Andrea Vivona, PTA
Andrea has been a PADI instructor for 4 years, and has been diving for a total of 10 years. She loves to travel and to explore new diving opportunities, especially if it’s in the warmer waters! Andrea has traveled as far as Okinawa, Japan to dive, but will also stay close to dive the local quarries and pools just to get her “diving fix”! She is also certified with NAUI and SDI to cover all your certification needs!
E-Mail: andrea.vivona79@gmail.com
IG: Avivona1
Chad Crick
Chad began scuba diving in 1996. He became an Instructor for the Louisville Dive Center in 2006 and completed his NAUI Instructor Trainer certification in 2007. Chad has extensive diving experience in Public Safety Diving, Underwater Search and Rescue/Recovery and Underwater Investigations. He is the lead team instructor for the largest police department dive team in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in which he has been a member of for 20 years. Chad can also teach Emergency Vessel Operations and Swift Water Rescue Technicians thru ERDI. Chad finds the most gratification in teaching new students and introducing them to the spectacular underwater world. Chad is a USCG Licensed Master Captain and is always looking to get his gills wet!!!
Tony Lantrip
Tony has been a certified diver since 1987, but really became serious about diving in 1999. Since becoming a NAUI instructor in 2002 his flexible schedule and love for the sport has made him one of LDC’s most active instructors. Currently holding a Course Director designation, Tony enjoys teaching from beginners to professionals.
“Any day I get wet is a good day”
Rusty Davis
Rusty has been diving with Louisville Dive Center since his wife Shelly enrolled them in SCUBA classes as a Christmas gift in 1994. He became a NAUI instructor in March of 2003 and added instructor ratings with SSI, SDI, ASHI and DAN over the next few years. In 2005 Rusty became a NAUI Instructor Trainer. Also in 2005, he earned his Captain's License through the United States Coast Guard. Rusty's experience in SCUBA instruction varies from open water & try SCUBA classes up through leadership & public safety. He has had opportunities to dive environments from cold-water inland quarries to exotic tropical dive destinations but one experience will always standout. In 2016 Rusty had the privilege to teach SCUBA to a crew of Boy Scouts which included his own Eagle Scout son Connor. Once the crew was certified divers, they went on a week long live aboard SCUBA sailboat trip in the Florida Keys through the Boy Scouts of America's Sea-base High Adventure program. Rusty got to serve as an adult leader on this trip and see the group of young men he had known since they were little boys in Cub Scouts enjoy the undersea world that SCUBA had opened up for them.
Dwight Thrailkill
Originally from California, Dwight caught the dive bug in 1992 and has explored and traveled extensively since. He is an Instructor Trainer and has been teaching at Louisville Dive Center since 2005. Dwight works for the largest cargo company in the world as an International Aircraft Dispatcher and when he’s not controlling airplanes you’ll find him tearing his jeep apart, underwater or planning his next vacation. His kids are following in his footsteps and working their way through dive ratings with a goal to teach in the future.
Dan Koleski
Dan has been diving now for 20 years and teaching for 15. Everyone who knows Dan knows he love to dive just about anywhere and any time. He teaches pool, open water, Advanced, Stress and rescue classes and helps out with those individuals that are working on their Master Diver and Dive Master Certifications. He has also worked as an Instructor Trainer and is looking at getting back into that in the near future. Dan's favorite dive spots are Bonaire and the Bahamas but he does enjoy heading south and diving some off of the Florida Panhandle and occasionally, off the shores of North Carolina. He hopes to have a chance in the near future to meet up with you and help you out in a class. Direct email is: cornhusker52@twc.com
Thomas Goff
Thomas Goff is one of the newest NAUI Instructors here at LDC. He started diving in 2003 at LDC. Seeing Jaws in the 6th grade is what sparked my interest in becoming a scuba diver. He has been very lucky to have traveled with the shop on numerous occasion from Florida to Chuuk Lagoon. He became a DM in 2016, with the crew at LDC has lots of fun. When it comes to training new divers, your safety is our #1 priority. Come dive with us, it is the next best thing to being an Astronaut.
E-Mail: goffthomas@yahoo.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/thomas.goff.332
IG: tg_ronin
Dean Sturgeon
NAUI Instructor #56123
Why did I start Scuba diving?
I love being on, in, and underwater.
Nic Peterson
Nic started diving in 2019. Relatively newer to the sport, she holds sixteen certifications along with her NAUI Instructor Certification! She began diving in Arizona as a hobby, which has now turned into her way of life. Nic’s prized possession is her 5 7/8” Megalodon tooth (which is displayed at LDC) and Dittle, her fourteen year old pup. Besides SCUBA, Nic enjoys challenging sports and riding her Peloton - Catch her if you can!
IG: @nicthechic83
email: nic@louisvilledivecenter.com
Peloton: iSCUBA
Todd Early
Todd Early began his diving career in 1995 as a recreational diver with the Louisville Dive Center. He became an instructor in 2001. Todd served for ten years with the Jefferson County/ Louisville Metro Police Dive Search and Rescue Teams as a diver and paramedic. He completed certifications as a Dive Rescue Specialist and Tactical diver. Todd is a Dive Medical Technician (DMT) through the Divers Alert Network and completed a program as an aquanaut. He is joined by his wife and two sons in a love of diving.
Brent Ortman
Brent started diving and quickly combined his profession as an educator with his passion of diving to become a dive instructor. Most of his diving has been in the Caribbean, but his favorite dives include Roatan, Honduras and drift dives in Pompano, Florida. Brent hopes to spend future dives volunteering on coral farms to help transplant new coral to stressed reefs.
Jim Brady
Jim started diving in 2010 in Mexico where he got his first certification. When he got home he came Louisville Dive Center to start learning more and worked his way to Dive Master. He is currently working on his instructor. He is a machinist by trade and along with his passion for scuba diving he is also an aspiring photographer who blends the 2 together. He prefers clear tropical diving but has looked for lost things in zero visibility cold water.
Email: jimB@louisvilledivecenter.com
IG: Jimbrady165
Ashley Drury
Ashley is a PADI Divemaster and marine biologist who loves bringing scuba and marine conservation to the Kentuckiana region. She started her diving journey in 2016 at Indiana University, where she focused on coral reef conservation and underwater archaeology- two topics she loves teaching divers about! She is currently spearheading the NAUI WAV initiative to help bring conservation education to Louisville divers. Be sure to stop into the shop and say hi!
Instagram: DivemasterAshley
