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Meet Our Staff
Rachel Wong
Executive Director
Rachel attended Seattle University, where she was a walk-on with the Division I Women’s Rowing team. After graduating in 2016, Rachel began her career in coaching at Green Lake Crew, where she taught Adult Learn to Row classes and served as the Assistant Novice Girls Coach during the 2016-2017 season. She then went on to lead the Seattle Preparatory Novice Boys team, coaching the team to the program’s first Regional Youth Championship title in the Mens Novice 2x event. In 2018, Rachel played a key role in founding the Seattle Scullers team, a small boats program focused on skill development and long term success for Middle School, High School, and Elite level athletes. For 3 years, she acted as their Long Term Athlete Coordinator and Assistant Coach, managing recruitment efforts, community outreach, logistics, communications, and everything in between. She began working at RRC in the summer of 2021 at a pivotal time in the organization's growth.
When she is not working at RRC, Rachel can be found rowing with the Competitive team at Lake Washington Rowing Club. She also enjoys running, snowboarding, beach combing on the local islands, and spending time with her fiancé and their dog, Murray.
Teri Thomson Randall
Intermediate & Advanced Masters Coach
Teri Thomson Randall started rowing on Lake Casitas in Ventura, California, and continued to learn to row with Green Lake Adult Crew in Seattle. It took just one regatta to hook her completely.
She loves the close-knit community of rowing as well as the mental and intellectual aspects of the sport, which drew her to coaching. After receiving her Level 2 Coached Certification from USRowing in 2018, she taught Learn to Row and Novice rowing at Lake Washington Rowing Club in Seattle. She began coaching masters at the Renton Rowing Center in the spring of 2022, and continues to cox for the Martha's Moms rowing team.
Teri works full-time at the University of Washington, and is earning a Master of Education in Higher Ed Administration from Central Washington University.
Matt Oclander
Head Youth Coach
Coach Matt joins the Renton Rowing Center with over 15 years of experience in the shell and in the launch. His most recent and current role has been as an assistant coach with Seattle Pacific University Women's Rowing. While at SPU, he has coached and developed rowers to be a part of crews that have gone to the 2022 NCAA Championship, as well as multiple GNAC and WIRA victories. He also recently coached Bothell High School and performed the duties of boatman and facility manager for the Kenmore Public Boathouse.
Prior to 2019, Oclander spent 2 years at OKC Riversport, where he coached the junior men’s team to multiple USRowing Central Region team and event championships, as well as finalist positions at the USRowing Youth National Championships, culminating in a silver medal performance by the lightweight 4+ in 2018. During 2016 and 2017, Oclander spent time as an assistant coach with the Seattle University women's rowing team, working with the novice and JV athletes, and ending the season with WIRA gold. Oclander was also the Head Masters and Assistant Junior Men’s coach for Green Lake Crew.
A captain and '16 alumni of Seattle Pacific University Crew, he began his rowing career on the Occoquan River in the Washington, DC area.
Sophie Sandahl
Middle School Coach
Sophie was a student at Seattle Pacific University where she was a walk-on with the Division II rowing program after she transferred. While at SPU she became hooked on the sport and the community that the team culture there created. Between the lifelong friends and connections she made, to the experience of learning both the sport and competing on a larger stage at regattas. She experienced multiple regatta appearances from WIRA’s and GNACs to recently the NCAA’s. She accredits a lot of who she is today from the formative experience that was rowing through SPU the past 3 years due to the coaches, teammates, and the sport.
Sophie loves the community that rowing creates, connecting shell-houses and regions far and wide. It’s a sport that welcomes in those that put in the work, and is one that is unique to itself. The team culture as well is something she finds exciting, to see athletes grow into their own and experiencing being a part of something both on a small personal scale and a larger team scale.
When she’s not in the boathouse at RRC, Sophie works at a bakery in Seattle. She also enjoying sailing, running, hiking the cascades, and spending time with her friends.
Kent McCleary
Volunteer Masters Sculling Coach
Kent McCleary rowed for Washington State Men's Crew, All-PAC-10 and raced in Istanbul, Turkey. Kent rowed and taught sculling at Carillon Point [Kirkland] Rowing Club, the Wenatchee Row and Paddle Club and the Twin Falls [Idaho] Solo Bocce Ball, Tiddlywinks and Sculling Club. He returned to sculling on Lake Washington in 2002 and in 2006 helped found Renton Rowing and to start Erg Ed. Kent coaches masters scullers and teaches safety at RRC. Kent is also the Chair of RRC's Board of Directors and leads the Safety Committee. He teaches English as a Second Language at Lindbergh High School in Renton and acts as the staff sponsor of the Lindbergh High School Rowing Club.