Candidates for 2026 CCC Board

New Candidates Announced.

The Nominating Committee is proud to present to the CCC membership the following candidates for the open positions on the 2026 Board: Education Chair, Membership Chair. Electronic voting begins on November 12 and ends November 27th.

The Bylaws of the CCC allow for other candidates to step forward.  CCC Bylaws:

Anna Ploghoft for Education Chair

I have been around paddling for long as I can recall.  Some of my earliest memories are of riding passenger in my dad’s canoe with our black lab Sally while he navigated the rapids of the Upper Haw. Every summer, my family attended the CCC’s Week of Rivers, where we would spend our time paddling, hiking, horseback riding, or sightseeing.

It was quite a while before I took much interest in whitewater beyond this yearly excursion. I distinctly remember one time after my mom and I tipped our ducky and swam on the Nantahala, loudly declaring, “ I was never going to paddle again.”  I think I was nine. Eventually, my older sisters, who had been in their own duckies for a few years, graduated to kayaks. They made it look so fun that I was obligated to follow as little sisters do. Being too small to use my dad’s old Mirage, I attended the NOC kid’s whitewater summer camp and have been kayaking ever since.

After moving back to NC in 2016, I reconnected with the club, and that’s when my paddling really started to progress. I ran my first class V that September on the Upper Gauley. Some of my favorite rivers include the New River Gorge, the Tellico, Wilson Creek, and FB9. While the Upper Gauley is the biggest river I’ve ever run, I usually have more fun on rivers which are more technical rather than big water.

Candidacy Statement for Education Chair

During college, I worked for UNC Greensboro’s Outdoor Adventures as a whitewater kayaking instructor and trip leader. There I gained an appreciation for how effective instruction can transform a paddler’s confidence and sense of belonging. The experience shaped my views on progression, safety, and community in outdoor sports – values that continue to guide my involvement with the Carolina Canoe Club.

In recent years, I have become more deeply involved in the club, leading trips and recently earning my ACA Level 4 Whitewater Kayaking Instructor certification. Building on this momentum, I helped initiate the CCC mid-week instructional roll sessions to provide members with accessible, low time-commitment instruction and to make paddling more approachable for newcomers. These sessions have not only encouraged new paddlers to get involved through instructor-supported gear lending but also created a more inclusive, comfortable entry point into the club community for new members.

As Education Chair, my goal will be to strengthen the club’s educational offerings by focusing on Novice and Intermediate paddlers, those who already have their own gear but seek to refine their skills and gain confidence on the water. With the strong network of instructors within our club, I see a real opportunity to expand our instructional variety and concentrate on advancing the skills of our existing members through more diverse and challenging intermediate clinics.

Brittany Van der Linden for Membership Chair

Hi, I’m Brittany Van der Linden. I absolutely love the water. Swimming, waterskiing, snorkeling, tubing, canoeing, wave jumping, and sailing – if it’s on the water, I’m in. Last year, I added whitewater kayaking, and I was hooked immediately. The water is a special place. Peaceful lakes, flowing rivers, or ocean waves – I’m happy.

I grew up in Chicago, near Lake Michigan, and on Long Island Sound. I graduated from Washington and Lee University in 2000 with a degree in European History and concentrations in Theatre and Accounting. Since graduating, I’ve been in banking, business planning, blogging, web design and graphic design. My husband and I live in Charlotte, NC, and have three children. Our girls are the bookends, and our son is an amazing Kayaker. So, I’ve been around whitewater kayaking for many years. I didn’t start myself until I got an email last year saying that family members could kayak with the kids in Austria for graduation with a Class 3 solid roll. I have no idea why I jumped right on this, but I did. I took my first lesson at the NOC last summer, and I was absolutely hooked. No, rolling was not easy for me at all. Some days I can’t believe I stuck with it, but I am so glad I did.

I joined the CCC right away and followed it with the TVCC, the GCA and the FPC. Being part of a community like the CCC is so important for both new and experienced paddlers. Seeing all the opportunities for instruction and social gatherings is so welcoming and makes it easier to get started if you’re new to a paddling sport, and to make friends after a move.

I was lucky to have a lot of instruction and some wonderful friends who helped me in the year between when I started and the big day in May of 2025. I’m also fortunate to live just 30 minutes from the Whitewater Center. My favorite local river is the Nantahala, and I’m a new Ocoee boater and pretty much obsessed. I’d love to spend more time on the French Broad and Chattooga. I’ve been able to paddle the Ottawa, the Lower White Salmon, the Chattahoochee, and, of course, the River Inn / Imst Gorge in Austria. I did it! It’s been a pretty incredible year. I’m a big fan of practicing hard moves in easy water, working skills on any water, rolling daily, safety, and having a strong crew and a lot of fun! This coming year, I have some big goals and would love to get instructor certified, complete some pretty cool step-up runs into class 4, enter my first freestyle competition, learn to whitewater SUP, start sea kayaking, and learn to paddle a raft.

Like I said, I love the water! My other big goal was to become more involved in the CCC!

Candidacy Statement for Membership Chair

I’m running for Membership Chair to help more people in and around the Carolinas find community and true friendship, build skills and confidence, and most importantly, experience both peace and joy on the water. As Membership Chair, I’ll pair outreach with clean, up-to-date records: clear renewal reminders, work on easy online sign-ups, and provide quick reports at board and member meetings. I’ll work closely with the Treasurer to streamline and modernize payments. I’m really good with spreadsheets, websites, and data. I do everything in spreadsheets. I love them.

I’d be most excited about the opportunity to connect with existing members, reach out to new paddlers, and welcome them. I’ll connect on the water, through social media, and at public events. I want to find more ways to celebrate renewals and sign-ups with incentives and expand the rewards available to members through business partnerships. I’ve got lots of ideas and would love to hear from members about what they want. My goal is simple: keep data organized, joining easy, renewing automatic, and belonging irresistible. I’d love the opportunity to serve on the CCC Board.

Nominating Committee

Joe Berry, Alton Chewning, Shannon Slayton