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meet the team
Store Staff
Traci
Owner
Gabbi
Part-time Sales Associate
Bert
Maintenance/Repairs
Sara
Part-time Sales Associate
Ashley
Store Manager/PADI MSDT Instructor
Seth
Owner/PADI Scuba Instructor
Jay
Service Manager/Lead Sales Associate
Lyzz
Part-time Sales Associate
Traci
Owner
Gabbi
Part-time Sales Associate
Bert
Maintenance/Repairs
Sara
Part-time Sales Associate
Ashley
Store Manager/PADI MSDT Instructor
Seth
Owner/PADI Scuba Instructor
Jay
Service Manager/Lead Sales Associate
Lyzz
Part-time Sales Associate
Dive World Austin Pros
Instructors
Karen Erickson
PADI Course Director
Karen has been teaching scuba diving since 1985 and conducting instructor development courses since 1987. Her experiences in the dive industry vary. In the 80's Karen managed a successful dive store in the Austin area, selling equipment and teaching classes. She then moved to Chicago, IL to run the International Instructor Training Center with her late husband, Ralph Erickson. At the Training Center they conducted Instructor level training in Cozumel, Roatan, Belize, Bonaire and several other areas outside the U.S. as well as in the Chicago land area. Their daughter, Karina, is a PADI Instructor, so diving is a family practice! Karen is the resident PADI Course Director for Dive World Austin. Karen serves as Vice-President of the Ralph Erickson Educational Foundation, which provides instructor level training to low income islanders around the world. In addition, Karen runs the PADI Seal Team and Girl Scout Classes.
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Chris Graf
PADI Staff Instructor
Chris has been diving since 2008 and became a PADI professional in 2013. He is a registered Scuba Diving merit badge counselor, CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR for Professional Rescuer instructor, and Snorkel BSA Instructor Trainer. He is currently a BSA Lifeguard, serves on the Capitol Area Council Aquatics Committee, is an ASM for the 2017 National Jamboree Council contingent, and also serves as Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 365 in Round Rock.
Brittany Haury
PADI Staff Instructor
Brittany has been an aquatic enthusiast all her life, but has been an active professional (primary career) since 2009 (current professional level- Staff Instructor). With an enthusiasm for teaching, especially teens (attended and worked at Florida Sea Base for many years) and young adults. Brittany is aiming to become DWA's first female freediving instructor and mermaid instructor in 2023! She has an active military spouse, two wonderful kids, an amazing dog, and a small homestead out of Salado.
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Nikki Abbott
PADI Staff Instructor
Dominique aka Nikki started her dive journey in 1996 turning pro in 2002. She is a very active instructor/diver in the community which is why you can find her at Lake Travis most weekends. PADI Seal Team Leader and is passionate about introducing kids to their first underwater experience. She is also fluent in Spanish. When not teaching or leading local dives or international trips you will find her conducting presentations on PADI, the Underwater World, and Scuba Diving.
Matt Jacobs
PADI MSDT Instructor
Matt Jacobs has been diving since 1982 when he earned his first certification through UT’s Informal Classes. He became a divemaster in 2006 and an instructor in 2009. Matt has authored two PADI Distinctive Specialty courses. In the summer, you can find Matt teaching people how to hunt for sunglasses, cell phones, jewelry, and other treasure in Lake Travis.
Carl Balzen
PADI Scuba Instructor
Carl Balzen is kinder than a manatee. This sweet man is simply too humble to write about himself. We raise a glass to you Carl, CHEERS!
Karina Erikson
PADI Scuba Instructor
The daughter of two PADI Course Directors, Karina’s life has never been boring. (She says it’s kind of like being raised by wolves!) Growing up on the floor of the dive store, Karina became a PADI Bubblemaker at 8 years old. She’s come a long way since then, and is now a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. In 2017, Karina became the first recipient of the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association “Wavemaker” award.
Kyle Cline
PADI Scuba Instructor
More Information on Kyle coming soon!
Scott Baker
PADI Scuba Instructor
Scott Baker has been diving for more than 25 years beginning in the military and now as a PADI Master Scuba Diving Trainer. He's had the privilege of diving around the world, but calls the Atlantic and Caribbean his SCUBA-home. Scott is passionate about coaching, mentoring, and teaching… anything that helps people achieve their best. Besides teaching Scuba, Scott enjoys underwater photography, exploring new dive sites, and wreck diving.
Philip Mire
PADI Scuba Instructor
Philip logged his first dive in 1989 off the coast of Kona, Hawaii. He is a US Marine Desert Storm Veteran, a Scouts BSA & Venturing Leader, and an American Red Cross Instructor. He has been teaching outdoor adventure, rescue, first aid, and leadership skills for over 25-years. With all his kids grown and out of the house, he and his wife now enjoy traveling the world and exploring new underwater places; meanwhile spending as much of the inheritance as they can before the kids get it.
Jesus Qintanilla
PADI Scuba Instructor
Jesse is a Texas Veteran and earned his first scuba certification in 1984. Although he felt better in rather than out of the water, life got in the way and there was a long break before he figured out what was missing. Jesse’s passion for diving was realized when he convinced his family to learn to scuba. This gave his family something they could all participate in, share and enjoy. The flame was rekindled and he earned his Dive Master and Instructor certification so he could help others experience the joy diving brings to him.
