS in Business Management from Stony Brook University in 2004. Prior to joining Row New York, Darise worked at BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) for three years as a grant writer and training specialist. A Bronx native and adjunct lecturer in English composition, Darise brings a passion for education, writing, and empowering youth to Row New York’s academic program.
Kelsey Bates
Americorps Coach Across America Program Assistant – High School Girls
kelsey@rownewyork.org
Kelsey Bates joined Row New York in March 2010. She received her BA in Art History from the University of California Berkeley in December 2010. Kelsey started rowing at Capital Crew in Sacramento, California in 2003 and was recruited to row for California (Cal) Women’s Crew. While at Cal, she won three PAC-10 team titles and one individual title in the Varsity 4+, and placed in the top 3 at NCAAs for three consecutive years. Kelsey also works to maintain the legacy of her coxswain Jill Costello, who passed away from lung cancer in 2010.
Isake Smith
Americorps Coach Across America Program Assistant – Community Rowing
isake@rownewyork.org
Isake is a native New Yorker and is happy to have the opportunity to be around boats in NYC. She was a member of the Lawrence University Rowing Club, and recently graduated with a BA in psychology. During her time at Lawrence, Isake was able to study abroad in Granada, Spain, as well as travel to London and Morocco. Outside of academics, she has worked with youth in a variety of different ways, from facilitating Gay-Straight Alliances in schools across Northeastern Wisconsin to co-facilitating teen groups during long-term camping trips through the Adirondacks.
Clara Wille
Americorps Coach Across America Program Assistant – Middle School Girls
clara@rownewyork.org
Clara has a BA in International Studies and Sexuality Studies from York University, Toronto. She has volunteered with several organizations in high school and college as a peer safer-sex educator and has interned with the International Planned Parenthood Federation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2010, Clara gave a year of service with City Year New York, where she tutored, mentored and ran an after-school program in an elementary school in East New York. She is currently giving her second year of service as a Program Assistant through Coach Across America.
Jenn Brehm
General Tutor
Kathleen Cann
General Tutor
Peter Costas
General Tutor
Sofia Desenberg
General Tutor
Darise JeanBaptiste
General Tutor
Sarah Johnson
General Tutor
Milady Padilla
General Tutor
Su Panetta
General Tutor
Nkese Rankine
General Tutor
Jess Rispoli
SAT and Math Tutor
Liz Savarese
General Tutor
Anne Shaw
General Tutor
Torey Stronell
Social Work Intern