Our Team
Lead Instructor: Darby
I am a teacher, with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I have been teaching swim lessons in Austin since 2018. I am CPR certified and have my Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Certification. Teaching children to swim is my favorite thing and I feel so blessed to share my love of water with children and families in Austin!
I learned to swim at a young age and swam on our neighborhood summer swim team for many years. My family spent countless hours at friends’ pools and on the lake. Being raised around the water, it has always been my happy place!
My husband is an Austin native and we have two amazing sons. We love hiking, traveling, food, and all things water-related!
I am so glad you are here and would be honored for our team to teach your children to swim!
Senior Instructor: Amy
I’m Amy, and I’m so excited to be in my third year teaching with Swim With Darby. In 2025 alone, I taught over 500 swim lessons, helping children build confidence, strong skills, and a lifelong love of swimming.
I truly love kids, and have seven nieces and nephews who are my favorite little humans in the world. I have diverse experience with children, from teaching kiddos about butterflies and insects at our local state park to tutoring kids in foster care here in Austin.
I am CPR certified and an advanced open water scuba diver. Being underwater is one of my favorite places to be; from Indonesia to the Galápagos, I’ve been lucky enough to explore some of the ocean’s wonders. I am thrilled to teach kids how to swim and prepare them to enjoy adventures in the water as well.
Senior Instructor: Hannah
Hannah is excited to return for her third summer teaching with Swim With Darby! With many years of preschool teaching experience, she has a natural ability to connect with young swimmers and create a calm, joyful learning environment.
Having taught more than 130 young swimmers through 500+ lessons in the summer of 2025, Hannah has developed a strong ability to meet each child where they are and help them grow with confidence.
She is also the founder of The Paravel Project, a program focused on meaningful, child-centered learning and connection. As a new mom, Hannah especially values the role swimming plays in both safety and family life, and she loves helping little ones grow confident in the water.
Instructor: Donna
With over 30 years of experience, I am a dedicated swim instructor and educator specializing in teaching children and adults of all skill levels. I hold a B.A. in Psychology and am CPR and First Aid certified.
I have experience providing private lessons, group instruction, and swim team coaching. I teach with a calm, encouraging teaching style focused on building confidence, strong stroke technique, and essential water safety skills, including floating, breath control, and self-rescue. I teach all four competitive strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.
My background in education and child development, helps bring patience, structure, and positive reinforcement to every lesson. My goal is to help swimmers develop confidence, skill, and lifelong water safety habits.
On a personal note, I have a daughter and a son as well as a wonderful husband of nearly 32 years. I am passionate about teaching swimming and excited to be a part of this amazing team!
Instructor: Nicole
Let’s go swimming! I’m honored to join Swim with Darby and believe wholeheartedly in the mission of creating a loving and supporting environment in the water.
I’m currently in my fourth year teaching in Austin and I’ve spent years babysitting for families with children of all ages. The skills that I have developed as an educator, camp counselor, and nanny have taught me how to encourage and help kids grow to their potential. I bring a fun, structured, and positive style to lessons so swimmers feel supported and safe.
My husband and I are regulars at Barton Springs and spend as much time in the water as possible during our hot Texas summers. I’m excited to share that love of the water with your swimmer!
Instructor: Abby
I’m thrilled to be part of the Swim With Darby team. Growing up in a big family with seven siblings, I’ve always had a deep love for children—and the joyful chaos that comes with them! Swimming has been a constant in my life from an early age.
Over the years, I’ve enjoyed a variety of water-related experiences, from lifeguarding at a camp for children with special needs to spending time swimming with my nephews.
I worked as a nanny throughout high school and college (Hook ’em!), which helped me develop the patience, communication, and care that are so important when working with kids.
Instructor: Rebecca
I am thrilled to be teaching swim lessons with Swim with Darby. For over 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of helping children learn to swim through nannying, friends’ children, and my broader work with kids.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a background as a preschool teacher, Pine Cove lifeguard, outdoor education instructor, Boys & Girls Club Director, and nanny. This allows me to meet kids where they are—whether they’re cautious, wiggly, brave, or somewhere in between—and help them feel safe while being encouraged and challenged.
As a mom of two young kids myself, water safety isn’t just important to me—it’s personal. I care deeply about helping children not only learn to swim, but to confidently and safely get themselves to the edge of the pool.
My goal is for every child to leave lessons with stronger abilities, increased confidence, and a genuine comfort in the water. It would be a joy to be part of your child’s learning.
Operations: Carolyn
As a mom of four kids, I have personally witnessed the impact that Swim With Darby’s instruction can have on little ones in the water.
I love getting to use my skills from previous jobs in the finance and tech sectors to ensure our students have a great experience in the water.
I am so honored to be a part of this team and I look forward to working with each of you!