Mark Rosseisen
PADI MSDT Scuba Instructor
Mark started out his diving career by getting his Open Water certification here in 1996 with his wife. In 2005 he crossed over to become a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor. He enjoys teaching because it lets him introduce new divers to the fascinating underwater world, and keeps his diving skills fresh.
John Redmon
PADI Scuba Instructor
Texas born and raised John received his Open Water certification in Seabrook, TX in May 2013. Shortly after, he relocated to the Virgin Islands where he was fortunate to work as a full time Divemaster and later, an Instructor. When not in the water John loves to spend time with his black labrador "Clutch" at the dog park and also continue his love for traveling as well as seeking experiences that last a lifetime.
Richie Gamel
PADI Scuba Instructor
Richie is a retired teacher/coach. He has been a Scuba Instructor for 4 years. He loves diving in the Caribbean. Richie's favorite dive spot in the Caribbean is St. Lucia.
Angie Saltsman
PADI Scuba Instructor
Since joining the team at Dive World Austin in 2020, Angie hit the water running earning Master Scuba Diver Trainer status as well as 2021 Elite Instructor 50 and is expected earn the 2022 Elite Instructor 100 award this year. Angie also enjoys dive travel having ventured to Curacao, the Great Barrier Reef, and Sea of Cortez recently. “I’ve been in the water my whole life and can’t wait to show you what’s down there!”
Rebekah Dell
PADI Staff Instructor
More Information on Rebekah coming soon!
Assistant Instructors/Divemasters
Michelle Graf
PADI Assistant Instructor
Michelle is a troop leader for the first Girl Scout Scuba Troop in the nation. She has experience in both BSA and GSUSA dive programs and is passionate about marine conservation. With her husband Chris, she enjoys diving with her family including an aspiring Quidditch player and a future cat whisperer, respectively.
Eric Dillman
PADI Divemaster
Eric loves to dive and enjoys helping others enjoy the water as much as he does.
David Wilkinson
PADI Assistant Instructor
After a life of business travel, Dave came late to Scuba diving and would now rather be on or in the water than anywhere. He became a dive professional when, after a trip to Belize his children decided that they all wanted to be under water ALL the time.
Matt Coffman
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Matt coming soon!
Daniel Blanchard
PADI Divemaster
Ever since Dan watched the diving shows in the 70's he's been hooked on Scuba Diving. He is a Retired U S Marine who has been Scuba Diving since 1985. He's been a PADI Pro since 2000. He says, "I work for the best Dive Shop in the Country, Dive World Austin." He loves to teach scuba and will until he physically can't. Dan says he also considers himself privileged to work on Customer life support systems in regulators and BCD's.
Thomas Holloway
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Thomas coming soon!
Michael Keck
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Michael coming soon!
Brian McLaury
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Brian coming soon!
Matt McCain
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Matt coming soon!
Nathan Meyer
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Nathan coming soon!
Patrick McGarry
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Patrick coming soon!
Carl Myers
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Carl coming soon!
Becca Peters
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Becca coming soon!
Jason Peterson
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Jason coming soon!
Daniel Porter
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Daniel coming soon!
Andy Rhodes
PADI Divemaster
Andy has been diving since he was 16 years old and certified Open Water on the mediterranean island of Cyprus. He has dived in many place from the Red Sea in Egypt to the Caribbean. His favorite dive ever was the Blue Hole, Belize with his son. He has been a Dive Master for 2 years now and has a new years resolution to get into the water more often.
Lisa Peterson
PADI Divemaster
Lisa started diving later in life but fell in love with it from the first moment she took that breath under water. When she's not diving she is with her two Great Danes, family and good friends enjoying the simple things in life. Lisa says, "If you see me at the lake come say hi!"
Jason Rosson
PADI Divemaster
More Information on Jason coming soon!
Owners
Seth and Traci Wallace are longtime Austin residents whose shared goals focus on community, conservation, and customer service. Seth began his SCUBA journey when he got his Open Water certification to attend Florida Sea Base with his older son. Another trip to Sea Base with his younger son and the family was hooked! Traci and their two daughters followed suit and now they own a dive shop! Their youngest child is the only one at home who gets to hear their riveting dinner conversations that often focus not only on how to better support the growing Austin dive community but also on how to better reach divers throughout Central Texas. Dive World Austin is a family-friendly shop that is passionate about introducing young people to SCUBA as seen through their support of Boy Scout and Girls Scout programs and offering PADI Seal Team programs and Teen Certification camps in the summer.
They take conservation seriously too! Fun fact: DWA is the first and only Dive Center in Texas to receive the prestigious PADI Green Star™ Dive Center Award which is granted to PADI Dive Centers that demonstrate a dedication to conservation across a wide range of business functions.
Seth and Traci share a customer-centric approach to business. No purchase is too small, no question is insignificant. (And, honestly, no purchase is too large either!) The biggest perk of owning a small business? Building personal relationships with customers. The goal at DWA: get to know you, help you find the gear that best suits you, and keep you diving!