Coaches and Directors
Marjorie grew up swimming in the KC metro area, starting at age 7 and then swimming year-round beginning at age 14. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 1988 with a BA in Early Childhood Education. After coaching summer recreational swim teams during college, Marjorie began her professional swim coaching career in the San Diego area in 1990.
While moving around the country with her husband Jackson (now retired from the US Marine Corps!), Marjorie continued to coach and teach in elementary schools. Marjorie returned to full-time club coaching in the KC area in 2009 and joined Empire KC in 2017. Coaching with Empire KC is her dream job, as she gets to work with the Board of Directors, Coach Carmen, the assistant coaches, and the swimmers and families to continue Empire's growth as a team known for its commitment to character and fast swimming! Marjorie coaches with all the groups while specializing with the age group swimmers.
Marjorie has served in several Missouri Valley positions, including Scheduling Chair, Zone coach, All Star coach, Diversity Camp and Meet coach, Operational Risk Chair, and Technical Planning Chair. Marjorie has twice been named Missouri Valley Age Group Coach of the Year, as voted by her coaching peers. Marjorie has also served as an assistant coach at USA Swimming's Central Zone Select Camp and as a head coach and assistant coach at USA Swimming's National Select Camp.
Marjorie and Jackson have 2 grown children, as well as 2 delightful grandkids. In her spare time, she can be found playing with her grandkids!
Katt Brewer brings 18 years of competitive swimming experience to Empire KC. A Kansas City native, she went on to swim collegiately at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she earned her degree in Elementary Education and later a Master’s in Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education with an emphasis in Mathematics and English Language Learners.
After seven years teaching 2nd grade, Katt has transitioned out of the classroom to pursue new opportunities alongside her husband, Austin, while also dedicating herself to coaching full time.
Outside of the pool, Katt enjoys fitness, the outdoors, and spending time with Austin and their dog, Theo.
Carmen swam as a youth in summer league, club swimming, and high school swimming. A KU graduate, Carmen has a BA in Human Biology with a minor in physics and a minor in chemistry. Carmen is married to Jim, and they have two adult children, Jacob and Macie. In her spare time, Coach Carmen loves to run, bike, swim, play basketball, watch basketball, play volleyball; she loves sports. AND, she claims to be a very good pogo stick jumper who plans to set a record one day!
On deck, Carmen has devoted her energy tirelessly to this swim team, working with all groups and doing whatever is necessary. She now works primarily with the National and Senior groups in Kansas while also serving as the team's business manager.
Thomas joined the Empire KC staff in August, 2021 after very successful tenures in Springfield, MO and Columbia, MO. In his time with EKC, he has already helped the team in moving to the next level in swimming excellence.
Thomas has a BA in Fine Arts in 2008 from the University of Missouri, where he was a 4-year scholarship swimmer. Thomas also earned his Masters Degree in Positive Coaching and Athletic Leadership from the University of Missouri.
Some of Thomas' coaching accomplishments include the following:
- Coached five 18 & under Olympic Trials qualifiers, 2019-2024
- His clubs earned Silver Medal Club recognition as awarded by USA Swimming, 2020, 2021, 2023
- Coached two athletes to 18 & under World 100 Ranking swimmers, 2019-2020
- He was voted Arkansas LSC Coach of the Year, 2019 & 2020
- He coached 4 National Select Camp invitees (2014, 2017, 2019, 2023.)
Thomas is primarily working with the National and Missouri Senior group at our Missouri site. He and his wife Val have 2 young sons.
Meredith joins Empire KC this year as a coach with the Varsity group at the Kansas location. She loves swimming and enjoys sharing that love with others! She swam at the University of Missouri, setting school records and twice earning All America honors in the 100 backstroke. She recently graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and is teaching 3rd grade at Trailwood Elementary. She has coached and taught swim lessons for more than 6 years while in high school and college. She is originally from Colorado Springs and very excited to begin her teaching and coaching journey in Kansas City as part of Empire KC!
Nick joined our staff in 2023 as a coach with our Varsity group in Kansas. Nick had a successful career in the Life Insurance and financial services industries before retiring in 2019. Never one to sit still, Nick is giving back to the swimming community by coaching and guiding swimmers. He is a kind man with a big heart, and his patience and humor are valued by his swimmers and fellow coaches. Nick has some serious swimming chops of his own:
- Former Varsity Swimmer, Co-Captain Purdue University
- Grad Assistant Swim Coach Purdue University
- Former Lifeguard Instructor and Head Lifeguard at a local aquatic center (AFTER he retired from his primary career!)
