Staff
Dive BVI Management Team
Jeff McNutt - A proud Texan, Jeff moved to Virgin Gorda in early 2003 after a BVI sailing trip in 2002. He is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer as well as a SSI Dive Control Specialist Instructor. He started out as manager of our Marina Cay location for two years before moving into the General Manager position. Jeff enjoys teaching divers about Nitrox and how we make it here in the BVI. Always on the water, he loves saltwater sport fishing and cruising for new dive sites on our DPVs. Jeff also maintains the website, enjoys Texas country music and watching the Dallas Cowboys.
Casey McNutt – Arriving with Jeff, Casey has made herself at home here. In charge of Retail Operations, she is responsible for ordering all of the latest dive gear and resort wear for our four locations. While shopping for new styles is fun, she still enjoys getting out and leading dives at some of her favorite sites which include Ginger Steps and the Chikuzen. Casey has been lucky enough to dive with a hammerhead and a tiger shark in the last few years. In her spare time, Casey exercises regularly, climbs Gorda Peak, and is an active member of the VG Ladies Book Club.
Little Dix Bay Team Members
Paul Gondek – Paul is our Location Manager at Little Dix Bay Resort where he teaches our Discover Scuba courses in the sheltered waters of the bay. Oftentimes he shows his students the resident turtles and seahorses found near his “office”. An avid animal lover, Paul is right at home with our plentiful marine life. He is from Chicago and doesn’t miss the winters, but he does miss the pizzas.
Anna Janczewska – Born and raised in Krakow, Poland, Anna has lived and worked in the Caribbean since 2001. After 10 years of Hotel Management, she chose the path of scuba diving instruction. She is a foodie – always on the lookout for new culinary experience and appreciates good wines. She likes sports like badminton, tennis and volleyball, hiking and kayaking. She loves animals, particularly cats. Anna likes warm water – she has been diving in Bermuda, Curacao, Antigua, St. Lucia and Florida before coming to BVI in 2008. Her favorite dives are wreck and photo dives.
Yacht Harbour Team Members
Rudy Woodley – Originally from St Vincent, Rudy (”Doc”) is the only West Indian PADI Divemaster working in the BVI. He’s been with Dive BVI for as long as we can remember and is an excellent captain. You’ll often see Rudy at the helm of Sea Lion, our big power catamaran, heading out for our famous Anegada Day Trip. Rudy would love to show you the marine world he grew up in when you visit! You’ll also see him out on the cricket and soccer fields of Virgin Gorda and Tortola.
Chris Blackwell - Is originally from Norwich, England and is the other half of Jude. He has worked on 5 continents and, now tired of travelling around the globe, he is happy to settle down in this beautiful part of the Caribbean (it’s a hard life!). Chris loves diving of all sorts, in particular sites with interesting structures, which there are loads of in the BVI, he also has a strong interest in conservation, especially in marine eco-systems, and respects efforts made to protect them. Other than diving he loves to read, anything from Fantasy to Zen Buddhist philosophy, he also has a strong interest in nutrition and health.
Judith Baird (“Jude“) - This wee lass hails from bonnie Scotland and always had a plan to work overseas in the sunshine! After graduating from University, she worked in science for several years before she and her partner (Chris Blackwell) decided to give up life in the rat race and train to become Scuba Instructors. Since then she has worked in Thailand, the Maldives, Malaysia and Zanzibar before crossing the Atlantic to come work here in the BVI. Jude loves exploring the underwater world and has a passion for marine conservation, but when she’s on dry land you’ll find her cooking up some great food in the kitchen.
Marc Taggart – Marc grew up on a little island in the middle of the Irish sea called Isle of Man. (Just to clear any misconceptions about the name, yes, there are women there) He went to university for retail management and computers and was working as a manager for Marks & Spencer department stores when the adventure bug creeped in after watching “Thunderball” one evening. Tired of wearing suits and helping women with bra fittings, he decided it was time for a career change. He did his IDC at ProDive in Fort Lauderdale on the summer of 2006 and went to Nassau to work at Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas until 2009. Aside from learning the traditional work of a dive instructor, Marc had the opportunity to become one of the senior shark feeder’s trainers, and did shark wrangling for underwater productions for the BBC, Discovery Channel and others. Places that he had the opportunity to go diving have been Spain (where he did his Discover Scuba dive), Florida Keys, Isle of Man (cold, but you get to swim with sea lions), Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands. One of his goals this year is getting training to be able to use his Inspiration CCR. On his time off, you can find Marc playing XBox 360, watching movies, and trying to learn some Spanish (by osmosis) from his girlfriend Vivian. Marc’s attention to detail and British sense of humor, will make your diving day very entertaining. If you remember, ask him about sun tanning tips.
Ruby Daniel (”Finey”) - Called Finey because, as a baby, everyone in her St. Kitts neighborhood said she looked so fine. Finey has been with Dive BVI for over eight years! As our friendly store clerk, Finey is so helpful with our divers and shoppers that they often find more than they were looking for! She is the source of all island information so stop by and let her fill you in.
