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Introducing the 2023 SDI Ambassadors

2023 SDI Ambassadors

Wojciech Nowak

Wojciech Nowak

SDI Scuba Instructor Trainer

Water has always been Wojtek’s natural environment, in which he felt better than anywhere else. One day, while swimming with the junior section at the pool, he saw divers in there. At this very moment, at the age of 14, he already knew he wanted to join them. The poorly conducted OWD training he attended after this meeting only motivated him to become an instructor trainer in the future so that he could show other people how to teach right. After graduating from high school, he founded his diving school and despite many adversities, he continues to run it to this day. In the meantime he become youngest IT in Europe and created the first and only e-learning platform for scuba divers in Poland. Wojtek loves diving so much that he also works as a commercial diver. His life, however, does not end under water. On the surface, he practices calisthenics because he is convinced that every trainer should be in good shape. Elements of strength training are implemented into diving training for his students, which makes their lives a little bit harder, but also makes each course much more valuable.

Siti Nursara

Siti Nursara

SDI Scuba Instructor and Professional Sport Climber

My name is Siti NurSara (from Malaysia) I’m a professional diving Instructor, professional rock climber, sailor, adventurous human with a passion for travel and extreme sports.. All my life has been linked to nature.
My mantra is TRUST YOUR MOVEMENT, every step of the way I have to be twice as good as everybody else in my profession. I graduated with a degree in Marine Technology and a Masters of Education (Sports Science) - showed education is limitless.
I have 10 years of diving experience and I‘m a SDI instructor specializing in marine awareness. I’ve acquired over 2,000 dives and certified more then 400 open water divers. I love teaching and every new person gives me a new experience and a beautiful journey… This helps me inspire and empower more people by delivering a quality experience with tools that allow everyone to be more confident and inspired through scuba diving.

Daniel Gonzales

Daniel Gonzales

SDI Scuba Instructor

I am honored to have been chosen as an SDI ambassador.
I have been a professional diver since 1999, in 2004 I became a TDI instructor and in 2015 I became an SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, focusing since then on training SDI divers.
It has been a very pleasant experience to work with an agency that has supported and advised me every step of the way.
Many thanks to all the team at International Training.
I am proud to be part of the SDI family!

Jason Mengel

Jason Mengel

SDI Instructor Trainer and Dive Center Operator

Starting my diving career in 2010 while still servicing with the Australian Defence Force, I became very accustom to what diving had to offer. Not only through new skills and exploring what lays under the ocean but it was also a great way to make new friends outside my normal circle of friends. After being injured while servicing with the Australian Defence Force in 2015, I thought my life would never be the same through life changing injuries. However through research and studies found from around the world I found how Scuba diving help to reduce symptoms of PTSD and pain through buoyance and reduction of noise underwater.
Today I am not only an SDI Ambassador and Instructor Trainer but a mentor for Military Veterans wanting to escape there PTSD and life of pain through scuba diving. Since starting this program I have seen many Veterans overcome a lot from living second by second to becoming successful Professional SDI Dive Instructors.

Dani Sattelberger

Dani Sattelberger

Marine Biologist and SDI Dive Master

Scuba Dani is an SDI divemaster and presently resides in South Florida. She is originally from Branford, Connecticut, where she grew up along the shores of Long Island Sound. At a young age, Dani fell in love with the ocean and she was a competitive swimmer throughout high school and college. She earned her bachelor‘s in biology at the University of Connecticut, and first became SCUBA certified shortly after completing her undergraduate degree in the cold waters of the northeast. Dani moved to Florida in 2011, to pursue her passion for marine biology and continue her SCUBA training. Since earning her master’s in marine biology, Dani has worked in the field of marine science and STEM, and has published several peer reviewed scientific research articles. Dani lists her favorite in-water experience as encountering manatees in Florida’s artesian springs. Loving all things water, she spends her spare time freediving, paddleboarding, and kayaking.

Olaf Fischer

Olaf Fischer

SDI Scuba Instructor and Underwater Videographer

My name is Olaf Fischer, born and raised in good old Germany. I love everything related to water.I ended my professional sport career in 2009 and don‘t wanted to sit in a small office for the rest of my life. Looking for options, I moved to the Dominican Republic and started my dive journey there. 2011 the movement went on and i changed from the Dominican Republic to Mexico Playa del carmen, where I’ve been working since as a full time dive instructor for Dressel Divers.
It’s really important for me, that my students have fun while they learn and experience the beautiful underwater world. We As Scuba Instructors are responsible to show them as well, how fragile our ecosystem is and that we need more attention on conservation efforts to protect our ocean. SDI International is exactly supporting this mission.

In January 2020, i started my Instagram account Aquanauta Diver (see links above)
where i not only highlight my travel and scuba adventures all around the world, but also bring more information about the fish species.
I really appreciate it, being in this inspiring group of individual Ambassadors, that are committed to save our oceans around the world. And inspiring other future and existing divers to do the same.

