Our Coaches

Photo by Mike Lewis

Chris Plumb

CEO/Head Coach

Email: cplumb@carmelswimclub.org

Chris Plumb has been CEO/Head Coach of Carmel Swim Club since 2006, leading the program to become a national model of excellence. Under his leadership, CSC has earned USA Swimming Gold Medal Club recognition 14 times since 2010. Chris coaches the High Performance training group and has guided athletes to Junior National, National, and Olympic Trials success.

He is passionate about athlete development, and launched the Carmel Swim Academy to teach lifesaving swimming skills to central Indiana children. Chris also coaches Carmel High School’s swim teams, guiding the 2020 Carmel Boys and Girls Swim Teams to IHSAA State Championship Titles, as well as 19 of the Lady Hound’s 39 consecutive titles. He has also served as the Head Coach for Team USA at the 2016 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, assistant women’s coach at the 2017 FINA World Jr. Championships, and assistant coach for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and was the Head Coach for Team USA’s Men and Women at the 2024 Short Course World Championships in Budapest.

Chris swam for Indiana University, where he was an All-American, and is an Indiana Swimming Hall of Fame inductee. He lives in Carmel with his wife, Emily, and their sons William and Nicholas.

Christopher Pfaff

Associate Head Coach

Email: cpfaff@carmelswimclub.org

Chris Pfaff joined Carmel Swim Club staff in April of 2014. He currently serves as the Associate Head Coach. He has previously served as the Head Age Group Coach and lead Coach of Challenge 1, Senior 1, Challenge 3, Exploration 1 and Imagination 2 training groups. Additionally, Chris has served on the staff of Team Indiana at the 2016 Mid-States Championships.

Coach Pfaff previously coached at Boilermaker Aquatics from 2011-2014. He also has high school experience coaching at West Lafayette West Side High School from 2011-2014, serving as Head Coach 2013-2014. Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for the sport to CSC.

Chris swam for South Bend Riley High School for 3 years. After high school, he continued swimming for Purdue University (2007-2011) and graduated with a degree in Movement and Sports Science.

Kyle Johnson

Head Age Group Coach & Lead Challenge 1

Kyle Johnson

Head Age Group Coach & Lead Challenge 1

Email: kjohnson@carmelswimclub.org

Kyle joined the Carmel Swim Club staff in May of 2023. Prior to joining the CSC Staff, Kyle was the Head Age Group Coach and Senior Assistant Coach for Gold Medal Swim Club in Chandler, Arizona for 5 years. Throughout those 5 years, Kyle helped grow the program from 50 swimmers to over 200, and from a 10th place finish at the Age Group State meet to being two-time State Champions. Kyle’s age group team was also recognized as the 45th and 37th best age group program in the country in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Kyle’s assistance with the senior side of the program also helped propel the club into becoming a Bronze and Silver Medal Club in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Kyle was selected to be a Lead Coach for the Arizona Swimming All-Star meet in 2023 and was selected as one of the recipients of the American Swimming Coaches Association “30 under 30” coaches in 2022. Additionally, Kyle was also the Head Coach at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert, Arizona for one year, where his team finished 2nd place at the AIA Division 2 State meet.  Kyle grew up in Normal, Illinois, where he swam for the BNY Waves, BNSC, and University High School. 

Christina Berger

Lead Exploration 2

Christina Berger

Lead Exploration 2

Email: tberger@carmelswimclub.org

Coming Soon…

DesNeiges Buchanna

Co-Lead Discovery 2

DesNeiges Buchanna

Co-Lead Discovery 2

Email: dhellyer1@hotmail.com

DesNeiges Buchanna is back for another season with the Carmel 10 & Unders: she is the Co-Lead of Discovery 2. She has over 15 years of experience in the Carmel program. DesNeiges has also been an assistant coach for Center Grove Aquatic Club. She has been around competitive swimming nearly all her life and she excels in teaching our youngest athletes the proper fundamentals for future success in the CSC program. DesNeiges has taught kindergarten in the Indianapolis Public School System for 20 years. She currently lives in Indianapolis and enjoys spending time with her son Parker.

Julie Cardona

Director of 10 & Under Development

Julie Cardona

Director of 10 & Under Development

Email: jcardona@carmelswimclub.org

Julie Cardona serves as Carmel Swim Club’s Director of 10 & Under Development. Julie collaborates closely with the Head Age Group Coach and CSA Directors to ensure new swimmers transition smoothly into CSC with a focus on long-term growth and success. Julie actively coaches on deck with the Discovery and Imagination groups.

Julie boasts more than 15 years with CSC, first coaching with the program in 1997. She began her coaching career at the Sugar Creek Swim Club in Crawfordsville, Indiana. She also served as an age group coach for Center Grove Aquatic Club and was an intern with Indiana Swimming, promoting Operation Water Safety through local swim clubs.

