Meet the team
No matter how cool your shop is or how equipped your dive boats are, the “Crew” is what will make your ocean adventure special. And we may be biased, but our crew is the best!
Chobee
We are dog-friendly here. Every day you can pretty much guarantee one of our fur babies is hanging around the shop.
Chobee: Scuba Mom – Grace
Nitro
We are dog-friendly here. Every day you can pretty much guarantee one of our fur babies is hanging around the shop.
Nitro: Scuba Pops – Jason
Fin The Chow
We are dog-friendly here. Every day you can pretty much guarantee one of our fur babies is hanging around the shop.
Fin: Scuba Mom – Jessi
Josh Cohen
Job: General Manager / Course Director
Favorite Dive Site: Spiegel Grove
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Bayside Gourmet
Josh is from Massachusetts and is our General Manager. He not only watches over our instructors he trains Divemasters to become Instructors. He also heads up or IDC (Instructor Development Course). Josh also loves fast little cars and Rupert (his frenchy).
Learn more about Professional Development with Josh at www.IslamoradaProCenter.com
Tyler Morris
Job: Marketing Director / IDC Staff Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Victory Reef
Favorite Keys Restaurant: His BBQ
Tyler is originally from Texas and then Tennessee where he still owns a pilates studio. But he loves the Keys and instructing and we are happy to have him. Tyler not only is one of our instructors but also our Marketing Director. He has amazing photography skills and loads divers up with fantastic images on our social media platforms. At the shop he’s hard to miss, he’s the one in the cowboy hat.
Richard Kelley
Job: Captain
Favorite Dive Site: The Drop
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Key Thai
From Africa to Alaska, Captain Richard as explored by land, air and sea. Now he applies his experiences to help you safely explore the reefs and wrecks of Islamorada. “Do you feel safe? Say Yes.”
Claire Stickney
Job: IDC Instructor & Shop Staff
Favorite Dive Site: The Eagle
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Italian Food Company
Claire started diving because she loves the ocean and couldn’t wait to get to experience the underwater world. Quickly after being certified, she knew that she wanted to become a pro so that she could share the experience with others!
Jessi Goring
Job: Captain / Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Crocker Wall
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Old Tav
Jessi moved to the Keys from the Show me state of Missouri. As one of our top instructors you’ll find her in the pool and occasionally off-gassing in the shop. Keep an eye for her furry partner “Fin” who accompanies her in shop and sometimes on the boat. Make sure that you say hi to Jessi before you say hi to Fin though!
Angeline Lawson
Job: IDC Staff Instructor / Fish ID Expert
Favorite Dive Site: Rocky Top
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Ziggy Mad dogs
Angeline moved a little south from Alabama. Don’t let her small stature fool ya, she’s as tough as nails. An amazingly patient instructor and is wonderful with the kiddos. Nicknamed the “Pink Angel” by our guests, you wont lose her colorful gear underwater.
Nate Sterns
Job: Master Instructor / Dive Heart Coordinator
Favorite Dive Site: Duane Wreck
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Tacos Jalisco
Nate comes from the great state of Massachusetts. He’s an excellent instructor and helps out with our conservation programs. He’s our ocean garbage picker, so he’s got that going for him…which is nice.
Seanna Knight
Job: Shop Manager / Conservation Coordinator
Favorite Dive Site: Davey Crocker
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Hobos
Seanna is from Maryland and is our go-to liaison for all our conservation programs. She is super knowledgable and teaches students and leads our team in marine debris clean ups, shark aware programs and coral restoration. When you take part in one of these activities, you’ll be in good hands.
Alanna Hall
Job: Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Davey Crocker
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Sharky’s
Alanna (Lana) sailed over from Arizona with her fur baby Sophia. She’s full of energy and her students love it. If she’s not guiding or instructing you’ll find her scootering around our reefs.
Sophia Hattemer
Job: Shop Staff / IDC Staff Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Davey Crocker
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Tiki bar
Sophia joins us from the Buckeye State. She completed her instructor course with us and we didn’t let her leave. She’s an incredibly patient instructor with a constant smile on her face.
Doug Hyland
Job: Spearfishing Guide / Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Bully Good
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Mangrove Mike’s
Doug is another instructor from the Buckeye state. As a retired firefighter Doug has a unique set of training skills that sets him apart. If you’re taking a rescue course from us, Doug’s course Advanced Rescue is a must. You’ll learn so much more than the standard, which will only you enhance your diving confidence and skills.
