Whatcom Rowing Association

Board of Directors

Paulette started rowing while in college at PLU. After graduation she moved to Minnesota where she rowed with the Minneapolis Rowing Club for 7 years. She was the women’s captain there and started doing some coaching. After moving to Bellingham, she coached the WWU women for several years as the varsity coach. After several years of coaching there, she was elected to the board of directors at USRowing from 1994-1998. She is in the PLU Athletic Hall of Fame, and has won several medals including gold at US Nationals. Paulette loves all types of boating and makes her living on the water teaching sailing and powerboating. She loves sharing her love for the water and helping others build their skills. In addition to teaching sailing and yachting, she has been facilitating team building on sailboats for over 10 years. Paulette is especially passionate about rowing and has witnessed the positive influence the sport has on so many lives. She continues to both row and coach at WRA.

With a passion for rowing that began in the mid-nineties at Seattle University, Kate feels fortunate to have been part of the Lake Stevens, Green Lake, and Vashon Rowing Clubs before joining Whatcom Rowing Association, where she has been a member for over 12 years. Kate has served on the board in the past and currently holds the position of vice president, working to support and grow the club. Rowing is not just a sport for her—it’s a community, a connection to the outdoors, and an opportunity to experience the unparalleled synergy of a shell flying across the water. Kate’s son rowed as a junior for five years and now competes for Seattle University, continuing her family’s love for the sport. Kate looks forward to contributing to the continued growth of Whatcom Rowing Association and sharing the joy of rowing with others.

Outside of rowing Kate is a lifetime educator as a public school teacher and administrator. Her current position in Bellingham Public Schools is running a program that supports families who include home learning as a part of their educational path. She enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog, reading and exploring every antique store around.

Lisa began with WRA in 2016 after signing up for Learn to Row, hoping to eventually learn to scull and with no thoughts of rowing as part of a team. Having been a competitive swimmer from the age of 5, getting involved in a true team sport was a new experience, but one that took hold quickly and hasn’t let go. She loves diving into the details of technique and figures the speed will come eventually.
Lisa enjoys her time off the lake hiking with her dog, cross country skiing, kayaking, and dreaming of travel to faraway places. Work days are spent in the environmental world for the non-profit Northwest Straits Foundation where she restores our marine shorelines for salmon, Orcas, and all the other critters that rely on healthy habitats.

Sheila joined her first rowing program at Vancouver Rowing Club in 2004 but real life took over and it wasn’t until 2011 in Bellingham when she was able to pursue this sport she had always hoped to be a part of. She saw a sign about a new rowing club at Lake Whatcom and signed up for one of the first Learn to Row programs at the ‘boat yard’ on the south side of the Bloedel parking lot before the beautiful boathouse became a reality. Rowing has become a huge part of her life, her health and her recovery from a cancer journey. She makes a point of finding rowing clubs wherever she travels for work or pleasure and to join in with rowers worldwide to explore waterways from her favorite place – the sliding seat. Sheila joined the Board in 2023 and fully assumed the Treasurer role in 2024.

Sheila is a CPA and works in International Disaster Response for a faith-based non-profit in a role that is usually related to Finance, Logistics and Human Resource responsibilities. She is eager to bring the adaptability, problem-solving and resiliency of her work style to the Whatcom Rowing Association. She lives in BC with her husband and has 3 adult daughters that make her smile every day.

Becky saw her first rowing shell up close at the WRA boathouse during an open house event in June 2015 and was immediately intrigued. She learned that day that rowing isn’t just for exceptional collegiate athletes, and that being 5’4” and of a certain age are not barriers to fully engaging in and enjoying this amazing sport. Becky enjoys the teamwork and camaraderie of rowing in the larger boats as well the quiet solitude of a single scull and feels fortunate to be able to do it all on beautiful Lake Whatcom, winds permitting.

Joining the board in 2021, Becky hopes to use her 25+ years of non-profit management experience to support WRA’s continued efforts to provide inclusive and engaging Junior and Master programs, year-round coached sessions, a variety of racing opportunities, individual lessons and independent equipment use.

Sarah was introduced to rowing when her three sons joined the WRA Junior team in 2022. She quickly gained an appreciation for the camaraderie of larger boats and loves being in an 8 best. She thinks there is nothing better than the feeling of swing with her eyes closed. She likes racing and the thrill of regattas, as well as the quiet peace of rowing in her single shell at the south end of Lake Whatcom.

Sarah has served on the Board in the past as Junior Parent Rep and currently as Social/Membership Committee Chair. She strives to create community for all members of WRA and dreams of bringing rowing opportunities to underserved youth and all those seeking an escape from loneliness. When not rowing, Sarah loves to read, travel, study languages and cherish her family and dog.

Mike graduated with Bachelors degree in Math, Chemistry in 1969 and was a teacher before being drafted for the Viet Nam war. Mike joined the Marines serving as a jet pilot and flight instructor for four years. Mike holds a commission as Captain in the United States Marines. After the Marine Corps, Mike worked in California utilizing his Chemistry degree as a consultant to the oil industry and was transferred to Bellingham to work with the local refineries.

Mike started rowing on Lake Padden in 1995 and went to a three day rowing camp in Canada. When he was transferred to the Los Angeles area in 1999 he began rowing with the Long Beach Rowing Club where he received great coaching and won a few medals including Gold in the Long Beach Sprints.

In 2001 Mike and his wife sailed for 5 years from San Pedro, CA to Mexico and then on to the south Pacific ending up in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga among many other islands. Finally they sailed back to the US in 2006, and Mike returned to work in refinery consulting until his retirement.

Since Mike joined Whatcom Rowing he has taken the initiative to earn his level two rowing coaching certificate. He loves to coach team members from the Bow seat of his double and most recently has taken the lead on getting Independent rowers on the water during the colder winter months. Mike is generous with his time and resources and helped the club acquire a delightful straight quad from the US Rowing team.

His son lives in California with his wife, and his stepdaughter lives in Bellingham with her husband and Mike’s grandson who is now on the Whatcom junior team, hoping to win some races this year.

Kristin Beck is not only new to the sport of rowing, but she has never actually stepped into a boat herself! Her son, however, joined the rowing team as an eighth grader, fell in love with the sport, and is now an avid member of the junior crew. Kristin and her husband, Jeremey, are excited to play a role in supporting the junior rowers this year.

When she’s not cheering her kids on in their various activities, Kristin enjoys her career as a novelist of both contemporary and historical fiction. She spends her free time gardening, hiking, horseback riding, and reading. She’s intrigued with the idea of attending a Learn to Row day at WRA, so perhaps she will eventually become a rower as well!

Jaime’s first exposure to the sport of rowing was as a coxswain for his first two years of high school. After a growths spurt made him too large to cox any longer, he switched to rowing for his last two years of high School. He then continued rowing through college at SUNY Maritime College and has since rowed at Norwalk River Rowing Club in Connecticut, Vesta Rowing club in London UK, and is happy to have found a new home at WRA with his daughter who is an active Junior rower.

Jaime has spent most of his life around the water or working in a sector of the maritime industry. He has been a ships officer, chartering manager, and currently runs the Blue Water Scholarship Fund, a non-profit dedicated to helping students go to Maritime College. Jaime is eager to see WRA grow and share some of the benefits of rowing he has enjoyed with the local community.

Board of Directors

Paulette Bergh

Kate Baehr

Lisa Kaufman

Sheila Vicic

Becky Hutchins

Sarah Witte

Mike Snyder

Kristin Beck

Jaime Cleveland