Coaches & Directors

Jody Braden

Head Coach

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Head Coach Jody Braden came to PAC in October of 2004 from the Bellevue Club where he was the head assistant coach. Since his arrival PAC has become one of the top 10 swim programs in the state of Oregon . PAC swimmers have broken over 500 records and have won state titles at the 10 and Under Champs, 11-14 Champs, and Senior Champs. Also, PAC swimmers have competed and placed at the Northwest Section Age Group and Senior Sectional Championships, Western Zones and Junior Nationals, and one ended 2008 with a USA Swimming #1 ranking.

Before coaching, Jody was a top swimmer in the Northwest and the world. He competed and placed among the top at Junior and Senior Nationals and the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Trials and was ranked among the top 10 swimmers in the world in the 400 IM. He was a USA National Team member in 1991-1992 and won a silver medal in the 400 IM at the 1991 Pan-American Games in Havana , Cuba . He was a 3 time High School All- American, 4 time NCAA All-American in college, winning the 400 IM at the 1991 Pac-10 Championships and still holds one University of Washington team record and was inducted into the University of Washington Hall of Fame in 2006!

After the 1992 Olympic Trials Jody began coaching for the Bellevue Club where he became an ASCA level 4 certified coach (of the 5,000 registered coaches in the United States only 10% hold level 4 or 5 certification). He has coached swimmers to Junior and Senior Nationals, top-3 placements at Junior Nationals, and numerous Pacific Northwest record holders, Northwest Section and Zone records (one was just broken in 2008)! He has had swimmers go on Division I Universities where they have competed and placed at the NCAA Championships, one setting an American Record in the 200 Medley Relay!

Jody oversees PAC’s three experienced site coaches in developing their training programs. He is a demanding yet compassionate coach who expects a lot out of his swimmers in and out of the water while making the process fun and enjoyable! 

Tom W McLaughlin

Columbia Site Coach

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Tom has been involved with swimming for the past 21 years. Starting in 1988 as a parent, board member, Treasurer, President, Official (He was named Volunteer of the Year, in 1996, in Alaska.) and finally, as a coach.

Before that he was involved with Nordic skiing, having coached with Alaska ’s Junior National Ski Team.  In his youth, Tom was one of the fastest 2 milers in Oregon State history.He swam for Max Strauss and the River Road Swim Team in Eugene.

Tom has coached swimmers to team records, State Championships, Age Group Sectional wins, Zone times, NAG 16 times, and college scholarships. His oldest son, Brendan, swam for Duke and is now a lawyer in NY.His youngest, Treg, swam for Pacific Lutheran University and is pursuing a degree in Business.

Tom has taught Elementary and Middle School for 27 years. Coach Tom has taught reading, first grade and kindergarten at Woodlawn Elementary School in Portland and now subs twice/week. His wife, Mary, is a Senior Project Manager for adidas.

Jesse Raskauskas

Mt. Scott Site Coach

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Jesse’s competitive swim experience started in 1989 when as a seventh grader he got involved with the Corvallis Aquatic Team (CAT) He continued with CAT through his high school years. From 1990-94 he also swam for his high school team where he excelled in multiple events.

After high school he did not stray far from the pool. The year after graduating he stayed on as a coach for CHS, as well as life guarding and teaching swim lessons. In 1999 he moved to Portland to pursue an education degree at Concordia University and is now teaching elementary school.

Since moving to Portland he has coached the T hills Barracuda’s starting in 2000 and continuing to the present. He also coached for Sunset High School during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. In addition he now coaches the Mt. Scott Team. In his spare time he enjoys competing in Triathlons as well as long distance cycling.

Laurie J Kilbourn

SWCC Site Coach

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Laurie Kilbourn is the Portland Aquatic Club Swim Team site coach for at the Southwest Community Center, where she’s been with the team since August 2000. Since 1996, she has coached on deck at Total Immersion workshops around the northwest, and she works privately with adults and kids. She is a lifetime member of ASCA, the American Swimming Coaches Association.

“I love working with PAC’s newest swimmers!” She said, “When their strokes click and they start to realize their potential, the transformation is amazing. Seeing the pride in their faces, knowing they did it themselves, swells my own heart to the bursting point.”

Laurie has been a competitive swimmer for more than 30 years, and with technique changes, she’s still setting personal best times. With technique improvements, she went from being a sprinter and “dying on anything longer than 200 yards,” to being a well-rounded, any-distance swimmer. She swam in the 10,000 meter National Open Water Championship in 2000, and participated in the 2003 and 2008 Alcatraz Challenge (1.5 mile swim, followed by a 7.5 mile run across the Golden Gate Bridge and back), and she placing in the top ten  at the 2008 USMS long-course Nationals, competing in the 1500 free, 50 breast and 50 fly.

Laurie grew up in Portland and went to college at Portland State University and the University of Oregon, where she earned her degree in Journalism with a minor in Communication.

Sheri Bottelberghe

Columbia Assistant Coach

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Sheri has been involved in swimming for the past 33 years.  She has 24 years teaching experience in all levels of swimming from beginning skills to advanced stroke technique for all ages and abilities.  She has over 18 years combined swim coaching experience for high school, USA Swimming and CYO  Swim Teams.  She holds a level 3 cerification from the American Swim Coaches Association held by only the top 15% of swim coaches.  She was the Head Age Group Coach for the Vancouver Swim Club for 4 years.  While coaching for VSC, Sheri was selected by her peers as a Coach for the Oregon Swimming All Star Team in 2005 and 2006.  She has been coaching with PAC since 2008.  Sheri competed in swimming for 17 years achieving All American Status all 4 years in High School and Collelge and was inducted into the Swimming Hall of Fame at the University of North Dakota in September of 2007.

Sheri currently is a Personal Trainer (ACE Certified) and Aquatic Specialist at the Waterford Health and Fitness Club in Vancouver Washington.

Jack Ridley

Assistant Senior Coach

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Jack Ridley, coached with Chinook (from PN Swimming) from the beginning of the club in the late ’70s through 1995. His most successful swimmers were World Record holder Jo Harshbarger, Olympic Gold medalist Mary Wayte, and three-time US National Champion Ugur Taner.  Jack coached US swimmers at two World Swimming Championships and several other international competitions. After coaching in California for a few years, Jack returned to Chinook in 2004. In 2004, Jack was one of the first coaches inducted into the Pacific Northwest Swimming Hall of Fame.  Jack retired from Chinook in June 2008 and after a brief retirement joined the PAC staff in October 2008.  We are fortunate to have such an accomplished coach on staff to assist our programs.

Helen Thurlow

SWCC Assistant Coach

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Active since childhood, Helen brings her passion for fitness and sports to swimming! She is an ACE-certified personal trainer, and she loves sharing her enjoyment of fitness with PAC and her clients. Helen incorporates fun and active movements in her instruction and exercise. She enjoys soccer, yoga, hiking, running, cycling, and most recently, triathlons and swimming, all the while exploring the bountiful athletic opportunities Portland offers.