USRowing has appointed Joel Shinofield as chief executive after a six-month national search, recruiting him from USA Swimming. He starts on 13 October and will lead the federation towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Shinofield will report to the board of directors, overseeing USRowing’s strategy and operations and coordinating its work on performance, membership and business. Peter Roby, who became interim CEO in April, will move into a senior adviser role to support the handover.
Roby took over following the departure of Amanda Kraus, who was appointed chief executive in 2020.
From Pool to Boathouse
USRowing said its search, led by Elevate, drew on more than 200 members of the rowing community to establish what they wanted from the next CEO.
“The profile they shaped called for a leader with deep national governing body experience, a member-first orientation, and the discipline to modernize how we serve this sport,” said board chair Robert Zagunis.
Since 2018, Shinofield has led USA Swimming’s largest division as managing director of sport development. It served more than 370,000 athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers and accounted for over 60% of the organisation’s revenue, or $24 million in 2024.
His responsibilities included membership and club support, athlete development pathways, digital transformation and an investment spanning multiple years in coach education and certification for 20,000 coach members. He also oversaw more than $1.4 million in annual grants to improve access to swimming.
Shinofield served as executive director of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America for six years, from 2012 to 2018. Before that, from 2003 to 2012, he worked at Washington and Lee University as an associate professor, head coach and director of aquatics. His earlier roles included executive director and head coach of Minnesota’s Richfield Swim Club.
In an open letter to the American rowing community, Shinofield said rowing “demands excellence, commitment, and hard work”, qualities he said the community should expect from him and the organisation.
He also stressed his belief in the power of sport to change lives and communities, including his own family’s.
Shinofield is a novice rower, but he has a longstanding connection to the sport through his spouse, who is a current masters rower, a former national champion at Princeton and a former collegiate and high school rowing coach.
“My wife and I met at the University of Minnesota, where she coached rowing, and I coached swimming. As many of you may know, when you are married to a rowing coach, the sport becomes a part of your life. You learn to do whatever it takes to add value. You tie down boats before an impending tropical storm, load boats on a trailer, repair and rig boats, set the course, and build racks.”
He plans to meet rowing community members and leaders nationwide, in person as well as virtually, including at USRowing’s Annual Member Meeting in December.
“I want to hear how we can remove barriers, support growth in all areas, and bring the entire community together with a strong sense of pride in being a part of USRowing.”
