The Conservation Diver Network
Becoming one our Trainers means that you form part of the Conservation Diver Network, a group of passionate researchers and conservationists working together to help progress science and develop the best in class monitoring, restoration and protection protocols. By working together we are able to help each other better utilize scientific data and combine resources. Students are also able to develop their understanding across multiple locations, ecosystems and fields of study.
Our Trainers come from a wide range of backgrounds and interests, but all share a common passion of marine conservation education and the practical application of this knowledge. To be become one of our Conservation Diver Trainers you must show dedication and drive to produce research led outputs through your work and make real and tangible impacts to the environment you work in.
Meet our network of Trainers below
Conservation Diver Board Members
Founding members of Conservation Diver and Master Instructors
George Bevan
George Bevan joined the Conservation Diver Team in 2015, having previously spent 4 years working as a Strategy Consultant. He started the Azul Conservation program in Nicaragua as well as the Azores program that is focused on Whale Monitoring and Conservation. George also founded the organization Daughters of the Deep.
Elouise Haskin
Elouise 'Elle' Haskin Joined the Conservation Diver team in 2016 after her studies in Conservation Science. She has a love for surveying and specializes in the monitoring and identification of coral diseases. Elle is also one of the founders of charity Daughters of the Deep
Kirsty Magson
Kirsty Magson joined the Conservation Team in 2014. She is the manager at the NHRCP in Thailand. She specializes in the study of Elasmobranchs and Sea Turtles and is the founder of Thai Whale Sharks and is the stranding liason for Koh Tao Marine Life.
Chad Scott
CEO
Chad Scott is the president and CEO of Conservation Diver. He originally started the New Heaven Reef Conservation Program in 2007, and has developed many of the courses that Conservation Diver teaches. Currently he is living in Colorado, USA while recovering from illness. He is still involved in the adminstrative aspects of Conservation Diver, and assists in the development of new conservation training centers around the world.
Pau Urgell Plaza
Pau Urgell Plaza Joined the Conservation Diver team in 2014. Other than specializing in the study iof marine fishes, Pau is also a graphic designer and is respoisble for many of the training materials published by CD.
Conservation Diver Master Trainers
Able to teach 10+ Conservation Diver courses and reached Program Manager level within a conservation program
Alyssa Allchurch
Alyssa joined the Conservation Diver team in 2019 and worked at the New Heaven Reef Conservation Program as one of the head instructors. With a passion for understanding the ecology of these ecosystems thoroughly, she is currently in Canada completing a degree in Marine Biology
Spencer Arnold
Drowning Sculpture
Spencer Arnold has been working with Conservation Diver since 2014. His primary interest is in coral restoration through the design and construction of artificial reefs and underwater sculptures. His works include the Sculpture gardens on Koh Tao, including Despair, Hope, and Fight for the Last Life.
Dylan Brown
Ocean Alliance Project
Dylan is certified to teach most of the Conservation Diver courses. With this knowledge, Dylan has founded the Ocean Alliance Project.
Leon Haines
Reefy
Leon Haines joined Conservation Diver in 2019 he founded Conservation Diver Indonesia on Gili Air. Leon has a Bachelor of Science in Coastal Resource Management from the University of Leeuwarden. He is now the co-founder of reef engineering company Reefy and ambassador for the Blue Marlin Conservation program.
Andrew Hewett
The Adventure Club
Andrew Hewett is the founder and owner of The Adventure Club on Phi Phi Island, Thailand. The center offers eco-friendly diving and snorkeling programs that have been designed to teach visitors how to protect coral reefs. Since 2006 Andrew has also managed the Phi Phi Island Coral Nursery and Artificial Reef program, initiated as part of REEFRES 'Developing ubiquitous restoration practices for Indo - Pacific reefs' and overseen by the Phuket Marine Biology Center (PMBC).
Ploy Macintosh
Ploy Macintosh Joined the Conservation Diver team in 2012, and was one of the head instrucotrs at the New Heaven reef Conservation Program. Currently she is living in Chaing Mai, Thailand and running a community organization there.
Rahul Mehrotra
ATMEC
Dr. Rahul Mehrotra was a staff member at the NHRCP from 2013-2019. He was intrumental in startign up COnservation Diver, and has now opened up his own program, ATMEC
Conservation Diver Specialty Trainers
Able to teach 10+ Conservation Diver courses and/or developed new Conservation Diver course
Melisa Anderson
Ocean Alliance Project
Melisa completed an internship and then conservation diver instructor training at our training center in Koh Tao, Thailand in 2021. She then worked as an instructor there in 2022. She is now moving to Hawaii to continue her pursuit and passion for Marine Conservation.
Matilde Baruffaldi
NHRCP
Mattie joined Conservation Diver in 2021 after completing her master's degree in marine biology and completing an internship at the New Heaven Reef Conservation Program. Her research specializes in the interactions of coral reef ecosystems especially diseases and how to minimize diving impacts underwater.
Susanne Baumeyer
Black Turtle Conservation
Sue is a Master Instructor who has been teaching professionally on Koh Tao since 2017. With a passion for underwater photography she is now one of the Program Manager for the Black Turtle Conservation program.
Solomon Davida
Madagascar Research & Conservation Institute
Solomon joined the MRCI (Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute) team in 2022, he is a marine biologist with a passion for marine ecosystems, reef surveying, and sea turtle.
