Instructor, Social Media Marketing Strategist, & Travel Coordinator
PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer #329811
EFR Instructor #329811
SDI Open Water Scuba Diver Instructor #23883
SDI CPR1ST & AED Instructor #23883
Stephanie became enchanted with the underwater world in 1993 while snorkeling with family in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. A year later she obtained her PADI Open Water certification in Grand Cayman and was completely hooked. In 1998, she obtained her PADI Advanced Open Water certification in the Bahamas. After 20 years of diving and snorkeling in over 10 countries, she decided to further develop her training in an effort to share her passion for the sport and love of the ocean with others, becoming a PADI Instructor in 2013. Four years later, Stephanie obtained her SDI Instructor ratings. As a self-proclaimed critter hunter and conservationist she has been enthusiastically teaching in the NOVA area since becoming an instructor. She also enjoys exploring scuba diving education through social media, generating creative marketing ideas, organizing conservation endeavors, and researching, planning, and coordinating scuba travel.
Teaching Specialties: Coral Reef Conservation, Shark Conservation Diver, Fish Identification, Boat, Deep, Drift, Emergency Oxygen Provider, Enriched Air Nitrox, Night, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Project Aware, Sea Turtle Awareness, Underwater Naturalist, Underwater Navigator, and Wreck.
Favorite Dive Sites and/or Types of Diving: Stephanie has been fortunate to experience some large pelagic encounters such as diving with hammerhead sharks in San Salvador, Bahamas, manta rays in Kona, Hawaii, and an inquisitive dolphin in St. Thomas, USVI.
Fun Fact About Stephanie Outside of Diving: Stephanie is a travel enthusiast; she has visited all seven continents.
Stephanie’s Thoughts on Diving: “Scuba diving is my bubble therapy! To become a part of a completely different world for a little while is truly an awe inspiring and humbling experience!”