Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Rosselle.
Hi Cindy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I never imagined that a college elective would shape the course of my entire life. While attending American University, I signed up for a SCUBA diving class because I needed a gym credit. I was a nervous scuba student but working with a patient instructor helped me move past my fears and discover a deep connection to the underwater world. That experience sparked a passion that never left me.
What began as a college class eventually became a lifelong career. I became a professional diver in 1996 and later earned my instructor credentials, going on to work with thousands of students over the years. Teaching diving has never been just about the sport for me. I love the way it helps people build confidence, experience wonder, and form a meaningful relationship with the ocean.
That philosophy ultimately led me to open One Ocean Scuba in Maryland. My mission has always been bigger than teaching people how to dive. I believe we only protect what we love, so environmental stewardship is woven into every aspect of our training and travel programs. Through One Ocean Scuba, we create opportunities for divers and snorkelers to become citizen scientists by learning about coral conservation and participating in regenerative diving initiatives, including coral planting projects around the world.
This month, I launched SEAQuality Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing mental health and emotional wellness through evidence-informed aquatic experiences, including scuba diving, snorkeling, environmental education, and water-based community programs. By creating transformative experiences in, on, and under the water we help individuals build confidence, resilience, purpose, and healing while fostering a deeper relationship with the natural world. We are committed to making aquatic experiences accessible, inclusive, and restorative for people facing stress, anxiety, trauma, recovery challenges, isolation, and other mental health obstacles. By combining adventure, mindfulness, peer support, and environmental responsibility, SEAQuality empowers participants to reconnect with themselves, their communities, and the ocean.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like many industries connected to adventure sports and marine sciences, the diving world has historically been male dominated. While the industry has made meaningful progress over the years and more women are entering the field than ever before, there were moments early in my career when that dynamic made certain milestones more difficult to reach. Earning credibility, establishing myself as an instructor, and building confidence in spaces where women were often underrepresented required persistence and resilience. Those experiences ultimately strengthened my commitment to creating a more welcoming and inclusive diving community for everyone.
Another major challenge came with the launch of One Ocean Scuba. I opened the business just one month before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down. For a company built around travel, training, and in-person instruction, it was an incredibly uncertain time. One of the biggest obstacles was access to pools. For the first year or two, finding indoor pool space was nearly impossible, and teaching scuba without consistent pool access is incredibly difficult.
I still remember teaching classes in an outdoor pool in November. The water itself was heated, but every time I stood up, my hair would literally freeze in the cold air. Looking back, it feels surreal—but at the time it was simply what needed to be done to keep students learning and keep the community connected.
We’ve been impressed with One Ocean Scuba and SEAQuality Foundation, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I founded One Ocean Scuba with the belief that scuba diving can be both transformational for people and impactful for the planet. While we are a full-service dive center offering scuba education, travel, certifications, and community programs, what truly sets us apart is our commitment to conservation-focused diving and regenerative ocean practices. We don’t just teach people how to dive. We teach them how to become advocates for the underwater world.
One Ocean Scuba was one of the world’s first PADI Dive Shops to earn the prestigious ECO Center designation, recognizing our dedication to regenerative and restorative dive practices. That recognition reflects the heart of our mission: creating divers who understand that exploration and conservation should always go hand in hand. We like to say Dive, Protect, Repeat!
Our environmental work happens both globally and locally. Internationally, we organize coral conservation and coral planting expeditions that allow divers and snorkelers to directly participate in reef restoration efforts around the world. Locally, we are deeply involved in conservation projects throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Through our Dive Against Debris initiatives in the Susquehanna River, divers work to remove underwater trash and debris before it can travel downstream into the Chesapeake Bay, helping protect one of the region’s most important ecosystems.
We have also participated in mussel propagation efforts in the Anacostia River, where we assisted in collecting, studying, and replanting freshwater mussels as part of ongoing restoration work. Mussels play a critical role in improving water quality because they are natural filter feeders capable of removing pollutants, excess nutrients, and particles from the water. Supporting projects like this allows our dive community to contribute directly to healthier waterways and long-term ecosystem restoration.
What I am most proud of brand-wise is that One Ocean Scuba has become a community built around purpose. We have created a culture where adventure, education, environmental stewardship, and personal growth all exist together. Many of our students come to us simply wanting to learn to dive, but they leave with a much deeper connection to the ocean and a stronger sense of responsibility to protect it.
I am also incredibly excited about the future of the SEAQuality Foundation, our newly launched 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The foundation was created to use time spent in, on, and under the water as a tool to support mental health and emotional wellness. Mental health support is critically important in so many communities, and I believe the water has a unique ability to foster healing, resilience, confidence, and connection. Being able to combine scuba diving, conservation, and mental health advocacy into meaningful programs is the next evolution of the mission I have been building throughout my career.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was always comfortable in the water, and I was a competitive swimmer as a child and teenager, so being in the water was already part of my identity. At the time, though, I had never even considered scuba diving as a possibility. It wasn’t something my family did, and my parents were not really “beach people,” so I actually had very little exposure to the ocean growing up.
Learning to scuba dive as a young woman opened the door to an entirely new world, literally. The first time I visited a coral reef, it felt like entering another planet. I had always loved nature as a child, but seeing vibrant marine ecosystems underwater created a sense of awe and connection that I had never experienced before.
I was a pretty shy child. I believe learning to dive gave me an incredible sense of accomplishment and confidence, which is so important in a young woman. Scuba diving challenged me to trust myself, push beyond my comfort zone, and become comfortable in unfamiliar environments. That growth extended far beyond diving and ultimately shaped the way I approached leadership, teaching, and entrepreneurship later in life.
After becoming an instructor, it felt incredibly meaningful to come full circle and eventually teach scuba classes at American University myself. I truly believe universities should offer scuba programs because they connect so many important disciplines. It is far more than a health and fitness class – that is just one important part of it. It can be such a great tie in for environmental science, marine biology, conservation, and personal development. Scuba diving is not just a recreational activity; it’s an educational experience that teaches confidence, responsibility, environmental stewardship, and a deeper understanding of our planet.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.oneoceanscuba.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/one_ocean_scuba
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/1Oceanscuba
- Other: https://www.seaqualityfoundation.org