Grace Billips
Job: Instructor / Guide
Favorite Dive Site: The Shrimp Boat
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Cheeca Lodge MM 82 Oceanside
Grace hails from Michigan. She’s an instructor but mostly helps run the shop with Hubby Eric. She’s responsible for keeping that shop trendy and cool. Addicted to the sea you’ll find her, in her free time, diving, crabbing or simply hanging on the boat.
Captain Eric Billips
Job: Owner, Captain and Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: The Eagle
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Kaiyo Grill and Sushi MM 81.7 Oceanside
A hobby became a passion and then a dream became a reality for Captain Eric with the opening of Islamorada Dive Center. Eric traded his business suit for a wetsuit when he moved to the Florida Keys from Michigan. His credentials include: PADI Master Instructor, Rebreather Instructor, Spearfishing Instructor, US Coast Guard Captain, Author of “Spearfishing the Upper Keys” and the PADI specialty class, “Underwater Hunter.” On his surface intervals Eric can be found lifting heavy objects, staring at motorcycles, or playing with his mini me, Bodie.
Sonja Bayer
Job: Instructor/ Spearfishing Guide
Favorite Dive Site: Wherever the grouper are
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Jordans Kitchen
Sonja hails from the cool town of Doylestown Pennsylvania. Sonja is one of our best instructors and a certified slayer in the spearfishing game. You’ll see her trusty furry companion Lee by her side on many of our trips.
Captain Greg Lehman
Job: Captain / Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Victory Reef
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Snappers
Captain Greg comes to us from Pennsylvania. He drives all of our boats and is our head captain for private charters. His background is in mechanics so if you don’t see his face driving a boat you’ll probably see the other end sticking out of an engine compartment.
Captain Jason Adams
Job: Captain
Favorite Dive Site: Alligator Deep
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Dillons
Jason is a pure southern charmer from North Carolina. He heads up our vessel the “Aquatic Liberty”. He’s the chillest, most laid back Marine you’ll ever encounter.
Devon Buttenshaw
Job: Spearfishing Guide / IDC Staff Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Victory Reef
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Bayside Gourmet
Devon comes to us from the Garden state of New Jersey. You’ll find Devon in the pool a lot teaching our new divers. He’s a great instructor with really fun energy.
Captain Bob Eskew
Job: Captain
Favorite Dive Site: Yellow Sub
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Hobos
Captain Bob has run many many dive boats in his life. He comes to us form Sarasota where he owned his own dive boats for years. He decided he’d prefer someone else pay for all the repairs but still is eager to do them. A great captain and great mechanic.
Captain Alison Matherly
Job: Captain
Favorite Dive Site: Yellow Sub
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Conch House
Alison’s experience on a boat is too long to list. She’s captained or crewed boats ranging from a dinghy to the Americas cup sailing vessel. And she can drive a dive boat like a boss. She knows her way around an engine compartment and climbs sail masts for fun. She’s a safe and super fun captain, and that makes the best type of captain in our eyes.
Tomos Williams
Job: Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Any Drift
Favorite Keys Restaurant: C&C
Born in Pittsburgh PA, he was raised on the 5 D’s of Dodgeball. Sadly his professional Dodgeball career never took off and he followed his second passion, the Ocean. A self described “Water Enthusiast,” he spends his days making sure our divers explore the reefs safely and find the passion that drives him to live and work in paradise.
Jack Berry
Job: IDC Staff Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Spankys
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Bobs Bunz
Raised in north Texas, the ocean was just too far away for The Jack Berry. He watched his Uncle climb the rank to become a PADI course director and thought, “if he can, so could I!” He wanted to turn his passion for the outdoors into a career just like his Idol. On a whim, he loaded up Leroy, his cat, and headed to the Keys where we he has built a career out of training new divers!
Vanessa Mullis
Job: Instructor
Favorite Dive Site: Davis Reef
Favorite Keys Restaurant: Bad Boy Burrito
Vanessa is originally from the beautiful but rainy WA state (coffee capital, holla!), landing in the Florida Keys in 2019. She fell in love with scuba from her first discover dive in Zanzibar, marveling that people could do it each day for a living. Years gone by she is now an instructor and loving each day she can live the dream!