Instructor Trainers

Ann Keibler – Instructor Certifier & Technical Instructor  Ann is a Platinum Pro 5000 Instructor and diver  with SSI and an Instructor Certifier and Trainer with both NASDS and SSI.  She is originally from Arizona and received her Masters of Business Administration from Arizona State University.  She has been involved in Scuba instruction since 1990 and outdoor education since 1975.  Her diving career has taken her from the Caribbean to the Pacific, the Middle East and the Far East.  Ann loves to tell people that she specializes in chickens.  If you want to be a diver, she will get you there!

Eric Keibler – Instructor Trainer & Technical & Rebreather Instructor Trainer Eric is a Platinum Pro 5000 Instructor with SSI and an Instructor Trainer, Trainer  with IANTD, NASDS and SSI.  He is a native Texan and received his Bachelors in Business Administration in Accounting from Texas Tech University.  He has been involved in Scuba instruction since 1988.  His diving experience has taken him from the Caribbean to the far reaches of the earth including Bikini Atoll, Truk Lagoon and Thailand.  Eric is a published author, professional photographer and serves as a member of the International Board of Advisors for IANTD and is a founding board member of the for the United States Deep Diving Foundation. 

 Tom Mount – Instructor Trainer & Technical & Rebreather Instructor Trainer Tom is an adjunct member of the Oceanic Ventures Professional Staff and serves as the CEO of IANTD/IAND, Inc. and was involved with the organization since it’s inception.  He is the author of numerous IANTD text books as well as for the National Association of Cave Divers and various other organizations.  He has dove around the world and has logged in excess of 11,000 dives including more than 1200 wreck dives.  Tom teaches many of our Instructor development courses and advanced diving programs including the new CCR Expedition Trimix program. 

 Gary Taylor – Instructor Trainer & Technical & Rebreather Instructor Trainer Gary is an adjunct member of our diving faculty.  He has degrees in Education, Theology and Ancient Languages and serves as a Technical Instructor and Instructor trainer for the Company.   He has extensive diving experience with over 7,000 dives and in excess of 4,000 Cave dives.  He has dove all over the world and specializes in technical diving.  He is the founder of the United States Deep Diving Team and serves President of Professional Scuba Association International as well as a published author of international training manuals and custom dive tables.

 Instructors

Pat Croll –  Advanced Open Water Instructor Pat got to participate in a Stress Rescue Open Water prior to even meeting us…Wade snuck out of the water and went to visit Pat and his son, Nick at their shelter while the students were looking for him in the water.  He decided we seemed like a fun group and joined the Oceanic Ventures family shortly thereafter.  Pat has been snorkeling and diving for years, and has now let his hobby get out of control by progressing into a dive leadership role.  In his other life, Pat works with corporate insurance brokers placing coverage with underwriters.  He loves to dive and has been all over the Caribbean.

 Vernon Dittrich – Advanced Open Water Instructor Vernon started diving with his wife Paula so they would travel to warm tropical locations on a more frequent basis and have something in common to do when they arrived.  He loves the escape that diving provides and the ability to venture away from the phones and services he provides as a Technical Sales Engineer for Vulcraft Steel Products.  He is a graduate from Texas A&M University with a degree in Civil Engineering.  He has dove throughout the Caribbean and numerous Texas dive locations.

Steve Jurbala – Advanced Open Water Instructor Steve is one of the newest members of the Oceanic Ventures Dive Team.  He is an enthusiastic diver with a love for the sport and a desire to introduce his students to the underwater world.  He started diving before he could drive and even worked as a scuba instructor in the islands for a while.  Steve serves as the Regional Manager for Imperial Brands, an upscale liquor importer.  When he is not on the road introducing others to his products, you will find Steve diving or out on his boat.  He has spent time all over the Caribbean but still finds Cozumel his favorite dive destination.

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Jean-Luc Pous Dive Control Specialist Instructor Most days you will find Jean-Luc at an airport somewhere.  You may find him teaching a pilot who is upgrading his rating or taking passengers to an important business meeting.  Of course he is also an Engineer with years of experience which takes him to the far reaches of the world.  But, when he is not working or flying, you will find him diving, talking about diving or teaching diving.  Jean-Luc loves diving and introduces people to this hidden world as often as he can.  His diving travels have taken him all over the world and as long as there is water, he is a happy diver. 

Bob Sloan – Advanced Open Water Instructor Bob loves diving and his enthusiasm is contagious.  His diving career started in the Northwest when certification cards were not really required.  His passion for diving is only matched for his love of skiing and the outdoors.  Since his retirement as an engineer and tool designer for Schlumberger, he has been able to spend more time pursuing his hobbies and traveling.  As a recreational diver, a Technical Diver, and a Technical Cave Diver, Bob has dove in some very unique places.  He has a hard time pinpointing his favorite dive sites but you might ask him about Chuuk, Kosrae or Hawaii.

