Board of Directors

President and Co-Founder

Rachel Mastin is a Pediatric Nurse,  President of Starting Blocks Foundation and Vice President of the Milford Area Swim Team. As a former Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse, she has seen firsthand the heartbreaking effects of drowning while taking care of near-drowning patients. She is passionate about everyone learning how to swim because drownings are preventable, and she is excited to be an educator and advocate for this cause. On weekends, you will most likely find her cheering on her daughter at swim meets. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, volunteering at her daughter’s school, working in her home bakery, traveling and spending time with her family. 

Vice President and Co-Founder

Matt Mastin is the visionary behind Starting Blocks Foundation and is excited to serve as the Vice President. Matt became interested in swimming after watching his daughter swim for her club team, and at age 40, Matt began taking swimming lessons and also became a USA Swimming Stroke and Turn Official. Matt is a 20-year veteran of the software industry and in his off-time enjoys swimming, watching his daughter compete, running and traveling. 

Treasurer

Justin Roberts serves as the Treasurer for Starting Blocks Foundation. As the father of two young boys, he is passionate about the next generation. Since receiving his BA and MBA from the University of Cincinnati, he has served in marketing and media management roles for the last 14 years. Currently, Justin leads Global Media Strategy for Sazerac. He also served for 14 years in the United States Army as both an enlisted soldier and Commissioned Officer. In his free time, you can likely find him at a local baseball field, running or reading a book.

Secretary

Susan Kelley-Fernandez is the secretary of Starting Blocks Foundation. A former classroom teacher, she is the mother of three young adults, all of whom began many years of swim lessons by their third birthdays. She passionately believes that skills learned in swim instruction protected her children while at home, in the care of others and while traveling, and that water-safety knowledge contributed to their employment as camp counselors. Susan is an independent property manager and a volunteer with the Cincinnati Art Museum who enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her husband and large, extended family.