Twenty-seven-year-old Bahamian Entrepreneur, Shannen Miller owns her own dive tour company Shannen’s Scuba Safari. In a country where marine and conservation education is limited, she says that expanding Dive Education is essential.
“Once people start to enjoy interactions with the ocean and marine life they better understand that there is a need to protect and preserve it.”
As a child Shannen was always passionate about marine life and she wanted to be close to the animals she loved so she became a professional dive instructor.
She commends organizations like the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) for teaching people about the thriving Bahamian marine life and beauty of the ocean.
“This is our resource, this is our home, so education pushes the issue of you being more interested or at least more knowledgeable about what’s going on at your home.”
Shannen expressed loving the career she chose, but at times life’s waters got rough. One day she reached her breaking point and was ready to quit, but she reflected on encouragement from PADI.
“I remembered this quote from the last PADI Womn’s Dive Day where they said, “it doesn’t matter how old you are, you can never, not start diving”.” she said.
The young Bahamian entrepreneur decided to take a break for a few months after reassessing her goals. When she returned to the water for a coral restoration dive, she felt rejuvenated and more passionate than ever.
Shannen is now focused on expanding her business and is completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Science. Working in a field dominated by men, she gives this advice to girls who are deciding on the career path,
“The field is for everybody, not just men. You can do it just like them.”
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