we’re Not your
average scuba divers.
Chicago Undersea Explorers Society (CUES) was created by a dedicated group of scuba divers in early 2020. We are committed to creating an organization that prioritizes a passion for scuba diving, as well as the desire to share that passion with others.
This idea grew to form a non-profit educational organization focused on diversifying and giving back to the scuba diving community through underwater education. CUES is founded on a commitment to bring the ability to explore the underwater world to communities that may not have the opportunity otherwise. Curiosity, camaraderie, and diversity are at the center of all CUES-related events and activities.
CUES Board Members with representatives of the Windy City Seals
As divers, we are all about our buddies and our community. At CUES, we wish to build and foster new lines of collaboration and communication across Chicago’s scuba community. Our primary goals are to inspire a life-long love for scuba in our students and volunteers, and to provide an opportunity to create new experiences with scuba throughout the Chicagoland area and beyond.
In an effort to help open up the underseas world for all, CUES actively searches for opportunities to bring scuba education to historically excluded and underserved groups of all ages and backgrounds. As the Society expands and fosters these relationships, we are committed to facilitating scuba courses, special events, and open conversation around diversifying Chicago’s scuba community.
2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Heather Scott
Chair
chair@divecues.org
Heather started as a fish when she was young taking swim lessons, where (in a feat of foreshadowing) a dive class was also happening. After a trip to the Cayman Islands, she decided to learn to dive and found CUES. When she's not searching for every opportunity to hop in the water, she teaches computer science to high school students in Indiana, and plays in local community concert bands and orchestras. -
Amanda Hodgman
Vice Chair, Training Director, IT Director
training@divecues.orgHodg has always felt most at home in the water, so when they moved to Southeast Asia in 2008 they jumped at the chance to learn to dive. In the years since then, Hodg went on to earn their instructor rating and eventually moved to the Riviera Maya and immersed themself in the world of cave diving. Now, they are back in Chicagoland and excited to introduce the next generation of divers to the underwater world.
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Andrew Zaruba
Treasurer & Communications Director
treasurer@divecues.orgAndrew's first time diving was in 2017 on a trip to Curacao. Since then, he's kept up diving around the Midwest and has loved every minute of it. On dry land, he is a software engineer by trade and otherwise spends his time running, playing jazz music, and lazing around with his dog. He has a love/hate relationship with the Material Services Barge wreck.
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Katie Whitlow, PhD
Secretary & Community Relations Director
secretary@divecues.org
communityrelations@divecues.orgKatie is fully invested in aquatic life. She started diving in 2012 and immediately fell in love, though she didn't get to blow bubbles in the ocean until much later. She is now an Assistant Professor of Biology at Saint Mary's College (IN), where she researches fish feeding and locomotion while daydreaming about how to grow her own set of gills. In addition to teaching physiology and marine bio for her day job, she now certifies new divers as a SCUBA instructor as well!
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Jjessmar Fama
Membership Director
membership@divecues.org
Jjessmar discovered SCUBA while living in the Philippines and still counts diving in his hometown of Anini-y, Antique, among his favorites. Since moving to Chicago, he has embraced Midwest diving and found a home in CUES, drawn to its welcoming community and genuine love for the sport. Outside the water, he is a registered nurse currently studying medicine with a focus on oncology, guided by a strong commitment to health equity and human rights. He believes diving, like healthcare, should be safe, inclusive, and rooted in shared responsibility, and he is excited to help CUES continue to grow a vibrant Chicago dive community.
What do we do?
As a new and quickly growing organization, CUES is looking to get involved with our local community here in Chicago. Each member of the CUES staff has experience working with a variety of individuals and organizations, and we are excited to bring that experience to a larger community.
We plan to offer free or low-cost Discover Dives, Certifications (at all levels), Scuba Camps, and additional water-related programming to historically excluded and underrepresented communities of all ages, including: low income individuals, BIPOC, LGBTQIA, adaptive, veteran and ROTC organizations, and any other community or organization that would benefit from scuba diving.
We are always looking for new individuals and organizations to work with, so please don't hesitate to reach out!