Swim Instructors
Sharon Charles
Ms. Sharon has been teaching water safety and instruction for over forty years. She has taught every level from water readiness to competitive swimming and every age from infant to the elderly. Ms. Sharon has been teaching at Charlotte Aquatics since we opened our doors in 1996. In 2011, Ms Sharon was the recipient of the United States Swim School Associations 2011 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award. Ms. Sharon is like the “Fish Whisperer”. She can calm a fearful child and engage them in the water. As Sharon says, being a grandmother to six has taught her to think like a kid. Out of the water, her hobbies include tropical fish (no surprise), gardening, playing video games, and studying the stock market.
Gislene Graham
Ms. Gigi was born in Sao Paulo Brazil, where she graduated from Sao Paulo University with degrees in General and Physical Education. She taught school and coached swimming and volleyball for 17 yrs before moving to Miami Florida in 2002. Gigi gave private lessons in southeast Florida until 2006, when she married, and moved to Charlotte with her husband. In 2008 they added daughter Gabriella to the family. Since 2006, Ms. Gigi has enjoyed teaching children how to swim at Charlotte Aquatics. Ms. Gigi gets results and has truly inspired the 3Cs (comfort, confidence, and competence) in our students. In 2011, Gigi was the recipient of the United States Swim School Associations Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.
Tara Neltner
Ms. Tara joined the Charlotte Aquatics team in February 2007 bringing 18 years of teaching and aquatics experience. Her career began at a young age with swimming lessons and progressed through college where she swam competitively for Centre College of Kentucky. Not only is Tara a certified Water Safety Instructor (WSI), she is a Red Cross certified Lifeguard Instructor. A native of Kentucky, she transplanted to North Carolina with her husband 10 years ago. Along with teaching swim lessons, Ms. Tara is a stay at home mom to two wonderful children.
Cara Sicilia
Ms. Cara is a graduate of Winthrop University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutrition & Dietetics. She joined the Charlotte Aquatics team in 2007 as a Teaching Assistant. Cara has since completed her Water Safety Instructor (WSI) training. Cara has a great ability to infuse fun with learning. She is comfortable teaching all ages and the kids love her. So do we!
Deborah Spivak
Ms.Deborah swam competitively as a teen and has loved the water ever since. She is a graduate of Appalachian State University, where her love of people and great personality landed her a career as a flight attendant for USAir. When not teaching children how to swim, she raises her two children, Ryan and Sierra. And yes – they are on a local swim team! Deborah has a gift for working with children and is very active in her community, volunteering at Weddington Elementary School and her local church.
Allison Schaub
Allison grew up on the east end of Long Island, NY where she has been a swim instructor for over 13 years. She has also been a lifeguard, an aquatics director and swim coach as well. She is a graduate of Stony Brook University where she majored in Anthropology. Allison swam competitively on a USS Swim Team from the age of 5 to 18 and LOVES to be in the water. In addition to teaching kids and adults to have fun and be safe in the water, she also loves to follow sports (GO YANKEES!) and be outdoors. Allison has moved to North Carolina to join the Charlotte Aquatics family. We are excited to add her great personality and expertise to our team.
Kristin Stapleton
Ms. Kristin is a graduate from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and will soon be attending a nursing program at Carolina’s College of Health Sciences here in Charlotte. She has been in the pool since being a toddler and swam competitively for multiple years. She has been a lifeguard and swim instructor since 2007. Kristin loves any type of physical activity and is excited to help children become more active!
Rachel Newbury
Ms. Rachel is currently a student at Queens University. She has been on a swim team for nine years and breast stroke is her specialty. Rachel just received her Water Safety Instructor certification through the American Red Cross. When she is not swimming, Rachel loves to play the violin.
Mike Wasserman
Mr. Mike has been swimming since he was five years old. Mike’s love of water and swimming capabilities earned him a swimming scholarship to Appalachian State University; where later, he became the assistant swim coach. Mr. Mike has been teaching at Charlotte Aquatics for over ten years and is a recipient of the United States Swim School Associations 2011 Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award. He has a degree in educational media and is a national board certified teacher in business education. During the mornings and early afternoons, Mike teaches business education courses at Rocky River High school. He then heads to Charlotte Aquatics where he loves teaching swimming lessons and the kids love him. It’s always a fun time in the pool with Mr. Mike!
Rebecah Johnson
Ms. Rebecah, a home schooled high school student, is in the middle of ten children who have almost all swum on a swim team. She has swam nine, going on ten years and loves butterfly. She hopes to one day teach in Africa, where she wishes to be a missionary. Rebecah loves being around kids and feels she has found the perfect job!
Mary Johnson
Ms. Mary is a nursing student and working towards a BSN. Her first memories are of playing in the hose with her dad as a toddler and has been around water ever since. She is one of the oldest children in a family of 10 and is also the older sister of Miss Rebecah. She has been working with children since she was very young and was a nanny before she became a WSI. Mary swam competitively year-round for 7 years and enjoys teaching all ages from toddlers to adults. She loves all things outside from hiking to boating, especially in the mountains.
Wendy Maillet
Ms. Wendy is a graduate from Winthrop University with a Bachelors degree in Music Education. She currently teaches K-5 music at the Military and Global Leadership Academy, in Charlotte. She is a Charlotte native where she still resides with her husband and two sons. Wendy swam competitively for 14 years for various teams. In addition to swimming, she has coached swim team for 7 years, taught swim lessons for 10 years and lifeguarded. She is very excited about joining the Charlotte Aquatics team.
Rob Scott
Rob has been in the US for the last 2 years after moving from the UK. He first brought his daughter, Pippa, to the Toddler Classes at Charlotte Aquatics. Once she graduated to swimming on her own, he felt the pull of the water, combined it with his love for imparting knowledge, and became an Instructor. He hopes his enthusiasm for water safety will help develop the next generation of safe swimmers.
Molly Patterson
Molly grew up in Oregon and spent most of her youth swimming or playing water polo. She also coached both of these sports as well as running an adaptive aquatics program for several years. Molly moved to Charlotte 14 years ago and worked as a Nanny as well as teaching adaptive swimming skills to several Autistic Children. She taught at Charlotte Aquatics for several years and then took a break to become certified as a Labor and Postpartum Doula. Molly is now happily back teaching at Charlotte Aquatics. She is still empowering moms and dads at births, as well as continuing to work with several Autistic Children. She loves to see kids become confident in their ability, and most of all discover that they can have fun while learning to swim!
Kathryn Sheffield
Kathryn is a graduate of Appalachian State University with a bachelor’s degree in health promotions. She swam competitively for 10 years and was a lifeguard, swim team coach, and swim instructor for the YMCA for several years. Kathryn thoroughly enjoys working with children and aging adults! She enjoys the outdoors best, especially the North Carolina mountains.
