Meet our Trip Leaders

Independent Divemaster Instructor

My love for diving started with my dad, a Navy diver in Vietnam, teaching me how to snorkel in our swimming pool. After my first successful pool dive, I was hooked. I am a level 8 diver and my husband Joe and I both instruct for Diventures; we love sharing our passion for diving with others. My favorite sea creature is the seahorse, and my latest focus has been on digital videography and capturing the action to share with others back on land.

Phone: 319.665.2741
Email: [email protected]

Customer Experience Specialist

Bio coming soon.

Phone: 402.420.6338

Sales Associate, Lifeguarding Instructor
Independent Divemaster-In-Training

Hi, my name is Bridget and I’m a sales floor staff member, divemaster in training and lifeguard instructor here at SeaVentures!  I have lived in the Atlanta area pretty much my entire life and I am a graduate of the University of Georgia. (Go Dawgs!) I previously spent time in the legal field before making the switch to pursue my next adventure and greatest passion:  everything ocean!  My favorite places to go diving are Bonaire, Hawaii and the British Virgin Islands, just to name a few and there are so many places I still have to explore.  My other big passions include koalas, college football, and travelling the world.  I would love to share my enthusiasm for diving and all things ocean with you!

Phone: 770-992-3772

Customer Experience Specialist

Clare has worked at New Horizons/Diventures since 1993 and has loved every minute. Diving has opened up a whole new world of adventure for her. Clare believes diving is a wonderful way to make new friends and travel the world. She has been traveling to Little Cayman since the resort first opened in 1995 and it’s still one of her favorite trips.

Independent Instructor Trainer
Sales Associate

My first visit to the underwater world under SCUBA was in 1995 and I knew right away this was a special place. A few years later, I linked up with SeaVentures and was immediately welcomed into their family of divers. I took an amazing trip down to the Florida Keys back when they would go to Tavernier and dive and stay with Tropical Vista. I have been lucky enough to drive the bus on over 150 trips and have had the opportunity to not only dive with some of the most amazing people over the years but acquired some lifelong friends. This led to some unbelievable overseas trips as well including Bonaire, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Maldives, Galapagos to name just a few. During this incredible journey I have worked my way up to Instructor Trainer. One of the most incredible experiences as an instructor was when I certified my son in Key Largo. I am continuing to learn a tremendous amount from students, both recreational and professional.

Phone: 770-992-3772
Email: [email protected]

Scuba Experience Manager
Independent Open Water Diver Instructor

Connor started his career in the water where he earned his degree in Marine Biology. His passion for teaching scuba emerged while volunteering at his Aunt and Uncle’s dive shop. Diving since 2012, Connor has dove throughout the Midwest and Caribbean and is an Open Watter Diver Instructor. He enjoys helping new divers discover their own passion for the water.

Phone: 573.442.3483

Store Manager
Independent Instructor Trainer & Service Tech

Born and raised in Nebraska, with no thoughts, dreams, or bucket lists including scuba diving or the underwater world. I became a certified Open Water Scuba Diver in August 2006. My only regret is that I did not start much earlier in my life!!  I instantly had a new passion in life, and now I am blessed to have the privilege of introducing others to the incredible world of scuba diving. I have been a Scuba Store manager since February of 2012, and am currently an SSI Instructor Trainer with the Platinum Pro 1000 recognition. When I am not diving, there is still a good chance you will find me outdoors. I enjoy motorcycles, forestry, hunting, horses, campfires, antiques, cooking, and working on my acreage.

Phone: 402.420.6338
Email: [email protected]

Independent Open Water Diver Instructor

Devin began diving in 2003 and has taught scuba diving in New Mexico and Virginia in his time as a dive professional. Originally from Kansas, Devin has travelled the world as an U.S Army Aviation officer and Operations Research analyst for the last 16 years. In his free time he enjoys hiking with his dog, flying, and riding his motorcycles.

Phone: 402.933.6251

Independent Instructor Certifier

Don is a level 10 diver, has been diving since 1964 and teaching safe scuba since 1966. He’s a world-traveling diver with extensive experience and a former scuba shop owner. He loves the people he teaches, getting to share with them his love of the sea, and making sure they enjoy safe diving!

Phone: 417.883.5151
Email: [email protected]

Independent Open Water Diver Instructor

Doug has been diving since 2012 and is a level 6 diver. He has travelled throughout the Caribbean experiencing different reef systems and cultures. Doug is also a Physical Therapist and loves to share his love for the ocean with his patients and others.

Phone: 402.933.6251
Email: [email protected]

Independent Dive Professional

Doug first started the fantastic hobby of scuba diving in 2019, and it quickly grew into a passion. Now a Level 5 diver, he never passes up an opportunity to explore the underwater world.  Doug is a volunteer penguin diver at the Omaha Zoo and an active member of the Landlocked Scuba Club.