She is a great stroke technician and her former swimmers and parents can certainly attest to the knowledge, enthusiasm, and excitement she brings to the pool every day.  Julie is a graduate of IUPUI with a degree in physical education.  Julie is the proud mother of CSC athletes Emerson and Grayson. She currently lives in Westfield.

Megan Cogswell

Co-Lead Discovery 2

Megan Cogswell

Co-Lead Discovery 2

Email: mcogswell@carmelswimclub.org

Megan grew up on the south side of Indianapolis and started swimming on a swim team at 5 years old. Before moving to Carmel from Greenwood IN, Megan coached for the Greenwood Gators from 2000 to 2007 and coached the Greenwood Middle School swim team for three years. After graduating college in 2007, she accepted a teaching position at Creekside Middle School and started coaching for the Carmel Swim Club. She coached until 2013 when her son, Mason, was born. Megan then took a break from coaching and also had a daughter, Morgan. Now that her children are swimming, she is excited to be back on the deck coaching again. Megan taught math at Creekside for three years and now teaches math at Carmel High School.

Kayla Griffin

Lead Challenge 2 & HP Assistant

Kayla Griffin

Lead Challenge 2 & HP Assistant

Email: kgriffin@carmelswimclub.org

Kayla has been Club Coaching in various lead and assistant positions since 2013. She was most recently the Head Age Group Coach at Prime Aquatics in Alcoa, TN (2021-2023). Prior to Prime, she held various positions at Tiger Aquatics in Baton Rouge, LA (2015-2021) and at Nu Wave Swim Club in New Orleans, LA (2013-2015).  She has been a part of 5 Age Group Zone Teams (4 as an Assistant Coach, 1 as Head Coach), an assistant coach for the USA Swimming Southern Zone Select Camp, and is currently a part of the USA Swimming Women in Governance program.   Kayla grew up in Portland, Oregon where she swam for Parkrose Swim Club/Mt. Hood Aquatics and St. Mary’s Academy. In college, she swam at Tulane University and graduated with a B.S. in Public Health and has a Masters in Healthcare Administration.  

Mark Keaveney

Lead Senior 1 & Voyager 1

Mark Keaveney

Lead Senior 1 & Voyager 1

Email: mkeaveney@carmelswimclub.org

Coming Soon…

Julie Kellett

Co-Lead Imagination 2

Julie Kellett

Co-Lead Imagination 2

Email: jbkellett@gmail.com

Coming Soon…

Maggie Mestrich

Director of Business Development

Maggie Mestrich

Director of Business Development

Email: mmestrich@carmelswimclub.org

Maggie Mestrich serves as the Director of Business Development for Carmel Swim Club, overseeing the Carmel Swim Academy’s construction and fundraising efforts to expand community programs. A former CSC coach (2009–2012), she led Challenge 2 and High Performance groups and managed Operation Omaha 2.0. Before that, she was Head Age Group Coach for Fishers Area Swimming Tigers and a Volunteer Assistant Coach at Indiana University. From 2012-2019, Maggie was Director of Development for the Joseph Maley Foundation, focusing on fundraising and communications. She lives in Westfield with her husband, Jeff, and their children, Leo and Maisie.

George Morrison

Assistant Coach

George Morrison

Assistant Coach

Email: gmorrison@carmelswimclub.org

George has been part of Carmel Swim Club as both a lead and assistant age group coach since 2016. Prior to joining CSC, he was the Head Coach for Turpin Hills Swim Club (2012-2014) and at M.E. Lyons YMCA/Anderson Barracudas, where he served as Head of the Pre-Competitive Program and 10 & Under coach. (2014-2016).
A Cincinnati native, George grew up swimming for M.E. Lyons YMCA/Anderson Barracudas and St. Xavier High School. George attended DePauw University, where he was a four year varsity swimmer, and earned his MBA from the University of Indianapolis.
George still competes as an active U.S. Masters swimmer and is a passionate cyclist and triathlete. He lives in Carmel with his wife, Katie, and their young son, Robby.

Will Plumb

Lead Challenge 3, Voyager 2, & Assistant Senior Coach

Will Plumb

Lead Challenge 3, Voyager 2, & Assistant Senior Coach

wplumb@carmelswimclub.org

Will has coached for the Carmel Swim Club since 2019, when he began as a junior coach. In the summer of 2023, Will began leading Voyager 2 for the long course season, and helped coach other groups, including Challenge 3, Voyager 1, Challenge 2, and Exploration 2. Will also swam for CSC since 2009, and has been a part of the growth and development of the club as both an athlete and coach. Will just finished his degree in psychology at DePauw University, where he swam for four years, and was elected team captain during his senior year. Will is very excited to be back on board to continue to give back to the club and community!

