Like our beloved chief Secretary Kit Casey, Dan Polasky hails from Minnesota. He’s currently a research technician in a lab at the Tufts Medical Center doing biochemistry/analytical chemistry/stuff. Dan began rowing at Bowdoin College, the more studious cousin of Bates and Colby, and his favorite rowing moment is placing 4th (medaling!) in the Collegiate Four at the 2011 HOCR. Dan also competed on the Bowdoin Nordic team. He’ll be racing the Birkie this February with several other RBC athletes who have slightly less skill but enough pride to hopefully complete all those k’s (call us for lessons, please?).
Jon Kraus, friend to (or of) the McAuliffe Gig, comes to Riverside after taking time off from URI during a collegiate bout of mono. Jon’s hometown is Milton, MA but he is originally from South Boston. Pending recovery from both the gig and the mono (and the fall catch-up course-load), he’ll return to the program at URI. Jon’s favorite rowing moment was having the opportunity to stroke a 4+ at ACRA’s on the Olympic Course at Lake Lanier.
Don’t look this kid in the eye. Hannah Jeton is an Andover native who joins RBC after rowing at Dartmouth College. She is an Architecture Project Coordinator and Assistant at TROJB. She is an RBC rookie (Caro, sign her up for something), a sweep rower, and can hold one eye crossed. We can only hope that the Dartmouth tradition at RBC is carried on with her membership.
Suthesh Sivapalaratnam is a Post Research Fellow (MD PhD) originally from Amsterdam. He began rowing in 2001 and continues to prefer sweep rowing (of the big boat variety). Last year, he watched what was likely the most controversial Boat Race ever rowed. He is eager to get involved at RBC and is an avid cyclist and runner when not enjoying the bends of the Charles.
Jordan Sullivan is a Mainer, South Berwick to be exact. He’s been living in Cambridge since 2008 and only recently heeded the siren of the stripes. Jordan rowed all four years at Davidson College and his only experience in a single found him in the water. He now does genetic analysis at the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard. As luck would have it, Jordan’s favorite rowing moment is also having the opportunity to compete on Lake Lanier. Jordan used to work at a brewery so hopefully he’ll consider joining the ranks of the van Lennep Social Committee.
Katie Melvin is a Florence, Alabama native now working at Composite Engineering. She rowed at Georgia Tech from 2007 – 2011 and her favorite rowing moment is battling it out on the Schuylkill at Dad Vails in 2010 for a silver medal and taking second with just .016 over the third place boat. She’s a sweep rower eager to get involved at RBC and to cite her next best (or next-best) rowing moment on the Charles. She has lived in four cities in 18 months, so let’s encourage her to stay and row for a while.
Jamie Nicole Heinzen is a Neurologist originally from San Clemente, CA. She rowed for 2 years at Oxford, 1 year at Cambridge, and 1 – 2 years at MBRA in San Diego. Her favorite rowing moment is paddling out on the Isis River in Oxford at sunrise with the swans swimming around the boats and the steam rising off the water. I’m sure the geese and sweet sweet scent of bacon near the Hyatt will replace that soon enough. Jamie is a starboard and met her husband, fellow RBC member Evan Labuzetta, in the middle of a “Bumps” race (British collegiate rowing competition) in England. FYI, captains don’t approve of bumping in club equipment so please keep it clean. Welcome to RBC everyone!
