The Rowing WA Board are responsible for the governance and oversight of the sport of Rowing in Western Australia.  This includes designing and implementing the frameworks that govern the sport including the Strategic Plan, Constitution, Policies and guidelines for the conduct of rowing activities.

2024/25 Meeting SCHEDULE

2024 AGM - 20 February 2024
12 March 2024
30 April 2024
16 June 2024 - Strategic Planning Workshop
16 July 2024
3 September 2024
5 November 2024
13 Janaury 2025
2025 AGM - 18 February 2025

Current Board Members

Ben Rosser - President

I am an accomplished rower, having competed at State and Kings Cup level and achieved Elite level in WA in the late 80's and 90's. Today I row Masters at UWABC where I continue to pursue my love of the sport. 

Rowing has been very good to me and for this reason I consider it important to be giving back to the sport through schoolboy coaching commitments at Hale School and now rowing administration. 

I am an experienced businessman having held C-suite roles for the past 25 years with particular expertise in Property Development, Tourism, and Manufacturing. I am also an experienced Company Director (GAICD), with current Board positions with Cedar Woods Property Sales Pty Ltd and YMCA (WA). 

Tom Warner - Director Finance

Tom’s professional career, which spans over 30 years, started with a major international accounting firm and progressed to helping grow small businesses, from start ups to $100M revenue. Tom has been responsible for operations and finance of both not for profit and private enterprises, including 6 years in sports administration and events management. Tom is the co-founder, shareholder and Managing Director of Rail Systems Australia, an engineering business established in 2016 which has a national footprint and is a key contributor to the communications and train control disciplines of the rail industry in Australia.

Tom’s association with rowing started at Christ Church Grammar School in 1983 and he has been rowing ever since, both on flat water as a member of UWABC, and in surf as a member of North Cottesloe Surf Lifesaving Club. Tom rowed Youth Eight and Kings Cup for WA over 6 years in the 80’s and 90’s and now enjoys competitive Masters rowing.

Rowing taught Tom about the value of teamwork and discipline which he applies every day in his professional environment. Tom believes rowing helps build good people, and though his role on the Board Tom hopes that he can help Rowing WA expand the reach and benefit of rowing in our community.

Kerryn Briody - Director Facilities

Kerryn grew up on the Surf Coast town of Torquay in Victoria, was a former Rowing member in the late 1980's and is currently a social member at West Australian Rowing Club.  She has a background in construction, commercial fitout and construction of public realm projects across Australia, along with working within the Federal, State and Local Governments across Australia 

Major projects that Kerryn has been involved in include large office fitouts in the perth CBD, Coogee Beach Community Facility (Coogee Beach Surf Life Saving Club), Elizabeth Quay Public Realm Project and the four small hospitality sites. Her involvement with Elizabeth Quay saw her assisting WARC to resolve a safety and access issue with their boat trailer during the 2 year construction phase. On completion of her contract at the City of pErth working on Elizabeth Quay she joined MRA (now Development WA) and now contracts her services.

Her other passion is Surf Lifesaving, in 1980 she was one of the first women in Australia to gain her SLSA Bronze Medallion, allowing her to become a full patrolling and competition member.  She has served for 47 years across 4 States, Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and West Australia.  In 2006 she was awarded The National Medal for long and diligent service in an Emergency Organisation on a voluntary capacity, she also has been awarded several service certificates from International Lifesaving and Surf Lifesaving Australia.

Her knowledge and background gives the Board a resource to provide guidance on the RWA Redevelopment Project, lease negotiations and the construction projects soon to commence at Champion Lakes.

Genevieve Cleary - Director

Genevieve is a lawyer by trade, and has had extensive experience in board governance, having been:

• A Commissioner of the Legal Aid Commission of WA
• The Chair of the Building Services Board of WA, and a long time board member of the Building Services Board and the Builders Registration Board as it once was
• A trustee of the Scotch College Foundation
• A director of Hope Community Services Ltd
• A director of Francis Burt Chambers.

As for rowing, she is not very good at it, but enjoys doing it, and spent 12 consecutive years standing on the shores cheering her children on, and cooking, and volunteering at regattas, and washing, and bandaging blisters.

As such, on the Board her interests are in maintaining after-school interest in rowing and developing rowing at the club level, programs such as Making Waves, and the tremendously interesting area of risk management.

