ABOUT 'DOC'.

Diving Experience: 44+ years | DIT Training: 19+ years

ABOUT buzz

Industry Experience: 22+ years | DIT Instructor: 13+ years | PO3/E4/USN

Randy is a 1998 graduate of DIT. He served in the Navy as a Boatswains Mate 3rd class and was a rescue swimmer attached to the Inshore/Underwater Warfare group in the Pacific NW. His diving career began with a year in the Gulf of Mexico, then five years as an inland diver conducting repairs and inspections on dams, water towers and piers. Randy spent seven years with Global Diving & Salvage in the Gulf working on P & A, salvage platforms and hurricane work.

Randy became an instructor at DIT and enjoys students’ enthusiasm. His favorite part of instructing is seeing students’ faces when they’ve accomplished a task and realize the project was not so bad, or that it was hard, but they got it done and can be proud of themselves.

Advice to Divers “Ears open, mouth shut. Be a sponge; soak up every bit of knowledge. Also, look at the divers ahead of you. Find a diver you respect and emulate him; do what he does, find out what gear he wears and wear that, follow his example and become like him.”

ABOUT scooter.

 Industry Experience: 15+ years

ABOUT Joel.

Industry Experience: 11+ years | DIT Instructor: 2+ years

Joel is a Seattle native born in Redmond, WA and graduate of Nathan Hale High School. After graduating dive school at DIT in Class 110-06, he began his commercial diving career in the Gulf of Mexico with a year at Tiburon divers. Joel hired on and spent 8 more years in the Offshore sector with industry giant Cal Dive International until they closed in 2016. Bringing his robust offshore experience to the next generation, Joel joined longtime friend and coworker Jake Dow at DIT in April 2017 as part of the Offshore and HazMat instructor team.

Advice to students: “Remember it is the little things that we do in our industry that make a big difference! No one was born knowing how to do any of this, so remember to work within your skill level and absorb as much as you can every day!”

ABOUT pete.

Pete is a Coos Bay, Oregon native who graduated from both the U.S. Army Special Operations Diver’s Course and the Dive Medical Technician Course in 1998. He served 21 years as a U.S. Army medic and also trained in the Advanced Diving / Hyperbaric Medical Team Program in Key Largo, Florida. Pete is a NAUI Instructor and, in October 2015, completed the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society’s (UHMS) two week Physician’s Training in Diving Medicine course at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) campus in Seattle to further expand his knowledge and skills.

Pete served on several active Army dive teams. His military diving experience includes salvage, mapping, and recovery work for the Joint Personnel Accountability Command (JPAC), demolitions of a 300 man barracks and UXO in the Marshall Islands, and international missions such as security swims, recovery of military equipment, and beach landing and harbor surveys in Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar.

ABOUT alec.

Industry Experience: 5+ years | DIT Instructor: 3+ years | Scuba lead

Originally from Galveston, Texas, Alec grew up immersed in the maritime world, spending his days surfing and working on the water. His passion for the ocean led him to Divers Institute of Technology (DIT), where he graduated with Class 104-19.

Alec launched his commercial diving career in Freeport, Bahamas, with Overseas Marine Group, gaining hands-on experience in salvage operations, ship husbandry, and hurricane and oil spill response. He later returned to his hometown to join Subsea Global Solutions, where he specialized in offshore diving, underwater repair, and marine construction. His work included hull repairs, propeller and rudder maintenance, underwater welding, seal replacements, and tunnel thruster exchanges for commercial shipping, cruise lines, and offshore oil and gas industries. As his career progressed, he took on leadership roles in marine construction, supervising dive operations and earning certification as a lattice boom crane operator.

Some of Alec’s most memorable dives include sleeping underwater during a challenging repair operation, completing his first salvage alongside DIT instructor Wyatt Pehling, and designing and welding complex underwater structures. His diverse experience and dedication to the field make him a valuable asset to the commercial diving industry.

ABOUT John.

Scuba Instructor

John Yackel is a professional scuba instructor from Shelton, Washington, with extensive
experience in recreational, professional, and commercial diving. He is an Instructor Trainer
for both NAUI and PADI, holds a USCG Master Captain’s license, and is the owner-operator
of YSS Dive Shops. John specializes in scuba equipment service across all major brands
and focuses on mentoring dive professionals in structured, safety-driven training
environments. His most memorable dive project includes marine salvage and recovery of a
53-foot sunken harvest vessel near Olympia, Washington

ABOUT andre.

Industry Experience: 25+ years | DIT Captain: 12+ years

Andre has lived in the Pacific Northwest for more than 30 years and is an experienced vessel captain who has worked in the fishing industry throughout Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and Bering Strait for nearly 20 years. He later joined Clipper Navigation and spent 10 years running fast catamarans to Canada. He also has operated various other vessels prior to joining DIT in 2010. Andre holds a U.S. Coast Guard license 100-ton Master/1600 Mate.

ABOUT bobby.

