Navigating Neva

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What happens when unimaginable loss becomes a lifelong mission to save others?

In this episode of Navigating Neva, we sit down with Arkeisha Reese, President and Founder of the Team Kareem Memorial Foundation, to hear the powerful story behind her nonprofit and the legacy of her son, Kareem.

After losing Kareem to a drowning tragedy in 2006, Arkeisha transformed her grief into action by creating the Team Kareem Memorial Foundation. Since its founding, the organization has worked tirelessly to prevent childhood drownings by providing swim lesson scholarships, CPR training, lifeguard certification scholarships, water safety education, and community outreach. Her work now reaches families far beyond her local community, helping remove barriers so more children can gain lifesaving water skills.

During our conversation, Arkeisha shares:

Kareem's story and the inspiration behind the foundation.
How advocacy became part of her healing journey.
Why access to swim lessons, CPR, and water safety education matters.
The impact Team Kareem is making across the country.
How every family can play a role in preventing drowning.

This episode is a reminder that one person's purpose can create hope for thousands of families. Arkeisha's passion, resilience, and commitment to ensuring that no other parent experiences the loss she endured make this a conversation every parent, educator, aquatic professional, and community leader should hear.

Learn more about the Team Kareem Memorial Foundation at teamkareem.org and follow Team Kareem Memorial Foundation on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070073770048&sk=about
https://www.instagram.com/teamkareemmemorialfoundation/
http://teamkareem.org/

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

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The second annual All Things Aquatics Conference is almost here, and in this episode Wes and Nicole share what attendees can expect.

This year's event will be held at the University of Houston on Saturday, September 26, hosted by Kara. We also preview the Friday Night Lifeguard Games, an interactive evening where attendees can see aquatic products in action, meet the founders behind them, enjoy friendly competition, and win prizes.

Rather than one keynote speaker, this year's conference features 16 aquatic industry leaders sharing their expertise across four focused topic areas, creating a full day of practical education, collaboration, and networking.

We also highlight several of the professionals and companies joining us this year, including:

• Bethany, creator of the walkie-talkie holders
• Josh and Nathan
• Life Floor
• Julie and James from Aqua Babies Global
• Kevin from SKWIM

If you're looking to connect with innovative leaders, discover new products, and take home ideas you can immediately put into practice, this event is for you.

Get your tickets now before they sell out—we can't wait to see you in Houston!

https://square.link/u/4aHUcP2c

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

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Tonight on Navigating Neva, Wes and I sat down with Chris Stevenson for a conversation packed with practical leadership insights.

We discussed what separates organizations that thrive from those that struggle, how strong leaders create culture, the importance of clear expectations and accountability, and why recognition matters more than many people realize. Chris shared real-world strategies for building stronger teams, setting meaningful goals, improving communication, and creating an environment where people want to succeed.

Whether you're a business owner, manager, entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, coach, or simply someone looking to grow as a leader, this episode offers actionable takeaways you can apply immediately.

Join us for a conversation about leadership, culture, vision, team development, and the habits that help organizations move from surviving to thriving.

#NavigatingNeva #Leadership #ChrisStevenson #TheEmpowermentGroup

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

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In this episode of Navigating Neva, Neva Nicole sits down with guest Shalene Hill for a conversation about swim instruction, child development, courage, and changing the way we teach children around water.

Neva and Shalene talked through Shalene’s journey into aquatics, when she first began teaching swim lessons, how her philosophy has grown over time, and the work she is doing now with both students and instructors.

They also discuss Shalene’s books, including The Caterpillar’s Song of Courage, her instructor education work, and the updated guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics around swim lessons and drowning prevention.

This episode is for parents, swim instructors, aquatic professionals, and anyone interested in building water confidence through developmentally appropriate, emotionally safe, and skill-focused instruction.

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

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On this episode of Navigating Neva, we welcomed Meredith King as our guest. Meredith has spent years teaching swimming lessons and building relationships with families through aquatics. In this conversation, we discussed her journey from corporate America back to the pool deck, how she built her swim lesson business, the students and families she serves, and why she ultimately chose purpose and passion over the traditional corporate path.

