LIZ HUBER

My Swim Story:

Before I became a self-rescue swim mom and then a certified instructor, I was an elementary school teacher with a background as well as a passion for business and philanthropy. After our family’s self-rescue swim experience, I saw a window of opportunity to continue working with kids, while owning my own business and giving back to the community. Having personally experienced what it is like to go-it-alone as both a swim mom and a self-rescue instructor, it quickly became clear that a team approach was needed if we were to effectively increase self-rescue access in a city as large as Chicago. This inspired me to create CAST. Our goal at CAST is to increase access to self-rescue lessons and to empower families and communities to create strong water safety strategies. What I learned in our initial self-rescue experience was that each day in this country, a few families lose a child to drowning. I also learned that physical activity does absolute wonders for my girls and that working as a team towards a big commitment taught our whole family the value of working together and believing in each other.

I am a 4th generation working mom, and I am the Founder and also the full-time Director of CAST. Some people ask why I would do this. I do this because I get to build something I love and care about while working with and learning from passionate, motivated, smart, and giving individuals, every single day. I do this because I love my kids beyond measure but I am definitely a mom who feels that I “need” to work outside of the home. Parenthood has completely astonished me, challenged me, and pushed me to new limits. To be so responsible for little lives that are so vulnerable is beyond overwhelming. Even 7 years later, a top highlight of my motherhood journey has remained seeing my girls roll to their backs, float, and breathe during their self-rescue lessons. This skill was a gift that I gave them through my choice to make a commitment, to give my time, trust, and hope. Honestly, I was proud of myself for this too. I know my parenting job will never be done, and I don’t expect it to ever be easy, but this experience at lessons showed me a little hint of how rewarding it is to put these little lives first and to believe in your kids to fulfill their potential. With CAST, I get to spend my days sharing these moments, skills and this experience that we so treasure, with other families. Together with our growing team of instructor partners across the nation, we have reached thousands of families, including over 700 on scholarships. It simply never gets old, and special moments are more joyful when shared. I love my “job.”

2024 Goals: 
Support research studies that will formally prove the effectiveness of self-rescue instruction, allowing the pediatric community to recommend lessons as an important layer of protection.

Reach 300+ children, nationwide, with self-rescue swimming scholarships, bringing our total scholarship count to 1,000+. 

Create new partnerships in the space of education and awareness building. “A share can save a life!”

Quotes to live by:
“Make your passion and work one and do it with people you want to be with.” – Ray Dalio

“A ship is always safe at shore, but that’s not what it’s built for.”-Albert Einstein