Jes Moore - Director

Jes represented Swan River Rowing Club and WA during the 1990s and was an Australian junior representative for a Trans Tasman competition. Having rowed and coached in school programs and been part of the original Talent Identification program, she has good knowledge of a broad range of rowing entry points and the standard and demands related to high-performance rowing. Jes also served on the Swan River Rowing Club committee (1996-99). 

Beyond rowing Jes has worked in: the public sector for 15 years (covering HR, corporate services, innovation and IT); a business & IT consulting firm for four years, which included time as an account executive and consultant on change & transformation programs and commercialisation; a start-up business as a general manager for two years and; most recently as an independent consultant. She holds an undergraduate degree (in Industrial Relations and Political Science) and an MBA from UWA. 

Since starting on the Board in 2020, Jes has focused on the sustainability of our sport and seeking engagement with our clubs, she still has a very good understanding of the sport, and has a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience that would translate into the board room.

Vicki Coles - Director

Vicki is a legally qualified governance, risk, and compliance professional.  Her varied experiences in private practice, the public sector and in the Not-for-Profits sector, has provided valuable insight into implementing business strategy and objectives, while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, often on a limited budget.

Vicki has grown up with rowing, but never tried it herself, preferring to spend her time on the shores, cheering on her friends and most recently her son and his crew.  You will often find her volunteering at regattas and assisting her son’s club with events and fundraising.  

Her knowledge and background provide a resource to the Board to assist with governance, risk and compliance, but particularly with the review and further development of strategic risk management, crisis management and strategic communications.

Vicki has a keen interest in developing rowing at the club level for students at non-rowing schools.

Liz Carson - Director

Zac Friend - Director

My involvement with rowing began during my school days in the UK and I have continued to be involved in various aspects of the sport throughout the last 15 years.

My time involved with rowing has shown me that rowing can enable profound personal growth and give those involved the skills they need to take advantage of opportunities that they may otherwise not be able to. 

By joining the Rowing WA Board, I look forward to offering my help with lowering the barriers to entry and growing the reach of the sport so that more people can experience the benefits that rowing has to offer. 

Professionally, I am a qualified lawyer and hope to be able to put these skills to good use in assisting the Rowing WA Board.

Sue Peacock - Director

Sue is a media professional who has covered everything from the stock market to the Olympic Games in a 30-year career working for major media outlets including the ABC. She is currently a producer at ABC Perth’s flagship morning radio program.

Sue’s introduction to rowing came when she wandered into the UWA Boat Club as a second-year university student. She progressed quickly from the novice ranks to the elite lightweight level, representing WA in numerous Victoria Cups, including WA’s first victorious crew. She also represented Australia in the lightweight women’s four at the world championships.

After moving to Victoria, Sue continued to rowing and coaching. She served on the committee of the Ballarat City Rowing Club, becoming the club’s first female president in 150 years in 2020 – the same year the club won Rowing Victoria’s Champion Club premiership. After moving back to WA in 2021, Sue returned to her old club and is a current member of UWABC’s successful women’s masters squad.

Sue brings to the board media and communications skills, club administrative experience and a unique perspective on the challenges facing WA rowers aspiring to compete at the highest level.

Adam Ramshaw - Director

Adam is an experienced sporting and commercial board member with expertise in strategy, marketing, sales, technology and operations. With a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) from UWA and an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Adam brings a strong blend of technical, business, and governance knowledge to the role.

Professionally, he has over three decades of experience in corporate leadership roles. Since 2010, he has been the owner and Director of Genroe Pty. Ltd., a successful software reseller and customer experience management consultancy. This follows a career holding various senior positions in national and international corporate entities, providing him with a wealth of business acumen to contribute to strategic direction and growth in rowing organizations.

Coming to rowing later in life, he has become a passionate and accomplished Masters rower. He achieved success at state and national levels with Glebe Rowing Club. His dedication to the sport extended beyond competition, serving on the Committee of Glebe Rowing Club for 12 years, including 5 years as Treasurer, where he played a crucial role in transforming the club's financial position. Adam was also on the Board of Rowing NSW from 2018 to 2021.

Currently, he is a member of ANA Rowing Club and serves on the Committee as Assistant to the Treasurer/Secretary.