Meet the Instructor Trainers
Professional Swimming Instructors
Nadyne Siegel-Brown
Swim Kids of Georgia: 1505 Redi Road #800, Cumming, Georgia, 30040
Phone: (700) 330-6164 Email: nadyne@swimkidsofgeorgia.com Web: http://www.swimkidsofgeorgia.com
As a Central Florida native, I know the lifelong joy associated with water activities and water sports. When my son was 18 months old, I was thrilled that he loved the water and I knew it was time to teach him to swim. My niece and nephew had been very successful in a survival swim program. So I decided to enroll Jacob. I was apprehensive but amazed that my child could become so proficient at such a young age. In 1987, I trained to become a survival swim specialist.
In 1998, I brought the program to Atlanta, Georgia. The demand for survival swimming lessons grew each year. In 2001, I became a founding member and Master Instructor for Infant Aquatic, Swim Float Survive. My passion for saving children from drowning increased and so did my business. It became essential to open my own facility to meet the demand for my survival and learn-to-swim programs. We now teach school-age children and adults as well as infants and toddlers.
Over the past 35 years, I have taught thousands of children not just to swim but to save their lives in the case of an aquatic accident. Since moving to Atlanta, I have incorporated an intensive in-water training program for both instructor trainees and our students consisting of behavioral techniques, reinforced with love, kindness, and a solid direction, and a logical approach to teaching all ages life-saving skills of swimming.
I have taught 50+ instructors to teach these amazing skills as well as authored the Survival Swim Development Network’s training manual. As a Master Swim Float Survive℠ instructor and a mother that has lost a child, my mission, and passion, is teaching children how to save themselves from drowning as well as saving other parents the heartache of losing a child needlessly.
It still both humbles and brings me immense joy to watch my students’ pride in themselves when they succeed. They not only learn self-rescue skills they learn life skills and to never give up!
Yazmin Acocella
Born 2 Swim Aquatic Academy: 1955 NW 108 Avenue, Miami, FL 33172
Phone: 305-437-7946 Email: yazmin@born2swim.net Web: https://born2swim.net/
Hello, my name is Yazmin Ramirez-Acocella. I am a certified instructor specializing in infant self-rescue and the Aquatic Director of Born 2 Swim Aquatic Academy. We are a family-oriented swim school dedicated to teaching aquatic survival skills to infants, toddlers, and children of all ages so they may have a lifetime of safe fun in the water.
I began my lifelong commitment to the education of water safety when my nephew, Eddy, first came into our family. I wanted to give him a gift that he would actually be able to use and enjoy, not just for a few months but one that would last a little longer. Having been raised in South Florida & grown up in an active, water sports family, I knew firsthand the importance of safety in and around the water from a very early age. Knowing my nephew would be exposed to the same water activities I grew up with, I couldn’t think of a better gift than the lifelong skill of being able to swim. Thus, I began to look into different swim schools in order to see what they could offer my then, 8-month-old nephew. Much to my surprise, there were not many schools that taught infants. I was offered parent/tot classes and water orientation classes; I was told that he needed to be at least 3 years old and I was even told by one school that children under the age of 3 could not learn how to swim. I was surprised, to say the least, because I learned to swim before I learned how to walk. But I listened to what they had to say & observed some of the actual classes being taught. The only thing I witnessed were some kids attempting to learn how to get to the edge of the pool by an instructor putting them in a swimming position, guiding them to the edge from about 3-4 feet away, and yelling “kick, kick, kick, kick, kick” while in motion. To make a long story short, I was not content with what I saw because to me, it simply wasn’t good enough. What if Eddy crawled onto the dock of my family’s home in the Keys & fell into the water? There is no edge there. What would he do? I didn’t give up the search for what I wanted & months later I was very fortunate to find an instructor with expertise in teaching aquatic survival to infants. I was so captivated and utterly mesmerized by what I witnessed in our initial meeting that I immediately enrolled my nephew in what I know was a life-changing experience for both him & me. Eddy’s newly acquired ability to go from a swimming position to a floating position on his own, without the assistance of an adult, and back to a swimming position in sequence left me speechless & with tears of joy. I don’t know exactly what happened to me during the course of his training but it motivated me to make a total career change and join the crusade to protect our children from preventable drownings.
