Meet The Team
Tarek "T"
Owner
T might as well have gills, the man spends so much time underwater. Tarek grew up diving in the Red Sea in Egypt alongside his father, who made it clear early on that the ocean isn’t just water—it’s alive, intoxicating, and endlessly fascinating. By the time he was a teenager, T was working in dive shops, soaking in the stories every reef and wreck has to tell. At just 18, he became an instructor, guiding others into the world that had shaped him.
He also had a career as a professional handball player—Paris, Stockholm, the Egyptian National Team—moving through cities and arenas, learning the rhythm of life in motion, how people live and work and push themselves. Then, in a surprising turn, he shifted into finance and banking, working in Dubai, Egypt, England, and eventually the U.S., where he earned a PhD in finance and met his wife, Michaela.
Through it all, diving remained his constant. From running dive shops as a teen to co-running operations in North Carolina, to exploring reefs across the globe, the ocean always pulled him back. Eventually, that pull led him to Sail Fish Scuba in the Florida Keys, where experience, community, and curiosity converge.
As a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, T brings global perspective, confidence, and more stories than Hemingway. He doesn’t just teach diving—he shows you the ocean the way he knows it: layered, alive, and full of subtle surprises in every current, every wreck, and every reef.
Favorite Marine Pal: Sharks
Michaela
Owner
Michaela grew up with the mountains and wide deserts of Arizona—a completely different rhythm from the life she would later come to love in Key Largo.
After graduating from Smith College, she taught ESL across several countries. As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Salatiga, Indonesia, she connected with students, ran community programs, and learned to understand a place not from a guidebook, but from the people who live there.
Returning to the U.S., Michaela earned her nursing degree from Duke University and worked as a medical-surgical oncology nurse caring for Veterans. As a charge nurse, she learned to take charge in the middle of chaos, keeping things running smoothly and making it look effortless—skills she now brings to every corner of the dive shop.
At Sail Fish Scuba, Michaela brings that same steady, structured energy to every corner of the shop. She stepped out of the corporate grind to build a dive shop that runs on connection and adventure, where every day is shaped by the water, the people, and the stories they bring.
Favorite Marine Pal: Spotted eagle rays
Captain Kevin
100 GT Master Captain
Captain Kevin was born and raised in southern Florida, so these waters are in his blood.
He’s spent over twenty years working the coast—everything from recreational charters to commercial operations—and he knows every reef, every sandbar, every hidden corner better than any map could tell you. He gre
Captain Kevin
100 GT Master Captain
Captain Kevin was born and raised in southern Florida, so these waters are in his blood.
He’s spent over twenty years working the coast—everything from recreational charters to commercial operations—and he knows every reef, every sandbar, every hidden corner better than any map could tell you. He grew up exploring the coastal waters of Florida, learning to read the tides, the winds, and the quirks of the sea like a local knows the streets of their neighborhood.
Off the water, Kevin is all family—poolside with his kids, grilling up whatever he can throw on the barbecue, savoring the simple, unhurried moments.
On deck, he’s calm, sharp, and effortlessly funny. Every charter with him is as much about the stories, the small discoveries, and the rhythm of the ocean as it is about the ride itself. And yes—safety is never an afterthought.
Randy H.
IDC Staff Instructor
Randy grew up in Southern California, where the gray-blue waters are cold, the light hits everything golden, and the pace of life has a laid-back rhythm you carry with you.
As a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, he’s calm, approachable, and focused on safety, connecting with divers at every level and helping them bu
Randy H.
IDC Staff Instructor
Randy grew up in Southern California, where the gray-blue waters are cold, the light hits everything golden, and the pace of life has a laid-back rhythm you carry with you.
As a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, he’s calm, approachable, and focused on safety, connecting with divers at every level and helping them build real confidence underwater.
He doesn’t just teach diving—he makes it feel effortless, guiding people through the water with skill, ease, and a steady hand. When adventure calls, he’s first in line—especially around one of his favorite spots, the USS Spiegel Grove.
