Gabriela Aleman

Gabriela Aleman is a pre-med biology major.  She is a lifeguard and swim instructor at the Flynn Recreation Complex.  She has been a competitive swimmer since she was 7, all the way up to the Varsity level.  She has been working in her hometown community center pool for the last two years.  As an instructor, Gaby has taught private lessons for kids with little to no swimming experience, skill refinement, and endurance training for kids in various swimming levels and has coached a competitive swim team.  Gaby loves seeing kids develop better swimming skills throughout each class.

Estelle Autissier

Estelle is a freshman pre-vet biology major at BC. She is an American Red Cross certified lifeguard and swim instructor. She swam competitively on a club team based out of Harvard for over 10 years, and she also swam varsity for her high school team. She began teaching last year at MIT, helping both children and adults develop their comfort level and swimming skills in the water. She can't wait to start teaching at BC, and is excited to pass on her knowledge and excitement about swimming to both children and adults.

Alissa Avialov

Alissa is Senior at BC majoring in Communications and minoring in Music. She has been swimming all of her life, and was a member of the Varsity team at BC for two years. She is a certified Water Safety Instructor and has been teaching private and group lessons for the last 6 years. She is comfortable teaching all levels, and loves being with kids. She was also head coach of her hometown swim team for 3 years, which provided her with a lot of experience with kids of all ages and levels. She is so excited to be able to get in the water and see how all of her students progress!

Lauren Baer

Lauren is an American Red Cross certified lifeguard and swim instructor with a passion for swimming and teaching. Growing up, she spent her summers swimming on a swim team from age six through high school. She has taught lessons for the past three years to kids mostly ages 3-14, but has experience working with kids and adults of all ages and levels. Lauren loves connecting with kids to help them develop their swimming skills and confidence, and understands the importance of providing a comfortable and exciting environment in the pool. During her lessons she integrates a variety of skills and techniques while emphasizing the importance of safety and fun!

Katie Berlin

Katie Berlin is a sophomore at BC. She’s been swimming competitively for over 10 years and assistant coaching for four. This past summer she began teaching group and private lessons for kids ages 6 month-15 years and enjoyed it immensely. She can't wait to teach here at BC!

Jason Castillo

Jason will be a junior at Boston College in the fall. He has been teaching swim lessons and coaching for the past two years. In addition, Jason has been competing in the sport of swimming for the past 12 years and currently swims for the Boston College Eagles. He enjoys helping others improve in the water and reach their goals, whether that be getting accustomed to beginner swim techniques or more advanced stroke work.

Jaclynn Cousins

Jacci Cousins is a lifeguard and swim instructor in the Flynn Recreation Complex. She grew up spending her summers at the beach taking swimming lessons. She has taught swim lessons for 4 years.  Prior to becoming a teacher, she was an assistant swim instructor.  Throughout the years, Jacci has taught all ages and levels, from babies to adults.  Jacci mostly teaches younger kids and adults but she enjoys teaching anyone who is willing to learn.

Samara Gariepy

Samara is a Finance and Accounting major in the Carrol School of Management at Boston College. She was a member of club and high school swim teams throughout her childhood, eventually volunteering as coach for her club team. She has been a Red Cross certified lifeguard and swim instructor for the past 4 years. She has taught group and private swim lessons of all levels and aged from preschool to adult.

John Letteney

John Letteney is a certified American Red Cross swim instructor, teaching for four years. As a child, John participated in the same classes that he now teaches.   This allows him to understand how these programs foster a safe and fun environment for all of those who participate. John was a member of the varsity swim team in high school. These experiences have helped John design programs that keep kids attentive and active, allowing them to learn a lot while having a great time. 

Susan Pesanelli

Susie is a student in the Graduate School for Social Work, specializing in Children, Youth and Families to obtain her Master Degree in school social work. She spent her childhood competitively swimming, and obtained her American Red Cross lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor certifications in 2007, when she started teaching group swim lessons to children of all ages. She also specialized in private swim lessons for children with a broad spectrum of disability, and adults with little swimming experience. Susie also excels at teaching more advanced stroke technique, and has been assistant coaching two different swim teams for the past 4 years, along with competitively swimming herself at her undergraduate university level. With a deep passion for helping others and working with children, Susie is an overall qualified, experienced, and exciting instructor to work with.

Mackenzie Soniak

Mackenzie Soniak is a senior studying Clinical Psychology. She has taught swim lesson for almost 4 years and is certified as a Water Safety Instructor. She was a competitive swimmer for most of her life competing at a national and collegiate level towards the end of her swimming career. This taught her a great deal of skills which would make her an excellent instructor for those looking to refine their strokes. However, she has also worked in a variety of summer camps which has given her the opportunity to teach most swim levels. Whether they are swimmers just starting to test the waters or those who have a bit more experience under their belts, her main goal is to pass along her knowledge so that others may find the joy she experienced swimming.

Colin Trepicchio

Colin Trepicchio is a Biology and Human Development major at Boston College. He has been a part of many club and high school swim teams in his hometown of Andover, Ma. He has been certified as a lifeguard and swim instructor for the past 6 years and has taught a variety of swim groups from beginners to experts in the hopes that all groups will come to love the water. Colin mostly teaches children but has taught many adult classes as well.

Gillian Walsh

Gillian Walsh is a sophomore at Boston College.  She swam competitively for 13 years, was the captain of a State Championship team in high school, and is a member of the varsity swim team, club water polo team and also works as a lifeguard at Campus Recreation.   She has been Red Cross certified as a Water Safety Instructor for 4 years and has taught swim lessons for children ages 2-12 at the Meadow Brook Golf Club in Reading, Massachusetts.   She also helped children with disabilities adjust to the water through the EMARC swim program in Reading, Massachusetts. She has had a lot of experience and success with helping younger children get into the water and start to enjoy lessons, and is very enthusiastic about teaching lessons to children of all ages.