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.
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, as all of us were enrolled in swim team when we were young.
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 truly enjoy being in the water and sharing that passion with others.
Throughout high school and college (Hook ’em!), I worked as a nanny, which helped me develop the patience, communication, and care that are so important when working with kids. I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to help your children become confident and safe swimmers. I can’t wait to meet your family!
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. This firsthand experience has ignited a passion and determination to support our instructors in their teaching roles while overseeing the day-to-day operations of the business.
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. When I’m not working on business operations, I enjoy exploring the outdoors with my husband and kids, swimming nearly every day of our long Austin summers, reading good books, and running around the Town Lake trail.
I am so honored to be a part of this team and I look forward to working with each of you!