Leadership Team

After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor's in magazine journalism, Laura Hammond returned to her hometown of Rochester, where the fine folks at The Next Step Magazine let her take the role of editor in chief.

Shortly after she settled in Rochester, most of Laura's old high school pals flew the coop for a life of poverty in New York City. Hey, she understands. After living in London, Washington D.C., and traveling around Europe and the Middle East, Laura knows the bite of the city-living bug. But she's convinced you don't need to leave to enjoy where you are.

Laura expects the Rochester-Area 20-Somethings, partly conceived in her favorite Rochester coffee shop, will bring out Rochester's 20 to 29 year olds for great times and growth opportunities, making everyone else wish they'd stayed.

E-mail Laura here.

Matt attended the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is from St. Louis, Mo., and recently moved to Rochester to take a job as Aquatics Coordinator at the Northwest Family YMCA. Matt is an Eagle Scout with experience in community service and social-event coordination.

As a co-founder of the Rochester-Area 20-Somethings, Matt envisions a better community for 20-somethings in the Rochester area. Future goals are to accomplish a Ph.D. in American Military History and to live and work in London for a few years before starting a family. You may have read some of his books. (His pen name is Tom Clancy.)

E-mail Matt here.

Michael grew up in downstate New York, and moved to Rochester in 1996 to study engineering at RIT. After working at Kodak for three years, Michael decided to pursue a career in math education, and is currently a full time grad student and substitute teacher.

In his spare time, Michael enjoys playing various sports, attending concerts, and setting up events for R.A.T.S. Michael plans to help R.A.T.S. continue to expand and and make a positive contribution to providing opportunities for twenty-somethings in Rochester.

E-mail Michael here.

Adrienne attended Daemen College in Buffalo and obtained a BS/MS Physician Assistant degree. Upon returning to her hometown of Rochester, she began playing on several RATS sports teams and became active in planning and organizing many additional events.

Currently, Adrienne works as a geriatric physician assistant under Strong Health. In her spare time she enjoys sports, working out, music, concerts, and tearing up the karaoke stage. Adrienne hopes to contiune improving the community for 20-somethings to live and grow in Rochester.

E-mail Adrienne here.

Originally from Belchertown, Massachusetts, Jason came to Rochester to pursue a degree in Information Technology at RIT. Shortly after graduating, Jason decided to stay in Rochester and accepted a job offer at RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf. (With a hometown named Belchertown, we can't blame him for not going back.) Being at RIT all the time, Jason often hears people complain that "there's noting to do in Rochester," so he took on the roll of webmaster to help spread the word that Rochester really does have fun activities for 20- to 29-year olds.

Jason is an Eagle Scout and volunteers as an Assistant Scoutmaster with Rochester's Tay House Troop 19. When he isn't busy updating the R.A.T.S. and Tay House websites he enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking, and snowshoeing.

E-mail Jason here.