Sutton
Founder of I Can Swim, LLC
Sutton established I Can Swim in 2024, blending her profound love for teaching children with special needs with a lifelong passion for water safety. With over 14 years of dedicated experience in special education, Sutton holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, three distinct teaching credentials in Special Education (Early Childhood, Mild/Moderate, and Moderate/Severe), and a Master of Arts in Education.
Her aquatic background includes serving as a swim instructor for the City’s Recreation Department, and she is a certified Level 2 Adaptive Swim Whisperer through Swim Angelfish. By combining her extensive pedagogical expertise with specialized adaptive aquatics training, Sutton has designed a program where differences are celebrated, and life-saving water safety is accessible to every unique swimmer in our community
Lauren
Aquatic Director
Lauren’s lifelong love for aquatics began at a young age when she first started playing water polo, eventually leading her to become a standout former collegiate swimmer. Professionally, Lauren earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Science from Cal State East Bay and has dedicated the past seven years to working as a preschool Autism teacher. Her extensive background also includes providing specialized in-home therapy for a non-public agency.
Lauren is highly trained in adaptive aquatics and holds a Level 4 Adaptive Swim Whisperer certification from Swim Angelfish. She is incredibly eager to share her deep passion for aquatic sports by breaking down barriers and providing safe, empowering access to swimming for individuals with special needs.
Megan
Adaptive Swim Supervisor
Megan has held a lifelong love for swimming and is dedicated to leading and supporting our swimmers with incredible devotion.
Before bringing her talents to the pool deck, Megan spent over 20 years as a special education paraeducator in an Autism classroom. She is excited to channel that massive wealth of experience, patience, and love into a brand-new classroom environment—the pool! In her leadership role, Megan will continue to ensure our adaptive swim community receives the highest level of care, safety, and encouragement.
Stephanie
Adaptive Swim Instructor
Stephanie joins the team with a phenomenal background, having recently retired after more than 25 years in education as a special education paraprofessional. Throughout her distinguished career, she worked closely with students in Autism programs, Deaf and Hard of Hearing services, Resource, and Speech support. Stephanie is also a lifelong water lover who began swimming competitively around age 10. For her, joining the I Can Swim family is the perfect way to blend her deep expertise in special education with her passion for aquatics, ensuring children learn critical, life-saving water safety skills. Outside of the pool, Stephanie loves hiking, working out, interior decorating, and spending quality time with friends, family, and especially her two grandsons!
Jenn
Adaptive Swim Instructor
Jenn brings an incredible wealth of personal dedication, classroom experience, and lifelong water confidence to the team. She began swimming at just three years old at the YMCA and grew up with a backyard pool, turning her love for the water into a lifelong passion. For the past four years, Jenn has worked as a special education paraeducator, supporting preschool and elementary-aged children with diverse learning, behavioral, and developmental needs. Her deepest expertise, however, comes from home: she is a proud "autism mom" to her 23-year-old son, Matt, who was diagnosed at age five. This personal journey has gifted her with profound patience, empathy, and a firsthand understanding of how vital water safety is for neurodivergent children. Jenn is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where every swimmer can build strength, independence, and self-confidence at their own pace. Outside of the pool, she loves going on adventures with her family and dogs, or relaxing with a good true crime podcast or documentary.
Alyah
Adaptive Swim Instructor
A highly valued and familiar face on our team, Alyah brings a wonderful blend of classroom expertise and lifelong water comfort to the pool deck. Having grown up spending her summers in pools and lakes, her love for the water runs deep. Since 2021, Alyah has also worked as a school paraprofessional, providing direct, dedicated support to children with special needs, specifically those with Autism. This extensive background has gifted her with incredible patience, stellar communication skills, and a natural ability to create a positive, uplifting environment for our swimmers. Alyah loves being part of the I Can Swim family because it allows her to combine her professional experience with her passion for making vital water safety skills both life-saving and fun. Outside of the pool, she loves exploring local coffee shops for a good coffee or matcha, shopping, and spending quality time with her loved ones.
