ABOUT US
About the Greenmeadow Community Association (GMCA)
WHO WE ARE | OUR HISTORY | STAFF | CONTACT
WHO WE ARE
We are a family-oriented community association and swim club in a historic Eichler neighborhood located in south Palo Alto, CA. We are a warm, open community with much to offer both kids and adults.
As a member at Greenmeadow, you’ll get more than access to our beautiful pool and aquatics programs. Membership includes becoming a part of our broader community with picnics, seasonal parties, discounted facility rental, active online discussion groups and of course our locally famous July 4th Parade and celebration.
We welcome you to our historic neighborhood and invite you to share a true sense of community with us.
OUR HISTORY
From its start in 1954 Greenmeadow was designed to be a family community with easy proximity to shopping, libraries and schools. Inspired by principles of modern architecture conceived by Frank Lloyd Wright, Joe Eichler built homes featuring spacious living areas and lots, floor-to-ceiling windows and three or more bedrooms, which he located around a community center, pool, and park.
However, when Joe Eichler designed the area, he could not have envisioned the spirit that would spring to life as a result of his plans. The community center he built at the heart of the neighborhood was a catalyst for the development of a non-profit civic organization, called the Greenmeadow Community Association (GMCA). More than fifty years later, the Greenmeadow Community Association has evolved into a tightly knit diverse community of neighbors who work together to preserve the spirit of our neighborhood. Greenmeadow is rich with history and is on the National Registry of Historic Neighborhoods. This is a vibrant community of diverse neighbors with wide ranging interests who cooperate on a volunteer basis to organize and run programs that all members and their guests can enjoy.
Club Manager
Our Club Manager is Loree Watanabe. You can reach her at loree@greenmeadow.org
Loree is a Bay Area native who grew up at a neighborhood cabana club, spending summers swimming and playing tennis. She is a lifelong aquatics enthusiast and has a background in competitive swimming. Loree is also a Masters swim coach, which allows her opportunity to work with adult swimmers of all ages and abilities. Her work experiences have been primarily in nonprofit management and fundraising, working at agencies on the peninsula and in the south bay area. Loree’s most recent positions include managing a local YMCA and grant writing for a library foundation.
In her free time, Loree is an avid reader (mysteries!), sewist, and attempts to use her Cricut machine. She has two kids – both swimmers – a daughter in high school and a son in college.
Program Coordinator
Our Program Coordinator is Anna Contreras. You can reach her at Anna@greenmeadow.org
Anna comes to Greenmeadow with a background in providing Learn-to-Swim lessons for youth of all ages. With over 10 years experience in aquatics, Anna began working as swim instructor at Santa Clara Swim Club. Anna was also able to gain experiences working with the swim program’s special abilities program, an area that she especially enjoyed. In addition to being a versatile swim instructor, Anna served as a Deck Supervisor, Admin Staff for the Swim School, and served as pre-competitive swim coach.
In her role at Greenmeadow, Anna is both a lead swim instructor and she coordinates both our swim lesson program and the kids’ Day Camp program. Anna is excited to help swimmers learn the life saving skill of swimming as well as helping them achieve their goals – to be the best that they can be. Anna’s hobbies include reading, exercising and spending time with family and friends!
Marlins Head Coach / Aquatic Manager
Our aquatic manager and head coach for the Marlins program is Ryan Garcia. You can reach him at wilfred@greenmeadow.org.
Ryan Garcia was born and raised in San Jose, California. Living in the Bay Area, he competed for club programs such as Santa Clara Swim Club, West Coast Aquatics, and Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics. As an age group swimmer, Ryan was a Pacific Record holder and placed high at meets, including Far Westerns, and all the way up to Junior Nationals. Ryan attended Bellarmine College Prep high school, where he was a four year All-American and helped to lead his team to four straight CCS team titles. He then moved to attend UC Santa Barbara, where he competed for the Gauchos and was All-Conference during his time there. Ryan continues to compete at Master’s competitions and won backstroke titles nationally in his age group.
Ryan was the Varsity Coach and Senior Group Assistant for Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics which he started there in 2016. Ryan has had the opportunity to coach various levels of swimmers over the last 6 years. During his time there, he coached the Varsity and Non-Competitive Groups, as well as the Senior Group as an assistant with head coach Tony Batis. While at PASA, during the high school season, Ryan had the opportunity to coach several seasons at Bellarmine as well as Sacred Heart Prep. Ryan also held the position of Head Coach of Mountain View Masters, and Co-Head Coach of Covington Critters, a summer recreational team. He is experienced in coaching all levels, from novice to All-American swimmers.