BSAC Council

BSAC's Council members are a group of experienced divers with a passion for the sport and for helping their members get the most from their diving and snorkelling experiences. If you are interested in getting involved visit the Get into governance section.
Chair - Maria Harwood Maria is a keen diver who has been a member of Chorley BSAC since 1983, where she has held a number of branch positions including Secretary and Club Development Officer, as well as being a National Instructor. Email Maria
Vice-Chair - Rachel Quinn Rachel is born and bred in Nottinghamshire and joined BSAC through Bingham SAC (2018 Heinke Trophy winners) in 1984. Rachel has held various branch officer roles, including DO, over many years and has been a driving influence in-branch fundraising activities for capital expenditure and on the development of women in diving - advising BSAC policy, leading an all-woman expedition and actively pursuing 'This Girl Can' opportunities in the East Midlands. Qualified to AD/OWI Rachel ceased diving in 2017 following a DCI but continues to support her branch and BSAC.
National Diving Officer - Dai Atkins Dai has been an active member of BSAC for 12 years, being involved in club committees and the Wales coaching teams. Being so involved with the BSAC teams Dai gets to listen to other members and divers from all diving, instructing and general interest fields. "Listening to our members has kick-started the BSAC strategy enabling us to move with the times, embrace new technologies, and both develop and grow the organisation so that it suits our members’ needs. And we must continue to do so." Email Dai
Honorary Secretary - Edward Haynes Edward joined BSAC in the late 1990s when on a military posting to Cyprus and gradually progressed through to become an Advanced Diver/Advanced Instructor. He initially worked in transport and logistics for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), before changing career and becoming an internal auditor first for the MoD and then privately, where he learned about business governance. Since 2013, Edward has been the Chief Internal Auditor for Allied Vehicles Ltd in Glasgow. He has been facilitating open water training sessions for BSAC members in South Scotland since 2007.
Honorary Treasurer - Janos Suto Janos is a member of the London Hellfins SAC and has held a number of positions including Diving Officer and Chairman. He gained his National Instructor qualification in 2012 and is an active member of the Instructor Training Scheme in the London and South East region. Janos has a particular love for diving in the UK, where he enjoys the sheer variety that it offers, be it a rebreather trip looking for wrecks or teaching in a quarry. Janos is a Chartered Management Accountant through CIMA, and has worked in a variety of finance roles across strategic, management, and financial accounting.
Gerry Anderson Gerry joined BSAC in 1985 and is a BSAC Advanced Diver and Advanced Instructor and a member of the BSAC SE Region Coaching Team. He was a bilingual instructor in Cyprus and Egypt and also Project Manager and Diving Officer in a Raleigh International Expedition in Belize. Gerry is currently the Diving Officer and Club Welfare Officer in his own Branch. “I relish the enthusiasm shown by our members. BSAC has recently made very positive strides forward and I want to further contribute to its progress with the opportunity provided to me by the Council.”
Davs Brander Davs learnt to dive in 2006 with PADI and in 2011 he joined his university branch and continued his diving education. Since then he has been enthusiastic about diving and helped run the branch as well as learning to instruct all divers that ask to learn. Since joining Council in 2015 he has worked hard to promote student members around the Council table and ensuring student members get a vote at General Meetings. He has also taken on the challenge of BSACs digital offering, helping deliver a new website in 2016.Since joining Council six years ago, Davs has learnt what is important for members and tried to turn that into results. If you want to contact Davs, you can do so on Facebook or email.
Rachael Brown Rachael learned to dive with the Leeds University Union Sub-Aqua Club in 2017 and has very much been bitten by the diving bug. She is a qualified Dive Leader and Assistant Diving Instructor and is a keen advocate for all that University clubs bring to BSAC. Whilst new to the Council, Rachael has experience in governance and works within equality projects in Higher Education. She is an Associate Member of the CIPD and enjoys conversations about people, culture, leadership and management.
Prof. Brian Cumming Brian has been a member for 48 years and has been actively involved in clubs holding a number of committee positions including Chairman and Diving Officer as well as being a founding member of the University of East London. Qualifying up to First Class Diver and National Instructor Brian has put those skills to good use as Eastern Regional coach, been an advisor to NDC and a member on the NDC board, has been on BSAC Council in past years and in 2009 became BSAC Vice President. Brian has also compiled and wrote the annual Diving Incident report since 1996.
Geoffrey Duggan Geoffrey joined Leicestershire Scouts Sub-Aqua Unit in 2002, progressing to Advanced Diver, Open Water Instructor and Diver Coxswain. Since 2016, he has been the Diving Officer. LSSAU provides snorkel experiences, Try Dives and Ocean Diver through to Advanced Diver training for Scouting and Guiding in Leicestershire and the surrounding counties, having over 200 youngsters through the unit in an average year.
Celia Marlowe Celia trained with PADI to Divemaster level before qualifying as an HSE diver and BSAC Theory Instructor. Currently a committee member at Milton Keynes BSAC, she is in the final stages of her PhD in Environmental Science focused on divers as a novel source of marine observations. Celia is happiest underwater, whether it be wreck diving in the UK, taking part in photogrammetry surveys for science, or hanging out with sharks in Mozambique. She passionately believes that recreational divers have huge potential to support marine science and conservation initiatives. Prior to her PhD she ran a consultancy business for several years, leading projects in the IT, finance, digital and knowledge management domains.
James Mudge James is the Diving Officer, Boat Officer and Welfare Officer of Southampton University SAC, which he joined whilst a student at the university in 2018. Previously a member of Liverpool University SAC, James has a strong interest in University clubs and has a passion for UK diving, trying to be out as often as possible. He enjoys all forms of diving, from instructing to taking the club boat out to explore the hidden treasures of the UK coastline. James aims to connect as many university clubs as possible, promote their interests and is always keen to hear from other members around the country.
Lisa Shafe Former Eastern Regional Coach, Lisa brings with her nearly 25 years of diving experience on both open- and closed-circuit, diving mostly on wrecks and reefs but also some cave diving experience as well. She is an OWI, CCR MOD 3 and FCD. As well as a passion for diving, Lisa also brings skills in strategy, budget planning, meeting planning, risk assessments, agile ways of working, coaching and other skills. She has already been involved with launching BSAC's improved equality, diversity and inclusion policy and eLearning awareness course, and is looking forward to being able to help drive BSAC and support its strategy over the next year.
Andy Shenstone Andy is an Advanced Diver, diver coxswain and OWI in Vale Royal SAC based in Winsford, Cheshire. He’s the club treasurer and dives in the UK throughout the year. Andy is an active branch instructor and leads club expeditions both in the UK and overseas. In his professional life, he is a Director of Business Development for a UK Charity that is focussed on developing the governance, leadership and management of Higher Education. "Diving is my passion and being a member of Council allows me to use my professional skills to support our sport’s continued development and success in the interests of all members."
Paul Tarn Paul is a diver of 20 years, an instructor at two South Yorkshire branches, Dearne Valley Divers and Barnsley BSAC, and a member of the Yorkshire Regional Team. "BSAC data analysis is the key that will allow us to strategically intervene to support members and ultimately retain them. Branch support, especially where diver progression is slow, is essential. I also believe that we need to look at how we develop the next generation of instructors. Especially how we bridge that gap between IFC and full OWI status."
Vice President - Jane Maddocks Jane has been a BSAC member for many years and her main interest is in maritime archaeology and underwater heritage. She believes that recreational divers are an enormous force for good in exploring, finding and looking after our underwater heritage.
Vice President - Tony Marshall
Vice President - Prof. Clare Peddie
Life Vice President - Harry Gould