Youth Program Manager & Head Coach

Helen entered the rowing world in 2003 at Mt. Baker Rowing and Sailing Center where she competed as a junior athlete for five years. Her time on Lake Washington continued when she attended the University of Washington, competing for the Huskies from 2008 until 2012. After completing her Bachelor's degree in Linguistics, Helen continued with UW to earn her Masters in Education in the Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership Program. Helen spent that year as an assistant coach with Seattle University's inaugural varsity women's rowing team.

Helen left Seattle to continue serving in the collegiate coaching ranks at the University of Dayton and Michigan State University. In 2016, she decided to return to Seattle and began as the head coach of the Mt. Baker varsity women. In 2017 Helen added the position of Director of Rowing at Mt. Baker, serving as the first in that position.

When she is not at the boathouse, Helen enjoys spending time with friends in the great PNW outdoors, experimenting in the kitchen, and playing with her dog Finn.

Programs Coordinator & PYR Registrar

Born and raised in El Salvador, Karla started rowing in 2012. By 2014 she had made the Salvadoran National team and participated in events such as PanAmerican games, World Cups and the Latin Olympic qualifier for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

While getting her Bachelors Degree in Marketing, she continued as part of the national team, supplemented by coaching new members and kids/new members through learn to row classes.

Karla moved to the USA in 2019 to continue her rowing career while starting her professional career.

Her work experience has been in customer service and marketing, and she is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Her biggest achievement was winning a bronze medal in the quad at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games. 

In her free time Karla likes to spend time with her family, have a good cup of “cafecito con pan dulce” and visit new places in Seattle.

Director of Operations

As the Director of Operations, Padraic is responsible for the safe, sustainable and successful operation of the Pocock Rowing Center and Renton Rowing Center. Padraic began rowing as a youth in Point Pleasant, NJ. After rowing at Saint Mary's College of California, he joined the Seattle rowing community as a sculler.

Padraic has competed and coached in youth, collegiate, elite and masters programs. As the Executive Director of the Everett Rowing Association, his focus on culture and communication led significant growth in membership, youth programming and fundraising results. Padraic's experience in the construction industry and at Pocock Racing Shells brings a strategic background to our infrastructure and project management needs.

Outside of the boathouse, Padraic enjoys hiking, biking, woodworking and cooking.

Equipment Manager

Parker began rowing in 2012 for the middle school program at the Everett Rowing Association. He has been in love with the sport ever since. After rowing through high school, Parker attended UC San Diego in 2018, where he rowed as a freshman. He then attended the University of Washington from 2019 to 2023, where he graduated with an Earth and Space Sciences degree specializing in Physics. During his time at UW, Parker spent almost three years as a youth rowing coach for novice athletes at Mount Baker Rowing Club and Everett Rowing Association.

After working in the Geotechnical field post-graduation, he is excited to bring his organizational, problem-solving, and technical skills back to the world of rowing through the George Pocock Rowing Foundation.

Outside of the boathouse, Parker enjoys hiking and backpacking through the PNW wilderness as well as cheering for the Seattle Seahawks

U19 Lead Coach

Jonah grew up in Seattle and started rowing in 7th grade for Lake Union Crew Juniors before moving to Seattle Rowing Center where he continued rowing from 8th grade through his graduation from Roosevelt High school in 2018. He went on to Row Division-1 at George Washington University and then the University of San Diego. After graduating from USD with his Bachelors in Child Psychology, he moved on to row for the San Diego Rowing Club’s High Performance Team.  In the summer of 2023 Jonah relocated to Europe to train with an international boat at the Danish national training center and compete across Northern Europe to ultimately compete at the Henley Royal Regatta. 

Later that year, he moved back home to Seattle and joined the coaching staff at PYR. In addition to coaching PYR he also coaches the Adult Women’s Competitive Team as well as the Ancient Mariners Rowing Club. When he’s not coaching, he is in the mountains Skiing, spending time outdoors and training!

U17 Lead Coach

James Nelson, originally from Austin Texas began his rowing journey in 2006 at Austin Rowing Center.

After Graduating from Franklin and Marshall, where he rowed 4 years, James took his rowing to the international stage competing in the 2018 World Rowing Championships where he placed 10th in the lightweight quad, and 7th in the lightweight pair at the following years World Rowing Championships. While training, he began coaching youth programs in Austin. His training and coaching led him to Santa Barbara where he began training for the Tokyo Olympics all while still fostering his passion for coaching. After a 4th place finish at the Olympic Trials James stepped away from training and began pursuing coaching full time. He accepted the position as Assistant Coach for Seattle Preps rowing team.