Independent Advanced Open Water Instructor

Drew took his first breath underwater eight years ago in Puerto Vallarta and was hooked. He has met the most amazing people over the years diving and has seen some crazy things underwater. Drew also found that it is even more exciting to teach new divers and see the excitement in their eyes after an amazing dive. He am a Level 8 diver and looks forward to learning more about diving and the underwater world.

Phone: 859.277.1234

Independent Assistant Instructor Trainer

Dwain took his first scuba class when he was 19 at the University of Missouri in Columbia. After the first day of scuba class, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. For four and a half years, Dwain helped teach a course at the University of Missouri, then continued to teach scuba and managed several dive stores before starting Capt. Nemo’s Dive Shop 36 years ago. Now, 42 years after that first scuba class, Dwain enjoys giving newcomers the same inspiring experience he had in his first lesson, teaching beginning students and helping over 2,000 divers become certified.

Phone: 573.442.3483
Email: [email protected]

Independent IDC Staff Instructor
Independent Scuba Instructor

Hola! My aquatic background spans 47+ years including competitive swimming. During my younger years, I worked as a lifeguard. Currently, I am a firefighter/paramedic, so safety is paramount. I started scuba diving in 1991 and immediately fell in love with the ocean! My goal and hope are that you will fall in love with scuba diving and the ocean.  I look forward to the opportunity of joining in your aquatic journey.

Phone: 913.238.9971

Independent Divemaster

My children and I were certified in 2016, and now I am a level 5 diver. Diving has allowed me to satisfy many desires including a passion for the ocean and its inhabitants, travel, people, gadgets, and personal development. As a dive professional, nothing excites me more than to share my passion with others. Diving has provided me with friends from all over the world, both above and below the surface.

Phone: 319.331.3738

Independent Assistant Instructor Trainer
Independent Classified Diving Instructor/ Service Technician

Erika has over 12 years of experience in dive operations and is also an Advanced Open Water Instructor. Erika loves helping our teams continue to provide exceptional customer service every day.

Phone: 402.933.6251
Email: [email protected]

Independent Assistant Instructor

Ethan has been diving since 2015. He is a level 6 diver and has been a dive pro for 5 years. As a former swimmer, lifeguard, swim instructor, and pool manager, Ethan has spent plenty of time on the water and is always looking for his next trip!

Phone: 859.277.1234

Independent Instructor Certifier

Frank has been diving since the 60’s with dive experiences across the world. Certified as an instructor in 1975, he has the distinction of being a Course Director Emeritus with NAUI, an Instructor for the elite SSI Platinum Pro 5000, an SSI Instructor Certifier and level 10 diver. His knowledge, demeanor and expertise make him an excellent instructor and a great dive buddy.

Phone: 402.933.6251
Email: [email protected]

Independent Advanced Open Water Instructor

I have always had a love of the ocean and all the creatures it contains.  I can remember my first Try Scuba and knew right then that this was something I wanted to do.  I became certified in 2016 and an SSI Open Water Instructor in 2020.  I love being able to share my love of diving with those who are new to the sport and witnessing their “Aha!” moment. I love all types of diving from drift, night, wreck and have been blessed to dive in locations including the Philippines, Cozumel, and even the Maldives.  Being able to capture memories of what I see led me to underwater photography and videography. I look forward to diving with you on one of SeaVentures amazing trips or even if it’s just a dip in the pool!

Phone: 770-992-3772

Independent Open Water Diver Instructor
Service Technician

James started diving in 2015 and is a level 4 diver and a Master Diver. He got into the sport because he loves the ocean, especially Mandarin Gobies.

Phone: 417.883.5151
Email: [email protected]

Owner of Nautilus Aquatics
Instructor Trainer

Jason started his diving career on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia. He was on his honeymoon and suggested he and his wife get certified together. Almost immediately upon returning to Northern Virginia Jason found Sterling Silver Scuba (now Nautilus Aquatics) and continued his diving career. In 2008 he and his wife Melissa purchased Sterling Silver Scuba.

Independent Open Water Diver Instructor

Jerod’s aquatic background spans over 20+ years. He received 80% of his training at Diventures and enjoyed every minute of it! He is excited to share his love of scuba diving with his students and help them accomplish their underwater goals!

Phone: 417.883.5151

Independent Open Water Diver Instructor

Jim was originally introduced to scuba diving by the British Sub Aqua Club while studying as an exchange student at the University of Surrey; England in 1983. He overheard a diver telling an adventure story and asked to join the table. They took him into the club and taught him how to dive. His first open-water dive seemed simple enough in the English Channel on a WWII wreck. Every weekend he went wherever the club was diving and eventually did all the dives required to become certified. Upon returning to the U.S, Jim joined an SSI shop in Lansing, MI and earned his Divemaster certification. After retiring from the Army Reserve, he found the time to further his professional dive career and ultimately got certified as an Instructor in 2020.