Melanie Pulley

Lead Senior 3 & Imagination 1

Melanie Pulley

Lead Senior 3 & Imagination 1

Email: mpulley@carmelswimclub.org

Coach Melanie joined Carmel Swim Club in June 2018 and is the Lead Coach for Senior 3 and Imagination 1, as well as an assistant for Senior 2. With over 18 years of coaching experience, she began her career at Annapolis Swim Club and later coached at Lawrence Swim Team and Lawrence North High School. A graduate of McDaniel College with a degree in Exercise Science, Melanie competed at the 2002 NCAA Division III Nationals. She moved to Indiana to coach Pendleton Swim Club and High School while staying close to family. Melanie has also served on the Indiana Swimming Board of Directors.

Jon Ranochak

Lead Senior 2 & Exploration 1

Jon Ranochak

Lead Senior 2 & Exploration 1

Email: jranochak@carmelswimclub.org

Jon Ranochak joined the full-time coaching staff in the fall of 2014. He currently is the Lead Coach for the Exploration 1 and Senior 2 training groups. Previously, he served as the Lead Coach for the Imagination 2 training group. Coach Ranochak is also an assistant coach on the Carmel High School staff. Jon previously coached at the South West Allen County (SWAC) Swim Team from 2011-2013. There he served as an assistant coach in their senior program, as well as Interim Head Coach for a large portion of 2013. Jon attended Purdue University majoring in Law and Society. He also minored in Psychology, Organization, Leadership, and Supervision. He was a four year letter winner swimming for the Boilermakers. Jon grew up swimming in Fort Wayne, Indiana and was a high school All-American at Homestead High School.

Lisa Sheets

Office Manager

Lisa Sheets

Office Manager

Email: carmelswimclub@gmail.com

Coming Soon…

Nicole Stein

Carmel Swim Academy Senior Director

Nicole Stein

Carmel Swim Academy Senior Director

Email: nstein@carmelswimacademy.org

Nicole Stein joined our team in 2015. She oversees all noncompetitive programming (swim lessons, community lap swim, masters, and facility rentals) and manages the Carmel Swim Academy. She also sets ups and tears down all Carmel Swim Club and Carmel High School swim meets that are scheduled at the Carmel High School Natatorium. Nicole came to Carmel from after serving as the Aquatics Director at the Jerry L. Garver YMCA in Canal Winchester Ohio. She previously worked in South Carolina at the Greenville YMCA and was the Head Swim Coach for Eastside High School. She brings a vast amount of aquatics experience to the program. Nicole has managed and taught swim lessons, managed lifeguards and swim instructors, as well as coached various swim teams the past 17 years. Throughout her career, she has traveled to various parts of the US to work in different fields of aquatics including sleep away camps and Sea World. She is a graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science with emphasis on Aquatics. While at Ball State, she worked with the university Women’s swim team as a volunteer assistant. Nicole loves to be in the water and teaching kids. She enjoys all levels and age groups. Nicole especially loves being in the water with her two kids, Ella and Michael!

Allison Walker

Co-Lead Imagination 2

Allison Walker

Co-Lead Imagination 2

Email: allisonwalker42@gmail.com

Allison grew up in South Bend, Indiana, where she started swimming at age 7 at South Bend Swim Club. She swam primarily butterfly and distance free in college at IUPUI. Allison graduated from IUPUI with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and now works as an Engineer for Citizens Energy Group.  After college, Allison quickly missed the sport and was eager to be a part of swimming again. Over the last couple of years, she has coached a variety of ages and skill levels, including 10&Under swimmers at Lawrence Swim Team before joining the CSC coaching staff. Prior to coaching, she spent her summers and free time in college teaching swim lessons.   

Katie Walker

Assistant Age Group Coach

Katie Walker

Assistant Age Group Coach

Email: katiewalker42@gmail.com

Coming Soon…

Kinsey West

Lead Discovery 1

Kinsey West

Lead Discovery 1

Email: kwest@carmelswimclub.org

Kinsey rejoined Carmel Swim Club in September 2022 as the Lead Coach for Discovery 1. A Ball State graduate with a degree in Exercise Science: Aquatics, she began her career as an Aquatics Director in Louisville, KY, and coached at Lakeside Swim Club, focusing on ages 6–12. In 2008, Kinsey returned to Indiana to become Carmel Swim Club’s Aquatics Director, managing swim lessons and community programs while assisting with Discovery 1 & 2 groups. She later earned an Elementary Education degree from Indiana Wesleyan. Kinsey lives in Westfield with her husband, Jeremy, and their two sons, Nathan and Calan.

Joel Zeller

Assistant Age Group Coach

Joel Zeller

Assistant Age Group Coach

Email: jzeller@verdantcc.com