In a move marking the evolution of Starfish Aquatics, founder Jill White is stepping down as the organization?s president/CEO and becoming director of Human Kinetics? new Aquatic Division.
Replacing White as CEO is Leslie Donavan, a former consultant, business owner and attorney. White will retain ownership of the 6-year-old company, based in Savannah, Ga.
The decision came after Human Kinetics created its Aquatics Education Center a year after it partnered with Starfish. Human Kinetics, a producer and publisher of training materials, is currently responsible for printing training materials for Starfish.
As part of the partnership, the Starfish curriculum was expanded to include online courses and resources associated with its various training programs. Though such courses are purchased from Human Kinetics, Starfish remains the certifying agency, White said.
Under her direction, Human Kinetics? Aquatic Division will develop a ?blended? StarGuard course, which includes an online portion followed by in-water training at a Starfish training center.
Human Kinetics recently partnered with the Aquatic Exercise Association to produce an online training course for certification. It also joined forces with the National Swimming Pool Foundation to produce a quarterly peer-review journal.
Human Kinetics produces books, online courses, videos, software, journals and audiocassettes geared toward physical activity. It is headquartered in Champaign, Ill.