Meet the team!
WHO is teaching your kids can be just as important as WHAT is being taught.
Every single person on our team is neurodivergent, and that gives us a HUGE advangtage when working with your kids.
We don't just feel sympathy - we understand on a personal level what is happening in your kids' brains as they learn to exist in the water.
Penny Phoenix
AuDHD
Penny Phoenix
Owner, Founder, Swim Instructor
Penny is the original founder of Zen Penguin Swim School, which she started specifically for the autistic and adhd kids that she saw weren't being served by other swim options in the area. She is updating the website, she's behind every ad you've ever seen, she's usually avoiding the inbox but her favorite and most important position is as a swim instructor in the water!
Swimming since she was 3, Penny has always had a strong love for the water. She swam competitively every summer, and even went on to place at state competitions in high school. She first started lifeguarding at 15, and very quickly realized that she LOVED teaching other people how to love the water. She has taught in nine different states at swim schools, community centers, even air force bases over the last 18 years!
Penny is very snuggly and calm, a GREAT choice for super anxious kiddos who need a softer introduction to the water. She's also wonderful with PDA kiddos who need a lot of autonomy in their journey.
Katie Z
AuDHD
Katie Z.
Operations Administrator
Did you email us? Trying to get on the schedule? You're definitely talking to Katie. She's the master organizer behind our schedule, and works magic to make sure each kid gets in the water with other kiddos who have similar sensory needs, personality types, learning styles, and skill levels! Without Katie, this place would be chaos!
Katie's background is mostly in advocacy work for patients with rare and complex diseases. Paired with her love of paddleboarding and playing in the ocean, she is a perfect fit for our community who often has questions and needs outside the norm that most swim schools expect. We are so lucky that she is a part of our team making our pool accessible to as many kids as possible.
Katie is able to answer any questions you have about signing up, what level your kiddo is, and how everything works behind the scenes. There's no such thing as too many questions, or stupid questions when you're talking to Katie- she is great at making sure every angle of anxiety is calmed when signing your kiddo up for their new adventure!
Sarah M.
AuDHD
Sarah M.
Swim Instructor
Ready to swim? Coach Sarah is waiting for you with a huge smile!
Passionate about working with kids of all ages, Sarah is studying to get her masters in child development at Evergreen State College. While she loves the water now, her experience with learning to swim was probably pretty similar to yours - lots of pressure to do things right ASAP, powering through sensory overwhelm, and overall just not much fun. Through her education, and work in preschools and as a direct support worker, Sarah not only understands her own sensory sensitivities better, but is also able to apply that understanding to her lessons. She can provide a supportive and encouraging environment for every kid who jumps in with her!
Sarah is our fun, bubbly, energetic teacher! She can keep up with our wildest kids without even breaking a sweat! She is a great choice for kiddos who learn best through play and games, and kids who need someone that actually understands all the sensory input they're experiencing, especially when just starting out on their journey with the water!
Stephanie B
Autistic
Stephanie B
Swim Instructor
Time to get in! Coach Stephanie is waiting to chill out in the water with you!
With over 10 years of experience, Stephanie is a rock solid part of our team. Stephanie's years of swimming on a team make her an excellent coach especially with our more advanced swimmers.
Stephanie is a great choice for kids who appreciate direct, calm communication. She loves answering questions, and helping kids move through their anxiety to conquer the skills they need to reach their goals.
