Meet
Our Team

Swimming has been a big part of my life – I grew up in the Littleton area swimming at both the summer club level as well as competitively. I started swimming competitively around the age of 12 and swam for Foothills Swim Team excelling in both butterfly and breaststroke events. I lifeguarded and taught swim lessons throughout high school and college. I swam two years at a D1 college (Tulane University) before quitting in order to focus on my academics. I hung up my suit for several years while I started a family. My three children all swam competitively for many years and now that they are grown and in college, I miss being around the pool all of the time. This is why I choose to work at SwimLabs! I also currently work as a statistician at Denver Health full time.

Alex has been coaching swimming since 2009 where he started with his
summer league team. In 2013, he started coaching club swimming for the
YMCA of Columbia Swim Club, where he worked with all group levels from
beginner swimmers to National-level competitors. He also helped start a local
Masters program for the YMCA, the Soda City Swarm. During his time in
Columbia, he taught group and private lessons to swimmers of all ages and
abilities.

 

Alex is a swim nerd in and out of the pool, enjoying learning, talking, and
applying new techniques in the sport. He believes in teaching the core
foundations of each stroke but is most intrigued by figuring out what works
best for each swimmer! Outside of swimming, Alex likes anything related to
fitness and other sports. He played lacrosse throughout middle school & high
school and has participated in a variety of obstacle-course races for the past
8 years. He is extremely excited to be a part of the SwimLabs Team and is
ready to help you develop a passion for the sport! Alex is the Head Coach of
SlipStream Aquatics, a USA Swimming club based out of Littleton. At SSA, he
enjoys being able to help swimmers find balance in both the pool and their
other sports/activities outside of it!

Mary has been an athlete her entire life. She played softball, basketball and volleyball growing up and then played competitive tennis through high school. In college, she discovered running and shortly thereafter became involved in endurance sports through marathon running and eventually triathlon.

Mary has been a marathon and triathlon coach since 2000. She is a USA Triathlon Certified Coach, Ironman certified coach and a Slowtwitch Master Coach and has experience coaching triathlon masters swim programs as well. She loves coaching beginner to intermediate level triathletes for swimming. Her focus is on helping triathletes feel more comfortable in the water, becoming more efficient, and getting more power from their freestyle stroke. Mary has coached hundreds of triathletes to complete races of all distances. She has personally completed 6 Ironman triathlons and 17 half Ironman distance races and the Ultra 520K Canada.

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada her growing years were always active ones. Skiing, horseback riding, swimming, volleyball, camping … and when not participating she was teaching or coaching them. An Elite volleyball player in High School and College. Early adulthood training and showing horses filled the years. Next marriage and motherhood made her cup runneth over…5 kiddos!! And all the parenting, volunteering, coaching and patience that entails. Through it all (last 20 years) swimming has been her happy place. Teaching groups and privates from 6 months to 60 years, she has taught them all. Her specialty though might be the little ones, so rewarding to see them smile with success and gain confidence. If you need references, you could ask any of her 6 pool confident grandchildren! Brenda is very excited to be part of the SwimLabs Family!

Laura Dravenstott has been working at SwimLabs Highlands Ranch for ten years as a LTS, competitive and triathlete instructor. Laura has been a competitive swimmer for four decades, beginning as an age group club swimmer, competing for Harvard University as a D1 sprinter, and then enjoying competition as a Masters athlete. Laura has several National Championship titles for her age group in US Masters Swimming and was a Relay All-American in 2019. Laura and her husband Rob have three children, two who swam for CCHS and CU Boulder’s club team. Laura has been an assistant coach for Cherry Creek High School Girls swimming for three years and has fifteen years of coaching experience with high school and Masters programs.

I have been swimming since I can remember! I am 20 years old and I have been swimming since I was about 5 years old. I took lessons here at SwimLabs and I have since grown a love for the sport. I swam all through high school at Cherry Creek on the varsity team and went on to win the state championship my senior year. When I was 15, I started teaching lessons for my summer club swim team and loved every minute of it. I love how I can share my ability to swim with kids and teach them to grow and become stronger and faster swimmers. I cant wait to continue growing as a swim instructor and continue to help kids feel safer in the water!

