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Ryan DC Banks | Director of Rowing

I grew up in Gloucester where the water is part of your soul.  I took that spirit with me as I chose a college and a sport.  Rowing at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst became my passion.  I spent four years studying business, eating burritos, and rowing on the Connecticut River.  When I graduated it was time to pursue my 'grown up' life, so like any self respecting recent college grad I moved to Southern California.  
After returning from California I joined Community Rowing in Boston as the the Director of Operations.  Over the last 5 years we have transformed Community Rowing into the greatest rowing club in the world.  I am a recognized leader in rowing programing and boathouse development.  Focusing on smart programing, rower experience, safety, and community outreach each year we bring 3,000 people to the sport.
Little Harbor Boathouse is an opportunity for me bring my expertise and love of rowing to a new community.  With a focus on small, high quality classes Little Harbor Boathouse will be recognized as the leading model for open water rowing.
When I am not talking about rowing I enjoy running, traveling, and roasting my own coffee.

Rowing for All Coaching Staff

Brian Chorney | Echo Open Water Rowing Team Head Coach

Brian is a US Rowing Level II coach with 8 years of competitive rowing experience. He's the head rowing coach at Endicott College in Beverly, MA and co-head coach at Lasell College in Newton, MA . He began rowing as a freshman at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, where he earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering. At CWRU, Chorney served as team captain for 4 years, held numerous club officer positions, medals, and awards, rowed in the semi-finals of the Dad Vail Regatta, and claimed team lightweight erg records at every recorded distance. His open water rowing career began in Maine the following summer and entered his first open ocean race the following year. Brian continues his rowing career on both flat water and the ocean, last year alone competing in close to 10 regattas, including the Blackburn Challenge (2010 3rd Place finish), the North American Open Water Rowing Championships, and the Head of the Charles Regatta. Outside of rowing and coaching, Chorney works full-time designing jet engines and is finishing his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering.

Ashlee Branan | Former U.S. National Team Coach | Echo Coastal & Adventure Rowing

Ashlee Branan began rowing at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL in 1996 and finished out her collegiate rowing career at the 2001 IRA national championship regatta while studying at Georgetown University Law Center. Ashlee returned to competitive racing in 2004-2006 with Dallas Rowing Club, earning silver medals at the US Rowing National Champions in the Elite and Senior Quads, clocking the fastest time in the inaugural running of the Director's Championship Quads at the Head of the Charles, and making it to the quarterfinals of Women's Henley.  During this time, Ashlee began coaching both the Learn to Row classes as well as a group of junior rowers who earned medals in the Men's Youth Double (gold - 2006), Women's Youth Lightweight Double (gold - 2007), and Women’s Youth Double (silver - 2006) at the US Rowing Youth National Championships. In 2007, one of these athletes continued on to row for the Swiss Junior National team and won the Youth Women's Double at the Head of the Charles. In the summer of 2007, Ashlee was invited to assist in coaching the US National Team's Lightweight Women's 1x at the World Championships in Munich, Germany. They earned a silver medal for the United States after having beaten the now three-time gold medal winner in both the heats and finals. While Director of Rowing at Greenwich Water Club, Ashlee managed a team of 15 full- and part-time coaches and membership of more than 300 rowers, leading them to multiple Masters Nationals medals and a national top-five finish in the Youth Men’s Pair. Ashlee has recently returned to her day job as Legal Counsel at Mercury Solar Systems, but occasionally takes the opportunity to spend her weekends coaching in beautiful locations such as historic Marblehead, MA!

Maryellen Auger | Founder: Rowing For All LLC &  Little Harbor Boathouse Community Rowing &  Paddling

Maryellen Auger launched Rowing For All LLC in the spring of 2009 with the intention of encouraging individuals, clubs, and communities to take up recreational and coastal rowing for a lifetime of fun, fitness & well-being.  In 2010, Maryellen's Rowing For All LLC opened Little Harbor Boathouse and became the exclusive International Marketing and Sales Agent for Echo Open Water Rowing. Maryellen is an avid Echo open water rower, U.S. Rowing Level 1 Certified Coach, 3rd place 2010 Blackburn Challenge & 2009 Blackburn Challenge women's touring class finisher (20+ mile race around Cape Ann off Gloucester, MA ). She competes in open water events for fitness goal setting. Most especially she enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for coastal rowing & paddling with adults and teens for all their health and fitness benefits. In 2011, Maryellen took up sunset kayaking and is excited about mastering stand-up paddle-boarding.  I love getting folks out on Little Harbor and into green, clean and healthy human-powered water sports.  Little Harbor is a very special and spectacular place to row and paddle. We may be the best hidden gem of a launch spot on the east coast! Come discover us!

Kyle Gaffney | Adult and Teen Rowing Program Coach | Indoor Small Group Rowing Coach
With a background in Nordic ski racing, Kyle Gaffney was encouraged to try the sport of rowing in high school as a complement to her training and was immediately hooked! Kyle began rowing competitively at the University of Vermont, making the Varsity team her freshman year. Throughout her rowing career at UVM, Kyle competed in the varsity 8+ which made the grand final at the New England Rowing Championships her junior year, the open division second final at the Dad Vail Regatta, as well as several top ten finishes at the Head of the Charles Regatta. As the captain of the women’s team her senior year, Kyle stroked the varsity 8+ towards a ninth place finish in the collegiate race of the Head of the Charles, as well as a first place finish in the club 8+ at the Textile River Regatta two consecutive years. Kyle also rowed for the Riverside boat club as a member of the summer U23 competitive program, and raced at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. Now graduated, Kyle continues to train and race with the Women’s Sweeps group of the Riverside Boat Club in Cambridge, MA.