Meet the Team

• Niko Kowell - Team Leader

• SSI/NAUI Scuba Instructor & Diveheart Adaptive Instructor 

• Niko Kowell (he/him/his) is a proud Trans and Queer person and lifelong activist, starting with founding his high school’s GSA back in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2022, he left his non-profit job of 14 years, where he was an Associate Director of Health Equity. In those years he was responsible for managing multiple Trans and LGBTQ programs and grants, as well as organizing events, running a drop-in center, facilitating workshops, support groups, and more. After taking some time off, he decided to pursue his passion of diving full-time. He’s been diving for over 20 years, getting certified at 18, his PADI Divemaster at 27, and now he is a NAUI/SSI Instructor. He has also volunteered at the Aquarium of the Bay as a diver since 2012, which never fails to be an adventure! From catching Sharks to feeding Giant Sea Bass, the Aquarium is one of his favorite places. Narwhal Divers is his manifestation of the two things he loves the most: diving and serving the community. He wants to make the world of diving a safer place for all, especially Trans folks. Niko hopes you’ll love diving as much as he does, and is always happy to chat with folks about diving. 

• For more about Narwhal Divers and Niko Kowell and his vision: 

• Unicorns of the Sea | Behind the Business with Narwhal Divers

• Danny Khor

• Advanced Adaptive Dive Buddy Candidate

• Danny Khor (they/them/theirs) is a queer trans first-and-a-half-generation immigrant who grew up in Penang, Malaysia and Tampa, Florida. They started diving in 2019 to study cold-water marine ecology in Alaska, and they are a current dive volunteer at the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco. Danny is a marine scientist, and holds deep appreciation and respect for the ways in which we rely on the ocean and land for cultural, ecological, spiritual, and physical wellness. 

• Darien Satterfield

• Advanced Adaptive Dive Buddy Candidate 

• Darien Satterfield (she/her/hers) is a 5th year Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Davis, studying the relationships between fish anatomy and behavior. She is a scientific diver through AAUS since 2015, and has logged more than 500 dives for research. Darien learned to dive and did her master's thesis in Southern California and since her doctoral dissertation work is in Bonaire. She has a love for both kelp forests and coral reefs. Darien is passionate about body inclusivity in diving and science, and her favorite motto is "Diving is for Every Body". 

• Devin Miller

• Advanced Adaptive Dive Buddy Candidate

• Devin Miller (she/her/hers) learned how to dive in 2014 in Monterey CA and has been pretty obsessed ever since. In 2019 she became an instructor and has greatly enjoyed being a part of people's journey in discovering the ocean and through that discovering themselves! Saying that diving changed her life is a cliche but absolutely true and she can't wait to be able to assist even more people in having access to this experience. Some of her favorite sea animals are nudibranchs, soft corals, giant barrel sponges, all sharks cephalopods and also a healthy love of all seaweed.

• Meghan Holst 

•  Advanced Adaptive Dive Buddy Candidate

• Meghan Holst (she/her/hers) is a third-year PhD student at UC Davis in the Graduate Group of Ecology. Meghan has completed a MSc in behavior and physiology of octopuses with an emphasis on how these correlate with welfare. Now she is pursuing a PhD in ecology studying the broadnose sevengill shark in San Francisco Bay. Meghan is equally passionate about conservation science as she is social justice and science communication work. In 2021, Meghan co-founded the 501(c)3 non-profit, Minorities In Aquarium & Zoo Science (MIAZS), and now maintains an executive directorship pursuing the mission to advance aquarium and zoo science by diversifying the professionals and their perspectives within it. Additionally, Meghan co-hosts a science podcast, Sharkpedia, where the primary authors of elasmobranch research are interviewed to communicate their science and strategies to the general public. Meghan intends to continue conducting science, communicating science in fun and interactive ways, and actively working to make the science fields more diverse and inclusive.

More Details

Where:

• SF Bay Area and Cozumel, Mexico

When:

• Training will start in July 2023, culminating in a trip to Cozumel (Dec 2nd-9th) to complete the certification for the Advanced Adaptive Dive Buddy program. 

What: 

• www.diveheart.org

• www.narwhaldivers.com

• https://www.divers-ityinitiative.org/underwater-for-all

• Unicorns of the Sea | Behind the Business with Narwhal Divers

• Niko Kowell | Adaptive Dive Buddy | Divers with Heart

Why: 

• There is a need for inclusive, accessible, and affirming dive environments.

• Underwater healing for all our communities should be accessible.

• We are all equal underwater.

Future Goals: 

• SF Bay Area Adaptive Dive programs

• Narwhal Divers Accessible Trips

Future Commitment:

• 18 pool (3-4 hours) sessions within 2 years & ideally 1 trip within 2 years (be it with Narwhals Divers or another adaptive organization).

Donate here (https://givebutter.com/8QzwHU)

Don’t have funds to donate? We can make use of airline miles, scuba gear, and more. 

Have connections for us? Reach out to us! narwhaldivers@gmail.com

Updated 10/26/23