Coaches and Staff

Jesse Wakeman began rowing as a sophomore at WYRA (formerly Wilmington Rowing Club, Juniors) and graduated from Salesianum in 1996. He attended Mercyhurst University on a rowing scholarship, but an injury shifted his focus to coaching, starting with the Novice Women’s team at Mercyhurst. Jesse graduated in 2000 with a degree in Social Science Education and returned to Delaware to teach. He coached WYRA’s Varsity team and directed the Row For It! summer program for six years.

As Jesse's career transitioned into administration at Newark Charter School, he stepped back from rowing. Currently the Chief Operations Officer at Newark Charter, Jesse rejoined WYRA’s coaching staff in 2021, inspired by his daughter’s decision to row at his former boathouse.

Jesse is thrilled to be back, helping young athletes excel in a sport that has profoundly shaped his life. He lives in Newark with his wife, Allison, and their daughters, Olivia and Abigail.

Coach Tristan began his rowing career at WYRA as a high school coxswain, where he discovered his passion for the sport. After four years with WYRA, he continued coxing at the University of Delaware.

In 2014, Tristan returned to WYRA as the novice men’s coach, leading his crews to numerous medals, including gold at the Mid-Atlantic Regionals with the novice men’s 8+. As the varsity men’s coach, Tristan elevated each boat's performance, establishing WYRA as a competitive regional team. During his tenure, he sent four boats to nationals, achieving WYRA men’s best finishes in over a decade.

Tristan now works with the varsity girls, bringing his expertise and dedication to help the team achieve even greater success. He is committed to building on past accomplishments and continuing to strengthen the program for the future.

Mike began rowing in 1988 at Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill, PA, under coach Dave Krmpotich, a 1988 Seoul Olympics silver medalist. During his time at Bonner, Mike earned numerous medals, including a bronze and silver at Nationals in the Varsity Lightweight 8, a first-place finish at the Head of the Schuylkill in the Varsity 8, and second at the Head of the Charles in the Varsity 8.

Mike continued rowing at Drexel University, competing in the Varsity Lightweight program. As a freshman, his Varsity Lightweight 8 won the Kerr Cup and placed fourth at the Dad Vail Regatta, narrowly missing third. His career was cut short after surgery during his sophomore year.

Mike stayed connected with rowing through alumni programs at Bonner and Drexel. From 2014 to 2019, he rowed competitively with Drexel’s Alumni program, earning podium finishes at the Head of the Schuylkill and King’s Head Regattas.

In 2022, Mike joined WYRA to give back to the sport and has since helped grow the Men’s program. He also serves as the Director of the Head of the Christina Regatta (2022 & 2023). Mike remains dedicated to fostering success and passion in rowing.

Christophe Mills first started coxing in 1998 but officially joined WYRA in the spring of 2004. He left WYRA upon entering high school and from 2005-2009 he competed as a lightweight rower for St Augustine Prep. He also rowed in college for Rutgers University until 2012. 

In 2022 he joined WYRA as the men’s assistant coach and is also the sculling coach. 

Tony discovered his passion for rowing as a freshman at Drexel University, where he competed as a dedicated member of the rowing team for four years. Throughout his collegiate career, he participated in prestigious regattas, including the Dad Vail, Bergen Cup, and Kerr Cup, developing a strong foundation in teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.  Following graduation, Tony transitioned into coaching, serving as the head coach of the La Salle University women’s rowing team before joining Drexel University’s men’s rowing program as an assistant coach under head coach Joe Greipp. His leadership and mentorship helped student-athletes refine their skills and achieve competitive success, reinforcing his commitment to the sport’s development at the collegiate level.

In addition to his contributions to rowing, Tony pursued an accomplished academic and professional career. He earned a PhD in Physiology from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, and an MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. Currently, he serves as Chief Biotechnology Officer at Vivodyne, an innovative biotechnology company based in Philadelphia.  Tony is excited to return to the rowing community and is passionate about supporting young athletes in their pursuit of excellence. He resides in Wilmington, DE, with his wife, Pat, and their son, Max.

Originally from Wales in the United Kingdom, Gareth relocated to the United States with his family in 2015. Three years ago, his son began rowing with the Wilmington Youth Rowing Association and has been consistently impressed by the sport's positive impact on him and his teammates. The discipline, teamwork, and personal growth observed in these young athletes inspired greater involvement with WYRA, including efforts to introduce new participants to the sport and support the next generation of rowers.

Professionally, Gareth trained as an engineer in the UK’s defense industry, spending the first decade of his career in that field. Later, he transitioned to a role as a Technical Sales Area Manager before moving to the United States. Gareth's diverse professional background and skill set provides a unique perspective, which is now applied to his work with WYRA to foster youth development through rowing.

Born and raised in Newark, DE, Wes has been involved in the sports world his entire life which led him to choose sport management as his prospective career. While Wes has fairly little direct experience when it comes to rowing, he has plenty of experience when it pertains to youth sports, and hopes to possibly end up in a coaching or mentoring role in his future. Wes attended Tower Hill School and looks to graduate from the University of Delaware in a few months with a double major in management and sport management as well as a minor in Africana studies. With WYRA, Wes hopes to assist in making rowing fun and accessible for everyone who wants to participate, while also expanding on his knowledge of the business aspect of sports organizations and their operations.

As a member of the founding Pizor family, Julie has been involved with WYRA since its inception. In the early days, she served as a coxswain coach, photographer, t-shirt designer, and assistant to Faith. After a decade abroad in England as an office manager for an international IT company and volunteering with nonprofits in Maryland, Julie now resides in Sacramento, CA. There, she recently completed a year of service with AmeriCorps and 916 Ink.

Julie is passionate about nonprofits and their role in creating positive change by fostering diversity, inclusion, and breaking down barriers in local communities.