about us
COMFORT CONFIDENCE COMPETENCE
At Charlotte Aquatics, our company culture is centered around the 3 C’s: comfort, confidence and competence.
When a child masters the 3 C’s of swimming it translates into a lifetime of fun and exercise.
Every member of our staff is a dedicated professional, who genuinely cares about the students they instruct.
Leadership Team
Kelly Gaines
Owner and Big Fish
Kelly Gaines, Owner and Big Fish
Kelly is is a licensed Physical Therapist and has a degree in Nutritional Sciences. She is a passionate advocate for children and an avid promoter of water safety and drowning prevention.
Kelly is thrilled and proud of the quality instruction and valuable skills that her team at Charlotte Aquatics provides. Kelly sits on the board of Safe Kids Char-Meck, is a member of Stop Drowning Now, Hope Floats, and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.
She was named Aquatics International Power Person for 2019, received the Humanitarian Award from the US Swim School Association in 2017, and was named the 2012 member of the year for Safe Kids.
Katie Benton
Lower Level Coordinator
Katie Benton, Lower Level Coordinator
Ms. Katie joined our team in 2014. As the Lower Level Coordinator, Katie is responsible for training all of our staff and teaching assistants.
She adores working with children of all ages and watching them learn to love and respect the water.
Katie has one daughter, four brothers, two cats, and one dog. Katie is a recipient of the United States Swim School Associations 2016 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.
Stephanie Tomalis
Director of Operations
Stephanie Tomalis, Director of Operations
Stephanie is Charlotte Aquatic’s Director of Operations. She has a BA in Psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
She has been working with children since 1997 in school settings, camp settings, church programs, and aquatic programs. Stephanie has helped make children Safer, Healthier, and Smarter™ at Charlotte Aquatics since 2001.
As the Program Director, Stephanie is responsible for overseeing the entire program at CA, as well as, hiring and scheduling. Her passion is teaching and working with our students with autism and special needs.
Stephanie is a wife and a mom to two very athletic daughters. Stephanie was named as an Outstanding Manager from the USSSA in 2016.
Kathryn
Upper Level Coordinator
Kathryn, Upper Level Coordinator
Kathryn, was born and raised in North Carolina. She has been working with children for over ten years, swam competitively through her college years, and coached her neighborhood swim team for three years.
Kathryn has her BA in biology from Lenoir Rhyne University. In addition to swimming, Kathryn enjoys working with animals and children; her passions are teaching and caregiving.
“Working with children is a blessing,” she says. In her free time, she loves doing outdoor activities with her family and close friends.
In the future, Kathryn hopes to finish nursing school and travel around the world helping those in need.
Shelly Wickerd
Asst. Director of Operations
Shelly Wickerd, Assistant Director of Operations
Shelly is our Assistant Director of Operations and joined the CA family in 2013. She grew up in California and was a competitive swimmer for nine years. She leads our office team and enrollment specialists.
Shelly enjoys spending time with her friends, family and her dog, Hemet. Shelly was named as an Outstanding Manager from the USSSA in 2018.
Gigi Graham
Infant/Toddler Coordinator
Gigi Graham, Infant/Toddler Coordinator
Ms. Gigi was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where she graduated from Sao Paulo University with degrees in General and Physical Education. In Brazil, she was a teacher, as well as, a swim and volleyball coach.
Gigi joined the Charlotte Aquatics team in 2006. As our Infant/Toddler Coordinator, Gigi is responsible for growing the program and training our infant/toddler instructors.
Gigi is an official with USA Swimming and has a daughter that is a competitive swimmer. She is a recipient of the United States Swim School Associations 2012 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.
Customer Experience Team
Megan M.
Customer Experience Manager
Megan M., Customer Experience Manager
Megan, who has been with Charlotte Aquatics since 2017, is an Instructor and our Weekend Manager.
She swam for her neighborhood swim team for 11 years and enjoyed coaching alongside her big sister during her final season.
She first started working with children when she gave private swim lessons at her community pool at the age of 16. As a lifeguard, she understands the importance of safety and thinks that swimming is a skill that all children need to know.
Megan is the recipient of the United States Swim School Associations 2018 Outstanding Upper Level Instructor of the Year Award.
Addison
Customer Experience Specialist
Addison, Customer Experience Specialist
Addison grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. She plans to graduate from UNCC with a degree in Psychology, and go on to be a Certified Child Life Specialist.
She admires the open and fun view children have on life, which fuels her desire to work with kids! She enjoys going on mission trips, and volunteering with special needs individuals.
She spends her free time with friends and family, and her sweet dog Zeus. She also loves to hike and travel to places with clear water for snorkeling!
Meghan U.
Customer Experience Specialist
Meghan U., Customer Experience Specialist
Meghan works in the office as our Senior Customer Experience Specialist. She was born in North Carolina, but moved around during her childhood, spending most of her life in Pennsylvania. She attended Penn State University, where she was part of the honors program.
After she graduated, Meghan moved to Charlotte with the rest of her family. She has a twin sister and a younger brother. Meghan enjoys sports, especially soccer; she was part of a soccer team throughout her school years. She loves to laugh and always enjoys helping others.
In her free time, Meghan likes to read, write, and spend time with her sister and her bird, a cockatiel named, Peaches.
Swim Instructors
Devyn
Swim Instructor
Devyn, Swim Instructor
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Devyn grew up being curious and competitive.
He has been a competitive swimmer for 18 years. From 2013-2017, he competed with Queen’s University of Charlotte and won 3 NCAA D2 Championships.
