Meet My Team

God has blessed me with my wonderful husband, James, of 25 years, four beautiful girls, and our precious boy! I consider raising them my highest calling on this earth. My children have grown up around the pool and lessons all their lives. They have gathered toys, passed out kickboards, and “watched the wall” since they were toddlers. As they get older it has been amazing to see my girls blossom as incredible instructors and lifeguards.

Having taught lessons now for over 24 years, I have taught thousands of children how to swim! I am just as excited about this summer as I was in the beginning. There is something special about taking a child who is crying, or too terrified to get in the water, and after a few short lessons they are swimming! It is an amazing privilege to gain the trust of children and adults and teach them to swim!

I am excited about teaching YOU or your children this summer and I am just as excited about My Team. I believe in sovereignty and I believe God has provided me with the highest caliber of instructors. Most of my instructors have been with me their whole lives. I trust them completely with my 5 children or I would not have them in the water with yours!

Abby

Abby

Hi, my name is Abby Adkisson, and I am so glad you are here! I was born and raised in Hallsville, and was fortunate enough to be enrolled in lessons with Gina at the age of 3. I took lessons from Gina every summer growing up, and eventually started as an instructor aid, and then a senior instructor before leaving for college. Whether you or your child is 3 or 93- these lessons provide so much more than just swimming. We teach water safety skills that can be used for a lifetime, and promote confidence in our swimmers both in and out of the pool. I earned my Bachelor's degree in General Business and an MBA with a concentration in Management from Lamar University. As I entered into the "real world" out of college and began developing my career, I realized that my true passion is helping others. I am absolutely thrilled to have changed my path towards finding ways to serve others. Swim with Gina has given me the opportunity to make a positive impact through providing essential water safety skills in swim lessons, and through our non-profit, Friends of Swim with Gina. Working with Gina for the past 10 years has been so fulfilling, and I look forward to each new summer in the water. Outside of swimming, I spend my time as a Realtor working with clients to buy and sell their homes in ETX. I have also enjoyed exploring the world of taxidermy after completing a course in Llano, Tx. Other than that, you may see me around town with my best friend, my golden doodle, Cash!
Chloey

Chloey

Hi, my name is Chloey Story. I took swim lessons from Gina starting when I was 3 years old until I was 12 and in 2015 Gina allowed me to start helping teach swim lessons with her. Teaching swim lessons is an amazing opportunity that has taught me responsibility, teamwork and patience. Watching the kids learn to love the water and learn to swim is amazing. Teaching the kids allows me to grow close and form a bond with them that makes them more comfortable in the water. I love seeing the kids start to love swimming as much as I do. Learning to swim is difficult, but watching a child go from not wanting to let go of your hands to swimming halfway across the pool is a miracle I love to be a part of. I just recently graduated from UT Tyler with my BSN and am now a licensed RN. I hope to use the skills Gina has taught me in furthering my career and forming bonds with my patients. I'm so grateful to Gina for giving me this amazing opportunity to teach children how to swim.
Payton

Payton

Hello my name is Payton Smith formerly known as Payton McVey. I got married in August of 2022 and live happily with my husband out on Lake Cherokee. I work at Christus Trinity Mother Frances on 5 Dawson where I take care of newly born babies and postpartum moms. I met Gina when I was about 16 through my sister who taught swim lessons for her. I came to help out one day and instantly fell in love teaching swim lessons and my passion continues to grow year after year. I love the thought of knowing lives are being saved each time we step into the pool with any individual or group lesson. Although I work at Christus, swim lessons will never be something I step away from. I will always make room in my schedule to see you or your sweet kids in the pool! I have had the joy of seeing the positive effect swim lessons have on kids personally through my nephew and two nieces as they have started their swim journey. Hope to see you soon in a pool learning water safety and all the fun that comes with being able to swim.
Madelyn

Madelyn

Hey! My name is Madelyn Hester and I am Mrs. Gina’s oldest. I have been surrounded by water my whole life whether that be swim team, teaching swim lessons, or lifeguarding. I have graduated from Marshall Christian Academy and I am now pursuing a degree in Business at ETBU. I have worked for SWG since the age of 11 starting as an aide and now I am full time in the summer! Swim With Gina provides important swim safety skills and we also have a wonderful non-profit called Friends of Swim with Gina! I believe that learning to swim is an important life lesson and I can not wait to teach you!
Macy

Macy

My Name is Macy and I am Ms. Gina’s second daughter. I have always loved the water and started swimming before I was 3. I also swam competitively from ages 6 to 17 and have been teaching with my mom for most of my life. I love teaching kids how to swim and develop their love for the water. I also teach our older teens and our adults who want to learn to swim whether they want to train for the Navy, participate in a triathlon, or just conquer their fears and learn to swim! It is an amazing feeling to watch children and adults overcome their fears and become comfortable in the water. I have benefited in countless ways from working with my mom and have had so much fun. I can guarantee a wonderful experience with Swim With Gina and I am super excited to get to work with your children!
Melody

