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
Please welcome our new Aquatics Manager/Head Coach, Reza Ojagh. You can reach him at reza@greenmeadow.org
Reza Ojagh is a lifelong aquatics enthusiast with a long history of competitive swimming and water polo, as an athlete and coach. As a youth, he began his swimming career at age eight, and added water polo to his resume, a sport where he excelled. By 18, he had joined the Iranian National Water Polo team.
With over 20 years of experience coaching both swimming and water polo, Reza enjoys working with young people of all ages. He has coached age group, summer league, and community college swimmers and water polo players.
Reza believes in a coaching philosophy that empowers youth through fun and imaginative learning. He utilizes playful engagement, visual learning, imaginative practice, and positive reinforcement to help youth achieve their goals. Youth will benefit from this philosophy by building confidence and teamwork, developing fundamental skills, fostering a love for swimming and water polo, and enhancing cognitive and motor skills.
Reza’s hobbies include beach volleyball, watching movies, and going to the gym.