Jenny has been swimming since she was tiny and has always loved being a part of a swim team. Growing up in Colorado, she swam for Highlands Ranch Aquatics, Tops and Highlands Ranch High School. She started coaching for the Wildcat Ridge Tigersharks in 2000 and is currently on their board of directors. She is also currently an assistant coach for the Rock Canyon High School girl's swim team. She went to school at the University of Northern Colorado and taught early elementary education before shifting gears to the home front where she takes care of 3 amazing kiddos. As a coach she will always draw from her passion for teaching and working with kids!

A Colorado native, Karin is a former assistant coach from the University of Louisville. Alongside coach Arthur Albiero from 2003-2012, coached two NCAA Division 1 Champions, 45 All American’s, and 8 Olympians. Prior to Louisville, Karin coached National Championship men’s and women’s swimming teams at Kenyon College 2001-2003. In 2019 she was a volunteer assistant to CCHS girls team, her alma mater. Karin had the amazing opportunity to be on the USA Swimming National Open Water Team Staff at the 2012 and 2015 Pan American Games, as well as the 2013 World Championships. She also finished the 2016 70.3 Ironman Chattanooga.

In her free time, Karin mixes up her day with swimming, spinning, hot yoga and being a super auntie! She loves teaching swimming and gets so excited watching kids accomplish amazing feats!

Riley recently graduated from Cherry Creek High School and will be attending the University of Oregon in the fall to study Sports Business. She has been swimming since she was 6 years old. Her swimming career started on her neighborhood swim team, Homestead Hurricanes. Riley also swam for Aces Swim Club for nine years. During the summer she is the 7-8 girls coach for the Homestead Hurricanes. She loves coaching and teaching lessons to help younger swimmers improve!

Liam is a junior at Arapahoe High School. He has lived in Colorado all his life. He did Swim Team when he was a kid. Now he wants to help kids work on life skills such as swimming as well as make it fun for the kids!

Leah is a senior at Arapahoe high school and has been swimming her whole life! She now plays varsity softball for Arapahoe. She is working at SwimLabs to spread the joy of the water and to have fun teaching kids how to swim! She loves kids and always has a great time hanging out with them!

Charlotte is a junior at Littleton High School. She has been swimming since she was four and has loved it ever since. She learned how to swim at SwimLabs and started off swimming with her neighborhood summer swim team, which she now coaches. She swam for the Greenwood Tiger Sharks, Slipstream, and is a varsity swimmer for Littleton High School. Besides swimming, Charlotte is apart of DECA, and loves to paint and draw. Charlotte is excited to share her love for swimming and help swimmers improve!

Kait started to work at SwimLabs after her 6 year old son had been taking swimming lessons here for about a year. She loved the atmosphere and the friendliness of all of the staff and swim instructors. Her family always felt welcome at SwimLabs, and she was especially fond of all that SwimLabs does to help children with disabilities learn to swim! In her spare time, Kait spends time with her husband, son, and dog - exploring Colorado, traveling, and snowboarding/skiing together!

Marley is a Senior at Rock Canyon High School. She is involved with Rock Canyon Swim and Dive. She has been swimming since she was 5 years old. Marley has been swimming competitively since she was 7 years old.

Grand comes to the role with more than ten years of coaching experience and numerous academic achievements. Upon earning his PhD from Auburn University in Psychophysiology, Grand served as a full-time assistant coach at both Auburn and Indiana University, directly working with world-record holders and Olympic medalists. Throughout his experience at the age group, high school and collegiate levels, Grand has played an integral part in maximizing human performance through biomechanics and the physiology of swimming.

Robin got her two daughters in the pool as infants because of her own love for the water and her desire for them to be safe during their beach travels and neighborhood pool time. Her daughters are now varsity swimmers at Cherry Creek High School and year-round club swimmers. In addition to her busy life as a mom, Robin also teaches preschool. She is drawn to roles which allow her to share her knowledge and create excitement for learning, whether it be in the classroom or the pool.

