The Scuba Company Instructors
It’s no secret that The Scuba Company has some of the best instructors in not only Albuquerque, but all of New Mexico. Our instructors are dedicated and, as always, are there to ensure you have a safe, happy and informative dive experience. These instructors don’t just teach to teach, they instruct classes because they all love scuba diving, and it has changed their lives in one way or another.
Course Director
Jay Elson
Certification: PADI Course Director
Jay began diving 38 years ago in central Illinois. After spending many childhood years watching the “Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau”, it was just a matter of time before he would become a certified diver and explore the underwater realm for himself. Jay has had a wide range of diving experiences in both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Read More
Jay has dove everything from muddy-brown lakes and rivers, in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean oceans and Central America. Through all the dives, Jay has enjoyed the pristine beauty of life beneath the waves. His favorite dive destinations include Belize and Little Cayman.
Dives Logged: 1,000+
Most memorable dive: Diving with a fifty-foot humpback whale near the British West Indies.
Bill Monsam
Certification: HSA Course Director/ PADI Master Instructor
In 2003, my wife dragged me to the scuba shop to take the PADI Open Water Course. I had several other hobbies and was certified by my Dad at age 9 in Connecticut (pre-PADI), dove until I joined the Air Force, so I wasn’t really interested in diving again. Read More
Dives Logged: 1,000+
Most memorable dive: Diving with a fifty-foot humpback whale near the British West Indies.
IDC Staff Instructor
Mike Westerfield
Certification: IDC Staff Instructor
Growing up in the Air Force, Mike always figured he would end up near some beautiful ocean someday and learn to dive. Life doesn’t always turn out like we plan, so Mike didn’t expect much when he signed up for a dive class in New Mexico in 1995 at first. What he discovered was that diving can be great almost anywhere! Read More
Some of his more enjoyed dives were in the Galapagos, Red Sea, Fiji, the Caribbean, and kelp diving in California. Local diving is also a favorite in locations like Balmorhea and Rock Lake. Blue Hole turns out to be a great place to train divers, with water temperatures that are higher than anything he has experienced in California at diving depth.
Mike started teaching in 2000 and enjoys it immensely. He is especially interested in the physics of diving, and work that into his classes for deep diving and dive master.
Dives Logged: 1,000+
Most Memorable Dive: There are so many that I can’t decide! There was swimming with hammerheads in the Galapagos, a wonderful dive with Ken Cincinnati in Belize, diving with my daughter in the Red Sea, and playing with squid and octopus in Honduras with Jennifer Klecker, Giusseppe Mavralone, and Tom Waters.
Yasmany Fuentes
Certification: IDC Staff Instructor
Born in Cuba, Yasmany made his way to the United States during childhood. Yasmany began his diving career totally by accident. After having studied karate his entire life, one day he walked into The Scuba Company just to see what it was about. The rest is history. Yasmany took the plunge and went from the PADI Open Water Diver to Divemaster within a year. Read More
Dives Logged: 950+
Most Memorable Dive: His very first open water dive in Blue Hole on November 11, 2012, it changed his life.
Rebecca Bulgrin
Certification: IDC Staff Instructor
Rebecca was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but grew up throughout the United States. Traveling between cities and states was always fun, and so this instilled the love of traveling in her blood, and now loves to travel frequently. When she began to dive, it opened a whole new world for her, and Rebecca became addicted. She was on her way to becoming a Scuba Instructor when she met her husband, who just happened to be a diver. Read More
Rebecca didn’t become an instructor then but continued to travel often and everywhere. After her child learned to dive, it was suggested that she become an instructor. She hopes that everyone takes the plunge and learns to dive. It will literally change your world.
Dives Logged: 500+
Most Memorable dive: It is very hard to choose but some of the more memorable dives include an octopus climbing onto my hand in Roatan, a barracuda following me on a deep wreck and flying Eagle Rays flying in formation on a wreck dive. They have all been memorable!
Master Scuba Diver Trainer
Phillip Styka
Certification: Master Scuba Diver Trainer
Phil Spent 32 years as a USAF Flight Surgeon most of his time in fighters. He has kept up his interest in human physiology and teaching but he switched from altitude to depth. Read More
Dives Logged: 500 +
Most Memorable Dive: Beqa Bull Shark Sanctuary
Open Water Instructor
David Rosprim
Certification: Open Water Instructor
David was first introduced to the idea of breathing underwater with a scuba regulator in 1984 and remembers that experience to this day. He grew up on the Texas gulf coast and was always curious about what was under the water. Driven by that curiosity throughout his life, scuba diving has allowed for exploration and discovery underwater. Read More Although David has had the opportunity to dive in many places, one of his favorites is right here in NM at Rock Lake. Dives Logged: 250 + Most Memorable Dive:Diving in Molokini Crater in Maui, HI at dusk in September of 2011. It was better than diving in an aquarium”
Blayne Huss
Certification: Divemaster, Discover Scuba Diving Leader, HSA Divemaster
Blayne is originally from Illinois and moved to New Mexico with his family. Blayne graduated from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelors in Science and Art. A temporary college job in retail led to a career managing in the same store. Blayne comes to the world of diving as most do, preparing for a vacation in 2013. Read More
Dives Logged: 100+
Most Memorable Dive: Diving Cenotes in Mexico. They were truly like another world, diving through the mix of fresh and saltwater while admiring the stalagmites and stalactites.
Paul Ness
Certification: Divemaster
Dives Logged: 100+
Most Memorable Dive: Probably my first dive in the ocean in Mexico. Got to see the real underwater world and sea life up close for the first time.
Andrew McCain
Certification: Open Water Instructor
Dives Logged: 1000 +
Most Memorable Dive: “Diving the Socorro islands with over a dozen manta rays together and night dives with octopus hunting.”