SMRA Leadership
Officers
Sullivan Madden
President
Sullivan started rowing his freshmen year with the Bishop O'Connell High School crew team where he learned sweep rowing. He was the varsity team captain his junior and senior year. Sullivan raced at Stotesbury and SRAAs for 3 consecutive years at O'Connell, in addition to a Head of the Charles appearance. Sullivan also rowed with Thompson's Boat Club (TBC) for summer rowing and raced at Club Nationals.
Sullivan went on to attend Virginia Tech and began a 4 year hiatus from rowing. In Summer 2023, Sullivan moved to St. Mary's County and joined Southern Maryland Rowing Association where he rekindled his love for rowing. At SMRA, he learned to scull and began racing in the single. He has served as President and Practice Coordinator since January 2024.
Sara DeSavage
Vice President
Sara started rowing her freshman year at St Mary’s College of Maryland, primarily rowing sweep while there. She discovered her love for endurance sports through the long hours of rowing and running to cross train. She helped coach novices in her later years in college, while also learning to scull. After college, she took a short break to start her family. Coming back to rowing on the St Mary’s River with the group that would become SMRA and hasn’t stopped since (even rowing into the 8th month of her most recent pregnancy- it truly is a lifelong sport!) She started rowing competitively again in 2017, and started sculling more frequently with the SMRA club. She has helped with the Learn to Row groups and hosting bon fires over the years. Sara races with the club in as many races as time allows each season as well as with her fellow alum from SMCM whenever the chances pop up. As VP, she is excited to share her love for rowing with anyone willing to listen and try it out!
Marcia Coe
Secretary
Marcia was introduced to rowing when her son rowed for Middlebury College. She thought it was an awesome sport and assumed she'd never have a chance to participate. Thankfully, the opportunity came in 2022 when she won a bid for a club membership and sculling lessons with SMRA at the St. Mary's River Watershed Association fundraiser. She enjoys all aspects of rowing--sweep and sculling. It's a continuous improvement project! She was thrilled to be part of the mixed masters 8+ in HOTO 2024 when SMRA won second place. She hopes this is the first of many medals. SMRA provides a supportive and friendly rowing community.
Board of Directors
Nancy Fechtig
Board Member
and SMRA Treasurer
Nancy started rowing sweep in high school in Parkersburg, WV and then rowed four years at the U.S. Naval Academy. She rediscovered rowing as a Masters rower and sculler when the Navy planted her near the beautiful St. Mary's River. Nancy remains a competitive rower and is a US Rowing Level II certified coach. She is a volunteer coach with the St. Mary's College of Maryland rowing team and enjoys introducing a new generation to the joys of rowing.
Nikolaus Meyer
Board Member
Nik began rowing in high school at Washington Rowing School where he learned to both sweep and scull. He continued on to row sweep with the University of Maryland men's crew where he spent one year as the team's president and one year as treasurer. After college, Meyer spent some time sculling at Potomac Boat Club and now rows with Southern Maryland Rowing Association.
The Potomac, Md., native began his coaching career during his sophomore year of college at Elizabeth Seton H.S. (Bladensburg, Md.), primarily working with novice women. After discovering his passion for coaching, Meyer picked up a second coaching position with Montgomery Blair H.S., gaining experience working with varsity men and women.
Meyer is US Rowing Level II coaching certified and is currently the Head Coach at St. Mary's College of Maryland.
Ruth O' Connell
Board Member
Ruth is a founding SMRA member and organizer. She learned to row after college in an adult learn-to-row program in Washington, D.C., in 1990 and then continued to train and compete, first with Capital Rowing Club and then Potomac Boat Club (1992-98) before relocating to St. Mary’s county in the fall of 1998. Currently, she trains with a goal to compete in regional regattas and indoor competitions. Ruth is also a US Rowing Level II certified coach and volunteer coach with the St. Mary’s College of Maryland rowing team.