Lina
Adaptive Swim Instructor
Lina brings an elite level of aquatic experience and a huge heart for mentorship to our team. A powerhouse in the pool, she swam and played water polo for five years throughout high school, where she was named league MVP two years in a row and took first place in the 100-meter breaststroke. Lina has been a valuable member of the I Can Swim family since December 2025, dedicating herself to learning everything she can to best support our adaptive aquatics community. She joined us to combine her lifelong passion for swimming with her desire to make a positive impact, helping her students build water independence and confidence. Outside of the pool, Lina loves working on her physical fitness, going on walks with friends, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen!
Desiree
Adaptive Swim Instructor
Desiree has a lifelong bond with the water, from lake and ocean swimming to competing in adult master’s swim and even conquering the iconic Alcatraz race. Her extensive experience with special needs children includes six years as a teacher's assistant at Big Valley Christian School, volunteering with her church's "Sidekicks" special needs program, and serving at the Night to Shine prom event. She also brings deep personal insight from supporting her autistic cousin. Desiree joined I Can Swim to combine her two greatest passions—aquatics and supporting neurodivergent youth—to teach life-saving skills while building confidence and joy. Outside the pool, she loves golfing with her husband, camping, hiking with her two doodles, and spending time with family.
Ava
Adaptive Swim Instructor
Ava is a fantastic addition to the team who brings a deep love for children and a passion for the water. She is thriving in our collaborative environment and absolutely loves watching her adaptive swimmers progress and build confidence each week. Her genuine pride in her students' achievements shines through in every lesson. Outside of the pool, Ava stays highly active running track with her friends, spending quality time with her family, and catching some waves at the beach.
Reaganne
Adaptive Swim Instructor
Recently relocating from Texas, Reaganne brings a perfect blend of competitive swimming and behavioral expertise to I Can Swim. She swam competitively from 2nd through 11th grade (specializing in freestyle and breaststroke) and previously worked for two years as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) with children on the autism spectrum. Her patience and empathy are deeply rooted in growing up with her younger brother, who is also on the spectrum. For Reaganne, teaching adaptive swim is a dream come true. Outside the pool, she loves cooking, family time, and training her new puppy, Lyla!
Jada
Adaptive Swim Instructor
Bringing a lifetime of aquatic experience to the team, Jada grew up in the water as a high school competitive swimmer, water polo player, and public pool lifeguard. Jada’s background with special needs includes participating in the PALS (Peer Assistance Leadership) program during high school, where they discovered a true passion for mentorship.
Jada joined the I Can Swim family because they believe water safety is an absolute necessity for every single child. Outside of the pool, Jada stays highly active competing in track and field locally at MJC and loves hanging out with friends.
Our program is equipped to address all types of challenges.We use several supports to help your child succeed, including:
Adaptive Equipment: In our swim lessons for special needs children, we use adaptive equipment like life jackets, floaties, back floats, flippers, and kickboards to provide support and safety. These tools help children feel secure in the water while developing swimming skills, balance, and confidence.
Visual supports: We use pictures or visual cues to show the steps of a swim skill or routine, which helps kids understand what’s coming next.
Timers: Timers help kids understand how long they need to focus on a skill, giving them clear expectations and structure.
Modeling: We demonstrate swim skills first, so the child can see what they’re expected to do.
Social narratives: These are short stories that explain what will happen during the swim lesson in a way that’s easy for kids to follow, helping reduce anxiety.
Positive reinforcement: We celebrate successes with rewards like praise or small incentives, encouraging kids to stay motivated.
Breaking down steps: We break down swim skills into smaller, manageable steps, using swim equipment and prompting as needed, to guide them through each part of the skill.
By using these tools, we create a structured, supportive environment that makes swimming more accessible and enjoyable.
Modesto, CA
We currently RENT an indoor heated pool space at Aquatic Dreams.
Address: 1212 Kansas Ave Modesto, CA
Please do not call Aquatic Dreams for information. Contact us directly at 209-778-7877.