This episode highlights the reality that aquatics is more than a job for many professionals — it is relationship-building, confidence-building, and meaningful community work. Meredith shares honest insight into entrepreneurship, teaching, and creating a career that aligns with your values while making a direct impact on others through swimming and water safety.

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

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In this final week with Selena Willows, we move from teaching philosophy into the real work of building, rebuilding, and scaling a swim program with intention.

We talk about what needs to be in place before taking clients, how to protect the quality of your program as it grows, and why fear-mongering should never be the foundation of parent education or swim school marketing.

This conversation is for swim instructors, swim school owners, and aquatic leaders who want to grow without losing the trust, safety, and values their program was built on.

https://www.instagram.com/swimtosafetybyselena/ 

https://www.swimtosafety.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/selena-grinham-willows/

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

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Megan Owens of Bluesky Recreation Consulting joins Navigating Neva to talk about parks, recreation, camps, aquatics, nonprofits, and what it really takes to build strong organizations from the inside out.

In this episode, Megan shares why seasonal jobs still matter, especially for teens and young adults, and how lifeguarding, camp counseling, and recreation work can become the foundation for confidence, leadership, and long-term careers. We also discuss organizational alignment, staff culture, retention, and the leadership lessons aquatics can teach the wider recreation field.

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Navigating Neva, Nicole sits down with Selena Willows for a thoughtful conversation about what confidence in the water really looks like—and who owns the process.

They discuss the “confidence loop,” how parents and instructors can recognize when to proceed, pivot, or pause, and why crying in swim lessons should never be dismissed without context. The conversation explores trauma, safety boundaries, parent-created fear, and the way children can absorb fear from the adults around them.

Nicole and Selena also answer listener questions, reflect on themes from Selena’s Instagram content, and preview next week’s discussion.

This episode is for swim instructors, parents, and aquatic professionals who want to build safer, more emotionally aware swim learning environments—without sacrificing skill, safety, or progress.

https://www.instagram.com/swimtosafetybyselena/

https://www.swimtosafety.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/selena-grinham-willows/

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

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In this episode of Navigating Neva, Nicole sits down with Steve Murphy, owner of Missouri Aquatics Training and Education Solutions — MATES — for a direct, honest conversation about lifeguard culture, aquatic leadership, zone validations, supervision, and what it really means to be responsible for the people in and around the water.

Steve brings sixteen years of experience, a practical training mindset, and a clear message for aquatic professionals: certifications matter, but leadership, awareness, accountability, and action matter just as much.

Together, Nicole and Steve discuss why “minimum standard” thinking is not enough, what facilities often miss when it comes to safety, why zone validations should be taken seriously, and how aquatic leaders can better support lifeguards before something goes wrong.

This episode is for aquatic directors, lifeguard instructors, pool managers, swim school owners, recreation professionals, and anyone who believes aquatic safety depends on more than a certification card.

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!

Send us Fan Mail

Tonight on Navigating Neva, Wesley King and I hosted Kevin, Blake, and Charles from Steadfast Safety for a great conversation on lifeguarding, emergency response, and aquatic safety innovation.

We discussed the Steadfast Rescue Tube, The Growler Oxygen Key Whistle, how these products were developed, and the operational gaps they were designed to address in the field.

Since May is National Water Safety Month, it felt like the perfect time to have this conversation.

If you work in aquatics, lifeguarding, pool operations, or emergency response, this episode is definitely worth the listen.

Find them here: https://steadfastsafety.net/

Support the show

🔴 Follow Your Host on TikTok: Stay connected and see behind-the-scenes content by following me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield.

💬 Find Wesley King on Facebook: Get expert insights and connect with Wesley at Wesley King Consulting on Facebook.

❓ Got Questions?: Have questions about today’s episode or upcoming topics? Reach out to me at [email protected].

📚 Check Out My Books: As an author, I have books available on Amazon under Nicole Fairfield.

📲 Follow Me on TikTok: You can also find me on TikTok at @NicoleFairfield for more content!

🔔 Show Support: Enjoy the podcast? Please come back each week, or add Lifeguard Life: Certifications, Careers, and More to your favorites so you never miss an episode!