Independent Divemaster Instructor

Jim is a level 8 diver and has been diving since 2008. He knew he loved scuba from the first moment he took a breath off a regulator and had the realization “I’m breathing and I’m underwater!” As an SSI Instructor, Jim gets to share his passion for scuba diving with anyone willing to listen to him. He loves sharing new divers’ excitement when they first realize they are breathing underwater.

Independent Instructor Trainer

I have always been drawn to the underwater world seen in pictures and movies. Once I learned it’s possible to dive in the Midwest, I never looked back. I have been teaching diving since 2008. I left my corporate engineering job in 2016 to be in the diving industry full-time with Diventures. My favorite classes to teach include Science of Diving and the pro classes. I have progressed to Assistant Instructor Trainer with SSI, which means I  can teach the teachers of diving. I have had the opportunity to experience traveling to many dive destinations. From diving in Illinois to Indonesia and Grand Cayman to Galapagos – dive travel is my passion. I love leading trips which gives me the opportunity to use diving as a way to show my guests the world – both above and below water. Come divin’ with me!

Phone: 319.665.2741
Email: [email protected]

Independent Instructor Trainer

I am a level 8 diver and have been diving since 2007. I have traveled to many places to dive both in salt water and fresh water. I love to photograph the underwater world and share my experiences with others.

Phone: 319.665.2741
Email: [email protected]

Scuba Experience Manager
Swim Teacher

Joey is an outdoorsman, ocean addict and adrenaline junkie, but most importantly, he is an ambassador for those who like to have a good time! He is a Level 5 diver and an Open Water Instructor. His passion for the water began as a small child, and his career at Diventures allows him to share that passion with others every day.

Phone: 417.883.5151
Email: [email protected]

Independent Instructor Trainer

In 2006, I came to SeaVentures for that year’s ‘Big Event – Anniversary Sale’.  I took advantage of the free “Try Scuba” session that was offered and have been entirely & happily “hooked” on scuba ever since!  I am happiest when I am near, in, on or under water!  SeaVentures has become my second family and that family continues to grows with each and every class taught or trip taken! As for trips, I am passionate about traveling to and diving in different countries with diverse cultures!  I also love SeaVentures’ pièce de résistance, the ever-loved & world renown trip to the Florida Keys aboard their “SeaVentures Surface Interval” custom passenger bus which I am privileged to drive!  Come join us!!

Phone: 770-992-3772

Independent Advanced Open Water Instructor

Born and raised in the twin-island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean, Keone feels lucky to have grown up in paradise!  It offered him a unique perspective on the beauty of nature and the oceans around him. Practically a ‘fish’ from birth, this has undoubtedly shaped his passion from an early age not only for nature and her environment but also for what would become a driving force for his passion for scuba diving. Now, an SSI Advanced Open Water Instructor based in the U.S., Keone has embarked upon a journey to share his passion with the world.

Phone: 816.523.3487
Email: [email protected]

Independent Open Water Instructor

I have been swimming since a few weeks after I was born and interested in diving for about as long as the water has been wet. I actually did my first dives in a pool in 1999 but didn’t do my open water course until 2013. Since then, I’ve enjoyed the warm, salty waters of Cozumel and Roatán, the frigid freshwater of Lake Michigan, and plenty of oceans, lakes, and quarries in between. My favorite underwater activity is macro photography. I’ve been a dive pro with Diventures since September of 2019. The best thing about being a dive pro is introducing new people to the underwater environment, helping them overcome their fears, and finding that aha moment when a new skill or technique suddenly clicks.

Phone: 319.665.2741

Independent Advanced Open Water Diver Instructor

As a child, Mary was always near an ocean and spent much of her time swimming. She has been diving for 36 years and feels like she “can’t live without it.” Mary has been an active instructor for 28 years and loves teaching scuba. She and her husband, Dwain, have owned and operated Capt. Nemo’s Dive Shop in Columbia, Missouri, for 36 years, introduced thousands of people to scuba and conducted close to 100 escorted diving trips to the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. Her boundless energy comes from a passion for introducing new divers to the beauty of being underwater and “getting them hooked on not just getting certified, but becoming a diver.”

Phone: 573.442.3483
Email: [email protected]

Independent Open Water Diver Instructor

Bio coming soon.

Phone: 402.933.6251

Independent Advanced Open Water Instructor
Lifeguarding Instructor

From the time Melissa was little, she always loved the water! She would swim in lakes and rivers that surrounded her farm any time she could. Melissa was hooked on scuba during her first checkout dive in Key Largo. She then became an Open Water Instructor and still gets the same feeling whenever she’s in the water like she did on that first dive!