Matthias Desmolles
Matthias did his internship at NHRCP in 2016 where he fell in love with the marine world. He was certified as an instructor after working with ATMEC in Thailand.. Since childhood he wanted to be a researcher, now he is putting this will into action by pushing for the realization of academical research through conservation programs.
Bradley Harris
Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville
He has a degree in Marine Environmental Science, has been a pro diver since 2009 and has been working in marine conservation since 2015. He completed the CD instructor program at New Heaven in 2021 and is currently working for an environmental NGO in Tobago.
Alexander Hewett
The Adventure Club
Alex is the part owner at The Adventure Club, Koh Phi Phi. As a PADI Specialty Instructor, Alex teaches a range of PADI courses. His passion for the marine life around the island has helped him build an understanding of the local ecology. His specialties include Coral Taxonomy and Inverts.
Joshua Lewis
The Adventure Club
Joshua Lewis has been a professional diver since 2013. In that time he has developed a passion for conservation and has been working on coral restoration projects across the Phi Phi islands in Thailand. He has a special interest in the local black tip reef shark community and oversees their Shark Aware Program.
Claudia Marcellucci
Black Turtle Conservation
Claudia completed her internship and was certified to be an EMP instructor at NHRCP in 2019. She has participated in various research and conservation projects and has since become a specialty instructor at ATMEC where she is able to certify on coral spawning, taxonomy and ecology courses. Claudia is now the Lead Scientist as the Black Turtle Conservation Program
Maurizio Martinelli
Maurizio completed an extensive internship and volunteer period with our training center in Thailand before setting his sights on becoming a CD instructor.
Steve Minks
Black Turtle Conservation
Steve has been diving since 1986, professionally since 2016. He is now pioneering the new conservation program at Black Turtle Dive.
Coline Monchanin
ATMEC
Coline discovered marine conservation with NHRCP back in 2017, and fall for it. She participated in several research and conservation projects both in Thailand and Philippines with Conservation Diver. After completing her PhD in biological sciences, she joined ATMEC in Thailand to become an instructor while pursuing enthralling research in coral reef ecology.
Kezia Mukti
Madagascar Research & Conservation Institute
Kezia has developed a passion for conservation ever since completed her diving instructor training. She is now working with Madagascar Research Conservation Institute as the Camp Manager and participats in many community projects on Nosy Komba.
Ann Nielsen
Ann certified as an instructor at NHRCP and has previously worked with marine conservation in the Seychelles, Australia, and Denmark. She aims to use her masters degree in environmental engineering to study marine health.
Aiara Ponce De Leon
Beyond the Reef
Aira completed her instructor training course at the New Heaven Reef Conservation and is also certified by the DMCR to undertake coral restoration activities within Thailand
Marco Rodriguez
Blue Marlin Conservation
Marco is a marine biologist (Master's Deg. from JCU, Australia) and photographer from Mexico. He completed the CD instructor training course at the New Heaven Reef Conservation in 2022. He is currently based in South East Asia, and will be heading up the Blue Marlin Conservation program on Gili Air.
Joel Rohrer
Joel completed an intensive internship and volunteer period at the CD Training center in Thailand before becoming a CD instructor.
LLewellyn Tossel
Madagascar Research & Conservation Institute
Llew is the Director of Marine Operations at MRCI (Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute) and passionate about Artificial Reef construction and coral restoration.
EMP Instructors
Able to teach our Ecological Monitoring Program in a given region
Matt Bolton
Black Turtle Conservation
Matt co-founded Eco Koh Tao in 2006. Since then through this program and his work as a Platinum PADI Course Director he as been been a key driver and support of marine conservation on the island. In 2021 Matt teamed up with Conservation Diver to form the Black Turtle Conservation program, with the intention to combine deep scuba industry knowledge with scientific diving to design the best in class marine research and conservation center.
Manuel Segal
Emily Wilkinson
Black Turtle Conservation
Emily is a passionate marine ecologist from the UK. She completed her PADI Divemaster and CD EMP instructor training with Black Turtle Dive Centre in 2023. She
Advisors, Collaborators, and Friends
Nancy Gibson
Love Wildlife Foundation
Nancy runs the NGO Love wildlife Foundation and has recently opened a hub in Bangkok to enable collaborations between non-profits, NGO's and other folks doing good work. Her program protects local wildlife, and also has educational outreach and field based trips for local youth.
Wayne Phillips
Mahidol University International College
Wayne Phillips helped to develop the origninal Ecological Monitoring Program Protocols and indicataor species, with the CPAD Foundation. He know runs and environemtnal program on the island of Koh Sak, Thailand.
Robert 'Bob' Sevenster
Coral Aid
Bob is an electrical engineer who has deveoloped severl new technoligies regarding mineral accretion devices. He has electrifed several strcutures throughout Thaialnd and the Maldives, and continues to rapidly eveolve the technolgoy in new and exciting ways.
James True
In addition to having eztensive expreince in coral reef research and restroation, James True was instrumental in Developing the Conservation Diver Coral Spawnng and Larval Culturing program, James Led the first few years of this program in thailand, and continues to advise on related topics.
Conservation Diver Career Progression
Want to become a Conservation Diver Trainer? Please see this page first before contacting us.