With extensive experience within the dive industry, your professional staff and instructional team at Pura Vida Divers values your comfort, safety, enjoyment, and achievement.
Dean Shuler
Owner Operator, Captain, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, DAN Instructor
Born and raised in Griffin, Georgia, Dean studied marine zoology while pursuing a career in diving. After 6 years of extensive experience with in the dive industry including managing charter operations at a highly-rated dive operation and teaching at a PADI Career Development Center, he developed and opened Pura Vida Divers. In addition to his role as President, he is an accomplished United States Coast Guard-licensed 100 Ton Captain, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Emergency First Response Instructor, DAN O2 Provider Instructor, and TDI Instructor. He was recently interviewed for a National Geographic Special on Sharks. On his “off” days he enjoys diving the springs, caverns and cave systems in North Florida and Mexico. His favorite dive sites include Atlantis and Paul’s Reef.
Shana Phelan
Owner Operator, Environmental Conservation Adviser, PADI MSDT Instructor, DAN Instructor, EFR Instructor
Originally from Columbus, Indiana, Shana graduated from the College of Charleston in South Carolina with Marine Biology and Environmental Science Degrees. After initially moving to Florida to pursue a career in diving she returned to the Carolinas where she completed her Masters Degree in Coastal Environmental Management at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment. She has worked with the Loggerhead Marine Life Center as a Marine Biologist and Researcher studying endangered and threatened sea turtles including the elusive Leatherback. In 2002, she was interviewed by The Discovery Channel in regards to her research, and in 2005 she worked closely with WIDECAST to create a Sea Turtle Stranding Field Guide. She returned to Pura Vida in 2005 as Dive Facility Manager. In addition, Shana is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, DAN Instructor, EFR Instructor, and TDI Instructor. Her favorite dive sites include Juno Ledge and Fourth Windows.
Barbara DeClerque
PADI Platinum Course Director (Instructor Trainer), DAN Instructor Trainer, Captain, EFR Instructor Trainer
Originally a mathematics professor at Fordham University in New York City, Barbara began her diving career as an instructor in Manhattan but decided early on to move south to warmer climes and endless diving opportunities. She traveled and taught classes extensively throughout the American and British Virgin Islands and eventually made South Florida her home and “base of operations”. Barbara enjoys teaching new and old divers alike and relishes the opportunity to transform divers into instructors for PADI, DAN, and EFR. Although diving is now her passion and full-time “job”, Barbara has a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy from Fordham University and a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University. Her favorite dive sites are the Mizpah Corridor and Paul’s Reef.
Ryan Caffrey
General Operations Manager, Padi Instructor, EFR Instructor
Ryan Caffrey is originally from Northern New Jersey. After graduating from Penn State, Ryan worked in the finance world for several years. Ryan realized his passion for the underwater world in 2005, when he got certified in Bonaire. On a mission to get involved in teaching, Ryan joined us in 2011, and went from an Open Water diver all the way through Open Water Scuba Instructor in one calendar year. While he loved his trips to Bonaire and Little Cayman, he thoroughly enjoys our local dive sites such as Bath & Tennis, Toybox/Playpen, and shore dives at the Blue Heron Bridge. In regards to Palm Beach, Ryan says, “Arguably the best domestic diving. There’s no need to leave the country to see turtles, sharks, rays, frogfish, and seahorses.” While on land, Ryan is a sports fanatic, and enjoys playing golf.
David Finch aka “Finch”
Fill Station Operations, Padi Instructor, EFR Instructor
Originally from Sumter, South Carolina, David traveled the world at a young age with a military family. After receiving a BS in Mechanical Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology, David became a design engineer and race car fabricator/mechanic in Pennsylvania. On an extended Florida stay in 2009, David fell in love with the ocean and scuba diving and hasn’t looked back. He joined the PVD team in 2011 as our fill station operator aka “the tank master”. David became a Padi Instructor in 2011 and spends his days teaching diving, fun-diving, and keeping our compressors pumping clean gases for diving. On the side, David enjoys all things race car, more diving, and working on his orange 1969 truck, or as we like to call it, “The General”. David’s favorite dive sites include: Juno Ledges, Shark Canyon, and Black Rock.
Marc Grosse
Director of Training
Bio coming soon!
Colin Price
Sirena Crew, NASE Tooka Extraordinaire
Originally born in Greenville, South Carolina, Colin studied under ALERT International in Big Sandy, Texas, and gained his practical dive experience working alongside of the Miami PD in Miami, Florida in Underwater Search and Recovery. While in Miami, Colin acquired his NASE Dive instructor and National Academy of Police Diving (NAPD) for Special Response Diving (SRD) ratings. As part of his training, Colin relished the opportunity to search Miami canals, practicing actual training in low visibility to no visibility environments while assisting the Miami PD in underwater crime scene searches for cars, weapons, safes, etc. While initially specializing in public safety diving, Colin now dives daily as full time Deckhand/Diveguide for our recreational divers. Colin also spearheads PVD’s Tooka Program as one of the only Program Instructors nationwide. Colin enjoys Surfing, Diving, Long boarding, Snowboarding, and a vast variety of other water related activities. His favorite dive sites include The Corridor, Governors River walk, and Juno ledge.
Mark Sowash
Sirena Crew, NASE Tooka Instructor
Originally from Traverse City Michigan, Mark studied at the International ALER
T Academy and majored in Aquatic Operations. After acquiring his NASE Instructor rating, Mark moved to Florida in 2011 looking to expand his diving career. Mark enjoys crewing aboard Sirena and sharing our amazing Palm Beach diving with new guests everyday. While you rarely find Mark above the water, he is an avid sports enthusiast and excels at snowboarding, hockey, surfing, long-boarding, wake-boarding, and climbing. His favorite dive sites include: Juno Ledges and Pauls Reef. Mark also spearheads PVD’s Tooka Program as one of the only Program Instructors nationwide.
Haille Carter
Staff Biologist, Public Relations, Event Planning
A native Texan, Haille received her B.S. degree from Texas A&M Galveston in Ocean Coastal Resources. During her time at TX A&M, Haille interned with the US Army Corps of Engineers as a wetland regulator and earned her Scientific Diving and Cavern Certifications. In 2009, she ventured to Florida and completed an M.S. degree in Coastal Zone Management with Nova SE University. Aside from academics, Haille has held positions as a Field Trip Instructor in South Florida and more recently as an Aquarium Intern with Florida Oceanographic Society. She joined Pura Vida Divers as the Staff Biologist and PR Representative after finishing an internship in manatee identification with FAU Harbor Branch. In her spare time Haille enjoys kayaking, camping, surfing, and ballroom dancing (especially Salsa!). Her favorite dive sites off West Palm Beach include the Corridor and Breakers 4th Window.
Jessica Lawler
PADI Divemaster
Bio coming soon!
Nicole Lapp
Office Administrator
Bio coming soon!
Lindsay Ballard
Padi Instructor, EFR Instructor, Sirena Crew Member
Bio coming soon!