VW Coaching Staff
Women's Coaching Staff
Director of Rowing
Allison Ray
Allison has been the Head Coach of the Varsity Women at Oakland Strokes since Fall 2014 and the Director of Women's Rowing since 2018. Allison began coaching in 1998 and has experience at all levels of rowing in the USA and Canada, domestically and internationally, including coaching at the Olympic Games.
Allison is proud of her accomplishments prior to working at Oakland which include multiple coaching awards, coaching at 13 international regattas and contributing a chapter in "Real Women, Real Leaders" by Kathleen Hurley and Priscilla Shumway. Allison graduated from the National Coaching Institute with her Canadian Level 4 Coaching Certification.
While at Oakland, Allison has led the team to multiple Youth National Championships, top team performances at the Southwest Regional Championships and outstanding performances at Head of the Charles Regatta. Allison is most proud of all the hard work that Oakland does every day to develop and foster a team environment where everyone belongs, has the opportunity to perform and is a place that the alumni want to come back to.
Assistant Coach
Isaac joined the Oakland Strokes in the fall of 2023. He learned to row in Cambridge, Massachusetts, spending his high school years on the Charles River. He went on to row for two years at Brown University. After graduating in 2018, he spent time away from the sport working in education. He moved to the Bay Area in August.
Women’s Assistant Coach
Administrative Coordinator
2022 is Emma’s first year working with Oakland Strokes. Emma began rowing in 2012 for a small sculling program in Oakland. She qualified for Youth Nationals twice throughout high school, winning the silver medal in the Women’s pair in 2017. Emma was recruited and rowed all four years at Oregon State University. In her final year she helped Oregon State to a 14th place finish at the NCAA Championships. She earned the Suzanne Wilkins Most Inspirational award in 2021.
Emma graduated in 2022 with a degree in Kinesiology. After graduation, she spent the summer working on a farm in Oregon driving tractors and baling hay. She returned to the Bay Area in the fall and is excited to be coaching for Strokes!
Email Emma