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 David Snyder – Dive Control Specialist Instructor & Technical & Rebreather Instructor Dave is a SSI Century Instructor and is a former banking officer who retired early and chose to occupy his spare time teaching Scuba.  He has his MBA in Finance.  Dave is an avid underwater photographer and has traveled extensively throughout the South Pacific and the Caribbean.  Like many of our staff, Dave is a certified Technical Diver and Cave Diver.  Dave’s has several rules for divers, Rule #1…BE Careful, Rule #2…no whining… and Rule #3, refer to rules 1 & 2.

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Wade Sparks – Advanced Open Water Instructor & Technical & Rebreather Instructor Watching Jacques Cousteau helped get Wade interested in the underwater world and scuba diving was a natural fit.  He is a graduate of University of Houston-Victoria with a degree in Accounting.  He currently works for Waste Management in the IT Department. Wade loves being underwater and has dove in a number of US locations and throughout the Caribbean.  No matter where his wife wants to go for vacation, he manages to find a dive location.  Wade currently holds diving certifications in eCCR Full Trimix, eCCR Cave Diving and of course every specialty for Open Circuit

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Barbara Corbin – Associate Instructor Simply put, Barbara loves diving.  She and her husband Barney have dove all over the country and in numerous places around the world.  She has been to springs in Florida and Texas, the Kelp beds in California and even NASA’s newest underwater habitat.  In her other life, Barbara works for NASA and is a director overseeing a number of rocket scientists.  She is a certified Coast Guard Captain and the Admiral of her own navy with more boats and personal watercraft than she has family at home.  She really enjoys teaching others to dive and has fun doing it.

Ed Walsh –  Associate Instructor Ed likes to tell people that he has been diving longer than Jacques Cousteau.  Of course that is a bit of an exaggeration which describes Ed’s fun loving personality.  Ed got his diving start in Ohio but rapidly found the healing benefits of warm tropical waters.  He currently serves as the Business Manager for St Cecilia’s church.  Ed loves helping students discover the underwater world and has dove in a number of US locations and throughout the Caribbean.   No matter where he ends up for vacation, he has fun and works in some diving and some fishing.

Dive Coordinators

Ashton Arsement – Dive Coordinator You may have seen Ashton on a TV commercial or two but he is really our Retail Manger.  He joins our staff after managing his family’s restaurant for a number of years and is currently completing his degree at the University of Houston.   He is an avid recreational and technical diver who enjoys just about any kind of diving from local Texas lakes to the Gulf of Mexico to the Caribbean and the Pacific.  Ashton enjoys taking people diving where ever there is water and air.

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Steve Brennan, M.D. – Dive Coordinator Mild mannered Dr. Steve by day becomes fun loving Scuba Steve by night and weekends.  A graduate of  Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Steve is a Nephrologist and heads a practice of like minded physicians.  Scuba was a late in life discovery for Steve and his family; but you would never know it in talking to him.  He has been diving all around the world, including two trips to Truk Lagoon.  His passion for diving is infectious and he attempts to bring everyone he knows into diving and cannot believe it when they don’t dive in with him.

Brittan Clark – Dive Coordinator Brittan became a diver out of necessity.  She is a graduate of the Marine Sciences program at Texas A&M Galveston and as a student there, you cannot avoid the water.  But her love of the sport has led her to dive in some fun and unusual spots from the caverns of Florida to the cold waters off the coast of California.  In her other life, Brittan is a grant coordinator at MD Anderson Cancer Center.  But, when you talk to her, it is all diving and having fun with friends!

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Mike Coburn, M.D. – Dive Coordinator Mike is a full-time physician who dreams of diving more often than his schedule allows.  He also serves as the medical advisor to Oceanic Ventures and the United States Deep Diving Team.  In his “real life”,  he is an Urologist and Professor at the Baylor Medical School in the Texas Medical Center.  From river Archeology in North Carolina to rock quarries in in the mid-west, Mike has dove all over the United States.  He also has extensive experience in diving in various locations in the Caribbean. 

Ed Erwin – Dive Coordinator Ed is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and works in the Land Department of BP.  Raised in Tulsa Oklahoma far from the water, it was Lloyd Bridges and Sea Hunt that first peaked his interest in Scuba diving.  Along the way, he found the wrong form of water, becoming a certified Glacier Crevasse Rescue climber but soon found a home in warm tropical waters.  Ed is a published writer and photographer and his diving adventures have taken him to all sorts of places; he loves diving when ever he can.

Joel Hershey – Dive Coordinator For Joel, Halloween is more than a time to dress up and scare small children, it is his birthday.  Growing up in Ohio he wan involved in Athletics and Martial Arts.  He opted for more sun and less snow and moved to Texas where he operated his own bar and restaurant.  He decided nights were for more than serving drinks and switched careers into the legal support business opening Loop Legal Services.  He and his son got certified in 2002.  Like many of our staff, Joel’s hobby soon got out of control propelling him into the Dive Coordinator program.  Since his initial course, he has dove in a number of locations but still finds Cozumel his favorite location.