Randy is also a talented underwater photographer, capturing the Florida Keys’ vibrant marine life with an eye that draws you in. And, just for fun, he’s a certified officiant—so yes, he can teach you to dive and marry you underwater in the same day.
Elara M.
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)
Elara hails from Memphis, Tennessee—a city where the streets hum with energy and Southern hospitality runs through everything.
Her love for the water started young, earning her Open Water certification in 2018 alongside her dad and sister—and it hasn’t let go since.
Elara has worked on s
Elara M.
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)
Elara hails from Memphis, Tennessee—a city where the streets hum with energy and Southern hospitality runs through everything.
Her love for the water started young, earning her Open Water certification in 2018 alongside her dad and sister—and it hasn’t let go since.
Elara has worked on sailboats, on the powdery slopes of ski resorts, and backpacked across the globe. Through it all, the ocean kept calling her back.
She earned her Divemaster in 2022 in Roatan, Honduras, and worked afterward in Tennessee and Newcastle, England, before stepping into her role as a newly certified PADI Open Water Instructor.
Off the water, Elara hikes, rolls dice in Dungeons & Dragons, sips coffee, or gets lost in a book. Elara is sweet, lively, and a teacher whose passion for the ocean inspires everyone she meets.
Maria M.
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)
Originally from Los Angeles, Maria started out in clinical research, where she honed her skills in analysis, problem-solving, and communicating with people. It was meaningful work, but her heart was always elsewhere—underwater, among coral and marine life
She followed that calling to Puert
Maria M.
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)
Originally from Los Angeles, Maria started out in clinical research, where she honed her skills in analysis, problem-solving, and communicating with people. It was meaningful work, but her heart was always elsewhere—underwater, among coral and marine life
She followed that calling to Puerto Morelos, Mexico, where she earned her PADI Divemaster certification with Global Vision International. Not long after, she was coordinating sea turtle research, helping launch the first local program, and working side by side with communities and federal partners. Every day was hands-on, every dive purposeful, and her love for the work obvious.
A University of Washington graduate in Science, Technology, and Society, Maria pairs analytical sharpness with effortless communication. Calm, patient, and endlessly curious, she brings that same passion underwater, inspiring students while caring for reefs and marine life with reverence.
Now a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, Maria’s goal is simple: help others explore the ocean safely, and make sure they leave with a lasting love for the underwater world she can’t get enough of.
Zachary Y.
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)
Zach grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, but the desert never held him. The ocean did. After military service, he and a close friend dove into scuba certifications, and he never looked back. A trip to the Florida Keys changed everything—he fell for island life, coral reefs, and the work that t
Zachary Y.
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI)
Zach grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, but the desert never held him. The ocean did. After military service, he and a close friend dove into scuba certifications, and he never looked back. A trip to the Florida Keys changed everything—he fell for island life, coral reefs, and the work that truly matters. That passion led him straight into coral reef restoration, helping bring Florida’s reefs back to life.
With an Associate's degree in Marine Science, Zach throws himself into local reef projects, diving every day with purpose and heart.
Off the clock, Zach is going to music concerts, traveling, or hanging with his pet rabbit, Porter Rabbitson .
Megan C.
PADI Divemaster
Originally from Connecticut and raised in a family of divers, Megan has carried a lifelong passion for the water. She earned a BS in Communication, Science, Environment, and Health from Cornell University.
Megan worked as a Coral Restoration and Conservation Intern, helping with coral outplanting, conservation str
Megan C.
PADI Divemaster
Originally from Connecticut and raised in a family of divers, Megan has carried a lifelong passion for the water. She earned a BS in Communication, Science, Environment, and Health from Cornell University.
Megan worked as a Coral Restoration and Conservation Intern, helping with coral outplanting, conservation strategies, and educational outreach. She’s an experienced deckhand and a certified RYA Day Skipper, guiding divers in Indonesia and Italy and connecting with people from around the world.
