SwimAtlanta: John's Creek - Staff
Instructor Biographies
Jennifer Williams
Jennifer is the Swim School Manager for the John's Creek location. Jennifer has been teaching swimming lesson since 1994. She started as a competitive swimmer at the age of 10 and swam thru college. Jennifer attended Georgia Southern University where she received a degree in Communications and a minor in Public Relations. Jennifer has worked at SwimAtlanta since 1995. She enjoys the laid back atmosphere and the unpredictability of the children. She enjoys helping people achieve their goals and improve their skills. Her hobbies include cooking, playing Texas Hold'em poker, making people laugh, and eating steak and potatoes.
Lisa Couts-Creech
Lisa has been working for SwimAtlanta since 2003. She is a mother of four who holds an undergraduate degree in Business Education and a Masters degree in Business. Lisa enjoys teaching all ages and abilities. Lisa is a certified lifeguard and has been teaching swimming lessons since she was twelve years old; she is very experienced and works well with children who have disabilities. Lisa’s favorite part of teaching is watching her students accomplish skills they once struggled to achieve. In her free time, Lisa enjoys watching the Cleveland Browns and Notre Dame, traveling across the country to different amusement parks, camping and spending time with her children, Kayla, Steven, Andrew, and John Wayne.
Jake Crowe
Jake is a swimmer on one of Swim Atlanta’s top competitive groups. He has been swimming since he was a baby. He coaches a neighborhood swim team and enjoys teaching all levels. He enjoys watching the children improve. Jake enjoys racing, eating shrimp, and anything hiking related.
Deborah Donahue
Deb is one of our most experienced instructors. She has been teaching for over 30 years. She is trained as a CPR Instructor, a First Aid Instructor, a Water Safety Instructor, a Water Safety Instructor Trainer, and an Emergency Medical Technician. Deb has the most amazing personality. She is always positive and happy and helps all of employees every chance she gets. She loves the kids and is always willing to work in the office or on the pool deck. Deb can work with any age or ability level and particularly loves when her students are as enthusiastic as she is. Deb received her B.S. in Physical Education from the University of Massachusetts and a Masters degree in Education from Springfield College. In here free time, Deb enjoys traveling to the Caribbean with her husband Dave, participating in water sports, playing with her dogs, and reading mystery novels.
Michael Leary
Michael Leary has been in the swimming community since 1973. After taking lifeguarding and swimming classes at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina he knew that he wanted to work in the aquatic industry. Michael became an essential part of SwimAtlanta’s teaching staff in 1999. He has worked at both SwimAtlanta Sugarloaf and John’s Creek. Michael received a B.S. in Biology and then went into respiratory therapy. He then became certified to teach CPR, First Aid, and lifeguarding. Michael enjoys tennis, swimming, camping, and spending time with his three children Julian, Megan, and Elgin.
Seth LeBaron
Seth has been teaching swimming lessons since 1997. Seth started in Gwinnett County at Bogan Park and in 2003 he transferred to SwimAtlanta. Seth is a Eagle Scout and has certifications as a Lifeguard, a Water Safety Instructor, and in CPR and First Aid for the professional rescuer. Seth loves to watch his students grow and gets satisfaction from proving to a child that anything is possible. No matter what kind of mood Seth is in, his children always uplift his spirit. He looks forward to work each morning because he never knows if the day will bring a hug, a drawing, a card, or delicious baked goods. Seth is currently going to school full-time and is majoring in education with plans to become a school teacher. Seth considers himself a big kid at heart. He enjoys reading, playing video games, and drinking coffee.
Jackie Murtha
Jackie Murtha is full-time student at Chattahoochee High School. She has been on the SwimAtlanta team for the past five years and is training to join the National team. She is a very hard worker and hopes to become a physical therapist. She started teaching children how to swim in her neighborhood after she became lifeguard, first aid, and CPR certified. Jackie enjoys working with children of all ages. Since she is a successful competitive swimmer, she can work well with all levels. She is a hard worker and is very focused on helping kids to accomplish their goals. She enjoys reading historical fiction novels, playing with her German Shepherd Ginger, and eating as much as possible.
Katelyn Radick
Katelyn is an Early Education student at Kennesaw State University. She has worked in the office since 2001 and just recently started teaching lessons too. Katelyn has always enjoyed being near the water and used to swim on her neighborhood swim team. She loves to see the children succeed and feels like working at SwimAtlanta will help her in her future profession. Katelyn enjoys watching television and making new friends. She is great in the office working with customers and is a wonderful asset to the SwimAtlanta team.
Ronnie Chad Shirley
Chad has been teaching since 1987. He began his swimming career as a competitive swimmer. He became a certified lifeguard at an early age and continued guarding at Cumberland College, where he also received a scholarship to swim. He has been an employee of SwimAtlanta since 1996. Chad has worked in all aspects of swimming. He started as a swim lesson instructor and is now coaching several of the younger swim team levels. Chad enjoys working out, eating at new restaurants, watching Heroes and Ugly Betty, and spending time with his friends.
Chris Strauss
Chris has been around swimming since high school. Once her two children were in school she wanted a part-time job and loved the friendly atmosphere at SwimAtlanta. She has always been a swimmer and taught preschool for 6 years. She loves teaching children and watching them complete skills they once disliked. Chris enjoys teaching lessons because she has the opportunity to be an individual. She likes to spend her free time playing with her two kids Zachary and Sydney, eating sushi, and attending church.
Jessica Straut
Jessica is a vibrant student at South Forsyth High School. She is a member of the cross country and swim team. She has been swimming all of her life and began competitive swimming at the age of six. She started as an assistant coach and instructor in 2003 in her neighborhood. She joined the SwimAtlanta staff in 2006. Her competitive swimming background has helped her to transition into teaching lessons. Jessica prefers to work with grade-school aged swimmers and enjoys teaching them correct stroke techniques. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her twin sister Ashley, reading the Harry Potter series, and eating chili.
Tara Travieso
Tara is a senior at South Forsyth High School. She began swimming summer league at a young age and started swimming year round at SwimAtlanta during her sophomore year. She enjoys helping children and building their confidence. She loves how rewarding teaching is and works best with younger children. Tara knew she wanted to teach swimming lessons at a young age because she was once terrified of the water. She loves listening to music, watching movies, drawing, and spending time with her family.
Irene Sunghee Yim
Irene is a full time student at GeorgiaTech where she is studying to become an architect. Irene began teaching at SwimAtlanta in 2003. She has swam competitively since elementary school, making it an easy transition to becoming a swim instructor. Irene is a certified Water Safety Instructor and is a valued asset to the SwimAtlanta team because she speaks fluent Korean. She loves to teach all ages, especially adults. She is a very enthusiastic person and brings her bright energetic attitude to all of her students. Irene still enjoys swimming for fitness.