Kristin Gary

President

I was born in NYC but grew up in CT where I started swimming at the tender age of 6 for my local country club team. In high school, I swam for the Westport Y Water Rats and Wilton Y Wahoos. Happily, I went on to college and swam for Duke University. I took an 11 year break from swimming before realizing that I needed to get back into the water. Step aerobics and Jane Fonda workouts were not my definition of exercise. I have been a member of Red Tide since 2000, a board member since 2004 and President of the Board since 2005. I proud to swim for Red Tide but most of all, I love the community that it fosters both in and out of the pool.

I still enjoy the competitive side of swimming and love to travel to the National and International meets. You can usually find me bleary eyed at John Jay in the morning as I continue my love/hate affair with am workouts. During non-swim times, I moonlight as a dealer in Old Master and 19th Century paintings, drawings and sculpture.

Sara Upton

Vice President

Sara Upton has been a member of the Red Tide board since 2005 and currently serves as the team’s Vice President. If you have not met her in person, you have probably met one of her on-line avatars, Info@redtidenyc.org and/or That-person-who-contacts-you-regarding-billing-issues.

When not in the pool, Sara commutes between the US, Europe and Asia for her family business, which specializes in the manufacture of home décor accent pieces. She lives in the amazing borough of Brooklyn with her domestic partner and their beloved Norwich terrier, Murray.

Sara is a huge fan of the USMS mission to welcome swimmers of all levels and abilities to the wonderful sport of swimming. She is grateful for the friends she has made through Red Tide and looks forward to swimming with them for years to come.

Sue Wager

Treasurer

I have been a member of Red Tide since 2008, when I joined after a 21-year hiatus from swimming. Boy, what changes swimming has gone through in the past couple of decades…!

My swimming career started at a young age in Connecticut and continued through my college years at University of Richmond. Though once a middle distance freestyler, I have re-invented myself as a sprinter in my Masters years.

When I am not in the pool, I work trading commodities, a business I have been involved in for 23 years. Not surprisingly, I enjoy most water activities, such as scuba diving and surfing, as well as land-based pursuits including yoga and travel.

Rowan Mestecky

Secretary

1 joined Red Tide in 2003 just in time to sign up for the and my first training trip!

This adventurous spirit (or foolishness depending on your point of view) has since led to the distinction of my being on every training trip since and happily, to the forming of lasting friendships within the team.

I found Red Tide after nearly drowning in a muddy lake in my first triathlon. I have always loved water, and thought I could swim, but nothing could prepare me for how much room for improvement there was, or how much joy and fun there would be in seeing my technique improve within the camaraderie of a team.

I love to compete, I think I can blame both my brothers for that, and have always played sports. Growing up in the UK, Netball was my game, and I played on a local and regional level. After moving to the USA, and before I thought I would have a go at Triathlon, I studied martial arts and have a black belt in Taekwondo. I never swam competitively before Red Tide, indeed when I joined I was out of breath after thrashing my way down one lap of the pool.

When I am not swimming I am designing children’s sweaters for my own company, Eyespy baby and hand woven scarves and apparel for Lemlem which takes me bi-yearly to Addis Ababa. I have been on the board since 2008 and am happy to give back to a team that has given me so much. I am a great believer that swimming is a sport for everyone.

Jim McSpriit

Coaching Co-ordinator

Jim McSpiritt joined Red Tide in the fall, 2002, after a brief gap from any form of organized swimming of 26 years. In the years since, he has worked his way up to lane 3 where you'll find him in the pool 2 to 3 times a week, enjoying freestyle, struggling through the other strokes and cursing kick sets. He usually swims 2 meets a year, a scm meet in the fall to discern how much longer a 100 takes in a meters race and scy in the spring to measure the aging process. He looks forward to the open water season and happily notes the sea change in the team's attitude to those who enjoy swimming subject to the whims of the tides.

Out of the pool, Jim is a lawyer, currently the Chief of the New York City Law Department’s Economic Development Division, which plays a central role in advising New York City on economic development matters and negotiating major development projects. Prior to returning to the Law Department in May, 2010, where he had previously served in the Economic Development Division and as Deputy Chief of the Municipal Finance Division, he was Corporate Vice President and General Counsel of the Phipps Houses Group, the nation’s largest non-profit developer, owner and manager of affordable housing. Jim is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He lives in Battery Park City with his wife and son.

Barbara Charles

Board Member

I wish I could say I swam competitively since childhood but in fact I joined Red Tide in 2001 or 2002 as a fitness lap swimmer. I had much to learn. Since I am the oldest member of the team, I had to relearn 3 of the 4 strokes.

They were all done differently "before the flood". The 4th stroke,Butterfly, was something I wanted to learn before I died but I figured I would die first. In the last 9 or 10 years I actually learned to fly.

I love Red Tide and am proud to be a board member. I feel very maternal toward the team. We all work hard in the water but have a lot of fun at the same time. I'm thrilled to keep the team buzzing and am happiest in the water.

Reid Ching

Board Member

Originally from Hawaii, Reid grew up swimming in the ocean and competitively throughout high school. After a long hiatus, he returned to the pool, joining Red Tide in 2006. He joined the board in 2009 as its coaching coordinator and has since taken on the meet coordinator responsibilities. This means that after nagging coaches, he will now begin harassing swimmers to sign up for meets.

When not swimming or at Red Tide board meetings, Reid can sometimes be found working in the NY office of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He enjoys travel, bodybuilding, and baked goods. Reid lives in Brooklyn with his partner and memories of their former doberman, Psylocke.

The competitive yet inclusive culture of the team has kept Reid involved with Red Tide, and he, like many other swimmers, has developed great relationships with his teammates both in and out of the pool. He strongly encourages anyone interested in the sport to try it out.

Eleanor Rachel Luger

Board Member

Though I grew up in Southern California, a mile from the Pacific Ocean, I only began swimming around six years ago. I got hooked on open water while training for the New York City Triathlon. After the event, I found my way to Red Tide, when I decided to concentrate on open water. I have served on the Board for four years; I am happy to help out the team.

I came to New York originally to write about dance and eventually I became the news editor at Dance Magazine. When the dance bubble burst—government money for the arts dried up—I switched to areas of nonprofit administration that were more in demand: health care, community development and human services. For the last seven years, I have worked as a communications and fundraising consultant to nonprofit organizations.

I have an undergraduate degree from UCLA and an MPA from the Wagner School of Public Administration. I met my husband, Ted Gottlieb, in a pool.