It is with joy and anticipation that Row New York welcomes our three newest board members: Maria Bournias, Arshay Cooper, and Ian John. They come to us from a range of industries and backgrounds, but are united as rowers and Row New York fans. They bring their collective wisdom and experience to Row New York as well as a high level of enthusiasm, and we look forward to working closely with them.
Welcome to our newest board members:
Maria C. Bournias
Maria C. Bournias, Esq., CPA, is a senior tax attorney at Deloitte & Touche for over 14 years specializing in multistate tax issues and audit defense for global Fortune 500 companies. Born with Spina Bifida, Maria was profiled by the White House Office of Disability Employment Policy and the US Department of Labor to educate employers about the skills people with disabilities can bring to the workplace. Maria also holds a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark and her B.S. in Accounting from St. Peter’s University. Outside of the professional arena, Maria is an avid hand-cyclist competing in marathons and multi-day rides with wounded warriors. She is also a competitive para-rower for Row New York and has served on our para advisory board for almost three years.
Ian John
Ian John is a partner at the law firm, Kirkland Ellis, with a focus on anti-trust law. He represents clients from a diverse range of industries and has appeared before U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and the U.S. Department of Defense, representing a number of major corporations. Ian attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME. He was a founding member of Bowdoin’s modern rowing team (Bowdoin had a team in the late 1800s, but it collapsed when the boathouse burnt down), which started when he was a freshman. He has three children and lives in NYC with his wife.
Arshay Cooper
Arshay Cooper is a Benjamin Franklin award-winning author, motivational speaker, and a youth activist, partnering with several community outreach organizations. Arshay grew up in the North Lawndale community on the Westside of Chicago. In 1997, Arshay joined the first all-black high school rowing team at Manley Career Academy. In 2002, Arshay attended Le Cordon Bleu Chicago and soon after Le Cordon Bleu England, and over the next decade worked as a reclaimed chef. Arshay currently lives in New York. His first book, a memoir titled ‘Suga Water’, was released in 2015 and won silver at the Benjamin Franklin book awards for best inspirational memoir.
