If you’ve made it here, thank you. It means you’re considering trusting me with one of the most important people in your life—your child. I don’t take that responsibility lightly.

My love for swimming began long before I ever taught my first lesson.

Growing up in Quincy, Massachusetts, I spent my summers at Lincoln-Hancock Community Pool watching my older brother take swim lessons. Before long, I was in the water too. Between the incredible City of Quincy Recreation swim program and countless hours with my Papa, “Sonny,” a proud Navy veteran who believed everyone should know how to swim, I fell in love with the water.

I worked my way through every American Red Cross swim level, eventually earning my Lifeguard certification before becoming a Water Safety Instructor WSI. Looking back, I had no idea that those early days at the pool would become the foundation of my life’s work.

I attended Fontbonne Academy in Milton before earning my Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Quincy College. Throughout high school and college, hard work was simply a way of life. My family wasn’t affluent, but they sacrificed everything to give my brother and me opportunities. My dad often worked three jobs so we could participate in the sports and activities we loved, while my mom somehow kept everything running behind the scenes while she operated her home daycare.

Watching their work ethic shaped who I became.

You’ll rarely find a chapter in my life where I wasn’t juggling multiple jobs. During my years teaching for the City of Quincy Recreation Department, my mornings often began at 5:00 a.m. as a barista. Between coffee shifts, I’d walk dogs before heading to the pool to teach swimming. At the same time, I was dancing competitively as an Irish step dancer and balancing school and work. Looking back, those years taught me resilience, discipline, and that there is always a way to achieve your goals if you’re willing to work for them.

After nearly five years teaching swimming, I spent seven years in retail leadership, serving as General Manager for Sur La Table, Coach, and Evereve. Managing businesses generating more than $3 million annually taught me how to build exceptional teams, create memorable customer experiences, and lead with compassion—skills I still carry into my business today.

When I became a mom, everything changed.

After my first daughter was born, I found myself pulled back toward aquatics. I joined Goldfish Swim School, where I quickly progressed from the front desk to swim instructor and eventually General Manager of the Rockland location. While expecting my second child, pregnancy complications led me to step away from work and spend time at home with my growing family.

Around that same time, I became a customer of Powers Aquatics. Like many parents, I wanted the very best swim education for my own children. Years later, in September 2020 after welcoming both my second and third babies, I officially joined the Powers Aquatics team.

For the next six years, I had the privilege of teaching hundreds of families—from babies as young as eight weeks old in parent-child classes to independent swimmers preparing for swim team. During those years I often taught large parent-child classes, independent lessons, and everything in between.

Many families also watched my own children grow up alongside me. Some even remember my son, Dante, happily sleeping in a baby carrier while I taught lessons. Even today, when I demonstrate with a baby during class, I still jokingly call every baby “Baby Dante.” Sorry, Maisie and Sadie\!

Those six years helped shape me into the instructor I am today. I am incredibly grateful for the families I taught, the coworkers I learned alongside, and the experiences that strengthened my passion for teaching.

Over time, however, a dream continued to grow.

I wanted to create something that reflected everything I believed swim lessons could be: smaller class sizes, individualized instruction, meaningful relationships with families, and a program where every child is truly known—not just another name on a roster.

That dream became Swim Love by Michaela.

Today, my mission is to help children build confidence in and around the water while developing strong water safety skills that can last a lifetime. Every lesson is intentionally designed to meet children where they are, celebrate every success, and remind families that learning to swim should be both safe and joyful.

When I’m not teaching, you’ll most likely find me with my husband and our three children, cheering from the sidelines, spending time outdoors, or, of course, somewhere near a pool.

Thank you for being here. I hope to have the opportunity to be a small part of your family’s story.

Small Classes. Big Confidence. Lifelong Water Safety.

“If you think you could, and they say you should, then you have no one to hold you back.”

- Michaela 😎