The RCS Board is comprised of a small group of volunteers dedicated to helping youth and adults in our community learn and experience the joy of sailing.
President: Ralph Simpson – Ralph learned to sail as a teenager in Nova Scotia and has been sailing, racing and providing support to the Rochester Canoe Club for the past 25 years. Ralph facilitated the formation of Roc City Sailing and has been president of the non-profit organization since its inception in 2019. When not busy with sailing related activities Ralph keeps active in masters water polo, cycling and family adventures.
Treasurer: Dan Blasdell – Dan is a life-long western New Yorker. As a teen, Dan learned sailing on Chautauqua Lake from a friend on his family’s Sunfish. After attending RIT for engineering and U of R for an MBA, Dan decided to make Rochester his home. Dan worked in computer software and owned and managed a company in the security business. Bitten by the sailboat racing bug Dan currently sails JY-15s and Sunfish at the Rochester Canoe Club. Dan’s passion for sailing and his desire to give back to the sailing community led him to be a founding member of Roc City Sailing.
Director: Tara Shedlosky – A former Rochester resident, Tara now lives in Maine where she and her family sail Sunfish on Sebego Lake and a C&C on the ocean, looking for porpoise and trying to avoid lobster buoys.
Tara helped establish Roc City Sailing, and understands the positive impact RCS has on the larger Rochester community.
Director: Adam Wisneski – Adam learned to sail through the community sailing program at Sail Chicago, an experience that built his confidence on the water and sparked a commitment to growing programs that make sailing accessible to everyone. His sailing background spans racing and teaching on Lake Michigan, instructing traditional navigation and passage making along the coast of Maine, and a year of living aboard and cruising the Caribbean with his wife Lauren on their 35-foot sailboat Jura.
Director: Joe Grailer – Joe came to sailing the way many Rochesterians do — through ROC City Sailing’s beginner course. He has spent nearly two decades in higher education and community organizations designing programs that help at-risk students succeed. He is passionate about community development and the role programs like RCS play in bringing people together. Outside of work, he enjoys raising three daughters with his wife and staying active in community causes.
Director Michael Gerard: Michael learned to sail at the Rochester Canoe Club alongside his ten year old son, Joe. They spent several seasons racing together on their JY15 (3131). Professionally, Michael works at CVS, where he specializes in designing user interfaces to create digital experiences. When he isn’t on the water in the summer, Michael enjoys staying active spending winters in Utah skiing and other family adventures the rest of the year.