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Instructor profiles

Warm, professional instructors for safety-focused families.

Parents are trusting someone with their child in water. These profiles share each instructor's certification, experience, teaching style, locations, availability, and approach to parent communication.

Kate Finney smiling at the edge of a pool

Kate Finney

Lead ISR Instructor

Hi there! I'm thrilled to hear you are interested in Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) Self-Rescue swimming lessons for your little one(s). I'm humbled and honored to have been serving families in Savannah and the surrounding areas since 2021. Aquatic safety and competence are such a passion of mine and I love teaching little ones how to survive and thrive in the water!

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Certification
Certified ISR Instructor
Experience
5 years supporting infants, toddlers, and preschoolers
Teaching style
Structured, warm, and steady with first-time families
Locations
Islands and midtown pools
Availability
Spring mornings and summer early afternoons
Introduction video
Introduction available after we connect
Parent testimonial
Kate is wonderful and our daughter is progressing under her guidance. We feel more confident in her abilities and we can see our daughter's joy of swimming growing. As pool owners, we feel safer knowing she's had these lessons and that's the most important thing for us! Christine F.
Safety philosophy
Clear routines, parent communication, and safety layers at home.
Shelby Canclini wearing sunglasses and smiling

Shelby Canclini

ISR Instructor

Hi! I'm Shelby Canclini, a Savannah-based ISR Infant Swimming Resource instructor with a passion for water safety and child confidence. Originally from Salem, Oregon, I relocated to Georgia in 2021 and have made the coastal community of Savannah my home. With a background in healthcare as a Certified Nursing Assistant, experience as a nanny, and as a mother of three, I bring a nurturing and safety-focused approach to every lesson. My journey into infant swim instruction began close to home: watching my own daughters gain swimming skills and grow in confidence through ISR training showed me firsthand the life-changing impact of early water safety education. Living in Savannah, where water is woven into everyday life from the ocean and beaches to rivers and pools, I understand that teaching children to be safe in and around water isn't just a skill, it's a necessity. My mission is to give every family the peace of mind that comes with knowing their child is prepared, confident, and safe in the water.

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Certification
Certified ISR Instructor
Experience
Healthcare background as a Certified Nursing Assistant, nanny experience, and mother of three
Teaching style
Nurturing, safety-focused, and confidence-building with young children
Locations
Savannah and coastal community pools
Availability
Seasonal lesson blocks by application match
Introduction video
Introduction available after we connect
Parent testimonial
Parent testimonial coming soon.
Safety philosophy
Early water safety education gives children confidence and gives families peace of mind.
Danielle Hess holding her daughter

Danielle Hess

ISR Instructor

Hello! My name is Danielle Hess and I am a wife and mom of soon to be five littles: one boy and four girls. My husband and I met when we were in college at the United States Military Academy at West Point. When my family settled in Savannah, Georgia in 2018, I went to nursing school at Georgia Southern and became a registered nurse. I've always had an affinity toward the water as I lived by the ocean growing up, became a beach lifeguard at 16 years old, and was a competitive swimmer in middle school and high school. When I was just 6 years old I saved my brother from drowning in our family pool when he was 2 years old. While my dad was filling my bike tires on the other side of the backyard, my brother bypassed the security of the gate to the pool, toddled into the pool area, and jumped into the deep end with no flotation device. I can't fully explain why I went looking for him or what made me check the pool area, but I am thankful I did and was able to jump in and bring him to the shallow end while calling for my dad's help. Since then, I've learned the value of water safety for all, especially for our most vulnerable population: children. Since becoming a mother myself and having been an ISR mom watching my children go through the course, I have become even more of an avid proponent of educating all on water safety and I am so excited to be a part of the ISR Savannah community!

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Certification
Certified ISR Instructor
Experience
Registered nurse, former beach lifeguard, competitive swimmer, and ISR mom
Teaching style
Experienced, safety-driven, and encouraging with families
Locations
Savannah-area pools
Availability
Seasonal lesson blocks by application match
Introduction video
Introduction available after we connect
Parent testimonial
Parent testimonial coming soon.
Safety philosophy
Water safety matters for everyone, especially children, and grows stronger through education and practiced skills.