Each instructor at Lil' Guppies is handpicked for their experience and passion for teaching kids how to swim. We maintain a fun and safe learning environment in which every child can thrive in. Meet our certified Los Angeles instructors below and get ready to make a splash.
Lil’ Guppies LA is a mobile swim school only; therefore participants must have a pool/access to one.
Los Angeles Instructors
Amy Diamond
Owner & Lead Instructor
Amy is the owner and lead instructor for Lil' Guppies Swim School. Amy grew up on the East Coast and fell in love with the water at a very young age. She was always the first one in the pool and the last one out! Amy swam competitively from age 8 through college. She competed in butterfly, backstroke, the IM, and freestyle relays and still enjoys swimming on Masters club teams. Amy has always loved working with children so it was a perfect combination of passions to start teaching swim lessons at the young age of 15. Amy has taught lessons for over 25 years and has lifeguarded and coached age group swim teams on both the East and West Coasts. She started Lil' Guppies Swim School in 2006 in Los Angeles, and recently upon relocating in 2020, has established a branch of the school in Sarasota, FL! Amy is also an acupuncturist, children's book author, and mom to two boys, ages 15 and 9. They are the original lil' guppies and love swimming just as much as their mom!
Shawna Watson
Shawna is not only an incredible swim instructor, but a mother of two young boys and an instructional aide for special needs children at a middle school in Los Angeles. Shawna has extensive experience as a lifeguard and swim instructor at both summer camps and privately for the past 7 years. She loves working with children and has a very gentle teaching style. Shawna - just like our whole Lil' Guppies team- believes that swim lessons should be fun as well as educational!
Brad Ulbrich
Brad comes with over 13 years of experience teaching swimming, ranging from infants to adults. Brad has also worked with special needs children with both physical and cognitive limitations. In the past, Brad worked within the Disney Theme Parks playing characters such as Aladdin, Prince Eric, and Prince Charming! Brad's background and experience along with his degree in Child Psychology have instilled in him key instincts when interacting with children of all backgrounds. He was also a competitive swimmer for 15 years and captain of his varsity team. He's got chlorine in his blood! Brad is passionate about teaching swimming for so many reasons - he loves watching someone learn a new skill, especially one as important as swimming. He loves watching people, especially children, grow more confident in themselves, and he loves helping people feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of every lesson.
Sorelle Sussman
Sorelle is a rising junior at Amherst College, MA, studying Psychology and French. She grew up in West LA, but lived in Athens, Greece, from ages 6-9 where she attended the Lycée and learned French and Greek. Sorelle fell in love with swimming by 3 years old, and always found herself by a pool or a beach (surfing, paddle-boarding, or, of course, swimming!). Coming from a family of swimmers and lifeguards, Sorelle became Captain of her High School swim team at Geffen Academy @ UCLA in her Junior and Senior years. During this time, Sorelle also worked at the Collins & Katz Family YMCA in West LA as both a lifeguard and swim instructor to swimmers of all ages (infants - adults). Sorelle loves teaching and creates a safe, playful, and inclusive learning environment for all students. She is patient, kind, enthusiastic, and always brings her best! No matter your level, Sorelle will help you reach your goal and practice safe swimming!
Heidi Zeiger
Heidi is a seasoned swimmer and instructor, and she loves to be around the water! She began competitively swimming in her teens and swam in high school and college for the University of New Mexico. While competing, she also became a swim instructor and lifeguard. After graduating, she continued to teach swim lessons, coach a competitive swim team, and volunteer with the Special Olympics. She has over 9 years of experience teaching children and adults how to swim and always emphasizes creating a safe environment around any body of water!
Ethan Williams
Ethan is an experienced competitive swimmer, free diver, and dedicated instructor with a passion for helping students build confidence in the water. With a background in fin swimming and underwater hockey, where he ranked among the top in the nation, he brings both skill and enthusiasm to every lesson. His expertise in breath control, technique, and water safety ensures that swimmers of all levels can develop strong foundations while having fun in the pool. Ethan is also a skilled underwater videographer!
