Hi there, I'm Kristen! I am the founder and lead instructor of Little Ripples Academy, a lifelong aquatics professional, Water Safety Instructor, swim coach, lifeguard and passionate advocate for water safety and access to aquatic opportunities in our community.

Learning to Love The Water

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My journey with water safety began at the age of four, when I learned to swim through Miss Jackie Nelson's swim lessons at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I couldn't have known it at the time, but that experience would become the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the water.

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Throughout my childhood, I took every opportunity I could to swim. Whether it was in my own backyard pool, my grandparents' pool, a friend's pool, the ocean, the Indian River Lagoon, or one of Florida's beautiful springs, one thing became crystal clear:

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The water is my happy place.

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Becoming a Lifeguard and Swim Instructor

In high school, I joined the Bayside High School swim team, where I had the honor of earning my four-year athletic letter. One of the most memorable moments of my swimming career came when I competed in my final regional competition at the very same pool where I had first learned to swim. It felt like a full-circle moment—and a reminder of just how deeply aquatics had become a part of my life.

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In 2007, I earned my first lifeguard certification, followed by my Water Safety Instructor certification in 2008. Over the years, I had the opportunity to work in a variety of aquatics and recreation roles, including lifeguarding, swim instruction, coaching, and recreation leadership.
 

I've worked with swimmers of many different ages, abilities, and experience levels, and those interactions taught me one of the most important lessons I carry into my teaching today:

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There is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning how to swim.

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Every swimmer comes to the water with their own story. 

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My job isn't to force every swimmer into the same mold. It's to meet them where they are, help them discover what they are capable of, and give them the tools and encouragement they need to just keep swimming.

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Finding My Way Back to Aquatics
 

In 2017, I took a step toward building something of my own, branching out independently as an instructor but life took me in a different direction and I spent several years focusing on my family life as a stay-at-home mom.

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In 2023, I found my way back to the water.
 

After learning about a local drowning tragedy I reached out to my old home away from home aka the Palm Bay Aquatic Center to see if I could help teach lessons again. The following month I was getting recertified and began working to expand access to swim lessons in our community. 

I had the opportunity to work under the City of Palm Bay's Recreation Department offering group and private Learn to Swim lessons, building and leading seasonal aquatics programing such as Toddler Time and Swim Clinics to bridge the gap for swimmers who wanted more time in the water outside traditional lessons, and reviving the recreational summer swim team as The Barracudas (formerly The Piranhas and The Predators). In an effort to reach more local families, I also briefly partnered with AquaMobile to provide at home lessons throughout Central & South Brevard.
 

Before long, I realized I wanted to build something of my own that reflected the way I believe swimming should be taught and gave me more control. Something centered around water safety, confidence, education, encouragement, and a genuine love and respect for the water.

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That vision became Little Ripples Academy.
 

I established Little Ripples Academy as my own business, obtained the necessary insurance and credentials, and continued building programs that could grow alongside the needs of our community.

Why Little Ripples Academy?

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My approach to teaching and coaching is gentle, encouraging, and swimmer-centered. I want my swimmers to feel safe enough to try new things, supported enough to make mistakes, and proud enough to recognize their own progress.

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At the same time, I believe in teaching children to respect the water not fear it which is why water safety is at the heart of everything we do.
 

And for swimmers who fall in love with the water the way I did,
I want there to be somewhere to go next.

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That's why Little Ripples Academy isn't just about beginner learn to swim lessons. The vision has always been to develop opportunities for continued skill development and enrichment, expand access to water safety education, and provide aquatics programing for homeschool and competitive swimmers that allow the next generation of aquatics to continue growing.

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More Than a Swim Instructor

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My work with aquatics doesn't stop when I leave the pool deck.

I'm passionate about expanding access to water safety education and aquatic opportunities throughout Palm Bay and South Brevard. I've become increasingly involved in advocating for the programs, facilities, and community resources that help families have access to safe swimming opportunities.

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Because I know firsthand what access to the water can mean.
 

The water helped shape the person I became. I want today's children to have the same opportunities to learn, explore, build confidence, discover a passion, and perhaps someday look back and realize that the water became an important part of their story, too.
 

Whether I'm teaching a nervous beginner how to put their face in the water, celebrating a swimmer who just mastered a new skill, on deck with a megaphone coordinating a swim meet, or at a meeting advocating for our local government to Save The Pool, I feel incredibly lucky be part of the local aquatics community. 

Bringing It All Full Circle
 

I started swimming at four years old
 

& Began swimming competitively a decade later.

That opened the door to professional aquatics

& Nearly two decades after becoming a lifeguard,

I'm still finding ways to help others on and off the pool deck.
 

That is the heart of Little Ripples Academy.

Every swimmer starts with a first splash

Every big wave begins with a little ripple
 

& I believe every day is a chance to change the world

One little ripple at a time.