Meet the Faces of the SSI Ambassador Program 2026
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Inspiring the Next Generation of Ocean Explorers
Every diver remembers the moment the ocean truly captured their heart.
Sometimes it happens during the first breath underwater. Sometimes it is the first time you hover weightless above a reef alive with color and movement. And sometimes it is that unexpected encounter—a turtle gliding by, a curious reef shark, or a manta ray appearing out of the blue.
But while the ocean provides the magic, it is often people who inspire us to make that first dive or further our underwater journey. For some it is a story shared online, for others it is coming across a breathtaking underwater photo. These moments spark curiosity and inspire others to explore the underwater world for themselves.
That is why SSI is proud to introduce the newest members of the SSI Global Ambassador Program—a group of passionate divers, storytellers, photographers, explorers, and ocean advocates from around the world.
Each ambassador brings a unique perspective to the underwater world, but they all share one common goal: to inspire more people to discover, understand, and protect our oceans.
Table of Contents:
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What Is the SSI Ambassador Program?
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A Global Team of Ocean Storytellers
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Meet the 2026 SSI Ambassadors
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A Shared Mission: Protecting the Ocean
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Follow the Journey
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Dive In and Follow Along
The SSI Ambassador Program brings together a global community of divers who share their experiences with the world. Through photography, videos, travel stories, and educational content, ambassadors help showcase the beauty, adventure, and responsibility that comes with exploring the ocean.
But this program is about more than beautiful underwater images.
It is about connection.
Ambassadors highlight the incredible experiences that diving offers—from vibrant coral reefs and dramatic underwater landscapes to meaningful conservation work and cultural connections found through travel.
By sharing their journeys, they encourage more people to take their first step into the ocean and become part of the global diving community.
SSI's newest ambassadors come from diverse backgrounds and locations around the globe. Some are instructors who spend their days introducing new divers to the underwater world. Others are explorers, photographers, or conservation advocates dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems.
Together, they represent the diversity and passion of the global SSI diving community.
Here is a closer look at the newest members of the SSI Ambassador family.
Maxime_Cheminade
Technical diver and underwater cinematographer Maxime Cheminade explores extreme environments in Thailand.
Technical Diving & Underwater Cinematography
Maxime Cheminade explores parts of the underwater world that few divers ever see.
Based in Thailand, Maxime is a technical diver and underwater cinematographer known for his work in extreme overhead environments such as wrecks, caves, and abandoned mines. His cinematic storytelling captures the intensity and beauty of deep exploration with remarkable precision.
Outside of filmmaking, Maxime works in hyperbaric medicine and volunteers with high-risk rescue teams around the world. Through his work, he highlights the technical side of diving while inspiring divers to appreciate the discipline and preparation that exploration requires.
READ MORE: SSI and Blue Oceans Join Forces with The Coral Planters for 2026
Ariadna_Botet
Marine biologist Ariadna Botet Moreno shares conservation-focused diving through Dive in Green.
Marine Biology & Dive Education
Marine biologist and SSI Divemaster Instructor Ariadna Botet Moreno blends science, education, and adventure through her project Dive in Green.
Based in the Canary Islands, Ariadna works to empower divers and future professionals through education while promoting marine conservation and responsible diving practices. Her content combines scientific insight with practical training and ocean storytelling.
Through Dive in Green, Ariadna encourages divers to understand the ecosystems they explore and to recognize the role they can play in protecting marine environments.
Estefanìa_Ojeda
Shark advocate Estefanía Ojeda Otero promotes understanding and conservation in Puerto Rico.
Shark Advocacy & Ocean Education
Estefanía Ojeda Otero is passionate about transforming fear of sharks into understanding.
Based in Puerto Rico, she focuses on shark conservation and ocean education, using storytelling and community engagement to promote sustainable marine tourism. Through her work, Estefanía helps people see sharks not as threats, but as vital components of healthy marine ecosystems.
Her mission is simple: inspire curiosity about sharks and encourage responsible interactions with marine life.
LEARN MORE: What Is Coral Bleaching? The Science (and Hope) Behind the Crisis
Sara_dalla_Torre
Sara Dalla Torre captures the emotional connection between travel, lifestyle, and the ocean.
Lifestyle Storytelling & Ocean Connection
Sara Dalla Torre brings a lifestyle perspective to underwater exploration.
A visual storyteller based in Italy, Sara shares moments of freedom, adventure, and connection with nature through photography and storytelling. Her content blends travel, scuba diving, and the emotional side of ocean exploration.
Sara's work captures the feeling many divers know well—the quiet sense of wonder that comes from being immersed in the underwater world.
Sude_Kolozina
Sude Meriç Kolozina blends mermaiding, dance, and underwater artistry.