Cesar Grillo

Cesar Grillo

SDI Scuba Instructor and Dive Center Operator

Cesar Grillo is an underwater photographer and videographer, and founder of Aquáticos Ilhabela in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Cesar had his first contact with diving in 2003, since then has dedicated his time to the marine universe and to presenting it to everyone safely.
He believes in the care of each operation, the physical structure, the new equipment and the search for divers and instructors who are passionate about the ocean.

Kiki Dick

Kiki Dick

SDI Instructor Trainer and Ocean Defender

I’m a SDI Instructor Trainer currently living in South Florida, I also run a beach and dive cleanup initiative called the Trashy Girls Collective to help clean our coasts and waterways, along with working as an artist! I have recently started technical diving, and look forward to exploring Florida’s cave systems soon!

Justin Carmack

Justin Carmack

Underwater Videographer and YouTuber

Justin is an underwater videographer behind the YouTube channel called Critter Hunter, where he documents and talks about rare and seldom seen creatures on the deep. If he‘s not counting nudibranch species where he’s based in the Philippines, he might just be following a wunderpus or a flamboyant cuttlefish with a camera.

Scott Berry

Scott Berry

SDI Divemaster & Dive Center Operator

My name is Scott Berry and I live in Dallas, Texas where I am a Divemaster, Assistant Instructor, and Co-Founder of Scuba Adventures, a 5 Star SDI Dive Center. We’ve seen our shop quadruple in size since converting from PADI to SDI/TDI 2 years ago.

I was first certified in 1987 and since then, earned two recreational Master Diver ratings before transitioning to the professional ranks and dive shop ownership.

We are a family of divers with all 4 children SDI certified. Our daughter Gloria is an SDI Open Water Instructor in Sydney, AU, and she and I have collaborated on many scuba articles including getting published on the SDI blog!

My passion is introducing families to SCUBA and creating opportunities for them to travel and explore the underwater world of epic reefs, wrecks, and cenotes.

SDI runs in our DNA. Sea you on a dive boat soon

Kayla O’Donnell

Kayla O’Donnell

Ocean Conservationist and Underwater Guide

Kayla O’Donnell is a diver and conservationist hailing from Florida. She’s also an underwater mermaid and mermaid trainer. Kayla also guides divers in Crystal River, Florida to see manatees and the amazing brackish ecosystem there. Her goal is to share everything she has learned over the years so that others are able to turn their dreams into reality!

Nicholas Kalalo

Nicholas Kalalo

Underwater Photographer & TDI Tech Diver

Hi, my name is Nicholas and I’m from Indonesia. The first time I went scuba diving was around 20 years ago when my late dad brought me to Bunaken. I was mindblown by the experience and knew right away that scuba diving is definitely for me.

The sense of being weightless, the absence of surface noises, and the beautiful underwater life are some of the reasons why I’m so in love with scuba diving.

For me, scuba diving and taking photos of underwater life are a form of meditation, offering relaxation and freedom from the frenzy of surface life. It is also my desire to show the beauty of underwater life through my shots.

Exploring the underwater world has become my passion. Couple years ago I dipped my toes into Tec Dive and recently did Technical Cave, as well as TDI CM O2ptima CCR Helitrox Deco to allow me seeing new things underwater; And I will not stop learning!

Thank you SDI for the opportunity to share my passion in scuba diving & underwater photography!

João Marin

João Marin

SDI/TDI Instructor and Technical Diver

Brazilian, living in São Paulo, Investor Relations professional, and passionate scuba diver since 2016. It has been a pleasant journey since then.
Scuba diving allows me to connect with nature and disconnect from the daily routine. It is therapy, and now as an Instructor, I’m trying to show others the same feeling and create the same passion.
Crazy about pelagic life (especially sharks and rays), I feel lucky to get close and interact with these magnificent creatures in their natural habitats.
In addition to recreational, I also do technical diving (CCR Kiss Sidewinder - decompression and cave diving).
Some of my favorite dive places are Ragiroa in French Polynesia (by far my number one), Maldives, Zanzibar, Cozumel, and in Brazil: Recife, Fernando de Noronha, Mina da Passagem, and Laje de Santos.

Miranda Bowman

Miranda Bowman

SDI Instructor Trainer and Tech Diver

Originally from Toronto, Canada, Miranda Bowman is an accomplished scuba diver who spends most of her time in Malta and Mexico. She‘s an SDI instructor and a TDI technical diver. Her favorite thing in the world is cave diving! She’s also an underwater model working with a variety of photographers to produce incredible images from Mexico and around the world.

Leonardo Fernandes Nascimento

Leonardo Fernandes Nascimento

SDI Scuba Instructor

I’m Leonardo Nascimento, passionate about the Sea and the Underwater World. Since my first diving course in 2016, I understood that I would need to share, teach and introduce others to this wonderful, unique and magical world that is diving. I became an SDI Open Water Diver Instructor and Specialties: Advanced Buoyancy, Computer Nitrox, Deep, Drift, Night-Limited Visibility, Wreck teaching students correctly and safely.

Bruce Lan

Bruce Lan

SDI Instructor Trainer and Dive Center Operator

Bruce Lan is a SDI Instructor Trainer from Taiwan.

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