I Built a Drowning Prevention Organization. Then I Realized the Field Was Missing Something Fundamental.

I am Rebecca Pearsall, and I am the CEO and co-founder of M2O Swim Drowning Prevention Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on developing a mind-first approach to drowning prevention in the United States and across the world.

My background is in social work, mental health, and international public health and education. Early in my career, I was influenced by UNESCO’s founding principle that peace begins in the minds of men and women. Over time, that idea shaped the way I think about safety, prevention, and human behavior. I came to believe that the mind is not separate from safety, but foundational to it.

When I entered the field of drowning prevention, I noticed that much of the conversation understandably centered on physical safety measures such as swim instruction, pool barriers, lifeguards, and life jackets. These interventions are essential and save lives every day. At the same time, I found myself returning to a different question: what role does emotional and situational awareness play in preventing tragedy before it happens?

M2O's co-founder, Chrisanna Hickey, came from a very different professional background rooted in aquatic instruction and coaching. Although we came from different professional fields, we discovered that mental health and aquatic instruction were asking many of the same questions about awareness, stress, and human response. M2O was built on the belief that stronger prevention comes from collaboration across disciplines, not from one field working alone. Awareness, emotional regulation, attention, and the ability to respond calmly under stress are deeply connected to safety in and around the water.

That shared understanding became the foundation of M2O.

One statistic especially stayed with me: 88% of child drownings occur while at least one adult is present nearby. In many cases, the issue is not a lack of care or concern. Human attention is limited, stress affects perception, and moments of distraction or dysregulation can alter response time in critical situations.

At M2O, we are working to address what we see as an important missing layer in traditional water safety education. Our programs integrate breathing techniques, body awareness, emotional identification, and mindfulness-based regulation strategies into swim lessons and water safety training. We adapt evidence-informed practices from mental health, trauma-informed care, and somatic regulation into aquatic environments in ways that are practical, accessible, and age appropriate.

Our goal is not to replace traditional water safety methods, but to strengthen them by expanding the conversation around prevention.

We believe drowning prevention should be approached as a broader public health issue that includes emotional regulation, environmental awareness, community connection, and resilience.

Today, that vision includes several interconnected initiatives. M2O Swim Drowning Prevention Alliance serves as the nonprofit organization developing and supporting curriculum development, partnerships, and public health initiatives.

M2O Swim Company delivers swim instruction, leadership development, and water safety education rooted in the organization’s method and philosophy. We are also developing NYSafe Water, a proposed real-time AI-assisted drowning surveillance platform designed to help communities better understand patterns of risk and improve prevention efforts.

We are interested in collaborating with schools, municipalities, public health organizations, foundations, and technology partners who believe water safety deserves continued innovation, research, and investment.

Water remains one of the few places where people of all ages and backgrounds regularly gather together. Beaches, lakes, pools, and waterfronts are not only recreational spaces, but places connected to community, wellbeing, and human connection.

I believe drowning is preventable, and I believe prevention begins long before a rescue is needed.