Top Scuba Diving Instructors at Scuba Schools of America
Scuba Schools of America is renowned for its commitment to providing exceptional scuba diving instruction and experiences. At the heart of this esteemed institution are its top scuba diving instructors, who possess unparalleled expertise and passion for the underwater world. These instructors are not only highly qualified and certified, but they also possess a deep understanding of the intricacies of scuba diving and a dedication to ensuring the safety and enjoyment of every student. With their guidance, students can embark on an unforgettable journey into the depths of the ocean, discovering a whole new world teeming with marine life and breathtaking landscapes. Whether you are a beginner looking to obtain your first scuba diving certification or an experienced diver seeking to enhance your skills, the scuba diving instructors at Scuba Schools of America are here to provide you with the knowledge, guidance and support you need to become a confident and skilled diver.
Rusty Berry
SSI Platinum Pro 5000 Instructor
ANDI Instructor Certifier
Professional Underwater Photographer
ANDI Rebreather Instructor Certifier
SSI Freediving Instructor
Scuba Diving Instructor
Rusty is so experienced in the diving business that those who know him say he has a doctorate in Scuba Diving and Rebreather Training. Being an understanding, patient, and competent instructor, he is the man you are looking for. Not only has he made extended-range diving popular and common, but he is also thrilled to help new divers experience rebreather diving. Rusty is also considered SSA’s pro when it comes to underwater photography. Diving is not the only sport he does, he is also into cycling. Rusty, his wife, Niki, and their son Teran make up one of the most adventurous families. You, too can have some great adventures by his side, just book some time with our favorite instructor, Rusty.
Contact him at
Niki Berry
Scuba Schools International Master Instructor
CEO SXT Adventures
Professional Anthropologist
Over 6000 dives
The Woman We All Answer To
Behind every successful man is a more successful woman. Niki is the woman that keeps the train on the tracks. An entrepreneur in her own right, Niki not only is one of our most experienced instructors with over 6000 dives, but she is also the CEO of SXT Adventures, a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, and a creative wedding planner. Her favorite areas of the world to dive are Micronesia, Australia, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Western Pacific…..ok….that’s pretty much the entire world. Her work ethic is unequaled and allowing her to plan your next adventure will be a treat you will certainly appreciate.
Contact her at
Brad Johnson
Advanced Open Water Instructor
SSI Freediving Instructor
Scuba Diving Instructor
400 dives
Brad’s excitement about diving is infectious. He splits his time between SSA and many of the local sports and music venues as a professional bartender. Brad enjoys traveling to Thailand and the Canary Islands for freediving adventures. He spends 6 months of the year in a tropical paradise and 6 months in SoCal training new scuba and freedivers. His favorite dives in California are taking new students anywhere on Catalina Island or teaching them to beach dive in Laguna Beach. In Thailand, Brad freedives with an SSI freedive school on Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand.
Contact him at
Jeff Berry
- SSI Advanced Open Water Instructor
- Scuba Diving Instructor
- Over 8000 dives
Jeff is the consummate professional diver. Jeff got certified by NASDS in 1975 and has over 8000 dives under his belt. A marketing executive in the corporate world, Jeff finds diving, and golf, as great escapes from his busy work schedule. His favorite dives are in Cayman Brac and the deep lobster spots off the California coast. His hobby of land photography has transitioned into the underwater world. His photographs are incredible snapshots of the adventures he shares with other divers.
Contact him at
Dr. Robbin Martin
SSI Masterdiver and Rescue Diver
Coral Research Scientist
Dr. Robin Martin is an SSA-affiliated Rescue diver. She has extensive open ocean and coral reef diving and research experience. Robin leads the global coral chemistry research program at Arizona State University. She is also the co-founder of the Hawaii Marine Education and Research Center on the Big Island of Hawaii. Robin and the SSA team work together to increase diver experience in Hawaii’s fragile coral reef ecosystems.
Contact her at
Ronnie Alvarado
Contact her at
Sean Hopson
SSI Advanced Open Water Instructor
ANDI Closed Circuit Rebreather Instructor Prism & KISS CCR’s
Over 500 dives
Sean is a Marine Corps War Veteran and a retired law enforcement officer that has nothing but time on his hands just for scuba diving. Scuba Schools of America is his second home. Thanks to the shop Sean has found the wonderful world of rebreather diving which has sparked him to further his education in becoming a rebreather instructor. His passion for diving has led him to teach scuba to all walks of life from Boy Scouts of America to people with disabilities.