While I don't focus on astrology, I am a Pisces, which may in part account for my love of the water and swimming. I grew up swimming competitively in Tennessee. My passion around all things swimming was reignited through my own two children who started with summer club, with my daughter going on to swim competitively, including as a D1 athlete with the University of Hawaii. I've also dabbled in Masters Swimming over the years. I was recently reintroduced to SwimLabs when I brought my granddaughter for lessons. I'm thrilled to be poolside as part of the SwimLabs team.

I am currently a senior at MSU Denver studying psychology. I have been swimming as long as I can remember and while I’ve never swam competitively I have worked in aquatics for 6 years! I love teaching people the importance of water safety and
swimming!

Caley just graduated Littleton High School and has been swimming since she was 10. She has swam varsity all 4 years in high school and used to swim competitively with DSA. Her favorite stroke is butterfly, and she used to be a lifeguard over the summer. In the fall, Caley plans to study biomedical engineering at Colorado State University. In her spare time, Caley enjoys spending time with family and friends and being outdoors!

I am currently a Senior at Cherry Creek High School and am an FBLA member and officer. I have been swimming since I was five and have been teaching swim lessons for the past two years. I am lifeguard certified and am passionate about water safety as well as stroke refinement and development. I love teaching and love children and am very excited to join!

As a child, Erika had so much energy that shortly after she moved from Japan to a small rural town in Wisconsin, her family doctor recommended swim lessons as an outlet for her energy. Not only did this advice make her parents’ lives easier, but it also introduced her to a sport that has been an integral part of her life for the past 18 years. She is grateful for everything swimming has brought to her, including the opportunity to study at and compete for the University of Denver, winning five consecutive conference titles with her team. Despite her successes, she realizes that her achievements in swimming reach far beyond her medals and championship titles. Swimming has shaped her into the person that she is today and inspired her to share its benefits with others. This motivation led her to SwimLabs, where she hopes to impart not only technical skills but also a love for swimming and a commitment to healthy development and lifestyles.

Faith is a Colorado native who first learned to swim on her neighborhood summer league team. She loved the team environment and challenge of swimming. Then in 8th grade, she decided to join a club team and swim year round. Club swimming made her realize her passion for swimming and the friendships she made there inspired her to try out for her high school swim team at Arapahoe High School, which she participated on for all four years. After graduating from Arapahoe, she attended Metropolitan State University. Now she is a teacher at Ford Elementary. She has a passion for working with children and has experience as a lifeguard and preschool teacher assistant. She enjoys going to the mountains and swimming whenever possible.

Hello everyone, my name is Hannah and I am going into my senior year at the University of Missouri, studying nursing! I’ve been working here at SwimLabs since I was in high school and also learned how to swim here! I was a competitive swimmer from age 5 through high school. Outside of swimming, I enjoy traveling, hiking, skiing, and spending times with my friends and family. I’m excited to be back with my SwimLabs family again!

Juliet began swimming competitively at 5 years old through the YMCA swim team and continued to do so until the age of 15 through several club teams in IL. She continues to swim recreationally in her free time when she isn't running cross country or track for Mountain Vista. Swimming has always been her true love and she is so excited to help kids develop their swimming skills while having fun in the water.

Born in Florida and in a family filled with scuba divers, Kathryn has always had a deep love for the water. She has been swimming for as long as she can remember. Although Kathryn is new to the SwimLabs curriculum, she has been a private lesson teacher since 2019. She finds joy in helping all swimmers, of all ages, discover their courage and love for the water.

Madison graduated from Arapahoe High School in 2023 and currently attends the University of Arizona. Madison swam competitively for nine years, and is so excited to help children enjoy swimming the way she does! Madison works at SwimLabs because she is passionate about working with children and hopes to create meaningful memories and relationships with families.

Taylor is going into her sophomore year at Colorado State University as an Interior Design major, and she has been swimming since she was 9 years old. She has coached for Wildcat Ridge Tigersharks for 4 years and swam on the team for 10 years. She has been teaching lessons for about 3 years and is super excited to teach at SwimLabs when she is home from college. Outside of school and swimming, she likes to spend time with friends and family, listen to music, travel, play volleyball, and go to concerts!