Jordon Hicks – Dive Coordinator Jordan is an instant diver, just add water!  While attending Boston College as a violin soloist, he watched a group of divers suiting up for a commercial dive in Boston Harbor and discovered his dream job.  Now a commercial diver for Global, Jordon finds himself diving throughout the Gulf and other locations.  When he is not diving commercially, he is diving for fun in Texas and other states as well as in the Caribbean.  He is one of our repair technicians as well as a Dive Leader.  He is always open for a dive and enjoys taking people diving with him.

David Morris – Dive Coordinator David loves diving.  He had over 50 dives in the local dive sites within his first six months as a certified diver.  Currently in sales with Glazier’s Distributing, he has been involved in the hospitality industry for over ten years.  A native of the United States Virgin Islands, he was an avid snorkeler before becoming a scuba diver.  If you want to find David on a weekend, just look for a large awning and a bar BQ pit and you will find him around, probably underwater.  He loves diving and is an avid explorer.  His favorite dive location to date is Little Cayman.

Zaide Scheib – Dive Coordinator A graduate of the University of Houston, Zaide is responsible for many of the green parks you see in the planned communities throughout Houston.  She is an Irrigation specialist and water is her business as well as her avocation.  She started diving on a whim, winning a silent auction for scuba classes.  Since then she has dove all over world and can be found many weekends either diving or helping out at the store.  Zaide has an contagious smile, a fun laugh and a desire to take people divng.

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Jeremy Sochol – Dive Coordinator Jeremy first came to Oceanic Ventures because he wanted to dive in Antarctica.  It just so happened that we were running a trip there two years later, so he signed up for the trip and the cold water training that it took to dive there.  Since then, Jeremy has enjoyed both ice diving and warm water diving.  Formerly from New York but he moved south as soon as he could.  He is currently serves as the Vice President of Human Resources for Waste Management here in Houston.  Jeremy’s interests span from the opera to the arts but when you ask him  where he’s rather be, he will tell you a warm tropical location with a cylinder on his back, although he is equally comfortable with an ice berg at his side.

Stephanie Watowich – Dive Coordinator Stephanie spends her time split between her career as a research Professor for MD Anderson, her family and diving.  She is a survivor of one of Chuck’s classes and despite his best efforts, she has become a Dive Coordinator.  Stephanie simply loves diving and has even put up with Eric popping out of hidden area of a ship to pull on her fins.  She has been diving in the Caribbean and the Pacific and her plans include more trips underwater…where next?  Only Stephanie really knows. 

Other Staff

Ann Timpe-Brennan – Consultant Ann loves children; and, as the coordinator for our Scuba Ranger Kids Club she has her work cut out for her.  But if anyone is up to the challenge, it is Ann.  In her real life, she is a practicing attorney admitted to the bar in both Illinois and Texas specializing in contracts and issues impacting physicians and medical practices.  Like her husband Steve, she discovered diving late in life, taking a class with their daughter Kathleen.  She an advocate for diving fun and really enjoys working with the Starfish and Scuba Rangers.  Her dive travels have taken her to the Caribbean and the Pacific.  Ask her about her favorite place and she’ll tell you about the dolphins.

  Barney Corbin – Senior Repair Technician Barney started his diving hobby as a teenager in Florida.  Over the years his work with the Air Force and NASA took him all over the world letting him visit numerous countries.  While working for NASA in California, Barney increased his dives through frequent local diving.  He moved to Houston to work on the Space Station and made frequent trips to Russia.  Now retired, Barney is hoping to increase his dives again; he has recently become a certified Cave Diver.  Barney’s travels have taken him to various locations in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

 Pam Radford – Consultant Pam once said that her diving was on the level of a Tourist Diver or one to two dives a day and then shopping!  While a few wreck dives changed her outlook, she still describes herself as a Technical Tourist Diver (a.k.a. T²).  Pam survived her early days as her older brother’s dive buddy, and is bringing others into the sport.  She is a principal in Legal Media, a company that produces courtroom exhibits,  video taped depositions, and other services for many of Houston’s leading law firms.  Pam is the Company’s resident oenophile and serves as our wine consultant.  She has toured the Caribbean and the Pacific and loves reefs almost as much as she loves wreck diving.

Melanie Worthington – Consultant If you spend much time with Mel, you will likely hear “Mom” coming from the mouths of one of her two children.  Of course in between her duties as Mom, Scuba Ranger Leader, and Dive Coordinator, she is a practicing attorney.  Her enthusiasm in contagious and her ability to keep up with the Rangers is inspiring.  She has been diving since she was sixteen and is a true believer in diving being a Lifetime Pastime.  She has been diving throughout the Caribbean and loves introducing others to the sport.