Jef Mangelschots
SSI Advanced Open Water Instructor
Over 600 Dives
Jef, having been brought up in Belgium, was certified in the murky waters of Holland in 1998. Watching Jacques Cousteau, he got hooked into wanting to give scuba a try. Jef moved to the United States in 2001, with his family, and found Scuba Schools of America & Swim at the Scuba Show in 2010. He brought his daughter, Anouk, in to get certified and took a refresher class. The scuba bug bit him again and he moved into the leadership programs. His favorite dive spot is Farnsworth Banks, on the backside of Catalina Island. His son, Yannick, recently received his SSI Level 1 certification from Jef and is moving towards earning his Eagle Scout Award. Jef loves photography and he is an avid beach diver.
Dr. Greg Asner
SSI Divemaster
Coral Researcher
Over 16000 dives
Dr. Greg Asner is an SSA-affiliated Dive Master. He is a former U.S. Navy diver with extensive underwater experience using scuba, mixed-gas, and rebreather systems. When he’s not diving, Greg directs the ASU Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, including its Pacific Ridge-to-Reef Program in the Hawaiian Islands. He is also co-founder of the Hawaii Marine Education and Research Center on the Big Island of Hawaii. Greg works with the SSA team to increase diver exposure to Hawaii’s fragile coral reef ecosystems.
Contact him at
Mikayla Borgstahl
SSI Swim Instructor
SSI Mermaid Instructor
SSI Open Water Diver
Getting Close to 50 Dives
I was brought up as a swimmer and was a competitive swimmer in high school. Being around scuba, it made perfect sense to become a certified diver at SSA. I feel so lucky to have found a group of people with a real passion for the ocean and teaching scuba as an art!
Contact her at:
scubaschoolsofamerica@gmail.com
Nic Corwin
SSI Dive Master
SSI Assistant Instructor/Specialty Instructor
Over 600 dives
Nic found SSA in 2014 after being introduced to SCUBA while on vacation in the Cayman Islands. He not only powered through his open water and rebreather training but also showed incredible people and teaching skills every step of the way while on his journey to becoming a dive professional. He has assisted SSA in countless international diving trips around the world and has become a true asset to our amazing team of professionals. You will not only learn a lot from him during your training but will also enjoy his passion for serving others, endless energy, and humor while on our dive trips locally and abroad. Nic is also a well-managed Type 1 Diabetic since he was 16 yr old and has led educational sessions on “Diving with Diabetes” for those who have any hesitations or fears about trying SCUBA suffering from this disease.
Contact him at
nic@scubaschoolsofamerica.com
Vince Flores
SSI Specialty Instructor
Over 250 dives
I have been diving with SSA for over a decade. I am an SSI Advanced Open Water Instructor and have a passion for eating……eating lobster!! I am a local high school teacher in Corona and have incorporated many of my diving experiences into my high school lectures. I look forward to seeing you underwater.
Contact him at
info@scubaschoolsofamerica.com
Danielle Kiowski
SSI Open Water Instructor
ANDI Rebreather Diver
Over 400 dives
Danielle Kiowski is an SSI Open Water Instructor and an ANDI Rebreather Diver. She has been teaching scuba since 2019. She loves learning about the underwater world and the science behind the sport of diving and sharing that knowledge with her students. Danielle is also an SSI Ecology Instructor.
Keith Kiowski
SSI Open Water Instructor
ANDI Rebreather Diver
Over 400 dives
Keith Kiowski is an SSI Instructor Trainer. He has been teaching scuba since 2008. He fell in love with the sport from the first breath that he took underwater, and he loves sharing that joy with his students. He is also working his way to becoming an ANDI Rebreather Instructor.
Kieth passed away in 2020 and will always be dearly missed.
Jim McD
SSI Divemaster
SSI Assistant Instructor In Training
Over 250 dives
Jim is an SSI Assistant Instructor in Training. Jim dove for 5 years with his Dad in the 1970s with J-valves and “Mae West” vests, then did not dive again until his own son wanted to start diving in 2013. Both Jim and Scuba Bob earned SSI Master Diver and created memories. Now Jim wants to learn to teach others about Scuba.
