Brandi E. Irwin, Master Diver/Photographer

Brandi Irwin is often referred to as, “The Girl with Gills,” by close friends. At the early age of 4, she took her first high-diving lessons. Actively involved in water sports from a young age, Brandi took it to the next level, earning her SCUBA certification at just 16 years old. Brandi spent several years SCUBA diving before pursuing her passion of becoming an underwater photographer. With many dives and hours of “bottom time” under her weight belt, Ms. Irwin credits these experiences with giving her the knowledge and expertise not only of SCUBA diving, but also of the beauty and serenity of life in the ocean. Read more…

Venson Kuchipudi, Master Diver/Photographer/Videographer

Venson has been a diver for almost 25 years and a photographer for most of his life. Seeing the world through a lens was ingrained in him from an early age. He picked up his first brownie camera at three years old and was developing his own pictures, in a darkroom by age five. At nine years old, he was winning photography competitions against people twice his age. For a number of years he ran his own photography company specializing in portrait and wedding photography. Venson is also an accomplished fine art painter, having been recognized around the world with various private commissions. What set him apart, in all his imaging, was the ability to tell a story and immerse people into them through his images. Coming from a non-diving family, he wanted to share the story of the oceans them, so he combined his two passions – diving and imaging. Read more…

Matthew Stahl, Master Diver/Equipment Specialist/Safety Diver

Coming from a diving and water sport family Matthew Stahl’s obsession with open water started nearly at birth. Growing up in the Chicago, Illinois suburbs Matt spent summers on his parent’s Catalina 22 sailboat or his Grandfather’s Pearson 30. Leaping off the boats into deep water soon gave way to summers with plenty of water sports in pools, inland lakes, Long Island Sound, Lake Michigan, and the Atlantic. At the age of thirteen Matthew’s father asked him if he interested in giving SCUBA diving a try. Without hesitation he replied “YES”! Read more…

Ann Money, Marine Biologist/Educator

Ann Money is a marine biologist and educator with 17 years of experience working in the marine sciences. Her career has brought her to all three coasts of the United States monitoring human environmental impact. Her work at protecting marine resources and endangered species varies from collecting fisheries catch data aboard commercial fishing vessels in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea to collecting data regarding the effectiveness of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDS) during commercial shrimp harvesting operations in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Read more…