Prior to that, he won two high school championships. Devyn works hard to stay focused on his goals and always finds the time to give back to the community.
Lexie
Swim Instructor
Lexie, Swim Instructor
Lexie has been with CA since 2017. She developed a love for the water ever since she started swim lessons at just 18 months old.
She spends most of her summers poolside with her friends or one of her three siblings.
Olivia
Swim Instructor
Olivia, Swim Instructor
Olivia attends and swims for South Meck high school. She also plays club volleyball. When she realized she wasn’t coordinated enough to play soccer she decided to try year-round swimming. She fell in love with the water the minute she began swimming.
Olivia enjoys hanging out with her little siblings and painting. She also loves playing board games but she’s very competitive. She loves kids and wants to go to Chapel Hill to be an Occupational Therapist.
Deborah
Swim Instructor
Deborah, Swim Instructor
Deborah joined the Charlotte Aquatics team in 2009 as an instructor. She has a degree in business administration from Appalachian State University.
After graduating college, Deborah worked as a flight attendant for fourteen years before making the decision to be a stay at home mother to her two wonderful children. Deborah adores teaching and says working with children is a joy.
Lily
Swim Instructor
Lilly, Swim Instructor
Lily joined the Charlotte Aquatics family in 2015 as a deckhand and is now an instructor. She is originally from Hawaii and now goes to school at Queens University of Charlotte, where she is majoring in English Literature. Being a lifeguard and taking care of children as a summer camp counselor has grown her love of both teaching and the water. She loves swimming, hiking, reading and playing rugby. Not to mention spending time with family and friends.
William
Swim Instructor
William, Swim Instructor
William was born in Mexico but moved to North Carolina as a child. William is the son of Mr. Mike and maintains that he taught Mr. Mike everything he knows about swimming!
William is an avid soccer fan. He is also a rugby player and spends his free time staying active through sports.
William is a recipient of the United States Swim School Associations 2018 Outstanding Instructor of the Year Award.
Kristen
Swim Instructor
Kristen, Swim Instructor
Kristen, who has a degree in elementary education, has been part of the CA Family since 2013.
She has always enjoyed working with children. She has worked as a volunteer and traveled to Guatemala many times over the past eight years to work in orphanages and do mission work with her church.
Kristen is a recipient of the United States Swim School Associations 2016 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.
Megan C.
Swim Instructor
Megan C., Swim Instructor
Bio coming soon!
Leila
Swim Instructor
Leila, Swim Instructor
Leila was born and raised in Greensboro, but moved to Charlotte in her freshmen year of high school.
She plans to graduate with a major in criminal justice and hopefully become a cop! She’s been around children her whole life as a daycare teacher, a Sunday school teacher, and a Babysitter.
Leila loves to spend her time helping others and putting smiles on people’s faces. She also loves the great outdoors and hopes to see the world one day.
Mike
Swim Instructor
Mike, Swim Instructor
Mike has been with Charlotte Aquatics since 1999 and is a recipient of the United States Swim School Associations 2011 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.
Mike has always enjoyed swimming. His love of water earned him a swimming scholarship to Appalachian State University where he later became the assistant swim coach.
He has a degree in educational media and is a national board-certified teacher in business education.
Mike is married to a wonderful wife and has two sons (both of whom work at Charlotte Aquatics).
Teaching Assistants & Deckhands
Jessica
Teaching Assistant
Jessica, Teaching Assistant
Born in San Diego, California, Jessica grew up around water – both saltwater and chlorine. Jessica grew up on a pool deck observing both her brother and sister swim competitively, as well as, play water polo.
When Jessica was old enough, she joined a swim and water polo team of her own. Jessica has been working with children since the early age of 12, in addition to now raising her own family with her husband.
Jessica hopes to teach her son how to swim at an early age and eventually go on to swim competitively as well.
Megan N.
Teaching Assistant
Megan N., Deckhand
Megan, a teaching assistant, joined the Charlotte Aquatics team in 2017.
Megan loves being active and making new friends! She’s been on many different sports teams such as cheerleading, soccer, gymnastics, and lacrosse.
Megan loves spending time with family and friends, and loves to babysit!
Samantha
Teaching Assistant
Samantha, Swim Instructor
Samantha was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. She is a teaching assistant at Charlotte Aquatics. She currently attends Charlotte Catholic High and swims for her school team. Samantha has been swimming for over eight years!
She enjoys spending time with her friends and family and loves being around children!
Christian
Deckhand
Christian, Deckhand
Bio coming soon!
Julia
Deckhand
Julia, Deckhand
Bio coming soon!
Grace
Teaching Assistant
Grace, Teaching Assistant
Grace swims for Varsity Charlotte Catholic High School swim team. She has been swimming since she was 8 years old.
When she tried basketball and soccer it never felt right, but when she got into the water it was just right to her.
Grace loves swimming, hanging out with friends and family, and just having a fun time. She loves kids and knows in the future she would like to do something with education.
Kaylan
Teaching Assistant
Kaylan, Teaching Assistant
Kaylan joined the CA family in 2017. She started as a deckhand, quickly became the lead deckhand – training all new hires.
She then trained as a teaching assistant because she loves working with the students. She has been swimming since she was little and loves it as a relaxing hobby.
Jane
Teaching Assistant
Jane, Teaching Assistant
Bio coming soon!
Nora D.
Deckhand
Nora, Deckhand
Bio coming soon!
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