Mermaiding, Art & Underwater Movement
Sude Meriç Kolozina brings creativity and artistry into the underwater world.
An SSI Instructor Trainer and Mermaid Instructor, Sude combines her background in contemporary dance with over a decade of diving experience to create captivating underwater performances and visual storytelling.
Through underwater dance, breathwork, and creative expression, she shows that diving can be more than exploration—it can also be a form of art.
RELATED: Pro Mermaids: The Skills You Need to Teach, Lead, and Inspire
Mitcheline_Defino
Chie Defino leads community-driven ocean conservation initiatives in the Philippines.
Ocean Advocacy & Community Leadership
From Siargao Island in the Philippines, Chie Defino is a surfer, professional diver, and conservation advocate deeply connected to her local marine environment.
She is the founder of Ocean Tribe Philippines and the Adopt a Mooring Line project; programs focused on coral reef protection and sustainable tourism.
Through education and community projects, Chie works to empower local youth and women through ocean-based initiatives while helping protect the reefs that support their communities.
David_Vazqez
Underwater filmmaker David Vázquez Farrus documents marine ecosystems in Indonesia.
Underwater Visual Storytelling
Originally from Barcelona and now based in Indonesia, David Vázquez Farrus is an SSI instructor and underwater filmmaker who has spent more than 15 years teaching and exploring beneath the surface.
Through his online platform, David captures the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems, using film and photography to inspire awareness and action for ocean conservation.
His work reminds viewers that the underwater world is both breathtaking and worth protecting.
LATEST NEWS: Dive Around the World Is Back! Discover The Essential Ocean Podcast
Jacinta_Kimani
Former teacher Jacinta Kimani inspires new divers along the Kenyan coast.
Education & Ocean Inspiration
Before becoming a scuba instructor, Jacinta Kimani was a school teacher.
Today, she brings that same passion for education underwater, introducing new divers to the ocean along the Kenyan coast. Her approach focuses on building confidence, curiosity, and respect for marine environments.
Jacinta's journey reflects how diving can transform lives—not just for the divers she trains, but for herself as well.
Narathip_Kulwiboonanant
SSI instructor Narathip shares underwater exploration through teaching and imagery in Thailand.
Instructor & Underwater Explorer
Narathip Kulwiboonanunt began his journey exploring both freediving and scuba diving simultaneously, a path that quickly evolved into a profession.
Today Narathip works as an SSI instructor in Thailand, sharing the beauty of the underwater world through teaching and underwater imagery.
Narathip's work encourages divers to explore responsibly while developing a deeper appreciation for the ocean.
Katharina_Dohmann
Katharina Dohmann promotes sustainable diving and wildlife protection in Mauritius.
Wildlife Advocacy & Sustainable Diving
Katharina Dohmann is an SSI instructor, dive center owner, and passionate ocean advocate based in Mauritius.
Her work focuses on sustainable diving practices, responsible wildlife interaction, and empowering more women to enter the diving industry.
Through education and conservation initiatives, Katharina encourages divers to approach marine wildlife with respect and curiosity while protecting the ecosystems that support them.
Zoe_Cussaguet
Freediving instructor Zoe Cussaguet shares a deeper connection to the ocean in the Maldives.
Freediving & Marine Life Connection
Growing up around the ocean, Zoe Cussaguet developed a deep connection to the underwater world at an early age.
Now a freediving instructor in the Maldives, Zoe guides others into the ocean through breath-hold diving while promoting respect for marine life and the natural rhythms of the sea.
Her storytelling highlights the calm, focus, and awareness that freediving brings—and the profound connection it creates between humans and the ocean.
While each ambassador brings a unique story and specialty to the SSI Ambassador Program, they all share one mission: protecting the ocean.
Through their work, SSI ambassadors help promote sustainable diving practices, marine conservation, and responsible wildlife interactions. They remind us that divers are more than explorers—we are witnesses to the beauty of the ocean and advocates for its future.
The more people who fall in love with the underwater world, the stronger the global movement to protect it becomes.
TAKE ACTION TODAY: Join the SSI Blue Oceans Movement!
The SSI Ambassador Program is just getting started.
Over the coming months, these ambassadors will continue traveling, diving, creating content, and sharing stories from oceans around the world.
You will see:
- incredible dive destinations
- wildlife encounters
- conservation projects
- underwater photography and film
- stories from dive communities worldwide
Their adventures will highlight the many ways people experience the ocean—from technical exploration and freediving to marine conservation and lifestyle storytelling.
And along the way, we hope they will inspire you to become part of the global underwater journey.
Want to learn more about the SSI Ambassador Program and follow their adventures?
Visit the official SSI Ambassador page
Because the next great diving story could start anywhere.
Maybe on a reef halfway around the world.
Or maybe… on your next dive.
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Dive Deeper into Ocean Conservation