Our Instructors
Amy - Founder
Amy grew up on the East Coast with an unshakeable love for the water, always the first one in the pool and the last one out! After swimming competitively from age 8 through college, she began teaching swim lessons at just 15, and never looked back.
In 2006, she turned that lifelong passion into Lil' Guppies Swim School in Los Angeles, with a simple mission: get as many kids as possible safe, confident, and happy in the water. The original Lil' Guppy, leaving a big splash behind!
Shawna
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
Brad comes with over 15 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.
Heidi
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 10 years of experience teaching children and adults how to swim and always emphasizes creating a safe environment around any body of water!
Samantha
Samantha Granados (an LA native) has been teaching swim for nearly 20 years in both New York and Los Angeles. She swam competitively from a very young age through college in NY. Naturally, she became a water educator; Samantha has taught every kind of lesson to an array of students and levels, from ages 6mo to the elderly. She is particularly trained with those who face mild to severe anxiety around the water. Her goal is to help all her students learn to love the water, as it will always be a lifelong safety skill and body therapy tool. Samantha focuses on water safety, stroke work, technique, and even water fitness, such as water aerobics.
Maya
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!
Leena
Leena has been a competitive swimmer for 10 years and loves to be in the water. After attending San Diego State University for undergrad, she learned how to surf and now enjoys both the pool and the ocean. Leena has taught swim lessons since she was 16 and really loves
helping others achieve their goals, whether it be water safety or improving technique. Leena has worked with students of all ages and abilities. Her favorite part of the job is witnessing how
much progress students make throughout the lessons and how rewarding that feels to students, their famiies, and the instructor! Leena is currently a first year dental student at UCLA and is hoping to join the club swim team there.
Toomy
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!
Alyssa T
Alyssa has over 12 years of swimming experience, starting with private lessons before competing on a club team from ages 9–14. She went on to swim all four years on her high school’s Division 1 Varsity Swim Team and continued her career on her community college swim team for two years.
Over the past three years, she has taught swim lessons to children ages 3–14 in both private and group settings at a summer swim camp. Alyssa tailors her instruction to each swimmer’s skill level and learning style, with a strong focus on proper technique, water safety, and building confidence in the water.
She is patient, attentive, and committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where each swimmer can feel comfortable, improve, and enjoy the learning process.
Emma
Emma has been in the water ever since she can remember. She learned to swim at a young age and grew up taking swim lessons at her summer camp. She started teaching swim lessons at age 14 and ran the swim instructor program at her camp, where she trained the counselors to teach swim lessons. She has taught students of all ages and leads with patience, understanding, and the ability to provide modifications. She is also currently working as a lifeguard and dance instructor. Emma is excited to get to work with the Lil Guppies Family!
Alyssa L
Alyssa is a former member of the Fresno State Swim and Dive Team, where she swam competitively at the NCAA Division 1 level for all 4 years. She has swam for a total of 17 years and has coached competitive club teams in Clovis and Simi Valley for 5 years. Her primary events were butterfly and individually medley, but she loves teaching all strokes and levels of swimming and water safety! Alyssa also has previous experience as a lifeguard and teaching private lessons with all ages. Currently, Alyssa is working towards receiving her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, and has worked with children with special needs and a variety of different populations along the way. Alyssa's favorite part about being a swim instructor is helping everyone reach their goals and getting to be a part of that special journey!
Gregory
Gregory is a Los Angeles native and lifelong competitive swimmer, water polo player, coach, and swim instructor. He has extensive experience teaching students (including his daughter) of all ages and brings a deep passion for aquatics to every lesson.
With a background as both a coach and schoolteacher, Gregory combines strong instructional techniques with a patient and engaging approach. He has served as both JV and Head Coach for boys’ and girls’ aquatics programs at Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, and Calabasas High Schools.
Gregory focuses on building confidence, developing strong fundamentals, and creating a positive environment where swimmers can grow, improve, and enjoy the process.
