𝗝𝗘𝗠: Tell us how you got started in aquatics and aquatic maintenance.

𝗗𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻: I’ve been at this job for almost three years now. This was my first aquatic job, and I worked my way up from a lifeguard to a maintenance manager.

I got started because I’ve always enjoyed swimming and diving as a hobby, and when I began working here at Arapahoe Springs, I was a lifeguard and pool cleaner. (I used to come in much earlier than everyone else to help with cleaning the pools!)

I found myself in the pump rooms more often than most lifeguards, and I started asking questions about how everything worked, like how the pumps operated and how water chemistry was managed. From there, I started learning something new everyday. To this day I still am!

𝗝𝗘𝗠: What is one of your favorite accomplishments?

𝗗𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻: I believe my biggest accomplishment here was when I was an Assistant Manager. I was really trying to build a good relationship with not just my coworkers as their new manager, but also with the director of the hotel, and outside partners. Building good relationships with people helps and goes a long way with helping me out, and all of us helping each other out!

𝗝𝗘𝗠: Who are your mentors, and why?

𝗗𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻: There are two people I’ve always looked up to, people who helped me when I started and still help me to this day. One is Kevin Erickson, the former Maintenance Manager when I first started. He’s the one who taught me everything I know today. He had a unique way of teaching that not many people do. He would go really in-depth with explanations, but he also let you make mistakes. And through those mistakes, you learned what went wrong and how to improve the next time.

The other person is Ethan Barba, the Maintenance Director of JEM. He knows everything about maintenance…it’s kind of crazy, honestly! But what stands out most about Ethan is that no matter the day or time, even though he lives in Florida, he always answers the phone and helps however he can. And it’s not just maintenance, he’s incredibly knowledgeable about operations as a whole. He knows how to keep a large facility like the one here in Colorado running smoothly, even from afar.

Overall, these two people have been (and continue to be) a huge support to me, no matter the day.

𝗝𝗘𝗠: What do you like to do for fun?

𝗗𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻: As someone born and raised in Colorado, I love getting out and hiking, camping, fishing, snowboarding!