Coaching Staff

Jim Van Atta

Jim’s coaching career spans parts of four decades at the club, high school, and collegiate levels. He served as a graduate assistant coach at West Point, an assistant coach at Indiana University Swim Camp, and a volunteer assistant coach at West Point. From 2016 to 2020, he coached for Southwest Aquatic Team (SWAT) in El Paso, significantly growing the team and producing TAGS finalists, junior national qualifiers, and college-bound athletes. From 2021 to 2024, he served as the strength and performance coach at Charger Aquatics, also coaching the CAQ Gold group for 10-12-year-olds.

As a swimmer at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Jim was a 12-time Patriot League finalist, 400 IM conference champ, and four-time Eastern Seaboard finalist. He maintained his connection to swimming during his 27-year career as an Army infantry officer, which included three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he coached and led soldiers in combat every day.

Moranda Madero

Jim’s coaching career spans parts of four decades at the club, high school, and collegiate levels. He served as a graduate assistant coach at West Point, an assistant coach at Indiana University Swim Camp, and a volunteer assistant coach at West Point. From 2016 to 2020, he coached for Southwest Aquatic Team (SWAT) in El Paso, significantly growing the team and producing TAGS finalists, junior national qualifiers, and college-bound athletes. From 2021 to 2024, he served as the strength and performance coach at Charger Aquatics, also coaching the CAQ Gold group for 10-12-year-olds.

As a swimmer at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Jim was a 12-time Patriot League finalist, 400 IM conference champ, and four-time Eastern Seaboard finalist. He maintained his connection to swimming during his 27-year career as an Army infantry officer, which included three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he coached and led soldiers in combat every day.

Elizabeth Brown

Coach Liz brings over 30 years of coaching experience to Charger Aquatics, having joined the club in 2015. Prior to moving to Albuquerque, she served as Head Age Group coach at Las Cruces Aquatic Club (LCAT) for nine years. Additionally, she coached in Wisconsin and Illinois, as well as her first coaching job in Shawnee, KS at the age of 16. During this time, Liz has coached numerous state and zones qualifiers, as well as Illinois state record holders and qualifiers to the now-defunct National Age Group Championships.

Liz began her swimming career at the age of six at Osborn Swim Club in Detroit and continued club swimming with the Johnson County YMCA, KC Blazers, Decatur Swim Club and Badger Dolphins. Her collegiate career began at Millikin University (where she was one of three women competing on the men’s team) and she finished her last three years at the University of Wisconsin where she was a National Qualifier and two-year co-captain while majoring in journalism and minoring in history.

In addition to sharing her passion for swimming with the athletes at Charger Aquatics and Albuquerque Academy, Liz is the Executive Director of the Information Display & Entertainment Association (IDEA), a professional association for members of the event presentation industry.

Lee Romero Taylor

Head Site Coach, Lee Romero Taylor, is a lifelong NM resident from Santa Fe. Lee graduated from Santa Fe Preparatory School and went on to become an NCAA-swimmer and graduate of Lewis and Clark College in Oregon, where he was Captain of the swim team. Lee graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Sociology/Anthropology with a minor in Art in May 2011. Lee was Head Coach of the Kids Club Fun and Fitness in Vancouver, Washington where he coached, motivated and developed age group swimmers. Lee became the head coach of Santa Fe Aquatics in 2015 and, became the Head Site Coach of Charger Aquatics when we became a satellite branch of Charger Aquatics in 2021. He coached the New Mexico Zones team in 2019, and received Age Group Coach of the Year award for 2019 and 2020, and is the Age Group Chair for New Mexico Swimming.

Elise Dionisopoulos

Elise spent three years coaching at her alma mater, New York University, from 2019 - 2022. She oversaw the sprint group, as well as working with the 100/200 stroke swimmers, and the breaststrokers on the team. In her last season coaching NYU, the team took its largest-ever squad to the NCAA Championship meet, 11 of which were sprinters!

She herself swam for NYU from 2013-2017, attended Nationals all four years of school, earned 10 All-American Honors, set 7 school records, and was a two-year team captain. During undergrad, she earned a Bachelors in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics and has also achieved a Masters in Sports Business from NYU.

She grew up in Manteo, North Carolina, swimming for the Outer Banks Swim Club from the age of 5, and throughout her entire youth. She has been passionate about swimming since she can remember, and does not plan to stop that anytime soon! Elise's favorite event to swim is 50 Free, but her favorite event to watch is the 400 IM!

Elise moved to Albuquerque in September 2022 with her husband, Nick, and her 21 year old cat, Simon!

Sarah Feather

Sarah grew up in Albuquerque, where she swam for Duke City Aquatics and Valley High School. She continued to swim competitively through college, when she also began teaching swim lessons and coaching with the local club team. After getting her Masters degree in Library Sciences from Texas Woman’s University, she moved to Massachusett where she worked as both a youth services librarian and the head swim coach for a summer league swim team. She also volunteered with the JV swim team at the high school level.

Sarah is excited to be back living in Albuquerque. She hopes her experience and passion for the sport of swimming will help grow a new generation of Charger athletes. She coaches the Bronze and Senior State teams.

Wesley Milton

Jarrod Trainor

Jarrod Trainor is from Albuquerque where he went to highschool at Hope Christian where he lettered in 3 sports. He went to college at Adams State for Crosscountry and Track and transfered to UNM soon after where we got a letter for Spirit Team. Jarrod graduated with a degree in Architecture in 2023. 

Jarrod started coaching in 2018 at Del Norte Sports and Wellness. He then moved to Midtown and ended up at Lobo Aquatics where he build the team from 4 kids to over 80 kids in less than 4 years. He worked closely with the UNM womens swim team in building professional, and collegic level swin meet. 

Outside of swimming, Jarrod is also a competitive hot air balloon pilot who competes in local events such as the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and aspires to compete at the national and world championship level. Jarrod is excited to work for Charger Aquatics program and help build and grow the club.

Venita Ames

Venita joined Charger Aquatics in December 2025 as the administrative assistant with a background in Mass Communications and a deep love for sports.