Now he brings his expertise, leadership and passion for the sport and youth development as a Lead Coach for Pocock.

When he is not on the water James enjoys olympic weight lifting, cycling, and spending time with his cat, Charlie.

Middle School Lead Coach

Hannah started rowing in the Philadelphia area in 2010 and rowed throughout high school and for four years at Wellesley College. She began coaching youth squads in 2017 at Chicago Training Center, with an emphasis on sports-based youth development and making rowing a more accessible opportunity for students across Chicago.

Hannah also works as a Speech-Language Pathologist and is a PhD student in Speech & Hearing Sciences at UW. When she’s not thinking about language development and making up new words, she enjoys cooking, biking, and finding ways to annoy her cats.

U19 Assistant Coach

Bri first coached at PYR back in 2022, where she instructed Learn-to-Row, Middle School, and High School athletes. She began her rowing career at Holy Names Academy, racing predominantly as a lightweight rower until her senior year of high school.

She has competed at both the regional and national championship level, taking home hardware from races such as Youth Nationals and Windermere Cup. Bri continued to row Division 1 in college at Cornell University and the University of Washington, before returning to the PYR Coaching Staff in Spring 2025. She is currently completing her degree at UW in Psychology, with a minor in Writing.

When she’s not on the water, Bri loves to run on the Burke Gilman and explore Seattle with her friends.

Youth Coach

Rob has been a full time trainer and strength coach for the past 13 years. Inspired by his collegiate rowing coach he earned a B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland. Early on in his training career a severe lower back injury forced Rob to reevaluate his own training regimen. He quickly began incorporating injury prevention and rehabilitative concepts into his strength workouts. Rob believes strength training helps maximizes performance and increases longevity in the sport.

When Rob is not at Pocock he enjoys running, skiing, traveling, and cooking.

U17 Assistant Coach

Corrado began coxing crews at Mt. Baker in January 2016. They raced five seasons as a youth athlete and for two seasons at Santa Clara University for the men’s team.

As an upperclassman Corrado pursued an education in music with a concentration in jazz performance. They were also involved in the local scene, working in college radio as well as live sound.

Corrado began coaching in 2022 at Mt. Baker and started at Pocock in summer of 2023, then again postgrad from summer 2024 onwards as an assistant. Corrado has experience working with athletes of all ages, builds, and ability within all boat classes.

Middle School Assistant Coach

Luella first started rowing in 2016 at Texas Rowing Center in Austin, Texas. She rowed there for six years and has rowed at the University of Washington for the past three years.

Luella has raced at regattas such as Youth Nationals, Head of the Charles, the Pac-12 Championships, San Diego Crew Classic, and many local regattas here in Seattle as well as in Texas.

She is working on a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinema and Media Studies with a minor in Urban Ecological Design at UW. When she's not on the water, Luella enjoys watching movies, spending time in the sun, and enjoying the company of friends.

Middle School Assistant Coach

U17 Assistant Coach

Isabelle first discovered rowing her senior year of high school at Sarasota Crew, where she raced in the Varsity Women’s 8+ at Youth Nationals in 2022 and later coached Middle School athletes and summer camps on breaks from college.

Before rowing, she spent over a decade as a competitive gymnast and as a coach, building a love for teaching and movement that she now brings to the boathouse.

She went on to row for three years at the University of Washington, competing at regattas such as Pac-12s, Windermere Cup, California Dual, and the San Diego Crew Classic, while earning her degree in Computer Science.

Now a recent graduate, Isabelle is excited to continue her passion for rowing as part of the Pocock coaching staff.

When she isn’t on the water, you can find Isabelle exploring new restaurants around Seattle, testing out baked-good recipes, or on her mat for a yoga session.

U19 Assistant Coach

Owen began rowing in 2014 as a high school freshman at Camp Randall Rowing Club in Madison, Wisconsin. He quickly developed a passion for the sport and was elected men’s team captain before being recruited to row at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, where he competed nationally and internationally before a combination of the Covid-19 pandemic and injuries brought him out of the racing shell and into the launch back at CRRC.

Fall 2021, Owen spent the next four years at CRRC. He coached men’s and women’s novice athletes for two years and the varsity men for 2 years, along with assisting in Learn to Row, Stem to Stern, and We Can Row programs.

Summer of 2025 he moved out west to Seattle and is very excited to begin his first season at Pocock as a U19 Assistant Coach.

As an undergrad at Wisco, Owen studied Botany, Conservation Biology, and Environmental Studies. When he’s not at the boathouse, Owen is probably taking photos somewhere, kayaking, hiking, or reading.