Meet our wonderful team!

Swim With Me! Foundation

Rishona Hyman - Founder

Rishona Hyman, MA, MSW, is the founder of the Swim With Me! Foundation. She is the owner and founder of Aqua Essence Swim Academy, which she started 16 years ago in response to the demand she saw in her community for high quality swimming lessons. Today, Aqua Essence is a one-stop business for swimming, lifesaving, first aid, babysitting, and leadership courses. Prior to the full-time swimming business, Rishona worked in the area of mental health for 12 years in both the non-profit and private sectors. Rishona has always loved the water and the benefits that come from being in and around water. Rishona volunteers on a number of other non-profit boards and various committees, and is the president of the parent council at her children’s school.

Olya Vrublevsky - Director

Olya Vrublevsky, CFRE, has a strong passion for community development and a true commitment to water safety. Her dedication to fostering inclusive and impactful programs helps ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn essential life skills in a safe and supportive environment. Inspired by Foundation’s mission, she is thrilled to provide accessible swimming education and promote wellness in underserved communities. Olya volunteers at many community organizations and is a member of other non-profit Boards. Proud mother of three children, she enjoys warm summer days and beautiful sunsets that Manitoba is famous for.

Board Members

Cristina Patterson is a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy and the University of Manitoba, where she earned a Bachelor of Commerce Honors degree in finance. She has lived and worked in Winnipeg, Toronto, Calgary and St. Louis. She started her own bookkeeping business in 2005 and has a diverse, international client base. She has served as treasurer on a few non-profit organizations and enjoys volunteering her time. She is the proud mother of her four children.

Adam Dooley began his career as a journalist before transitioning to public relations. He has served in executive positions and founded and ran Manitoba's premier public relations agency until selling it in 2022. Over the past three decades, he has served in a range of senior volunteer positions in the community including on committees of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and as the President of the Winnipeg Youth Soccer Association. He holds a Honours BA in History from the University of Saskatchewan and a Master's in Journalism from Western University. He is father to two fantastic young men. And he's immensely proud to be helping the Swim With Me! Foundation reduce the number of drownings in Canada.  

Kevin Tordiffe has worked in the lifeguarding and drowning prevention industries for over 30 years. His background includes operations of large beach lifeguard programs, not-for-profit governance and advocacy in drowning prevention. Kevin currently works for the Manitoba Government in the department of health, lives and plays in rural Manitoba with his family and dog. Drowning prevention has been a passion of Kevin’s and any meaningful attempt to reducing drowning relies on access to swimming education. That is why the mission of Swim With Me! is so important in Manitoba, help new Canadians and those in need access quality swimming education.