NAUI Announces Lineup for the Women’s Diver Panel at DEMA Show 2025
NAUI Worldwide is proud to announce the panelists for the Women’s Diver Panel at the DEMA Show 2025, taking place on Wednesday, November 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Seminar Room W205A.
This discussion will bring together a diverse group of accomplished women from across the diving community to share their experiences, insights, and perspectives on leadership, conservation, and the dive industry.
Attendees will hear from extraordinary panelists—including instructors, explorers, performers, and advocates—who are shaping the future of diving. This session is open to all, and we welcome divers of every background and experience level to join the conversation and be inspired by these resilient women.
Meet the Panelist
Rachel Novak
Rachel Novak is an accomplished freediving instructor, professional stunt performer, and passionate ocean advocate whose career blends underwater artistry with elite athletic achievement. A member of the U.S. National Freediving Team and owner of Aquanauts Freediving LLC, she has made her mark through performance, education, and conservation.
Rachel has worked with Cirque du Soleil’s “O” Aquatics Team, toured nationally with Marvel Universe Live, and appeared as the underwater double for Namora in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, earning a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Stunt Ensemble. She has also been featured in the MerPeople documentary and is well known within the global freediving and mermaiding community.
Beyond performance, Rachel is a dedicated advocate for ocean conservation and marine education. As a CMAS World Championships commentator, instructor, and founder of youth engagement initiatives, she uses her platform to inspire environmental awareness through freediving, mermaiding, and storytelling. Whether teaching a new generation of divers, performing breathtaking underwater choreography, or lending her voice to global conservation efforts, Rachel continues to empower women in diving and the performing arts.
Hanna Reed
Hanna Reed is the Diving and Boating Safety Officer at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), where she manages Japan’s only AAUS Scientific Diving Program. A former EMT, public safety diver, ocean lifeguard, and hyperbaric chamber crewmember, Hanna brings over 15 years of diving instructional and administrative experience from Northern California, Catalina Island, San Diego, and Florida.
Known for her energetic leadership style, Hanna is passionate about building safety-focused, inclusive, and resilient diving programs. She emphasizes empathy-first education and thoughtful risk management, striving to create opportunities for diverse communities in both scientific and recreational diving.
Kim Malkoski
Kim Malkoski’s passion for the ocean began early through family trips to the beach, aquariums, and boat outings. She earned her scuba certification at 13 and was named the 2008 Boston Sea Rover Frank Scalli Intern. Kim received her B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of New England in 2011 and later earned her M.A. in Sustainability and Environmental Management from Harvard University’s Extension Program.
Kim’s career has spanned both education and scientific diving. She served as an instructor for the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Underwater Explorers program, guiding young divers aged 8–13, and later became a NAUI Instructor. Since 2014, she has worked with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), managing its scientific diving program, and was appointed Diving Safety Officer in 2024—the first woman and only the fourth person to hold that role in WHOI’s history.
Renee Power
Certified since 1988, Renee Power has spent decades influencing the diving community through teaching, mentoring, and volunteering. She has been an active member of The Cambrian Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to research, education, preservation, and exploration of the aquatic realm—serving as a scientific diver, project director, and project diving safety officer.
Renee holds a wide range of instructional ratings across recreational and technical disciplines with NAUI, NSS-CDS, PADI, and TDI/SDI, and has experience with adaptive scuba diving. She currently serves on the NSS-CDS Board of Directors and its training committee. Outside of diving, Renee continues a 40-year career in healthcare as a CT technologist, balancing her professional expertise with her commitment to advancing the dive industry.
Susan Long
A respected leader in the dive industry for more than 25 years, Susan Long served as President and CEO of Diving Unlimited International, Inc. (DUI) for 21 years and now oversees sales and marketing for Mexico Liveaboards.
Inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame in 2007, Susan has also served on the Boards of Directors for both DEMA and the Women Divers Hall of Fame. Her passion for diving, ocean advocacy, and community building continues to inspire divers worldwide. She currently resides in San Diego, California.
Join NAUI at DEMA Show 2025 to celebrate these inspiring women and their impact on the diving community. Learn from their stories, gain valuable insights, and be part of an empowering conversation shaping the future of diving.
