Nashville Dolphins (Dolphin Aquatics)
Executive Director
| Executive Director | Mrs. Brenda Vroon |
|---|---|
| brenda@nashvilledolphins.org | |
| Term Start | September 2020 |
| Brenda's Experience: Brenda swam competitively growing up in Marietta, Georgia and has been teaching, swimming, and coaching since she was a teenager. Brenda earned her degree in Health and Physical Education from Auburn University. She is a former P.E. Teacher at Lipscomb Elementary School in Brentwood. She has also worked as the head swim coach for the Brentwood Middle School, Brentwood High School and the Wildwood Gators summer league team. Brenda holds a coaching certification from Special Olympics Tennessee, teaching certifications from Swim Angelfish Adapted Aquatics-levels 1,2,3, Starfish Aquatic Institute-Adapted Aquatics Credential and United States Swim Association. She is an Autism Swim approved Instructor. Brenda was a volunteer and a Lead Instructor for our Future and Junior Dolphin classes for several years and currently serves as the Dolphins Swim Team Coach and Executive Director. She is married to Brad and has three boys; Jackson, Taylor and Noah. | |
Senior Staff
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Brenda Vroon | Executive Director |
| Jill Graffagnino | Marketing Director and Grant Manager |
| Mrs. Dotty Sutter | CFO |
| Tara Patil | Director of Operations |
| Pam Walston | Program Director |
Staff
| Full Time Staff | 1 |
|---|---|
| Part Time Staff | 4 |
| Volunteers | 200 |
| Contractors | 12 |
| Retention Rate | 100% |
Plans & Policies
| Does your organization have a Fundraising Plan? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Does your organization have a Strategic Plan? | Yes |
| Years Strategic Plan Considers | 3 |
| When was the Strategic Plan adopted? | November 2013 |
| Does your organization have a Management Succession Plan? | Under Development |
| Does your organization have a Policy and Procedure Plan? | No |
| Does the organization have a Nondiscrimination Policy? | Yes |
| Does the organization have a Whistle Blower Policy? | Yes |
| Does the organization have a Document Destruction Policy? | Yes |
Evaluation
| Is there a formal evaluation for... | Frequency (if applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| CEO/Executive Director | Yes | Annually |
| Senior Management | Yes | Semi-Annually |
| Non-Management | N/A | N/A |
Affiliations
| Affiliation | Year |
|---|---|
| Center for Non-profit Management | 2013 |
| Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee | 2013 |
| Hands on Nashville | 2013 |
| Tennessee Non-profit network | 2024 |
Awards
| Award / Recognition | Organization | Year |
|---|---|---|
| $5000 Give Away | Style Blueprint/Papa Johns Pizza | 2017 |
| Best Local Nonprofit | Nashville Fitness Magazine | 2017 |
| Huck's Heros | Mike Huckabee | 2019 |
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| Lately, the Nashville Dolphins have learned, "Nothing can stop a Dolphin!" While this year has been challenging, the Dolphins are stronger than ever. I have had the privilege of working with The Nashville Dolphins for several years as a lead instructor and am proud to be serving as the executive director since September. Prior to the pandemic, The Dolphins served 230+ families, providing free swim lessons and a swim team for ALL swimmers regardless of disability or financial need. The pandemic has changed the way that we connect with our swimmers but has not diminished the impact of the Dolphins. In the past months, we have added a new facility partnership where our swim team practiced. Additionally, we have maintained our great partnership with our previously used facilities and are excited to be back in the water with our swim team and learn to swim classes. Through creative thinking and problem solving, we have been able to continue our swim lesson program and swim team even amid challenging times. Our swim team added 10 new swimmers and we have worked diligently to add more swim lesson classes and more swimmers to our program. We also hosted our first inters quad meet- LUAU themed! This was a fun, exciting new event that allowed for our swimmers to learn the basics of competition. Out of the pool, we have developed a "Friend a Dolphin" program where families are paired with volunteers, and the volunteer intentionally checks in with the family on a regular basis. This has provided connection and newfound friendships for our families. We have added weekly virtual socials that create connection and purpose for some of our swimmers who are not back in the pool yet. We had an amazing summer of swim-a-thons with our summer swim league partnership. We have adapted and changed the way that we fundraise and developed some fun, socially distant activities to raise funds for the Dolphins. Our drive through, Boots and Bubbles crawfish fundraiser was a huge success! Our wonderful, valuable board of directors has guided us and helped us accommodate the growth that the Dolphins have experienced. We also were blessed to have the addition of several new lead instructors, who all used the time off during the pandemic to be trained and certified in The Angel Swim Aquatics Program for individuals with special needs. This continuing education helps to ensure that we are providing the best possible aquatic experience for all our swimmers. These new instructors have breathed new life into our program and continue to use innovation to grow the Dolphins, while providing a FUN environment for swimming. Additionally, we have added new volunteer partnerships to increase our volunteer base. This year has been a year of tremendous growth and change, which would not have been possible without our partner facilities, our wonderful executive board and associate board, our generous donors, our enthusiastic coaches, our talented instructors, and our amazing community partners. We look forward to how the Dolphins will continue to grow and impact many in the community! |