Owner of Nautilus Aquatics
Open Water Diver Instructor

Melissa started her diving career on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia. She was on her honeymoon and her husband suggested they get certified together. Almost immediately upon returning to Northern Virginia Melissa found Sterling Silver Scuba (now Nautilus Aquatics) and continued her diving career. In 2008 she and her husband Jason purchased Sterling Silver Scuba.

Scuba Experience Manger
Independent Advanced Open Water Instructor

Phone: 770-992-3772
Email: [email protected]

Independent Open Water Diver Instructor

Mike has been diving for almost 25 years and has been an instructor for almost eight years. He has traveled to numerous dive destinations around the world. His kids have been diving since they were 12 and 15 years old, and his wife finally came aboard about five years ago. He says there is nothing better than taking a dive trip with the family!

Director of Customer Experience
Instructor Trainer

Nolan has been diving since 1985 and an instructor since 1989. He has taught all levels of diving, wide range of specialties and been certified as an Instructor Trainer and Certifier. Nolan was recognized for his dedication to the highest standards of teaching by being awarded the NASDS Instructor of the Year in 1998.

Phone: 417.849.9455
Email: [email protected]

Store Manager
Independent Open Water Diver Instructor

As a level 5 diver, I enjoy helping teach students about the awesome sport of diving. Diventures is the reason I am a dive professional, have developed skills and gained experience diving. I love being able to share what I learn with our customers.

Phone: 417.883.5151
Email: [email protected]

Ocean Health Education & Conservation Coordinator

Sabrina completed her Master’s of Science at the University of Miami in Marine Conservation. Last summer, she participated in a marine conservation internship in Honduras full of diving. Diving is her favorite activity, and she loves talking about it with anyone and everyone. Sabrina is extremely passionate about anything ocean-related and looks forward to meeting other swimmers and divers. She completed her open water course with Diventures and has since become a Divemaster. Sabrina aspires to travel all over the world to enjoy everything the ocean has to offer.

Phone: 402.933.6251

Store Manager
Master Diver Trainer

Steve’s love of all things underwater started in his early years as a junior diver. Having thousands of dives logged, Steve’s happy place is teaching and sharing his love for the water with others. He spent the past two years in Puerto Rico guiding and teaching full time, and takes the responsibility of instruction very seriously. Steve wants to make sure that all students have fun learning in a safe and comfortable environment.

Phone: 215.264.8985
Email: [email protected]

Independent Advanced Open Water Instructor

Steve Parham shares a birthday with Jacques Cousteau (his childhood hero) and, so, was destined to become a scuba diver! He began scuba diving in college and has been fortunate enough to dive all over the world during the last 30 years. Steve, who is a lawyer in his outside life, started with SeaVentures as a customer and trip participant before going on to earn his Divemaster and Instructor ratings.  He is passionate about sharing the underwater world with new students and experienced divers alike. When not scuba diving, he enjoys swimming and spending time with his two teenage daughters, Becca and Merritt.

Customer Experience Specialist
Independent Advanced Open Water Instructor

My name is Stephen Thompson and I love anything having to do with water. Growing up I spent as much time there as I could frequently hitting the beaches from Santa Monica, to Malibu, Topanga, and Zuma. It took me until 2003 visiting beautiful St Lucia with my wife, Melisa, that I finally took the plunge. I began diving with SeaVentures in 2007 going on a trip to Cozumel and experienced wonderful drift diving. The year 2009 was a big year for me; I became a professional Divemaster as well as part of the dive team for the Georgia Aquarium. In 2010 I became an Open Water Instructor so I could teach and inspire others to dive and see what so few people get a chance to see underwater.

Email: [email protected]

Independent Assistant Instructor

I was raised in the Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore, MD, and have been a mermaid my entire life.  I found my love of scuba diving later in life, thanks to my husband, who introduced me on our honeymoon in the Bahamas via a resort course. I quickly became passionate about scuba and the peace it provided when underwater. My desire to follow the professional dive path became an obsession. I felt there needed to be more representation in scuba diving by women of all shapes and sizes to teach and empower other women to explore this exhilarating activity.

Phone: 770-992-3772

Independent Open Water Instructor
Lifeguarding Instructor Trainer

I grew up in the water. I learned to swim at a young age and was on swim team from elementary school through high school both in the United States and Europe. In high school, I started lifeguarding at Fort Jackson in Columbia SC. I became an Open Water Diver in March 2013 for a college credit through Wateree Dive Center. A couple years after moving to Georgia, I hadn’t been near the water in a long time and I was itching to get back to it. I took a small step back to the water when I started at SeaVentures in August 2017 as a weekend part time swim instructor while maintaining my logistics career.

Phone: 770-992-3772
Email: [email protected]