Fabsik-Swarts succeeds Tom Ingram, who retired at the end of 2025 after more than two decades of leadership and service to the diving industry.

“After a thorough and thoughtful search process, the Board is confident that Julie is the right leader to guide DEMA forward,” said Dan Orr, Chair of the DEMA Board of Directors. “With a strong track record of leadership and a clear vision for the future, she brings valuable perspective and experience that will help strengthen and grow the association and the industry it serves.”

The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) is proud to announce a new partnership with Ocean Reef Group to offer specialty courses focused on diving with Ocean Reef full face masks. This collaboration brings together two dive industry innovators committed to safety, comfort, and expanding access to underwater exploration.

While the search for the Association’s next President & CEO continues, the DEMA Board of Directors is pleased to appoint Nicole Russell, CEM, as Interim CEO & President, effective immediately.

The film is adapted from the book Sharing Air, written by Jim Elliott, with the screenplay written by Marsh, who also serves as writer, director, and producer. Production is slated to begin in March 2026, with principal underwater photography taking place in the Florida Keys.

Dive Queensland has been helping host the screening of Dr. Richard Harris’ film: Deeper’ right across Queensland and used the Cairns premiere to announce the launch of their new website. With overviews of the Queensland dive environment from the far north to southern boarder and strategically broken up into geographical areas the site offers an objective view of all the different snorkel and scuba options Dive Queensland members offer their customers.

As CEO, Richardson will lead the organization in its mission to assist injured divers and advance dive safety. He will succeed DAN’s current president and CEO, Bill Ziefle, who first joined DAN as a board member in 1998 and was appointed CEO in 2010. Ziefle’s distinguished career at DAN has been marked by a demonstrated commitment to dive safety and significant growth in DAN’s membership and insurance programs.

The DAN internship program was started in 1999 to give qualified candidates valuable experience in dive safety research. 

While the program is still research-oriented, its scope has expanded over the years to include projects that focus on other aspects of DAN’s mission to help divers in need of emergency medical assistance and to promote dive safety through education. 

Today, DAN interns participate in a range of activities including field work, lab studies, outreach, training program development, and other projects that promote dive safety.