Born and raised in North West, Washington, DC, I am a second-generation Washingtonian with four siblings. I have been interested in scuba diving since I was a child watching Jacques Cousteau with my Dad and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas by Jules Verne. I re-realized my interest in scuba on my honeymoon in 1986 while snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, Hawaii and passing over a 40 foot drop off.
I joined UAS in 2019. In my first two years as a UAS member, I logged 34 dives, including dives in Key West Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and two separate dive trips in Cancun and Cozumel which included diving several shipwrecks, underwater galleries, the Taj Maha Cenote, and Punta Negra. With the mentorship of dive trainers and masters, including our current President Kim Walker four locations are being documented/charted as potential dive sites based on safety, access, depth, amenities, and water clarity. In 2020 I participated as a diver in the Potomac River, Mussel SCUBA support with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Potomac Riverkeeper Network. This project supported the Potomac Riverkeeper’s efforts to raise awareness and education about how mussels support better water quality in our environment. In 2020 I was featured in a Knights of Columbus article thanking UAS for supporting the community and environment. I also participate in as many of the UAS culturally enrichening adventures as possible including the UAS Shenandoah River Adventure /Kayak float, West Africa Community slave cemetery visit, and other UAS cultural and diving educational events.
I am a member of the National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS) and look forward to being a member of Diving With a Purpose. I have achieved PADI certifications for Enriched Air Diver, Specialty Diver Aquarium, Specialty Diver Underwater Navigation and Advanced Open Water Diver.
I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Virginia in 1984 and began my career as a Cartographer creating maps for the D.C. Ward Planners and the Mayors office. I pursued my career in Architecture for 15 years spending the final 3 as the principle Architect for Marshal Heights Community Development Organization. I have worked for the Department of Justice for 21 years as a Physical Security Specialist and Project Manager with several collateral duties including District Safety and Health Officer and Logistics Chief on the Incident Management Team.
My goal as the Vice President is to support the President in his mission to serve the Underwater Adventure Seekers which includes the increase of club growth and awareness of club history. My personal diving goal is to become a Dive Master, Trainer, and Maritime Archeologist for “Diving With a Purpose” and to use my life’s experience raising the bar of dive safety, fitness, and expertise for the UAS dive club.