Melody

Hi, my name is Melody and I am Mrs. Gina's third daughter. I have been swimming since I was 3 and competitively since I was 5. I have been teaching swim lessons for the past 4 years and have enjoyed every part. I have a special grace with children who are afraid of the water. Many times I can take children from crying to laughing, playing games, and swimming in just a few short sessions. I look forward to helping your children overcome their fears.
Mallory

Mallory

Hi my name is Mallory Hester, and I am Ms. Gina’s youngest daughter. I am an instructor aide and I love the water. I have been swimming since I was 3 years old and started competitive swimming at 4. I love to see kids overcome their fears and make new goals in the water. I look forward to helping your child swim!
Rylee

Rylee

Hey everyone! My name is Rylee Smith, I’m 18 years old, and I’m a junior at Marshall High School. I started swimming with Mrs Gina around 4 or 5 years old. At first, I was absolutely terrified to get in the water, but Mrs Gina was able to help me get past that fear. When I was 11 years old, I was given the opportunity to help out in the pool as a swim aide. Since then, I have been in the pool every summer working with SWG! I love every moment I get to see a child grow in the water as a swimmer!
Kaitlin

Kaitlin

My name is Kaitlin Cheney, and I’m currently a senior at Hallsville High School. I have taken swimming lessons from Mrs. Gina since I was a little child. In 2016 I became an instructor aid and absolutely loved it! When I turned 16 I got my Lifeguard certification and started working as a full-time instructor. I love being able to help kids conquer their fears, and learn to swim. This is truly a rewarding job and I’m so grateful to work for Mrs. Gina.
McKaylee

McKaylee

Hi! My name is McKaylee Rumfield and I have been swimming with Mrs. Gina since I was 4 years old. I am now 16 and a sophomore at Spring Hill High School. I am so thankful for Mrs. Gina’s help in getting my lifeguard certification. It has helped me to be more confident in my ability to teach swim lessons. I loved taking swim lessons with Swim With Gina and looked forward to taking them every summer. I have always had a passion for making people smile even in the simplest ways. The opportunity Mrs. Gina has given me the past 3 years has made my love for bringing people joy grow more and more. Each time I see a new person fall in love with swimming the same way I did, I can’t help but smile. Every summer I have so much fun, but I also learn a lot about people and how they all overcome their fears differently. I am so thankful for this opportunity and I can’t wait to see all of the beautiful smiles this summer!
Jennifer

Jennifer

Hi, my name is Jennifer Capella, but I usually just go by Jenn. I am currently attending the University of Texas at Tyler on the pre-med track, where I participate in several organizations, research labs, and internships. I also work at Christus Good Shepherd in the MRI department. I was born in Florida and my love and fascination for the water developed at a very young age. I have since learned and experienced the countless benefits that swimming can have for people of all ages. Since becoming a swim instructor, I have found pleasure in helping others enjoy the water as much as I do. I am so proud to be a part of this team, and I can’t wait to see you and your children in the water this summer!
Claire

Claire

Hey! My name is Claire Abney and I'm a senior at Marshall High School I'll be attending Texas A&M in the fall to major in business. I've been around water my entire life, whether it's swimming, fishing, water skiing, or boating. I was taught to swim by Mrs. Gina for many years, who also certified me as a lifeguard. Learning to swim is vital in everyone’s life no matter the age, and I can’t wait to teach you!
Audrey

Audrey

Hey, I’m Audrey Goforth and I’m a homeschool sophomore. I started taking swim lessons with Mrs. Gina when my family moved to East Texas in 2010 and started helping with lessons when I was 12. I have been teaching lessons since then, and got my lifeguard certification when I was 15. I love seeing kids grow in confidence as they learn to swim and its exciting knowing I’ve taught them a skill they’ll use for the rest of their lives. Mrs. Gina is a joy to work with and I’m so thankful for the opportunity she’s given me to teach with her! I know you and your kids will love swimming with Gina as much as I have!
Savannah

Savannah

Hi my name is Savannah Lee and I am a sophomore at Longview High School. I took swim lessons with Mrs. Gina when I was three years old and swam competitively in middle school. I got my junior lifeguard certificate in 6th grade and started teaching lessons with Mrs. Gina later that summer. I received my lifeguard certificate in the summer of 2023. I am very glad I started working for Mrs. Gina because I have learned more about responsibility and patience, attributes necessary to go far in the world.
Zack

Zack

Zack is a proud Eagle Scout, a native of Jefferson and a graduate from Jefferson High School. Zack is currently pursuing a Business/Political Science degree. He is also the East Texas Grassroots Coordinator for Americans for Prosperity where he works to engage the grassroots to bring bottom-up solutions for the toughest issues facing both our State and our Nation. Zack partners both in his personal life and his career with change makers in local communities to remove barriers that prohibit the American Dream. In his free time Zack serves on the Board of Directors for the Marion County Chamber of Commerce. He has enjoyed teaching swim lessons with SWG for many years. Zack specializes in teaching private lessons with adults, teens and children. Zack is also passionate about our non-profit Friends of Swim With Gina and is always willing to jump on board and help with those scholarship lessons or promote Water Safety in our area!