Our Coaches
Our coaches are the foundation of not only our training methodology and success in the pool; they are also the leaders of our culture. At PAAC, our culture is first and foremost, and we trust our coaches to represent the very best of who our swimmers can become.
Jackie Thieman
Head Coach / Platinum & Gold Group Coach
Jackie Thieman is beginning her fifth season coaching with PAAC—and her second as Head Coach and Lead Coach for the Platinum and Gold groups.
Jackie’s love for swimming started early. She began competing at age five, quickly rising through the ranks as a YMCA State Champion and National Finalist in her youth. In high school, she captured county titles in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle and went on to become a state finalist in both the 200 and 500 freestyle.
Jackie continued her career at Bucknell University, where she made an immediate impact—setting the team and pool record in the 1,000 freestyle as a freshman. She earned First Team All–Patriot League honors all four years and won the Patriot League Championship in the 200 butterfly her junior year. Jackie helped lead Bucknell to its first conference titles in 2003 and 2004, then captained the team to another championship in 2005.
After college, Jackie earned her MBA in Sport Management from Seton Hall University, while also serving as an undergraduate academic advisor and coaching a local swim team—helping age group swimmers progress and reach meaningful goals. Professionally, she built a career in online higher education, and now brings that same blend of structure, communication, and mentorship into coaching as a full-time focus.
Outside the pool, Jackie loves spending time with her husband, Jake, and their three sons—Teddy, Scotty, and Jay—who all swim for PAAC.
Savannah Sargent
Assistant Coach / Lead Coach - Silver Group
Savannah Sargent has been at home on the pool deck since childhood—following in the wake of her mom and two older sisters, who all swam. She began competitive swimming at age six and grew up in Western New York training with Victor Swim Club before continuing her career at Denison University in Granville, Ohio.
At Denison, Savannah was an accomplished NCAA Division III swimmer, earning seven All-American honors, including four in the 400 IM. She posted multiple top-16 finishes at the NCAA Division III Championships, highlighted by a 4th-place finish in the 400 IM in 2023. As a team captain her senior year, she helped lead Denison to an NCAA team championship—just the second national title in program history.
Savannah holds a bachelor’s degree in Health, Exercise, and Sports Studies and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Occupational Therapy at Moravian University. As Lead Coach for PAAC’s Silver Group, she brings a blend of high-level competitive experience, steady leadership, and a true passion for helping swimmers grow in confidence and capability—both in and out of the pool.
Steve Kelly
Assistant Coach / Lead Coach - Bronze Group
Steve Kelly serves as PAAC’s Lead Coach for the Bronze Group, bringing decades of experience on deck and a deep passion for helping swimmers build strong foundations—technique, confidence, and love for the sport.
Coach Steve returned to PAAC in February 2015, coaching both the Bronze and STARS groups at that time. From day one, he re-established clear goals and expectations, and his swimmers made immediate progress throughout the season. Steve previously coached at PAAC from April 2005 through June 2010, developing numerous Middle Atlantic Junior Olympic and Elite Meet qualifiers, including champions, and helping one swimmer achieve Top 16 status.
Steve’s coaching extends beyond age group swimming. He spent nearly two decades guiding adult athletes as head coach of the Westend Racquet Club Masters program from 1994 to 2013, and he also competed in Masters meets himself from 1992 to 2007.
A lifelong swimmer, Steve began competing at age seven while growing up in Springfield, Pennsylvania, swimming for the Community YMCA (Upper Darby) and later the Suburban Swim Club (Marple-Newtown). His commitment to the sport has also included leadership roles outside the pool, including serving as Committee Chairman for the Delaware Valley Masters Swim Committee (2002–2006) and as Westend Masters Swim Meet Director (1993–1997).
Outside of swimming, Steve has worked in sales and sales management since graduating from Lehigh University in 1980. He is married, has twin daughters, and is a proud grandfather of two.