Andrea A
Andrea is an Argentinian/American swim instructor and lifeguard who has experience working in schools, summer camps at the beach, and with students privately at their homes. Andrea has previous experience as a Spanish teacher, Kindergarten & Preschool teacher, and Teacher's Assistant, and also has extensive experience working with children with special needs. Andrea's passion for children and education doesn't stop there!
She has been a babysitter and nanny, and is also a dance professor and actor. She performs and teaches musical comedy, story telling, puppetry, arts & crafts, and cooking for over 20 years, both in the States and abroad. Andrea has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with each and every student!
Emery
Emery brings over 22 years of experience as a swim instructor, teaching students of all levels, from beginners to advanced swimmers, ages 3 through adults. His instruction includes stroke development, foundational skills, and diving, including deep-water techniques.
Emery is passionate about helping students become confident and independent in the water. He takes pride in guiding each swimmer at their own pace, creating a safe and supportive environment where they can build skills that last a lifetime.
Celeste
Celeste has spent her life in the water, with over 12 years of experience in water polo. She competed at the Division I level at California Baptist University for five years and later played professionally in Greece.
She brings extensive experience in swimming instruction, working with students ages 4–14 in private, semi-private, and group settings, and helping athletes prepare for Junior Olympics. She is comfortable teaching all age groups and skill levels. Celeste has also been a lifeguard for seven years and currently serves as a senior lifeguard. In addition, she works as a Registered Nurse, bringing a strong focus on safety, awareness, and care to every lesson.
She is passionate about helping swimmers build confidence, develop strong technique, and feel comfortable in the water in a fun and supportive environment.
Hanna
Hanna is a dedicated swim instructor with over six years of experience working with toddlers and young children. She has taught swim lessons in both family and preschool settings, helping children build comfort and confidence in the water.
She brings a warm, patient approach to every lesson and believes swimming should be a fun, positive experience. Hanna focuses on water safety while creating a supportive environment where each child can learn, grow, and enjoy the process!
Ana
Ana is a University of Southern California graduate with a lifelong background in aquatics. She began lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons at 16 and has since developed strong expertise in water safety, emergency response, and personalized instruction.
She has taught swim lessons through USC, where she created structured lesson plans and helped swimmers build confidence, develop foundational skills, and refine technique.
With a background in competitive swimming, Ana works with students of all ages and skill levels. She is known for her calm, supportive approach and her ability to build trust quickly while delivering consistent progress.
Ana’s goal is to help every swimmer feel confident and comfortable in the water—and to make each lesson both productive and enjoyable!
Andrea R
Coach Andrea has over 5 years competitive swimming experience, and was varsity swim captain. She has over a year of swim teacher and lifeguard experience, but has been working with kids since she was 12. She is from Pismo Beach, California, and enjoys going to the gym, tide-pooling at beaches, hiking, coloring, and anything adventurous. She uses her own background and skill set to ensure lessons are practical, safe, and fun!
Katia G
Katia has been passionate about the water from a young age and brings over 10 years of experience as a swimmer, surfer, and swim instructor. She has worked with swimmers of all ages and skill levels, from young beginners learning water safety to advanced swimmers improving technique and confidence in the water.
With a patient, energetic, and encouraging teaching style, Katia focuses on creating a fun and supportive environment where swimmers feel comfortable while continuing to grow. She uses play-based learning to keep lessons engaging for younger swimmers while helping them build strong foundational skills and confidence in the water.
Her favorite part of teaching is watching swimmers overcome fears, gain confidence, and develop a lifelong love for swimming!
Each instructor at Lil' Guppies is handpicked for their experience and passion in teaching students how to swim, be watersafe, and accomplish their goals in the water. We maintain a fun and safe learning environment in which every student, regardless of age or skill level, can thrive!
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*Lil’ Guppies LA is a mobile swim school only; therefore participants must have a pool/access to one.