Experience a dynamic weekend of in water and on deck training, an engaging boat tour, and collaborative learning designed to inspire and connect.
Location: Lake Union, Seattle, WA
Dates: August 28-30
Price: $365 for one participant or $700 for two participants
Limited space: 20 participants total (max 2 per organization)
Tides of Inclusion is an immersive, hands-on experience designed for swim instructors, therapists, educators, and caregivers ready to deepen their impact.
Through a neurodivergent (ND) lens, we focus on practical, real-world strategies that increase safety, build trust, and create lasting change for autistic and ND youth in and around water.
Core Topics Include:
This is an interactive, applied learning conference experience
Tides of Inclusion was born from an unexpected connection and a shared calling. Sandy Karlek and Amie Liscinski, both certified aquatic therapy and adaptive swim professionals and dedicated experts in autism and other neurodiversities were introduced through a mutual connection who recognized what they had in common: an unwavering commitment to making water safe and accessible for every individual. After crossing paths several times over the years, it became clear that their values, vision, and goals called for something more, something entirely their own.
Water safety for autistic individuals is a crisis that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Drowning remains the leading cause of death among autistic children, yet access to specialized, inclusive aquatic instruction remains deeply limited. Amie and Sandy felt that gap personally and professionally, and they refused to let it go unaddressed. Tides of Inclusion is their answer- a conference built not just to educate, but to empower families, caregivers, and professionals with the tools and community they need to change that reality.
Sandy Karlek
Sandy Karlek holds a BA in Communications and Recreation and is certified in Aquatic Therapy and Exercise Therapy. She brings over 30 years of experience in aquatics, working with diverse clients of all ages and abilities.
She specializes in behavioral, sensory, and developmental differences, with extensive experience supporting autistic individuals across the spectrum. As a parent of a neurodivergent child, Sandy brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work, strengthening her family-centered approach.
Sandy is the owner of , which she founded in 2015. She works with over 200 families in the greater Seattle area, providing individualized aquatic therapy and adaptive swim programs that meet each client where they are. She is also a recognized national speaker with the United States Swim School Association and contributes to local and national podcasts, blogs, and staff trainings. In addition, she offers one-on-one consulting and online courses to support swim school owners and professionals.
Sandy is also excited to begin a new chapter as co-founder of Tides of Inclusion with Amie Liscinski, a conference and training initiative focused on expanding water safety education for autistic youth and supporting families, caregivers, and professionals in creating more inclusive, accessible programming.
Amie Liscinski
M. Ed, ATRI-certified
Amie holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education with an endorsement in Behavior, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education. She is ATRI-certified and spent four years teaching in special education.
She is the founder of All Can Swim Idaho, an adaptive aquatics program she established 11 years ago to address critical gaps in traditional swim instruction for neurodivergent individuals. With decades of experience supporting neurodivergent populations across education, behavior, and aquatic settings, she is recognized as a leading voice in inclusive water safety in Idaho.
Amie is one of only a small number of providers in Idaho specializing in adaptive aquatics and is widely known for her work with autistic individuals and those with complex behavioral profiles. She co-created and hosted a national conference for neurodivergent programs for two years before going on to develop Tides of Inclusion with Sandy.
Through her program and her leadership of Tides of Inclusion, Amie is pushing the field beyond basic drowning prevention toward comprehensive, behavior-informed water safety systems designed for the full spectrum of learners.
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Connection Beyond the Pool
Continue the conversation off-deck with a catered electric boat cruise on Lake Union.
Relaxed, meaningful networking
Iconic Seattle views
Space to connect, reflect, and collaborate
Lake Union, Seattle (near the Space Needle)
at Lake Union Swim Academy
Free parking available on site after 4:00pm on weekdays and weekends. Paid parking available from 8:00-4:00 on weekdays. Hosted at a pool directly on beautiful Lake Union—just a short walk from downtown Seattle and the Space Needle.
This work is changing lives and raising the standard for what water safety and inclusion can look like.
With only 20 total participants and a 2 per organization limit, this experience is intentionally small so the impact can be significant.
Join a community committed to doing this work differently.
Register today to reserve your spot.
If the conference organizers must cancel the event for any reason, registered participants will receive a 100% refund of registration fees paid.
No refunds will be issued for attendee cancellations, schedule conflicts, travel delays, illness, or failure to attend, due to limited space, registrations, and advance planning commitments. However, attendees may transfer their registration to another individual within their organization by notifying organizers in advance with the updated participant information.
We appreciate your understanding and support in helping us maintain a high-quality, intimate training experience.
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