My initial training consisted of over 320 hours of hands-on, in-water training in infant aquatic survival. I also have a Red Cross W.S.I. certification in swim instruction as well as certifications in the Fundamentals of Instructor Training, Lifeguard Training and First Aid, Preventing Disease Transmission, CPR for the Professional Rescuer, Oxygen Administration for the Professional Rescuer, and AED Essentials. Furthermore, I continued my education by obtaining an additional certification to teach special needs children via the Marino Swim Central Adaptive Aquatics program and by attending annual conferences and seminars nationally and internationally.
Born 2 Swim is also a member of the United States Swim School Association (USSSA), the World Aquatics Babies Congress (WABC), Infant Aquatics, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA), the Swim For Life Foundation’s “Safer 3” Initiative and the Mothers for Water Safety Coalition.
Kathleen McMordie
Texas Swim Academy: 3514 Greenbusch, Katy, TX 77494
Phone: 832-437-6186 Email: info@texasswimacademy.com Web: https://texasswimacademy.com/
As a critical care nurse in Texas, l was the intensive care giver to a child that had drown. He had been declared brain dead and I worked with the family as they made decisions for his final days. This was a pivotal moment for me. As a mother of preschool children, I was now scared for their aquatic safety. I quickly sought out a survival swim specialist and enrolled my kids in lessons.
I was amazed at their proficiency in the water. After my youngest child was born, I was introduced to Beverly Steinfink R.N., a founding member of Swim Float Survive℠ program. I was impressed with the child development based curriculum and loved the results that my own children experienced. In 2004, I made the decision to join the Swim Float Survive team.
I started my program out of my home pool. The program grew rapidly and with in 5 years had began to outgrown my backyard pool. In 2011, my husband and I opened the Texas Swim Academy in Katy, Texas. It is a 6 pool, indoor facility. We train over 2500 children each year in swimming and aquatic safety and employee over 30 people in our community. In 2013, I trained and became a Master Instructor with the Survival Swim Development Network. I have trained over 20 instructors in the lifesaving method. At Texas Swim Academy, I offer intensive in-water training as well as academic information to enable instructors to teach the Swim Float Survive℠ program. Additionally, I offer the Texas Swim Academy stroke development curriculum, Adaptive Aquatics for children with special abilities, training for groups and other specialty programs.
Tammy Gallo
NorthWest OK Survival Swim: 14360 N 2800 Rd Kingfisher, OK 73750
Phone: 580-791-1238 Email: tammy@nwoksurvivalswim.com Web: https://www.nwoksurvivalswim.com/
At NorthWest OK Survival Swim, our mission goes far beyond teaching children how to swim. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to develop the skills, confidence, and respect for the water that can help them throughout their lifetime.
I’m Tammy Gallo, Owner and Instructor of NorthWest OK Survival Swim, and SSDN Swim Instructor Trainer
My background combines aquatics, healthcare, rehabilitation, and emergency response. I have 27 years of experience as a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, along with a background as an EMT, certification as a Red Cross CPR Instructor, and training through the Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute (ATRI). I also have experience working with children with disabilities and adapting instruction to meet individual needs.
What We Offer
Survival Swim
Individualized instruction designed to teach critical aquatic survival skills, including recovery from an unexpected water entry, independent flotation, breathing, and movement toward safety.
Swim-Float-Swim
Children learn to swim, independently roll to a float to rest and breathe, and then return to swimming—helping develop both endurance and confidence in the water.
Kindersplash
Age-appropriate water instruction for our youngest swimmers, helping build comfort, foundational skills, and positive experiences in the water.
Progressive & Destination Swimming
Building upon survival skills to help swimmers develop stronger, more purposeful movement through the water.
Stroke Development
Instruction for swimmers ready to advance their technique, including freestyle, backstroke, and continued development of efficient swimming skills.
Diving Skills
Progressive instruction for swimmers who are developmentally and skill-ready to learn safe diving techniques.
And Now — Training the Next Generation of Swim Instructors!
Becoming a Swim Instructor Trainer allows me to take our mission another step forward. In addition to teaching children, I can now help educate, mentor, and train future swim instructors, giving them the knowledge and skills needed to provide quality swim instruction in their own communities.
For me, this is about creating a ripple effect.
Teach one child, and you impact one life.
Train an instructor, and you have the opportunity to impact hundreds.
At NorthWest OK Survival Swim, we aren’t simply teaching children to make it across a pool. We are building skills that matter when swimming isn’t planned.
Swim Smart. Swim Safe. Swim Survival Skill Trained.