Meron Napier – After finishing her degree, Meron decided a regular 9 to 5 job just wasn’t for her. So in 2006, she and her fiance moved from the UK to to the Caribbean in search of a change of pace and a warmer climate. After 4 years she’s found a “second home” in the BVI and enjoys running private charters and trips to the beautiful island of Anegada, as well as helping to organise our 4 retail locations. Meron thinks that the best thing about her job is helping people to have an amazing vacation both in and out of the water!
Leverick Bay Team Members
Cori Gondek – The better half of Paul Gondek, she enjoys identifying the awesome variety of aquatic life found in the BVI. Cori thoroughly enjoys diving on the many wrecks scattered throughout the islands. She’s been with Dive BVI since 2000 and worked previously in Aruba. She claims to be the Virgin Gorda Domino Champion, but we’re not so sure about that.
Soren Kofoed – has been working 9 years in the dive industry, starting out in Thailand and after 3 years moved to Cyprus where he was ground crew on a Bungy jump site. He spent a little over 3 years in Barbados, worked in Shanghai-China at a big Aquarium taking people on shark dives and last worked in Greece before joining Dive BVI. He loves soccer/football and thinks Man United is the best team in the world. He likes to explore dive sites a little further than our normal routes and that’s how he found the stingray cleaning station on Ledges.
Ryan Lukas – Ryan grew up on a small island off the coast of Maine and has always loved the water. He tried various jobs (lobster fishing, chef, graphic designer) before he found the job that he really loves: dive instructor! Ryan moved to VG from Zanzibar with Sarah in June 2010 and if you get a chance, listen to his Rhone story (parts true, parts embellished)! Ryan enjoys the numerous wrecks around the BVI especially the Vagabond.
Sarah Barrington - Sarah is from Ireland and grew up in Germany and Italy before going to university in London. She developed her passion for diving in Honduras where she volunteered in marine research. Since then she has never looked back and, after leaving Zanzibar, arrived in VG with Ryan in June 2010. Sarah loves the macro life especially shrimp and won’t fail to point out various types to you on any given dive!
Theresa Bascombe – Hailing from Grenada, Theresa has lived on Virgin Gorda for ages. She has been a store clerk for Dive BVI for over ten years. Theresa continued her family here and is raising two brilliant children, Akin and Tahira, along with her husband, Glen. Recently, her first son, Stephen, joined her from Grenada after graduating high school.
Scrub Island Team Members
Kyle Herrington – A native of Texas, he has always loved the water and has been a diver since the age of 12. After finishing university in 2005, Kyle began traveling the Caribbean as crew onboard a cruise ship and on megayachts. Since becoming a PADI Scuba Instructor in 2008, he has worked in Thailand, Cayman Islands and on a scuba live-a-board. He loves the relaxing lifestyle on Virgin Gorda, sitting down with a good book or a trek through The Baths. Not to mention the top notch diving, here in the BVI, the place that is his office.
Andrew Hansen - Andrew hails from Dallas, TX and is the other half of Sam. He loves Cowboys football almost as much as diving. Prior to Dive BVI, Andrew has worked as a Dive Instructor in the US Virgin Islands and Utila, Honduras. In his “previous” life, Andrew was a 7th grade teacher, but he has found that he much prefers teaching dive theory and skills than seventh grade math. He enjoys underwater photography, hiking, camping, swimming, sports and of course, diving!
Samantha “Sam” Hansen – Sam grew up in a military family. She moved every few years, eventually spending her highschool years in Hawaii and then Virginia. She attended the University of Virginia where she met her husband Andrew. Sam got certified as an Open Water diver on her honeymoon, and fell in love with diving. She sold *most* of her designer shoes, and traded them for the dive life. She completed her instructor training on Utila, Honduras, where she then worked as an instructor/divemaster. Then she worked as an instructor on St Thomas for a year before coming to Virgin Gorda.
Vivian Toro – Vivian was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She completed a BA in Social Sciences, with minors in Psychology and Sociology. By the time she turned 30, she was tired of staring at computer screens and measuring people’s homes, and got out of the real estate industry (good timing too!), turning her hobby into a career. Vivian did her IDC at ProDive in Fort Lauderdale on 2003 and was hired, fresh from graduation, to work for them. She quickly moved from being a divemaster on the boat to the training department. Promptly became a PADI Master Instructor, and worked doing upper level training until 2007. That’s when she bought a sailboat, sold everything she had and sailed away…all the way to the Bahamas. She worked for Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas until 2009 as a senior instructor, a shark feeder (got cools scars to prove it!), and as a safety diver for underwater productions. Certified about 12 years ago, she had the opportunity to dive Florida’s east coast, including the Florida Keys and Fort Lauderdale, in addition to Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands. Vivian is 5′1″, but don’t let her small size fool you, many of her friends describe her as a stick of dynamite; you won’t be able to fall asleep around her. On her time off, you’ll find her reading a good book, cooking a new recipe, or watching a movie with her boyfriend. Vivian’s energy and attention to guests needs, will make your diving day unforgettably fun.
