Meet Our Staff

Mr. Paul is a third generation swim school manager and proud parent of 2 little swimmers of his own; Adrienne and Anastasia. He has been a member of the United States Swim School Association since 1996 and has been teaching swimming lessons since 1987. As a licensed pool and spa maintenance contractor, Mr. Paul makes sure all of our pool equipment is in tip top shape! As busy as he is, Mr. Paul still finds time to be the head coach for our AQua Wave Otters competitive swim team. In addition, Mr. Paul has specialized training from the United States Swim School Association as an instructor for children with Special Abilities. He is also CPR/LG certified.

Mr. Will has been with Aqua Wave since summer of 2019. Not only is he a swim instructor, but he was also a former student along with his brother. In high school, he played water polo and swim and even traveled to Croatia to play against Croatian teams and learn new skills from them. He is CPR/LG certified and works well with children of all ages and abilities. Mr. Will is currently in college studying mechanical engineering and he eventually want to work in large power plants or facilities. Some of his interests are working on cars, Xbox, Star Wars, studying history, and following baseball. “Go Angels!!!”

Mr. Jack was our main lifeguard for 4 years before becoming one of our instructors. You can find him working with your little ones in their lessons or taking care of the facility chores. Being a kid at heart himself, he has great patience with children and enjoys being around them. Mr. Jack is also CPR/LG certified.

Miss Azi discovered her love of sports by being a scholar-athlete in high school and has found an excitement in helping guide your little ones to learn and grow through swimming. She works well with children of all ages and abilities and is also CPR/LG certified. She graduated high school with honors and is currently a full time college student working towards a degree in criminal psychology.

Mr. Todd has been teaching at AQua Wave since 2001. His calm and soothing personality helps his students feel comfortable with him and the water, even if they enter into lessons feeling unsure. He is very good at pushing children to their full potential without pushing them too hard. Todd works well with children of all ages and abilities, and he is trained through the U.S. Swim School Association to teach children with special abilities. He is also CPR/LG certified.

Miss Lindsay previously worked for AQua Wave for 10+ years, doing all the things, but her favorite role was as a swim teacher. After a stint in the corporate world, she is excited to get back in the water again. She loves working with all ages and levels, building confidence and trust in the water, all while having fun! For those experienced swimmers, she also enjoys refining and helping improve techniques in all strokes. She works well with kids of all ages and abilities and is CPR/LG certified.

Miss Brianna has taught swimming professionally since 2013. She swam competitively in High School and played water polo. She loves teaching all levels, and enjoys helping children identify and get over their fears in the water. Miss Brianna teaches children how to swim with a firm but gentle hand. She works well with kids of all ages and abilities and is CPR/LG certified.

Kristen has taught swimming professionally since 2011. She first joined AQuaWave in 2012 to fulfill her love of working with children. Kristen enjoys working with all levels of children from parent and me, all the way to stroke development. Her versatile teaching style allows her to take each child’s personal needs and adapt to them. She is able to show, even the most uncertain child, how to love the water, while maintaining a happy and constructive class. Miss Kristen works well with children of all ages and abilities.

Miss Debra has been teaching swimming for MANY years now. She started teaching in Mililani, Hawaii in 1981, then moved to California in 1985 and became a Southern California Swim Coach with SoCal Aquatics for 30 plus years. She graduated from Riverside City College in 1996 with a AA in Early Childhood studies then went Fullerton Junior College and played water polo and swam for the college for two years. She graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. She is a Native American Indian from the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians /Acjachemen Nation from San Juan Capistrano. LOVE Green Bay Packers! Grew up in many different places because her father was in the United States Air Force. She was one of 13 siblings and second to the oldest. High school Alumni is Logan View High School from Uehling, Nebraska in 1973. Miss Debra is also CPR/LG certified.

Mr. Connor has been at home in the water since he was one, which lead to serenity and confidence both in and out of the water. Connor has been teaching kids since 2011, taking several instructor positions, including the Gracie Barr Instructor Course and Dana Point Junior Lifeguards. His extensive background with kids allows him to present the course in a personalized and encouraging way for each child. He keeps them engaged with intentional and interactive teaching. He works well with kids of all ages and abilities, is CPR/LG certified, and as well as in the process of learning ASL.

Miss Amanda has been working with children since the age of 15. She has spent time coaching both swim and water polo with kids of many ages and enjoys interacting with your little ones. She is CPR/LG certified and has since branched out to join our office staff. Currently, Miss Amanda is a full time college student with an AS in Health Science and an AA in Liberal Studies. She is continuing to work towards a BA in Child and Adolescent Development with a minor in Nutrition.

Miss Laura has three adult children, two of which are in college, so she loves to interact with your little. She has a background in leadership, business management, and customer service and is also our office manager. Her favorite pastimes are reading, road trips, and adventures with her kids. Miss Laura is also CPR/LG certified.

Miss JoAnn has worked with children for over 15 years. She has worked for “The Goddard School of lake Forest” and spent several years as a nanny to Foothill Ranch families. She is CPR, First Aid, and Lifeguard certified as well as a certified water aerobics instructor. She works the front desk and leads our H&T classes.

Miss Mandie has been with AQua Wave since March of 2020. She began her journey with us in the office and has since found a love of the water and became an instructor. She has worked in early childhood education for over 20 years and enjoys being around young children. She primarily teaches Parent & Me classes and is now branching out into other class types. She looks forward to working with your little ones. Miss Mandie is also CPR/LG certified.

Miss Diane has been with the AQua Wave family for many, many years. Every one of her five children swam here, and now we are happy to have such a creative mind in our office. She is our “designated decorator,” which means all of the decorations you see for the holidays were hand chosen and put up by her! She also did the border of our bulletin board and much, much more! Now, her grandchildren swim with the Aqua Wave family.

Miss Lily is currently a member of our office team. She is a full time college student whose favorite past times include listening to music, spending time with friends and family, and shopping.

Miss Rhiannon started swimming at AQua Wave when she was 6 months old. Since then she has gone on to join swim team in high school, which solidified her love for swimming. She is CPR/LG certified and works well with children of all ages and abilities. She is currently a full time college student working on a degree in forensic psychology.

Marla is our amazing executive director. Her parents founded the Blue Buoy Swim School in 1956. She has spent many decades refining her spectacular teaching techniques and training other instructors how to love children and the water as much as she does. First at Blue Buoy, and now here at AQua Wave, she has had a lasting effect with every family and staff member that comes through the door. As a member of the United states Swim School Association, Marla was instrumental in developing the USSSA Infant/Toddler Certification Program used by swim instructors around the world. Her contribution to AQua Wave lives on in the water and in our hearts. She is currently living her life overseeing AQua Wave with her dedicated husband, Paul Blauman.