Seth Blum
SSI Assistant Instructor
Over 250 dives
Seth was born under a water sign in Orange County California and has been drawn to the water since the beginning. Starting as a boy with body-surfing, boogie boarding, and surfing Seth’s passion for everything on the ocean led him to explore what was under. After finding and joining the SSA family he began his adventure of snorkeling, freediving, and the ultimate exploration of SCUBA.
“It’s a joy to share the amazing things under the sea with my community of divers at SSA through training, diving, and underwater photography.”
Hussam Hadib
SSI Assistant Instructor
Over 250 dives
Hussam, “Sam”, has been diving since 2013. Sam is multilingual so whether you speak English or even Arabic Sam has you covered!
” When I was a boy I had a dream to be a diver one day. I started with SSA in 2013 and I’m still in love with SCUBA. I love diving with all of my friends that I have made here, and love joining new divers to safely enjoy SCUBA. Come dive with me!”
Roger Allec
SSI Advanced Open Water
Instructor and CCR Diver
SSI Master of Ecology
Over 1000 Dives
Hello Divers and Ocean Enthusiasts. I am Roger from Mammoth Scuba,
your highest instructor (I live at 8000 feet)! I am an Open Water
Instructor, resident Ocean Ecology Instructor, and proud to be a
member of the SSA Family. I have been with Rusty and SSA for over
15 years. Together, we have shared training, travel, and experiences
that have made me the diver I am today. My experiences have shown
me the value of the SSI Diver Diamond. One side of the diamond is no
more important than the other, and to be a complete diver you must
have all. My specialty is Ocean Ecology “knowledge”. When you know
and love something, you put in more time and effort to protect it. It is
our goal at Mammoth Scuba and SSA to show every diver and non-diver
the importance of understanding and protecting the Mother Ocean. It
would be my honor to share my knowledge and passion for Mother
Ocean. Please join me and SSA for our FREE introductory
presentations of all six Ocean Ecology courses. We will be covering
Marine Ecology, Fish Identification, Coral Identification, Turtle
Ecology, Manta and Ray Ecology, and Shark Ecology. Sign up for ANY of
these FREE presentations and you will be eligible for our Ecology
Special offer. $99 for any single course of your choice, OR $625 for
ALL 6 courses (includes downloads and certification)! That’s a saving of
$785!! As a diver, these courses will help you to understand our
Mother Ocean and enhance every dive you go on. As a non-diver, these
courses will open the door to the amazing underwater world you could
be experiencing.
David Choi
SSI Instructor Candidate
More than 50 dives
Hello everybody my name is David and I’ve been diving since early 2019. I have always had a passion for the ocean and diving served as a portal into developing a relationship with the water. I have been diving with Rusty and SSA since early 2020 and intend to experience things I would otherwise not have.
Dr. Johnny Choi
SSI Instructor Candidate
More than 50 dives
Hello, my name is Johnny Choi and I’ve been diving since 2018. I’ve always loved the ocean and have wanted to dive since an early age. I finally became certified 2 years ago and look forward to becoming an instructor with Rusty. My passions are preserving our oceans and the life within them.
Brandon Bailon
SSI Swim Instructor & SSI Mermaid Instructor
7 Open Water Dives
My name is Brandon Bailon I got certified as an Open Water Diver in 2018. I currently teach babies, children, and adults proper swimming techniques. As of August 2020, I am certified to teach Mermaid Classes and once I turn 18 I’m going to start my classes to become an SSI Open Water Diving Instructor.
Allie Kahler
SSI Dive Master & Almost Assistant Instructor
300+ Open Water Dives
My name is Allie Kahler! I got certified in 2011 and have been obsessed with diving ever since. I’ve always enjoyed going to the beach and learning about marine life, which is why I chose a career that allows me to be up close and personal with sea critters. My goal is to become an instructor and work internationally on live-aboard dive boats. I chose SSA because they offer the most in-depth instruction and have a great sense of community with their diversity.
Contact Allie at:
alexandra.m.kahler@gmail.com