Daniel Jablonski
Assistant Coach / Lead Coach - STARS Group
Dan Jablonski is PAAC’s Lead Coach for STARS—Starts, Turns, and Racing Strokes—and a proud example of a swimmer who grew up in the program and came back to give back. He primarily supports the Bronze group, while also jumping in across the team wherever athletes need an extra set of eyes, encouragement, or technical feedback.
Dan began swimming with PAAC at a young age and graduated from Whitehall High School in 2019 before earning his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in 2023. As a swimmer, he was a multi-year medalist at the District XI AAA Championships, set multiple Whitehall school records, and competed at the NCAA Division I level all four years in college.
Dan also brings leadership experience from outside the year-round season, having served as Head Coach of the Whitehall Waves Aquatic Club (summer league) and as a member of the Suburban Swim League.
Known for his energy and approachability, Dan loves working with swimmers of all ages and abilities—and is always ready with a tip to help an athlete sharpen technique and race skills. Outside the pool, he works as a Design Engineer at EMD Electronics.
Katie Steele
Assistant Coach / Lead Coach - Seahorse Group
Katie Steele is in her third year coaching with PAAC and serves as Lead Coach for the Seahorse Group, bringing a strong blend of teaching experience, local roots, and a true passion for helping young swimmers grow in skill and confidence.
A proud Southern Lehigh High School graduate (Class of 2010) and Varsity Swim alumni, Katie has remained deeply connected to the sport and the local swim community. In addition to PAAC, she is the Head Coach of the Southern Lehigh Varsity Swim Team and the Head Summer Coach for the SOLECO Stingrays. Her coaching background also includes time with EMAC, as well as teaching swim lessons at Swim-in Zone—experience that translates perfectly to developing foundational technique and comfort in the water.
Katie earned her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State and her Master’s degree from Lehigh University. Outside the pool, she is an elementary school teacher in the Southern Lehigh School District—an educator’s mindset that shows up every day on deck through her patience, positivity, and ability to connect with swimmers at the earliest stages of their journey.
Cody Wimmer
Assistant Coach
Cody Wimmer has been at home in the water his entire life. He began swim lessons at Emmaus Aquatic Club at age four, and went on to train and compete for the program through college. As a swimmer at Emmaus High School, Cody learned firsthand how teamwork, consistency, and hard work shape a successful team culture.
Cody continued his swimming career at Seton Hall University, where he served as Co-Captain during his junior and senior years. In that leadership role, he helped guide the program to its first two Big East Championships, reinforcing his belief that strong culture and strong habits drive performance.
As a coach, Cody is especially passionate about the mental side of the sport—building confident, resilient swimmers who know how to manage pressure and stay motivated. He emphasizes race strategy, continual improvement, and a “progress over perfection” mindset to help athletes develop skills that translate well beyond the pool.
Outside of swimming, Cody works in data analytics for a medical device company with a focus on data visualization, and he is currently pursuing his MBA at Moravian University.
Mike Owens
Assistant Coach
Mike Owens is no stranger to the pool. Competitive swimming has been a constant thread throughout his life—across club, high school, and college—and he brings that depth of experience to PAAC with an athlete-first mindset and a thoughtful approach to long-term development.
As an age group swimmer, Mike embraced the sport early and set several local records in the Reading area. After a leg injury in high school, he leaned into swimming as a path to recovery—both physically and mentally—deepening his appreciation for the sport’s ability to build resilience and confidence. He went on to compete collegiately at Albright College, where he was a top performer and helped the men’s program win four consecutive MAC Conference Team Championships (2002–2006).
Mike’s coaching background includes serving as Head Age Group Coach at EMAC, assisting the Emmaus High School program through multiple District Championship seasons, and most recently coaching in the Southern Lehigh community—supporting both the high school team and the SOLECO summer program. His philosophy with age group swimmers starts with building engagement and connection through structured enjoyment, then layering in the habits and discipline that fuel meaningful progress over time. Mike’s favorite part of coaching is watching swimmers grow—not just as athletes, but as people who carry the sport’s discipline into school, college, and life.
Outside the pool, Mike enjoys an active, health-focused lifestyle and spending time with his wife, Jackie, and their two sons, Jack and Joey.
