Alison Watts

Managed daily operations of day programs supporting adults with developmental disabilities in the Upper Keys. Supervised staff, ensured compliance with Florida APD guidelines, and developed individualized service plans with families and support teams.

Taught PADI recreational SCUBA dive training programs and served as a professional dive guide and first mate on the Sea Star vessel. Assisted with bookings and handled customer check-in, phone/email support, and dive retail operations.

Supported top performing real estate agents across real estate sales, including marketing, communications, and listing management. Managed MLS listings and handled front office reception, billing-related tasks, and office administration.

Provided customer service that prioritized customer needs and addressed purchasing, account, and delivery issues. Communicated business policies and performed problem-solving for purchase orders, account settings, financial transactions, and deliveries.

Led recreational SCUBA diving activities with an emphasis on marine conservation awareness. Supported diver certification progression following required PADI course standards.

Served as a full-time intern, AAUS scientific diver, and field technician supporting the U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef Restoration project. Conducted ecological assessments, collected restoration data, supported coral nursery maintenance and outplanting, and maintained SCUBA and field equipment.

Worked as a dive safety officer on a remote marine conservation field diving expedition in Seychelles. Provided supervision focused on accident management, prevention, and risk assessment, and trained volunteer divers for species identification data collection.

Trained college students in safe recreational SCUBA diving procedures aligned with PADI standards. Supervised confined and open water activities and taught/certified students in Open Water, Advanced Open Water, and Rescue diver courses.

Supported dive safety operations by serving as a safety diver and providing surface support for aquarium volunteers during dive show presentations. Assisted with SCUBA cylinder filling (blended gas), equipment and exhibit maintenance, and reef survey data collection.

Guided dives while working with teenagers on a group leadership project. Trained students using citizen science and Reef Check Fiji protocols to survey coral reef habitats and supported community planning for a no-take marine protected area.

Served as a teaching assistant for AAUS Basic Scientific Research Diving and Coral Reef Restoration Field Methods courses. Assisted with coral species transplant work and supported weekly research diving expeditions, including serving as a mate aboard the NOAA research vessel R.V. Dante Fascell.

Managed daily diving activities for resort guests while promoting eco-tourism and safe diving practices. Supervised a team of local divemasters and taught PADI Discover SCUBA Experiences and multiple diver courses.

Completed a Master of Advanced Studies (M.A.S.) in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography in June 2018.

Completed a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Marine Science at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in December 2015.

Completed a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Environmental Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in December 2015.

Completed a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communications at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in December 2015.

Completed an Associate of Science (A.S.) in Dive Business and Technology at the College of the Florida Keys in June 2011.

Completed an Associate of Science (A.S.) in Environmental Marine Technology at the College of the Florida Keys in June 2011.