Row New York’s talented staff grows with the addition of Kristin Taylor, our new Expansion Director. Kristin brings her passions of community building and sustainability to our team; we’re excited to have her on board!
It was at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo that Kristin received her Political Science degree and determined her interest in politics were of a different kind: “I realized as a Political Science major, I didn’t actually like politics as the standard, top-down approach. I like the idea of working from the ground up, working and making change from the community level.” Carrying on this community-based approach, Kristin wanted an opportunity to work closely with those she aimed to support. While completing her MS in Sustainability Management at Columbia University–focused on sustainability issues addressed by nonprofit, government, and corporate agencies– she participated in a yearlong nutrition and wellness program. In these pursuits, Kristin discovered her passions of health, environment, and fitness. She knew it was crucial to find a career that encompassed these values.
After browsing Idealist, Kristin found Row New York and learned that our work aligned with her interests: “I wanted to work with an organization making a difference in communities. When I saw what Row New York does through fitness and community engagement, I was blown away. After interviewing, I knew I wanted to work with RNY because it was a community I wanted to be a part of.” What especially stood out to Kristin was how rowing is used as the engine for social change and empowerment, “Growing up, I wasn’t involved in sports. Going through my nutrition program and discovering fitness for myself, I realized how empowering it really is, how it can build a community. While learning more about RNY, I learned that’s what we do: we build a community of empowerment for the students. That’s when I knew I wanted to be here.”
As our Expansion Director, Kristin will assist our Executive Director Amanda Kraus with business plans and research for our future program endeavors. As a ground-up enthusiast, Kristin is excited to collaborate on RNY’s Brooklyn expansion plans and other potential opportunities for growth, and to delve into the nitty gritty of the idea, design, and eventual construction coming to fruition. In addition, this role will encourage her passions, as sustainability will be a necessary factor for the implementation of RNY’s future plans.
Though her plans are large in scale, Kristin is thrilled to work within Row New York’s close-knit community. “It’s inspiring to come to work and make a real difference. I’ve been looking for a place where I am excited to come in every day. I think I’ve found it.” And we’re so glad we’ve found her too. Thank you Kristin, and welcome to Row New York!
