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Brian Benton Owner MSDT #32368 .  Hometown: Compton, California Favorite Sea Creature: It's all amazing! How did you get into diving?  Started diving as a Marine stationed in Okinawa, came back and spent so much time and money in the Kanehoe Dive Shop that he had to make it his own!     . Tim Palmer Director of Training Course Director # 187288 Tim@diveoahu.com   Hometown: Phoenix , AZ Favorite Sea Creature: Mermaids How did you get into diving? A buddy and I were watching the sun go down in Mexico when these two divers stood up, pulled their fins off, and walked outu right past us. ‘I always wanted to try that!’ I said, and 30 days later we were both certified divers. . Raymond Frey Course Director #177352 Ray@diveoahu.com . Hometown: Whitefish, Montana Favorite sea creature: Hawaiian Monk Seal How did you get into diving? Captain Smith needed someone to check the hull on the Mayflower. . Mike O’Neil Manager - Kewalo MSDT# 199220 Mike@diveoahu.com Hometown: Moran, WY Favorite Sea Creature: Manta Ray, Whales How did you get into diving? Well, it doesn’t snow in Hawaii , nor are there any rivers so I had to find something to do with my time. I went diving once and was hooked. . Alexandra Wildisan Camp Smith General Manager Alex@diveoahu.com . Hometown: Rehoboth Beach , Delaware Favorite Sea Creature: Sharks How did you get into diving? I have always felt more at home under the water than above.  There’s no better feeling than blowing bubbles and not sitting in a cubicle!  . Heidi Kane Kaneohe Bay Manager . Hometown: California   Favorite Sea Creature: Octopus and Eels  How did you get into diving?  I did a resort course in the Bahamas and love it so much I did my open water class when I got home. . Dani Weller NEX Manager . Hometown: Birdsboro , Pennsylvania   Favorite Sea Creature: Anything that will come within a foot of me How did you get into diving?Living on Oahu eventually the water sucks you in.  The first time I snorkeled a turtle came up under me and I feel in love.  I wanted to sit on the bottom with the turtles.   Brandi Mueller Travel Coordinator, MSDT #186530 Brandi@diveoahu.com . Hometown: Cameron , Wisconsin   Favorite Sea Creature: Bandit Angelfish How did you get into diving? I was a foreign exchange student in New Zealand in high school and my host family dove – they got me certified and I’ve been addicted to diving and dive travel every since. . Damian Hess Service Manager (aka Super Amazing Repair Guy) . Hometown: Newport NY (Bet you Can't Find It in an Atlas!) Favorite Sea Creature: Octopi and Mako Sharks How I got Into Diving: Got Lessons for my Birthday 8 years ago. Little did my significant other know she was creating a Diving Frankenstein!! . Dani Meeks Shop Staff . Hometown: Las Vegas , Nevada   Favorite Sea Creature: Dolphins, Rays How did you get into diving? I’ve always been fascinated with the ocean and everything in it. . Lori O'Pry Shop Staff . Hometown: Marianna, Florida Favorite Sea Creature: Honu and Uhu How did you get into diving?  I got into diving as exposure therapy to overcome my fear of open water and flooding after Hurricane Katrina. I marked it off my bucket list a year after moving to Hawaii and have been diving with Dive Oahu ever since. John-John Gibo Self-proclaimed Dive Oahu God (IDC Staff Instructor #197527) . Hometown: Fayetteville , North Carolin/ Kaneohe , Hawaii Favorite Sea Creature: Sea Nymphs, Sirens, and Mermaids How did you get into diving? I signed up for swim lessons and ended up in an Open Water Class.  I learned to dive before I learned to swim! . Scott Wilson IDC Staff Instructor #238003 . Hometown: Grand Banks , Michigan Favorite Sea Creature: Dolphins How did you get into diving? My girlfriend got me into diving so I married her because I needed a good dive buddy. . Nick Mulcahey IDC Staff Instructor #240686 . Hometown: Puyallup , Washington    Favorite Sea Creature: Hammerhead Shark How did you get into diving? I went diving with a bunch of friends in Greece and was an instructor six months later. . Tami Cole Captain . Hometown: Houston,Texas Favorite Sea Creature: Cuttlefish How did you get into diving? I got into diving when I studied abroad in Austrailia back in 1997 & have loved it ever since! . Lindsey Lowe MSDT #238555 Half of the "Dream Team" . Hometown: Minot , North Dakota Favorite Sea Creature: Nudibranchs and Leaf Scorpianfish How did you get into diving? I took a course at the University of Hawaii and couldn’t stop! . Jessica Evans MSDT # 234865 The other half of the "Dream Team"   Hometown, Bayfield, Colorado   Favorite sea creature:  The Little Mermaid  How did you get into diving? Took an open water class in Colorado, then came to Hawaii for School and The Diving Just didn't stop and I'm Teaching now! . David Ford  OWSI # . Hometown: Good question... Favorite Sea Creature: Yellow Headed Jaw Fish How did you get into diving? You were underwater and i had no other way of getting your attention. . John Coffey OWSI #257862 . Hometown: Favorite Sea Creature: Tiger Shark How did you get into diving?  I started diving because I was becoming a marine biology major.  I’m the type of person who wants to learn how to do everything, SCUBA changed my life! . . Kayleigh Paulin OWSI #257861 . Hometown: Favorite Sea Creature: Sea Turtles How did you get into diving?  Diving was a christmas present and because I already love the ocean I just couldn't get enough of it!  .    Aaron Nicholson MSDT . Hometown: Colorado Springs Favorite sea creature: Octopus How did you get into diving? I wanted to get certified before I went to Australia , so I could dive the Great Barrier Reef . I was 12 and loved it. Diving is now my lifestyle. . Ashley Young OWSI #261842 .  Hometown: Weirton , West Virginia Favorite Sea Creature: Monk Seals and Sea Lions How did you get into diving? I went to Kauai and did a Discover Scuba Diving class and fell in love with diving.  I started working in the shop and continued on to being a dive instructor. . Deanna Peyatt OWSI #269268 . Hometown: Kenosha, Wisconsin Favorite Sea Creature: Whale Shark How did you get into diving? I started diving with the Rock County Sheriff's Department on the Dive Team as a Public Safety Officer. . . Jen Patton OWSI #265448 .  Hometown: Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania Favorite Sea Creature: Turtles and Dolphins How did you get into diving? I love the water, and wanted to stay in it longer.  I got addicted after my first breath underwater! . Adam Harmon (A-1) OWSI# 251812 . Hometown: Charleston , South Carolina Favorite Sea Creature: Manatee How did you get into diving? Started off as a Jr. Open Water diver and have dove the Southeast USA, Cozumel and fell in love with drift diving. . . David Adam Ramos (A2) OWSI . Hometown: Amarillo , Texas   Favorite Sea Creature: Giant Squid How did you get into diving? I saw scuba divers in Okinawa , tried it, and was hooked!  . . . Chris Young OWSI #261843 . Hometown: Phoenix , Arizona Favorite Sea Creature: Shark How did you get into diving? Moved to Hawaii and loved the water, so I got certified! . . . Curt Collins OWSI #261148 . Hometown: Kennewick , Washington   Favorite Sea Creature: Orangespine Unicornfish  How did you get into diving? Always liked the water and wanted to learn, got certified in Okinawa , Japan.  .  . Melissa Sutherland Divemaster . Hometown: Everywhere, USA   Favorite Sea Creature: Tako! How did you get into diving? Family business – I had no choice!  : )  .