Helen P. Brown Natatorium Meet the Staff

Liz Caywood

Liz Caywood has been employed with Fort Wayne Community Schools as the Natatorium Director since June 2001, where she serves as the Natatorium Director the Helen P. Brown Natatorium.

Liz has been in the Aquatics industry since 1989, where she learned the ropes at the City of Fort Wayne’s Parks & Recreation department.  She then worked at the YWCA of Fort Wayne, where she started as a lifeguard and WSI, and then moved her way up to Director of Operations, and eventually to Sports Club Director where she oversaw the Sports Complex, as well as provided risk management for the agency.

Liz has experience coaching high school swimming, as well as younger children. She founded and coached the Summit City Sharks summer swim team that targeted children and teens in the community who were looking for a less expensive, "fun-oriented" swim team that took away some of the pressures of learning to swim competitively.

Liz is a licensed Lifeguard Instructor Trainer through the International Lifeguard Training Program (Ellis & Associates). She is a certified Water Safety instructor through the American Red Cross and a certified Exercise Instructor through the Aquatic Exercise Association. She is a Certified Pool Operator. Liz holds a B.A. in Psychology from Purdue University.

Liz currently serves as a co-Director of the International Aquatic Safety School through the Jeff Ellis and Associates Comprehensive Aquatic Risk Management program.  She has served on the faculty of the school since 2005.

Todd Bolinger

Todd Bolinger has been a Natatorium Supervisor since October 2001. He has over 20 years of experience in the aquatics industry. During those years, he has managed indoor and outdoor pools, facilitated learn to swim programs, coordinated swim meets, and trained and developed staff. Todd is always looking for new, innovative and safe ways to bring people to the water for exercise and enjoyment.

He is a certified Water Exercise Instructor with AEA, a Water Safety Instructor Trainer with the American Red Cross and an International Lifeguard Training Program Instructor with Ellis & Associates. He brings many years experience with him in all aspects of competitive swimming as a swimmer, coach and swim meet coordinator. Todd has a passion for aquatics and water safety.

Cody Meyer

Cody Meyer information - check back soon!!

Colleen Obergfell

Colleen began working at the Helen P. Brown Natatorium in May 2001 as a lifeguard and was promoted to a Natatorium Supervisor position in June 2002.  Coming late to the aquatics world, Colleen quickly developed a love of water and desire to share its benefits with the staff, students, aquatic teams, and the general public.

Colleen is a licensed Ellis and Associates International Lifeguard Training Program Instructor, a certified Aquatic Exercise Association Water Fitness Instructor, a certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, and a NSPF Certified Pool Operator.

Stephanie Schortgen

Stephanie joined the Natatorium Leadership team in April of 2014 as a Lead Water Safety Instructor. She is currently in the position of Natatorium Supervisor.

Stephanie has been involved working in aquatics for twenty years in various capacities. She started teaching lessons while she was in high school and worked for years at the Carroll HS Natatorium.

Stephanie has a great deal of experience with competitive swimming. First, she started swimming at the age of six and continued on to swim competitively through high school and into college. She has coached with various local teams. Stephanie is a licensed instructor through the International Lifeguard Training program with Ellis & Associates. She is also a Water Safety instructor through the American Red Cross and has her instructor certification through the Aquatic Exercise Association.