Rio Salado Rowing Club is administered by a nine-member, elected volunteer board of directors that meets monthly.
ReggieAlvey
President
Reggie loves the water. He grew up surfing the Oregon coast. Looking to reconnect with something on the water to replace surfing, he found Rio Salado Rowing Club in 2018. After his Intro to Rowing class he knew he had found his replacement and hasn't looked back since.
BrianMcDermott
Vice President, Captain of Boats
A club member since 1999, longtime board member and former board president, Brian is a genuine Rio veteran. As a graduate of SUNY’s Maritime College and former ship’s officer on oil tankers, Brian knows a thing or two about boats and keeps ours lakeworthy. He started rowing as a college student in the frigid waters off the Bronx.
PeggyStemmler
Treasurer
Peggy started rowing in 2016 as a tagalong rower’s mom when her knees didn’t like her bike any more. For someone whose basic makeup is always trying to improve, rowing gives a lot of material to work on.
HannahMoulton Belec
Secretary
Hannah started rowing in high school and was a founding member of Tempe Junior Crew; she also rowed at George Mason University. A writer and editor by day, Hannah has loved rediscovering rowing with Rio and became a member in 2022.
When Hannah isn't busy in bow seat, you can find her biking her kids to school or seeing live music with her husband.
JudyMaltz
Member at Large
Judy was a dancer from the early age of 6 and performed with the Eglevsky Dance Academy and in her teenage years with the Middletown Regional Ballet Co. in New York. Tennis and field hockey caught her attention, which she played throughout high school. Then came love, marriage and a couple of kids. But during her 40th decade, she experienced a setback of orthopedic issues. After a repaired knee, a repaired Achilles Tendon, a lot of pain and then double hip replacements, Judy knew she needed to get back to athletics. In 2014 Tempe Town Lake offered kayaking, SUP, SUP yoga and rowing, so she signed up for all of them. Good thing rowing classes came first, because she’s never looked back. Rowing is life. When not rowing, Judy volunteers in the transplant community, announces parades, and works in the health care field.
EvanMerkel
Men's Team Captain, Member at Large
Evan found his way into rowing in 2010 during his final year of high school with an old Model B Concept 2; it wasn't until college that he actually made it onto the water.
Evan rowed for Virginia Tech for nine semesters and coached for another five, from the beginning of his freshman year all the way through the end of graduate school. During his time with the Hokies, Evan served as men's team captain and vice president for one year, head coach of the VT Rowing varsity program for one year, and head coach of the women's varsity program for one year.
In the off-season, Evan trained with Hampton Roads Rowing Club and earned a Level 2 Coaching Certification from U.S. Rowing. Since then, he has continued to row with some of the finest clubs in the United States and abroad, eventually finding a home in Arizona with Rio Salado.
DavidScott Peters
Member at Large
David grew up on a barrier island in New Jersey, where he started his rowing journey freshman year at Atlantic City High School in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1980-84). While getting scholarship offers from both Temple University and Northeastern University, David decided to attend and row at Northeastern University in Boston (1984-88). After a 32-year break, David joined the ranks at Rio Salado Rowing Club.
Today, David is a restaurant coach, speaker and author who teaches restaurant operators how to cut costs and increase profits with his trademark Restaurant Prosperity Formula.
BethSlikas
Women's Team Captain, Member at Large
Beth has been rowing for about eight years, and she considers rowing to be the ideal sport. What can beat being on the water, in the early morning, working hard? Beth joined Rio in 2020, upon moving to Arizona. She enjoys the competitive spirit and camaraderie of the club.
MichelleWilkie
Member at Large
Michelle started rowing with RSRC in 2000, shortly after the lake was "born." She took one class and was hooked! Michelle is fortunate to have rowed ever since.
Rowing has taken Michelle to many amazing places—Italy, New Zealand and England to name a few. Her rowing friends are "my people."
Michelle is a Level 1 U.S. Rowing-certified coach and enjoys coaching Rio's Intro to Rowing classes whenever she can. Michelle was a member of the board for four years previously, many years ago, and is excited to serve again.