Luke began swimming competitively at the age of 7. For nine years, he competed with another club team before joining Empire in the fall of 2019. During the final two years of high school, he trained with the varsity and senior groups in Kansas while attending Olathe East High School. There, he earned two relay state championships, set one school record, and helped lead the team to back-to-back state runner-up finishes.
After graduating in 2021, Luke attended Oklahoma State University. In 2023, he rejoined the swimming community by coaching a local summer league team, a role he continued through 2024. That same year, he began coaching with King Marlin Swim Club in Stillwater. Luke earned a degree in Business Management in 2024 and returned to the Kansas City area to begin his professional career with Shamrock Trading Corporation.
Outside of swimming, Luke is the middle child of three. Both of his siblings swam for EKC and went on to compete at the collegiate level. In June 2026, he will marry his fiancée, Jane, who works as a nurse at KU Med.
Luke is incredibly excited to meet everyone and looks forward to a great season ahead!
Coach Rebekah grew up as the youngest of four in a military family, moving frequently until her father’s retirement brought them to Hannibal, Missouri. At the age of nine, she was inspired to pursue college but knew she would need a scholarship to achieve that goal. That motivation led her to join her first swim team, sparking a lifelong passion for competitive swimming.
Throughout her career, Rebekah became a multiple Illinois Age Group State Champion and Zone Champion, a six-time MSHSAA State Champion, and was named Swimmer of the Year in 2011. She continued her swimming journey at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she became a school record holder and received the prestigious Heart and Soul Award, recognizing senior student-athletes who exemplify leadership, perseverance, and service both in athletics and in the community.
As a coach, Rebekah brings that same love for the sport, commitment to growth, and dedication to helping swimmers succeed. She is passionate about not only guiding athletes to reach their goals in the pool but also equipping them with the confidence and resilience to thrive beyond it.
Outside of coaching, Rebekah and her husband—her college sweetheart—have built their home in Olathe, where they are raising three children: Maverick, Leila, and Jacob, along with their golden retriever, Parker. As a family, they enjoy exploring parks, hiking, and are working toward their dream of summiting Mount Kilimanjaro within the next five years.
Joel swam with Empire for 4 years in high school, culminating as a sectional level swimmer. He is now exited to apply everything he has learned as an athlete as he begins his coaching career. He works primarily with the Black group at the Kansas location. During his time on Empire he earned the Heart of a Lion award and was known for his work ethic. He also earned Missouri Valley All-Academic Team for 4 years in high school. Joel enjoys spending his time playing the guitar, helping others, and spending time with friends and family.
Leslie Stikeleather primarily coaches Empire KC's Black group in Missouri. She started coaching for Empire KC 9 years ago. In addition to her Empire coaching duties, she is an elementary Physical Education teacher in the Independence School District with 28 years' experience. Her coaching experience includes more than 30 years of private swim instruction, serving as an assistant coach for the Lee's Summit High School boys and girls swim teams for 8 years, and serving as an assistant swim coach for the Windsboro Waves Swim Team in Lee's Summit. She and her husband Rob have 3 children, all who have been/are members of Empire KC. Her eldest children have been/are scholarship athletes on the South Dakota State University. In her spare time, Leslie enjoys watching her kids swim, spending time with family, gardening, and drinking tons of coffee on her days off work while listening to music.
Conner began swimming at age 8 with his neighborhood team, the Raintree Rays, and by age 10 was competing with the Blazers. He later became a founding member of Empire KC, where he swam through his senior year of high school. Conner also competed for Lee’s Summit West, qualifying for state all four years.
Alongside his own swimming career, Conner has spent the past three summers coaching as an assistant with the Windsboro Waves. He is currently pursuing his education at Kansas State University, working toward a degree in Secondary Education with a minor in Mathematics, as well as a Sports Performance Coaching Certificate. At K-State, Conner serves as an Ambassador for the College of Education, sits on the executive board for the COE Ambassadors, and is the Vice President of his fraternity.
After graduation, Conner plans to return to the Kansas City area full-time to pursue teaching and coaching—while continuing to cheer on the Royals.
