Coaches
Anna Yesipova
Head coach
Anna grew up in Ukraine were she started synchronized swimming at Odessa State Synchronized Swimming Team. At the age of 14 Anna became a member of the Ukrainian National Synchronized Swimming Team. During her 5 years with the Ukraine National Team, Anna won multiple Ukrainian National Championships, became the Silver medalist at the 2012 FINA Junior World Championship in Volos, Greece and the 2013 Junior European Championship in Poland, Poznan. Anna continued her success by winning 4th place at the 2014 FINA Junior World Championship in Finland, Helsinki and becoming a two-time bronze medalist at the 2015 European Olympic Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. Anna also earned the bronze medal (at the 11th FINA Synchronized Swimming World Trophy in Yangzhou, China.
Anna’s coaching experience includes Odessa State Synchronized Swimming Junior Team and “SynchroLatvia” Synchronized Swimming Club in Latvia. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and is currently getting her Bachelors of Sports Degree.
This year, in 2018, Anna took part in the FINA Synchronized Swimming School For Judges and became a FINA Judge level G. In May, Anna judged at the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series 2018 in Samorin, Slovakia.
Anna is coaching age group 13 - 15 team.
Anastasia Ishchenko
Novice team coach
Sherrie Kane
Intermediate team coach
Emily Terwelp
Intermediate 11 - 12 team lead coach
Claire Barton
Intermediate 11 - 12 team coach
Olivia Fabri
Intermediate 11 - 12 team coach
Olivia is a Dallas native who swam for the Pirouettes of Texas and Santa Clara Aquamaids. Olivia's levels of competition include Age Group Nationals, US Open, Junior Nationals, and Senior Nationals. She studied Biology at University of California San Diego and during her time there, she coached age group and masters teams with San Dieguitto Sychro. Olivia now lives in the East Bay where she's studying to become a Case Management Nurse.
Although unable to coach weekly, we are fortunate to have Olivia as a substitue coach when her busy schedule allows.
Stephanie Lee
Age group 13 - 15 team coach
Stephanie spent 10 years competing with the Walnut Creek Aquanuts during which time she was a medalist at Junior and Senior Nationals, as well as a US Open and Age Group National champion. She went on to play four years of Varsity Water Polo as an undergraduate at Harvard, and was a starting member of the Oxford Water Polo Club during graduate school. Currently, she works as an investment manager at Blackrock.
Stephanie has been coaching the Merionettes since 2013.
Cameron Hempstead
Age group 16 - 17 lead team coach
Cameron is a Bay Area native and swam for the Santa Clara Aquamaids for eight years. Cameron’s levels of competition include Age Group Nationals, US Open, Peru Aquatica Cup, Junior Nationals, and Senior Nationals.
Cameron studied architecture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and is currently working to become a licensed architect. In her free time, she does flying trapeze at Circus Center in San Francisco.
Monica Finnigan
Age group 16 - 17 team coach
Monica grew up in Cincinnati Ohio where she swam for 10 years with the Cincinnati Synchrogators. Upon graduation from high school, she attended Ohio State where she completed 4 seasons with the Buckeyes and stuck around to coach a fifth season. In college she swam a duet with one of our other coaches, Liz Derr.
After graduating from Ohio State, she moved to Chicago Illinois to work with an international organization called Athletes in Action. With Athletes in Action, Monica worked at Northwestern Univeristy, DePaul, Loyola Chicago, and the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Chicago was fun, but TOO cold ---- so in September of 2015 she requested a location transfer and moved to Palo Alto where she now works with Athletes in Action at Stanford University and several collegiate athletic departments in the city, including CCSF.
Monica feels sport has a profound impact in athletes' lives, and she loves coaching because as a coach, she not only helps young people develop their athletic skills, but also their athletic sportsmanship and character.
Nicola Schmidt
Age group 16 - 17 team coach
