Charley Sullivan, PhD, is a leading US Rowing Coach with more than 30 years of highly successful coaching at the college, junior, masters and elite levels.

In 20 seasons at the University of Michigan, working with Gregg Harstuff, Charley led the Michigan Men as they became the dominant men’s club program in the country, winning multiple national championships, and sending athletes to the US National and Olympic Teams. Gregg and Charley also coached the USA Men’s Eight to a Gold Medal at the 2015 World University Games.

His 2017 University of California at Santa Barbara Men’s Varsity Eight won the ACRA National Championship, and Charley was named both the WIRA and ACRA Head Coach of the Year. He was also selected as the USRowing Collegiate Coach of the Year in 2013.

Charley was the founding Women’s Head Coach at Eastern Michigan University, and has also coached women’s programs at the University of Kansas and Temple University.

At the junior level, Charley has coached at the Peddie School, Deerfield Academy, Woodson High School, South Kent School, Groton School and Hun School. He has worked and consulted for Master’s programs in Ann Arbor, Chicago and Northampton.

Following his retirement from college coaching, Charley was named the Vice President of Rowing at Row New York. Mentoring a staff of more than 20 coaches, he led RNY back from the COVID pause and developed a competitive culture that fully supports the holistic development of each participant. RNY now consistently wins NY State Championships and qualifies multiple crews for Youth Nationals.

Charley is a pioneer in American athletics, likely the first openly gay man to be an NCAA Division I Head Coach in any sport, and a founder of the American Collegiate Rowing Association and the Equality Sports Alliance, a national professional organization for LGBTQ+ and ally coaches and athletes.

Throughout his career, Charley has mentored both athletes and coaches, and he now brings his experience and knowledge to help you build the winning program you can envision.