Director of Rowing & Coach

Ben brings a wealth of experience in program management as well as a deep passion for athlete development at every level. As Director of Rowing, he oversees all aspects of LOCR’s programs, from youth and collegiate to masters, ensuring a high standard of coaching, organization, and opportunity. Ben is committed to building a culture of excellence, inclusion, and long-term growth, both on and off the water.

Coach

David began coaching with LOCR in 2025 as an assistant coach for the youth teams.

David started rowing with Portland Collegiate Rowing in 2023 and quickly fell in love with the sport, competing in his first regatta after only a month of rowing. He is both a rower and a coxswain, and is excited to continue developing his own skills while coaching and sharing his love for the sport with LOCR.

Outside of coaching, David was a member of the Oregon Army National Guard and is currently pursuing his degree in biology from Portland State University.

Club Administrator & Coach

Angela joined the LOCR coaching staff in 2025 as an assistant coach for the LOCR youth teams.

Angela has rowed with LOCR since 2023, first on the collegiate team and now with Masters. She has been competing in sports for most of her life, first in basketball and then distance running. Although still new to rowing, she has competed in many regattas in both sweep and scull boats, including several gold-medal lineups at Regionals.

Besides coaching, Angela is also the club administrator and a book publishing professional.

Coach

Spencer joined the coaching staff at Lake Oswego Community Rowing in 2024. A passionate rower, Spencer competed in varsity crew through all of high school, developing a deep love for the sport and its team dynamics.

With an academic background in psychology and kinesiology, he brings a unique perspective to coaching, emphasizing the mental and physical dynamics of rowing. Currently pursuing a graduate degree in psychology at Pacific University, Spencer is particularly interested in the role of exercise science and sports psychology in enhancing athletic performance.

Spencer is excited to share his enthusiasm for rowing and help athletes develop both on and off the water.

Coach

Fiona began her rowing career as a walk-on at Lewis & Clark College in 2021. In her brief career, she helped her team win the Northwest Conference Championship in the Varsity 8 and qualify for the NCAA National Championships in 2022. After graduating, Fiona joined LOCR to support both youth and masters teams and continue her own athletic development.

She is passionate about fostering a positive and inclusive team community where every athlete can thrive. In addition to her coaching, Fiona plans to pursue a career in landscape architecture and design.

Coach

Hans Svensson brings over forty years of knowledge and experience to the LOCR coaching team. A three-time Olympic rower, Hans competed in the 1976, 1980, and 1984 summer Olympics for the Swedish rowing team. His coxless four crew also won a bronze medal at the 1983 World Rowing Championships, and he's achieved great success rowing in a single scull.

After retiring from competitions, Hans worked for many years as a coach for the Swedish national team. He still rows recreationally in both the United States and Sweden.

Joonas has 5 years of rowing experience and was a Board Liaison during his senior year at LOCR. This is his second year as a summer intern.

Joonas is going into his sophomore year at the University of Washington and studying engineering.

Along with 6 years of rowing experience, this is Josh’s second year coaching as an LOCR intern. During his rowing career, he competed at Youth Nationals twice and had many podium finishes at regattas. He was also the mens team captain during his senior year at LOCR.

Josh is now going into his second year of college at Oregon State University. 

Goblin Shark

This shark's name is a calque of the Japanese name 天狗鮫 (tenguzame), with tengu being a Japanese mythical creature with a long nose and red face (see the goblin emoji on your phone 👺). These sharks are not very good swimmers, but they don't have to be! Their long snouts can detect electric fields made by other animals, leading them to their next meal.

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This is Nick’s first year as an intern after graduating from West Linn High School in June. He has 5 years of rowing experience, along with competing at USRowing Nationals four times and placing 12th in the U19 4.

Nick is going to Colorado School of Mines next year and is planning on studying nuclear engineering.

This is Connor’s first year as an intern after graduating from Lake Oswego High School in June. He has 4 years of rowing experience, along with participation in Youth Nationals in 2023 and 2025.

Connor is going to the University of Washington next year and is planning on studying science.

Basking Shark

Coming in at a max of 33 feet long, basking sharks are the second largest known shark and fish. Despite its intimidating maw, the basking shark eats primarily plankton through a process called filter feeding. To do so, they swim slowly—only about 2 mph—through the water with their mouth open, filtering about 450 tons of water per hour through their massive mouths.

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This is Jacob’s second year as a summer intern. He graduated Lakeridge High School in 2023 and has 5 years of rowing experience, including multiple podium finishes in regattas and participation in Youth Nationals for the mens quad in 2023.

Jacob is currently a rising junior marketing and operations/supply chain management student at Gonzaga University.

Spotted Wobbegong

"Wobbegong" comes from an Australian Aboriginal word meaning "shaggy beard," referencing the beard-like skin flaps around this shark's snout. Spotted wobbegongs are native to southern and southwestern Australia.

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Cookiecutter Shark

You probably know cookiecutter sharks for their distinctive bite shape, but did you know they are also bioluminescent? Every part of the shark but a narrow strip around its throat glows. Scientists theorize that this unilluminated part looks like a small fish when viewed from below, acting as a lure and drawing prey right to the cookiecutter shark's waiting jaws.

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