Industry Experience: 12+ years | DIT Training: 9+ years

Bobby was born in Columbus, Ohio (“Go Buckeyes”) in 1983. As a child, Bobby traveled with his family while his father was in the Navy (CPO). When his father retired from the Navy in 1989, Bobby’s family returned to the Pacific Northwest and settled in Everett, Washington. At age 14, Bobby started working for his grandfather in a furniture/woodworking business, where his grandfather taught him the use of various hand tools, power tools, and heavy machinery. At age 17, Bobby became a supervisor in his grandfather’s company with a crew of 5 employees. When his grandfather retired and closed the business, Bobby then worked in the construction field until he enrolled at DIT in 2009.

After graduating from DIT, Bobby worked for an inland diving company based in Montana and was promoted to dive supervisor after a short time. He spent 3 years working with the inland company, and traveled throughout the United States before joining the Life Support and Facilities team at DIT. Bobby is a certified Kirby Morgan Hat Technician and trainer. He teaches the monthly Kirby Morgan Hat Technician course for graduates and members of the diving community.

ABOUT jairlyn.

director of admissions

Jairlyn was born in Salt Lake City Utah and was raised in the State of WA. Jairlyn joined the Admissions team at DIT in June 2019 . She attended Eastern Washington University where she graduated with a B.A. in Communication Studies and a Minor in Marketing. She comes with 10+ years of experience and has worked for one of the largest post-secondary educational schools in the country, Jairlyn has held positions as an Admissions Representative, Community Outreach Coordinator, Admissions Manager and Director of Admissions.

ABOUT tabitha.

Admissions Representative | PO3/E-4/USCG

ABOUT kylie.

Admissions Representative 

Kylie was born and raised in Washington, growing up in the Mill Creek area before spending several years living in Seattle. She loves learning, exploring the outdoors, and staying creative in her daily life. When she’s outside, she enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time on the water or in the woods. When she’s indoors, Kylie can usually be found reading, crocheting, or doing some kind of creative hobby. Music is a constant in Kylie’s life, with 60s to 80s rock being her go-to, though she appreciates all genres and loves discovering new sounds.

Her professional background includes strong experience in customer service and sales, where she’s built a passion for connecting with people. She genuinely enjoys conversations and takes time to get to know the stories and perspectives of others.

ABOUT emalie.

Admissions Representative

Emalie, a Southern California native, joined the Navy at 18 and dedicated seven years to service. After being stationed in Washington, she fell in love with the state and decided to make it her home. She earned her degree in communications and gained valuable experience in sales and customer service before joining the DIT team in January 2025. Now, she’s here to help guide potential students through the enrollment process and take the first step toward an exciting career in commercial diving!

ABOUT katy.

Director Of Marketing

Katy joined the DIT Admissions team as a Washington state native from the Tacoma and Puyallup areas. She attended Central Washington University and graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration–Marketing and Management from Saint Martin’s College in Lacey, Washington. Before coming to DIT, Katy worked in higher education with Corinthian Colleges, Inc. as the Director of Admissions. Katy joined DIT in October 2013.

ABOUT michelle.

Career Services |  Director of Compliance & Administration

Michelle is a native of Cleveland, Ohio who came to Seattle in 2010. Michelle has a B.A. from the College of Wooster (Ohio) and a Master’s of Social Work (MSW) from Western Michigan University. Michelle’s career spans 30 years around higher education in organizational communication, leadership development, and curriculum/program implementation with campus-based student organizations and schools. She’s also worked as a mental health therapist in Michigan and Seattle.

Michelle started at DIT in August 2011. She is now the Director of Compliance managing the school’s ACCSC accreditation, cybersecurity, and other industry & regulatory needs including prior learning/top-up assessments so industry divers and DIT graduates can advance their certifications and expand their commercial diving opportunities. In Career Services, she also works with current DIT students and DIT graduates to prepare their resumes and find their best fit roles with commercial diving companies.

Most recently, Michelle was invited to the ADCI Steering Committee developing new minimum commercial diver training standards to enhance our industry’s consistency in training and improve the quality of next generation dive school graduates entering the industry.

Quote: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Will Durant   **   “What you focus on grows. What you think about expands. And what you dwell upon determines your destiny.” Robin S. Sharma

ABOUT gary.

Registrar

Gary was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. Gary performed as a professional dancer for 20 years in ballet companies, musical theatre and on cruise ships. He has a BFA in Dance from Wright State University. After retiring from the dance world, he has been a “jack of all trades” and has administrative background in the legal, insurance and entertainment industries. He also worked as a records specialist and eventually a legal secretary at several law firms. Gary started at DIT in 2020 as an Accounting Assistant, moved into the position of Student Records Specialist and is now Registrar.

ABOUT jacquie.

Director of Finance and Human Resources

Jacquie was born in Seattle and grew up in Spokane, WA. She also lived in Alaska for 10 years, both in Dutch Harbor and Anchorage. Jacquie started at DIT in October of 2020 and has 35 years’ experience of accounting and human resource management. She earned her Bachelor of Science, with Accounting emphasis and Marketing Minor, from Central Washington University. Jacquie and her husband live in Des Moines, WA with their 3 Bichon Frise dogs.