USRowing Foundation Welcomes Four New Trustees

USRowing is proud to announce the appointment of four new Trustees to the USRowing Foundation (USRF): Mark Berwick, Jonathan Durham, Faith E. Gay, and Matt Knifton. These accomplished leaders bring a powerful combination of entrepreneurial drive, legal excellence, investment expertise, and deep personal dedication to the sport of rowing.

“Our newest trustees reflect both the breadth of professional excellence and the depth of personal commitment that define the rowing community,” said USRowing Foundation Chair Bill McNabb. “Their collective experience will help guide the USRowing Foundation as we expand access, strengthen athlete pathways, and secure the future of the sport across the country and through LA2028.”

Mark Berwick

Mark Berwick is an accomplished investor and trusted strategic advisor to funds, family offices, and companies. He has spent the majority of his career in private equity, and more recently as a senior executive in family office management. 

A passionate advocate for collegiate rowing, Mark played a central role in mobilizing alumni support to successfully reinstate Stanford’s men’s and women’s lightweight rowing programs after they were cut in 2020. He helped found The Rowing Association, Stanford Rowing’s booster organization, and serves as a key liaison among the athletic department, alumni, and donors. 

Mark’s great-uncle is Paul Costello, a three-time Olympic gold medalist who captured titles at the 1920, 1924, and 1928 Olympic Games, including two gold medals with doubles partner John B. Kelly, Sr. 

Jonathan Durham

Jonathan Durham rowed at Harvard under legendary coach Harry Parker, graduating in 2004 after winning two IRA National Championships. He has remained deeply engaged in the sport and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Friends of Harvard & Radcliffe Rowing, the alumni organization that supports training, travel, and equipment across all four Harvard rowing programs.

Professionally, Jonathan is a Managing Director and Global Head of Technology Buyouts at General Atlantic. Before joining General Atlantic, he spent 16 years at Silver Lake, where he focused on large-scale technology investments.

Jonathan lives in Miami, Florida, with his wife, Alexis, a former Harvard tennis player, and their two sons, Cole and Dover, who have chosen golf and baseball over rowing (so far).  

“The discipline of rowing — especially under Harry Parker — gave me everything, said Jonathan Durham. "It's a privilege to support US Rowing, especially in the lead-up to LA 2028.  Go USA!"

Faith E. Gay 

Faith E. Gay is a founding partner at Selendy Gay, a nationally recognized New York City trial law firm. Over a distinguished legal career spanning four decades, she has served as lead counsel in dozens of high-stakes jury trials and guided Fortune 500 companies, senior executives, and government agencies through major crises and investigations. Prior to co-founding Selendy Gay, she co-chaired the trial practice at one of the nation’s leading litigation firms and previously served as a highly respected federal prosecutor.

A lifelong athlete, Gay rowed collegiately at Yale University and Duke University in the 1980s. She returned to the sport a decade ago as a masters sculler in Cooperstown, New York, where she now competes and serves on the board of Otsego Area Rowing. In addition to her legal and rowing pursuits, Gay is also an ordained minister and a private pilot.

Matt Knifton

Matt Knifton is the owner of the Texas Rowing Center, a premier rowing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboard operation in Austin, Texas. A former rower at the University of Texas, Knifton made the bold decision to leave a career in law to pursue his vision of building a thriving rowing center and community hub in Central Texas. Under his leadership, the Texas Rowing Center has grown into a nationally recognized program serving both youth and adult competitive athletes.  Knifton also formed and serves on the boards of two rowing nonprofits: Texas Rowing For All, which provides rowing for people with disabilities; and TRC High Performance, which trains and supports elite rowing athletes with national team aspirations.

Knifton trained under Igor Grinko at the Occoquan Training Center in Virginia during the early 1990s and continues to row competitively on the Masters circuit. His lifelong commitment to the sport, combined with his entrepreneurial leadership, brings invaluable grassroots perspective to the Foundation.

A full list of USRF Trustees can be found here. 

About USRowing Foundation   

The USRowing Foundation is the official fundraising arm of the United States Rowing Association (USRowing) and the U.S. National Team. Trustees of the USRowing Foundation use their personal and professional contacts to grow the USRowing fundraising pipeline– providing opportunities for individuals, foundations, and corporations to support USRowing initiatives and priorities through individual philanthropy and corporate partnerships. For additional information about the USRowing Foundation: tracy.brown@usrowing.org