Just Swim Staff
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Summer Swim Registration COMING SOON
Executive Director - Dana Wascher
Executive Director - Dana Wascher
A competitive softball player turned dedicated "swim-mom," Dana has fully embraced the community of competitive swimming. After earning her BS in Physical Education & Exercise Science, she brought both her athletic background and academic foundation to the sport. Taking over the day-to-day operations of Just Swim Charlotte in 2017, Dana found her calling and truly embracing the culture of swimming. After the toll the pandemic took on families all over the area, it became more important than ever to give back to the community and reignite the summer swim programs that were suffering from the pandemic loss. Seeing firsthand the importance – both physically and emotionally – that swimming brought to her family, it was important to Dana to bring these same values and benefits to her community.
Her efforts paid off and in 2023 she was recognized as a recipient of the prestigious ‘President’s Volunteer Service Award’, logging over 1200 volunteer hours in 2022 while overseeing the expansion of the summer league from three to eight teams, and over 450 participants during the season. Currently serving as the Executive Director of Just Swim, Dana is committee to ensuring that the organization serves the needs of the community, from the beginners to the masters and everyone in between.
Officially trading in her cleats for her whistle, these days you will find her on the pool deck, microphone in hand, dressed to the nines in her bright orange staff shirt and running like Flash through another swim meet; never losing sight of her goal to expand Just Swim to communities all across Charlotte and bring the love of swim to families. Dana lives in SW Charlotte with her husband, Coach Jason, and their three children.
Operations Assistant - Jess McGuire
Operations Assistant - Jess McGuire
Jess grew up playing tennis and never considered herself a strong swimmer, which is exactly why she understands how important learning to swim can be. She believes swimming is more than just a competitive sport. It is a lifelong skill that promotes safety, confidence, health, and personal growth at every age. From young children learning to be comfortable in the water to adults discovering swimming later in life, Jess loves seeing how the sport can positively impact entire families.
As the Operations Assistant for Just Swim, Jess helps keep the many moving pieces of the program running smoothly behind the scenes. She supports day-to-day operations including registration, scheduling, family communication, volunteer coordination, program organization, and administrative support for coaches and leadership. Jess works hard to create a welcoming, organized environment so swimmers, families, and coaches can focus on growth, teamwork, confidence, and having fun in the water instead of worrying about logistics. Jess is especially passionate about helping families feel connected and supported throughout their swim journey. She understands that joining a swim program can sometimes feel overwhelming for new families, and she enjoys helping create a positive experience from the very beginning. Whether answering questions, organizing information, or helping programs stay on track, she takes pride in making things easier for both parents and coaches.
Outside of Just Swim, Jess enjoys reading, crafting, hiking, traveling, and playing tennis. Most importantly, as a mom of two swimmers, she has seen firsthand how swimming can help children develop confidence, resilience, discipline, friendships, and lifelong healthy habits. Watching her own children grow through the sport continues to inspire her work and reinforces her passion for helping other families experience those same benefits through Just Swim.
Program Engineer & Software Dveloper - Braeden Coughlin
Program Engineer & Software Dveloper - Braeden Coughlin
Braeden’s technical background in aerospace engineering and computer science shows up in his desire to take on new problems and make things easier using technology. His work involves building predictive models and software for airline maintenance workflows. Other branches of his experience involve utilizing computer vision to detect features in street view images. Braeden has been part of the Just Swim family for 5 years. He first got a taste for the program as the honorary 6th member of the Wascher family, and has since been a recurring computer manager during meets as well as a frequent builder of tools around the summer swim experience.
Braeden is a cross country runner at heart, but having helped track Planters Walk Swimathon laps with a dynamic tracking sheet he built, he handed it off and even participated last summer, much to the dismay of his body later that day. He loves to be involved with something wherever he goes, whether that means solving problems behind the scenes, supporting swimmers & families at meets, or finding new ways to help the program grow. A lifetime scouter and outdoor enthusiast, Braeden brings curiosituy, dedication and a servant hearted approach to everything he does at Just Swim.
Aquatics Operations Coordinator - John Hopkins
Aquatics Operations Coordinator - John Hopkins
John brings over 25 years of experience in industrial equipment sales and a "can-do" attitude to the Just Swim team. From installing complex equipment to painting a warehouse, John is a true multi-talented professional who is always ready to jump in and help with whatever needs to be done around the pool.
John first joined the Just Swim community when his daughter participated in the summer league. Looking to stay busy and helpful, he quickly became an essential part of the team, finding a passion for the camaraderie of race days. He thrives in the energy of competition, handling everything from event setup to breakdown, and finds the most reward in watching swimmers gain confidence and improve their skills.
Self-described as a "dry land" specialist, John jokes that he is the 4th best swimmer in a 3-person household. While he may stay out of the water, he is a constant presence on the deck, carrying equipment, fixing what needs repair, and lending a hand wherever his expertise is needed to ensure every event runs smoothly.
Special Projects Manager - Kamryn Wascher
Special Projects Manager - Kamryn Wascher
While she is a familiar face on the pool deck as one of our lead instructors, Kamryn also plays a vital role behind the scenes on our leadership team.
Kamryn holds a B.S. in Psychology with minors in Biology and Medical Sociology from Wingate University, and she is currently continuing her medical education in Nursing. In addition to her coaching role, Kamryn serves as the Special Projects Manager for Just Swim. In this capacity, she leverages her extensive aquatic skillset and academic background to lead program development and lifeguard training, ensuring the highest standards of excellence across the organization.
Photographer - Lia Reichenbach
Photographer - Lia Reichenbach
Lia is currently pursuing a degree in Management with a concentration in Human Resources at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. With three years of photography experience, Lia specializes primarily in sports and event photography while also working with graduation sessions, senior portraits, and lifestyle shoots. In addition to photographing local athletic events, Lia has also worked with several local band programs throughout the area.
Lia has served as a photographer for Just Swim for the past two seasons and is excited to continue into a third season. Through working with Just Swim, she has developed a passion for capturing the dedication, emotion, and energy that athletes bring to the pool every day. She values the opportunity to preserve meaningful moments for swimmers and their families while contributing to a positive and encouraging team environment both inside and outside the water!
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