From high school conversations in Medina to raising three daughters on River Oaks Trail, Vik and Whitney Swamy have built a life centered on family, local education, and the simple, everyday rhythms of the Village.

On any given weekend afternoon in the Swamy house, the living room furniture undergoes a complete structural overhaul. Sofas lose their cushions, throw blankets stretch across dining chairs, and nine-, seven-, and two-year-old daughters construct elaborate fortresses that take over the entire room. Somewhere near the middle of the construction, Lucy, their golden retriever, waits patiently for an accidental drop of food, while Bruno, their cat, watches the commotion from a careful distance.

Life in their Gates Mills home is joyful, boisterous, and usually moving at full speed. Vik and Whitney Swamy moved to Gates Mills in 2013, looking for space to plant roots and raise a family. Thirteen years later, their household is a busy mix of school projects, piano practice, gymnastics, and local outings.

Vik and Whitney both grew up in Medina, Ohio. Though they were involved in similar activities as kids, they were mostly just familiar faces until an ordinary afternoon during Vik's sophomore year of high school.

"We ended up sitting together in the Medina High School commons waiting for our parents to pick us up," Vik recalled. "That was the afternoon the conversation started, and it just never stopped. The spell was cast, and I have been beguiled ever since."

In those early years, Vik spent his time cheering Whitney on at her tennis matches, while Whitney sat through concerts featuring his college singing groups. Vik attended Yale, majoring in Economics and International Studies, while Whitney went to Oberlin for Economics and Psychology. Both later earned MBAs from Case Western Reserve University.

"If you asked either of us honestly, our real majors were a cappella and tennis, respectively," Vik said. "Neither of those shows up on a transcript, but they probably shaped us as much as any of our official coursework."

The two married in May 2008 at a winery in Napa Valley. After a year living downtown and a stretch in Mayfield Heights while building their early careers, they turned their attention east to Gates Mills. They were drawn by the natural surroundings and the strong sense of community, settling into the Village in 2013 to start their next chapter.

"I've always thought of us as two trees that started out side by side and grew into one," Vik said.

Professionally, both Whitney and Vik have spent their careers solving complex problems, though their current work looks quite different day to day.

Whitney works as a Director of Marketing at STERIS, where she champions truFreeze Cryotherapy, a medical technology used to treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions. Her role combines strategic planning with execution, working to get new medical equipment directly into the hands of clinicians. STERIS recently recognized her with an award for customer commitment.

Vik spent more than two decades helping lead his family's global manufacturing business, producing items for major toy brands. After years of international travel, he felt a pull to build something closer to home that aligned with his family's values and contributed directly to the local area.

With three young daughters, education was a constant topic of conversation at home. That interest led Vik to open Ivybrook Academy in Solon this past summer, a half-day preschool for children ages 18 months through five years that combines Montessori and Reggio Emilia approaches.

"Teachers build each day around what the children are actually curious about," Vik explained. "It was unlike any preschool I had heard of."

While Vik oversees the school, he credits his directors, Jackie Gordon and Liza Adams, with running the daily educational programs. The move also carries a personal connection for the family, as their two-year-old joins the student body as a preschooler this fall.

At home, the Swamy daughters keep the schedule lively. The two youngest both attend Gates Mills Elementary and participate in piano, swimming, and gymnastics.

The oldest is observant, bold, and curious. She rides horses and holds a deep fascination with marine biology. She can recite more facts about ocean creatures than the rest of the family can keep track of.

Their seven-year-old is the family artist. She spends hours coloring, painting, and building projects. Her parents describe her as bright, silly, and kind, noting that she will go to great lengths to make people laugh.

The two-year-old is full of smiles and chatter, picking up speech quickly from watching her older sisters. She has also formed a close partnership with Lucy, the golden retriever, who stays nearby whenever she is eating.

Bruno the cat rounds out the household. While he generally keeps his distance from the noisy play during the day, he has a strict nightly routine. When storytime begins in the oldest’s bedroom, Bruno finds a spot on her bed to listen along.

"Apparently he's a big Harry Potter fan," Vik noted.

Family traditions run deep for the Swamys, especially during the fall season. Whitney's family roots are tied to seasonal traditions dating back to when her father planted acres of pine trees and established the Medina Christmas Tree Farm, which still operates today.

In Gates Mills, fall marks the beginning of a busy stretch for the house. The family hosts an annual Halloween gathering complete with a bounce house, face painter, and DJ for the girls and their friends, followed immediately by birthday celebrations for two of their daughters.

On weekends, you will often find the family outdoors. They spend time in the North Chagrin Reservation, walking around the lake at the nature center to look for owls, or visiting the playgrounds around the area. Patterson Fruit Farm is another regular stop for donuts and apples across the seasons, along with weekly trips to the Gates Mills Library.

At home, the family enjoys quiet moments in the yard. Recently, they woke up to find a young fawn standing right outside their window.

"That's our favorite part of living here, really: the small moments," Vik said. "Sometimes when we're outside, and the timing is right, we can hear the church bells from St. Christopher's by-the-River. And in the fall, driving down Mayfield Road or Chagrin River Road is enough to make you want to pull over and take it all in."

If you see the Swamys walking Lucy down the road, meeting friends for events at Gates Mills Elementary, or exploring the trails at the North Chagrin Nature Center, stop and say hello.

Established by Gates Mills resident Vik Swamy, Ivybrook Academy Solon offers a half-day preschool experience built around children's natural curiosity.

When Vik Swamy set out to build a business that contributed directly to local families, he looked closely at early childhood education. That journey led to opening Ivybrook Academy Solon this past summer, a half-day preschool for children ages 18 months through five years.

The curriculum combines Montessori and Reggio Emilia approaches, allowing teachers to design daily activities around the subjects students are genuinely curious about. Led by co-directors Jackie Gordon and Liza Adams, who bring more than 35 years of combined experience in early childhood education, the programs focus on fostering confident, thoughtful learners.