Jana Killar
Assistant Coach
Jana Killar is part of a three-generation PAAC family dating back to the founding of our club. In previous years, Jana has assisted with the Instructional, STARS, and Bronze groups – impacting hundreds of swimmers along their journeys. Recently, Jana became focused on PAAC’s STARS swimmers as they sharpen the technical skills that fuel confidence, speed, and race-day success.
Jana’s own swimming journey is rooted in the Lehigh Valley. She competed as an age group swimmer with the Allentown Y and WET Aquatic Club—the program that later became PAAC—then swam for Parkland in high school. She continued her career at Lehigh University, where she was a Patriot League finalist in the 200 breaststroke. As both a former swimmer and a coach, Jana values the blend of high-level competition and lasting relationships that makes PAAC special—bringing together athletes from across the Lehigh Valley (and beyond) who want to compete, improve, and build friendships that extend well past the pool.
Outside of swimming, Jana and her husband—who also coaches and has a passion for wrestling—live in the Northwestern Lehigh School District with their two children, Weston (soccer, wrestling, and track) and Briar, a proud PAAC swimmer.
Jonny Krail
Assistant Coach
Jonny Krail has been around the pool his entire life—he was attending swim meets before he could even walk. He started swimming at age four with NPAC and the Lansdale summer program, then went on to swim varsity all four years at North Penn High School. A true distance swimmer at heart, Jonny’s favorite event was the 500 freestyle, which he raced at nearly every high school meet.
Jonny’s passion for the sport quickly turned into a passion for coaching. After high school, he began coaching at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington, where he spent nine years developing swimmers and building a strong team environment. He later returned to his roots as Head Coach of his former summer team in Lansdale, serving in that role for two years.
Now living in Coopersburg, Jonny was excited to find a program closer to home and connected with PAAC through his relationship with Coach Katie. Outside the pool, he works at Hopewell Elementary and also volunteers with the Southern Lehigh Swim Team.
At PAAC, Jonny works across multiple groups—including Seahorse, STARS, Bronze, and Silver—and loves seeing swimmers gain confidence, learn new skills, and make steady progress week after week.
Megan Finke
Assistant Coach
Megan Finke is an Assistant Coach with PAAC’s Silver Group and is thrilled to be back on deck—helping swimmers ages 11–15 build confidence, sharpen skills, and take the next step in their development.
Megan’s swimming journey began as an 8 & under on a summer league team in New Mexico, and she quickly progressed—making her high school varsity team and joining USA Swimming as a freshman. She went on to an outstanding high school career, setting state records as part of the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay, and earning 3rd-place finishes at the state meet in both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Megan was named Team MVP as a freshman and later captained her team to a State Championship in both her junior and senior years. She was also recently nominated for her high school Athletic Hall of Fame.
Megan continued her career at NCAA Division I Northern Arizona University, competing primarily in the sprint freestyle events and earning recognition as an Academic All-American.
After college, Megan took a unique path—pursuing flight school and spending 15 years as a commercial airline pilot before becoming a full-time mom to her two daughters, Charlotte and Caroline, who both swim for PAAC. Megan and her husband, Karsten, are also deeply involved in the community. She serves as the School Coordinator for the Parkland CARES food pantry and as a Team Coordinator for the Kaybrook summer swim team.
Meredith Murphy
Assistant Coach
Meredith Murphy is in her first year coaching with PAAC and brings both a swimmer’s background and a calm, steady presence on deck. She began swimming at age eight with Westwood Heights Swim Club, and later competed for PAAC and Parkland High School, where she swam all four years. A true distance swimmer at heart, her favorite event was the 500 freestyle.
Outside the pool, Meredith is a healthcare professional. She earned her nursing degree from St. Luke’s School of Nursing, completed her bachelor’s degree at Penn State, and currently works as a registered nurse in the operating room—a role that reflects her focus, teamwork, and composure under pressure.
Meredith lives in Zionsville with her husband, Ed, and their two sons, Sawyer and Reese, who are both PAAC swimmers.
