SCUBA NETWORK STAFF

The Dive Shop Crew

Martha Katz

Course Director, Instructor Trainer

A Northeast diver for over 30 years, and the heart of Scuba Network- she has been helping train scuba divers since the 1990's. Martha is the Den Mother to hundreds of Long Island Divers here and across the Eastern US.

Martha has devoted much time to training persons with disabilities through the Handicapped Scuba Association. She has also worked with veterans projects like Wounded Warriors.

Martha is a PADI Instructor, a NAUI Course Director and SDI Instructor Trainer. and has dove all over the world from Fiji to Curacao, Canada to Costa Rico and everywhere in between!

Steve Scigliano

Course Director, Instructor Trainer

Swim and Scuba's former owner and resident PADI Course Director, Steve "Scuba Steve" Scigliano has been diving for over 40 years. He is also an SDI-TDI instructor and DAN Dive Emergency Specialist.

He brings a wealth of Northeast Dive experience and know-how to the scuba divers and Instructors he trains. Steve helped set up the beach 8th Dive Site in the Rockaways, sinking the dive cages at the pier.

If there is anyone to show you how to be a Northeast Diver, its Scuba Steve!

Robert Hecht

IDC Staff Instructor

PADI IDC Staff Instructor/SDI Instructor
Bob is a homegrown Long island diver and enjoys all kinds of diving both in cold and warm water.
He enjoys taking students out to explore the waters of Long Island and pointing out the varied sea life that exists here.
He is an avid underwater photographer as well, so feel free to ask him about that!

Steven Katz

Instructor Trainer

Steven Katz (Papa Smurf) has been diving since 1991 and an instructor since 1998. As a small child he always wanted to learn how to dive and he finally got his chance in Florida and New Jersey. He took full benefit of diving by going around the world in places like Fiji, Maldives, Indonesia and Galapagos. He teaches Open Water, as well as Advanced Diver up to Instructor. He also teaches Full Face Mask, Side Mount, Dry Suit and other specialty courses. He is certified to teach Handicap Scuba diving where he has taught blind, paraplegic and other injuries needing a specially taught dive buddy.

He has retired from the Air Force after 28 years and is a member of Wounded Warriors. You can usually find him at the store on Saturdays. Ask him to tell you about the great and unique adventures that are there for scuba divers.

Chet Pietrzak

Instructor

Chet is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and DAN DEMP Instructor. He teaches Public Safety Diving as well as Rescue.

Chet served in the US Marine Corps, and as a Medic. He is currently also an NYS EMT and Lifeguard Instructor Trainer.

Jonathan Watkins

Instructor

Jonathan has been diving on Long Island since 1985. He enjoys diving locally and around the world. He is currently a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, an SDI, and HSA Handicapped Scuba Instructor

Oscar Ortiz

Instructor

BIO Coming soon!

Instructor

Bill started diving in 2007 at 57, and became an instructor in 2019. With over 420 dives, all with Martha Katz, Bill has dove all over the World: the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, Maldives, Galapagos Islands, Fiji, Chook (f/k/a Truk), and Indonesia.

Bill loves that there are no cell phones, IPads, or Blackberrys on a dive When experiencing the joy of diving and seeing new marine life, whatever you may have seen on television, or in the movies does not compare to seeing it in real life. Also, when you come back from a dive trip your friends and coworkers will be both jealous and envious because you went diving in a location that they could only dream of going and/or never heard of.

Instructor

Jeannine is a PADI Open Master Scuba Diver Trainer and a NAUI Instructor Trainer- she is a local dive enthusiast.

Instructor

Born and raised in Toledo Ohio, Gardner served in the U.S. Marine Corps and shortly after moved to New York, and became a Correction's Officer retiring after twenty years.

On a trip to the Bahamas, he was introduced to scuba diving. "Don’t let the regulator fall out your mouth and squeeze your nose if your ears start hurting" - that was my first dive, in 2009 my instructor, Matt Meyer of Scuba Network took us to Beach 9th street Far Rockaway, NY. My Instructor journey began in 2016 and I’m very happy with it. Please remember….

(If You Get Tired, Learn to Rest Not to Quit.)