Maya Gulvady
Maya has been a competitive swimmer for 17 years. She also swam Division 1 at Fresno State throughout her undergraduate career. Maya's favorite strokes are butterfly and freestyle! She has taught swim lessons since she was 15 and has also been an active lifeguard for several years. Maya is extremely passionate about swimming, and loves being able to teach people of all ages. Maya has also had experience working with children with special needs. Her favorite part about being a swim instructor is being able to see the smiles on her students' faces when they progress with a new skill. When not in the water, Maya is working towards her doctorate in Physical Therapy!
Stacey Sackin
Stacey has been teaching swimming since 2000. She has experience with infants as young as 6 months and children of all ages. Stacey's approach is gentle and patient! She focuses on building the essential trust with her students necessary to accomplish big things in the water, while incorporating play to enhance learning. Stacey's experience and natural connection with children is what makes her a terrific instructor on our team!
Meridian Harap
Meridian has loved anything to do with the water since she was a tiny tot! She’s Aussie born and raised so grew up taking Surf Life Saving lessons on the weekend, and has been a competitive swimmer since the age of 8. She’s a recent graduate of Chapman University with a BFA in Theatre Performance, and started coaching swimming in High School over the summer for her community team. She has since worked as a swim instructor for school PE classes, and as a weekly instructor for kids of all ages and abilities. Meridian believes no matter where you are swimming, whether it’s a pool, river, lake, or ocean, knowledge of water safety and respect for your environment will always be important. She cannot wait to teach and share her love of water with her students!
Raychel Ybarra
Raychel has always been passionate about teaching children in the water. She has taught a wide array of children of all ages and adults! Raychel feels that as a teacher it is important to have compassion, patience and understanding for each individual student in order to improve. She looks forward to working with our Lil' Guppies families!
Samuel Avedian
Samuel is a student at Cal State Northridge where he swims competitively. He also played water polo and swam competitively through high school, leading his team as captain, and graduated through the elite Naf Medical Academy program. Samuel loves working with children both in and out of the water! He served as a volunteer teaching assistant in elementary schools and assistant coach to age group swim teams. Samual is speaks Armenian and Spanish as well as English! He looks forward to working with our Lil' Guppies families to ensure all children and families are water safe and can share the joy of swimming!
Jelena Sarac
Jelena is a dedicated swim instructor with experience teaching swimmers of all ages. She specializes in working with young children, helping them build confidence in the water, overcome fear, and develop essential swimming and safety skills. Jelena's approach is one of patience and encouragement, ensuring that each swimmer progresses at their own pace while having fun! In addition to her passion for swimming, Jelena has a bachelor's degree in International Relations and a minor in Russian language, and she also competes on the Women’s Water Polo team at USC.
Toomy Vilai
Ms. Toomy is currently a science teacher for LAUSD and has been teaching for over 15 years. She was a competitive swimmer in all four strokes throughout high school, specializing in freestyle and breaststroke. Ms. Toomy began incorporating her swimming skills and passion for teaching in 2015 to become a swim instructor. She loves teaching toddlers through adults and is always happy to see when students are able to apply the skills they have learned! Ms. Toomy is very athletic and has also participated in soccer, Thai boxing, and hip hop dance!
Sadaf Asjodi
Sadaf is a swim instructor, artist and yoga instructor! With a Master’s in Biophysics, she brings a unique blend of creativity, wellness, and scientific knowledge to her work. Sadaf is passionate about helping others grow and build confidence, whether in the water, on the yoga mat, or through art!
Alison Baker
From a young age, Alison has been passionate about swimming, starting lessons at the age of three at the Lenny Krazelburg Swim School. They later joined the Krazelburg swim team, competing in meets across Southern California. In high school, Alison was a member of the swim team and proudly served as the Captain during the inaugural year at the Girls Academic Leadership Academy. Their love for water and swimming extends beyond personal enjoyment; Alison is a dedicated swim instructor, sharing their knowledge and passion for swimming and water safety with others. They have experience with all ages, including those with special needs. Currently, Alison is attending Cosmetology school at Santa Monica College. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with their dogs and family by the pool, of course!
Grace Metzler
Grace is an award-winning swimmer. She has over 15 years of experience teaching swimming to kids and adults. During the off-season, Grace teaches high school and tutors students. She loves teaching kids to be water-safe. Grace also coaches swimmers and helps people stay fit. Her philosophy is, "You can learn through discipline, hard work, and laughter." Half drill sergeant, half comedian, Grace achieves excellent results. Whatever your goals may be, Grace will help you get there!