Sabeena Hickman is President and CEO of the United States Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), where she leads with a passion for safety, equity and industry excellence. With deep roots in nonprofit leadership and industry engagement, Sabeena is committed to expanding access to swimming pools and ensuring they are inclusive spaces that save lives and build community.

Sabeena, as President of the PHTA, you often describe swimming as a life skill, not just a leisure activity. Why is that distinction so important?

Because swimming is truly foundational. It’s not just something fun to do, which, of course, it is, but it’s something everyone should know how to do. Learning to swim builds confidence, encourages physical activity and opens doors to a whole world of aquatic experiences. And most importantly, it prepares people to be safe in and around water.

Safer Waters, the Pool Horizons Water and Safety working group report outlines global disparities in drowning. What stood out to you most?

Several things. The scale is staggering – globally, there are over 300,000 deaths from drowning annually, of which nearly 90% occur in low- and middle-income countries. And the risks are deeply unequal.

Many of these tragedies happen in unpredictable natural environments where there’s no supervision or safety infrastructure. Swimming pools offer a safer, more controlled space to learn essential water competency skills, from floating and breathing to recognizing danger and responding effectively. By expanding access to pools and integrating swimming education into communities, we can change this story - and save lives.

Where do you see the most meaningful opportunities for the swimming pool industry to drive change?

As an industry, we have both the tools and the responsibility to champion water safety as a universal right. That means advocating for funding, supporting inclusive programming and designing pools that welcome everyone, regardless of age, background or ability.

At PHTA, we’re pushing for stronger industry standards, expanding training programs and working closely with community leaders to identify where the gaps are. But none of us can do it alone. Collaboration is the way forward.

How can homeowners and pool owners support the broader mission of water safety?

Start locally. Enroll children in swimming lessons. Ensure your pool has proper safety barriers and emergency equipment. Be vocal in your community - ask if your local schools and centers have pool access. Advocate for it if they don’t.

And more broadly, be an ambassador. When people see that water safety isn’t just a regulatory issue - it’s a community value - they’re more likely to act. Change starts with culture, and culture starts at home.

What gives you hope as you look to the future of swimming pools?

I see hope in every swim lesson, every family and community that builds a pool, every child who learns to float and discovers the gift of swimming. I’ve met instructors teaching swimming to refugees, teens mentoring younger kids in the water and seniors finding healing through aquatic therapy.

Every story like that reminds me that pools are powerful spaces of education, connection and transformation. If we continue to lead with inclusion, equity and a commitment to lifelong learning, I believe our industry can help create a safer, more connected world - one swimmer at a time.

And because nearly all drownings are preventable, I hold on to a powerful hope: that one day, together, we will reach a world where no one drowns.

Sabeena Hickman

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