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Known for her leadership, Megan makes every dive safe, fun, and unforgettable. An avid underwater photographer and content creator, she shares the beauty of marine life while inspiring conservation in everyone she meets.
Sasha H.
PADI Divemaster
Sasha earned a BA in Strategic Communications from American University in Washington, D.C., and has spent her career working in nonprofit organizations in the queer justice and climate movements.
Hailing from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Sasha discovered her love of the ocean at the age of 12 when she became s
Sasha H.
PADI Divemaster
Sasha earned a BA in Strategic Communications from American University in Washington, D.C., and has spent her career working in nonprofit organizations in the queer justice and climate movements.
Hailing from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Sasha discovered her love of the ocean at the age of 12 when she became scuba certified alongside her family. Since then, she’s had the opportunity to dive in many sites across Asia, Africa, and South and Central America.
In her free time, you can find Sasha playing Ultimate Frisbee, battling monsters in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, or curled up with a good book beside her two cats, Levi and Gandalf.
Eli B.
PADI Divemaster
Eli recently graduated high school from Sidwell Friends in Washington D.C. He will be attending Cornell University in the fall where he plans on majoring in Biology or an environmental science-related field.
Ever since a young age he has always loved the outdoors, particularly the ocean. Eli worked as an exhibit gu
Eli B.
PADI Divemaster
Eli recently graduated high school from Sidwell Friends in Washington D.C. He will be attending Cornell University in the fall where he plans on majoring in Biology or an environmental science-related field.
Ever since a young age he has always loved the outdoors, particularly the ocean. Eli worked as an exhibit guide at the National Aquarium in Baltimore and interned with Turtle Love where he learned about marine life conservation. He began diving last summer where he earned his PADI Open Water Diver and PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certifications.
Outside of the water, Eli enjoys playing baseball, watching sports, playing card games with friends and family, going to the gym, and spending time in nature.
Kevin B.
PADI Divemaster
Kevin is the Director of Design and Development for a medium sized food and beverage company operating in the US, Europe and Japan. In his free time, he loves adventuring with his wife Christina and dog Ollie.
He started his diving journey in Key West in 2012. He’s eager to continue his professional dive jour
Kevin B.
PADI Divemaster
Kevin is the Director of Design and Development for a medium sized food and beverage company operating in the US, Europe and Japan. In his free time, he loves adventuring with his wife Christina and dog Ollie.
He started his diving journey in Key West in 2012. He’s eager to continue his professional dive journey and plans to take the PADI Instructor Development Course next year to become a certified scuba instructor. .
Dave "Groovy" G.
Divemaster in Training
Dave’s interest in diving started with obtaining a commercial diving certification at the Diver’s Institute of Technology (Seattle, WA) in 1990 where he was educated in mostly service supplied underwater construction, but attained his Advanced Open Water Certification as part of the requisite course w
Dave "Groovy" G.
Divemaster in Training
Dave’s interest in diving started with obtaining a commercial diving certification at the Diver’s Institute of Technology (Seattle, WA) in 1990 where he was educated in mostly service supplied underwater construction, but attained his Advanced Open Water Certification as part of the requisite course work. His classroom education & practical experience included, but was not limited to everything from underwater arc welding to hyperbaric chamber operation(s) & saturation theory.
Although he didn’t pursue a career at the time, he continued in the trades until going back to school to become a drug counselor in Humboldt County, CA and achieving his Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science Management focused on Policy & Planning from Humboldt State University (now Cal-Poly Humboldt) which allowed him to ultimately serve as a city Councilor in Trinidad, CA (2019-2022).
Currently Dave has joined Sail Fish Scuba to achieve his credentials to become a proficient Divemaster/Instructor as well as use his construction background & formal education to engage with Sea Turtles, coral reef restoration and other global issues commonly associated with the sea & inland waterways.