Meet Our Team
Dave Knight
Instructor Certifier
As a youth growing up in the Mid West, Dave loved the typical cornhusker sports like football and wrestling. A gifted athlete eager for a new adventure, Dave enrolled in Scuba training as an energetic 18 year-old. Who would have thought that a kid that had never been in the ocean would someday grow-up to become a SSI Platinum Pro Scuba Instructor with more than 8,600 dives, as well as, almost 5,000 open water and 75 instructor training graduates to his credit.
In 1998 Dave was awarded the SSI Platinum Pro 5000 diver award “The SSI
Platinum Pro5000 Diver card is the calling card of the world’s most elite water explorers. The list of cardholders is a “who’s who” of diving, containing the world’s most prominent dive leaders, scientists, photographers, manufacturers, retailers, and resort operators”.
Now, over 40 years later, Dave continues to teach Open Water, over 17 Specialties, Assistant Instructors, and Instructor Training Courses. He also holds the prestigious position of SSI Instructor Certifier, an appointment made by SSI to an elite group of diver education professionals.
When asked his thoughts on why he has committed so much of his life to the promotion of diving, Dave responded that “diving is my passion and has provided me with the opportunity to enjoy fantastic adventures over the years. One of the greatest rewards in my life has been to introduce the wonders of the underwater world to others while making life-long friendships though-out the world in the process.
Laura Brugger
Advanced Open Water Instructor
Laura learned a love of water growing up in Madison, Wisconsin. After moving to California in 1983, Laura pursued her passion for hobbies such as swimming, running, cooking, gardening, and photography. In January 1998, Scuba was added to the top of the list when Laura received her Open Water Diver certification. And since then, with her husband Ron who is a Sea Stallion Dive Control Specialist and Chief Engineer, she has amassed more than 500 dives.
Laura received her Open Water Instructor rating in October 2000 and has since taught hundreds of students. Whether in the classroom, at the pool, or in the ocean, Laura is known for her reassuring nature, enthusiasm, and ability to build confidence in her students. Former student Sue Douglass had this to say about Laura. “Laura is an outstanding instructor – knowledgeable and patient in her instruction. She was very good at calming any fears I may have had. I felt very comfortable with her and continue to be so as diving is an ongoing learning experience for me.”
In addition to Open Water Diving, Laura teaches most specialty courses along with Photography. Laura is known for talent as an underwater photographer with many of her works displayed on the Sea Stallion walls.
Ron Brugger
Master Open Water Instructor
Ron was initially certified in 1985 with NAUI right after moving from Wisconsin to Riverside, CA. He actively dove in Southern CA for several years, and also in Hawaii and Okinawa while in the Marine Corps. In 1995, Ron’s wife Laura started diving and they both become an integral part of the group at Sea Stallion. Since then, he has worked thru Dive Control Specialist, Open Water Instructor and Advanced Open Water Instructor to reach the Master Instructor rating. He also teaches Diver Stress & Rescue, Underwater Navigation, Deep Diving, Night/Limited Visibility Diving, Enriched Air Nitrox, Dry-Suit Diving, Underwater Photography, Boat Diving, & Waves, Tides & Currents specialty courses. He has taught and certified over 1,500 students to become open water divers.
​
He has gone on diving trips to Baja Mexico, Belize, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Bahamas, Curaçao, Bonaire, Grenada, Indonesia, Fiji, Palau, and the Philippines. He is an avid underwater photographer, with pictures on the walls of Sea Stallion, on this website and also here.
Steve Halterman
Assistant Instructor Trainer
Steve started his diving adventures in 1995 and has been a scuba diving junky ever since. He spent much of last seventeen years diving California waters.
​
In 1996, Steve became a Master Diver and worked closely with a facility in San Diego County; he then spent the next four years helping to train open water students. He became a full Instructor with SSI in 2000 and then obtained his Dive Control Specialist Instructor rating in 2005. In 2010 he made a big move to Bellingham, Washington, but kept up his teaching there in the much colder waters of the Puget Sound . He found he loves the cold water and the abundant life that comes with it, especially in the Sound. On many of his dive excursions. Steve saw lingcod over five feet long and giant pacific octopus; on one special occasion he saw a pod of orcas. All these great experiences gave a whole new meaning to diving for Steve in the emerald sea.
​
Steve joined the crew at Sea Stallion in June of 2012. During his tenure as a dive instructor/DCSI he has certified more than 1,000 dive enthusiasts. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience. He instructs students in open water, kelp diving, nitrox, deep and wreck, dry suit, and several other specialties.
Steve has traveled to Belize, Roaton, Bonaire and Mexico. Some trips were pleasure, others as the group dive leader. He hopes to continue traveling and exploring other dive destinations. Steve retired from his full time career in December 2009. He holds a degree in fisheries and wildlife from Iowa State University.
Chris Ferebee
Open Water Instructor
Chris began diving in 2016. With a lifelong desire to try scuba, he was under the mistaken impression that early childhood ear issues would prevent him from clearing his ears. A backyard conversation about a birthday present with his wife, Christy, and one Sea Stallion Groupon later, he obtained his certification and has been doing his best to make up for lost time, logging dives in California, Utah, throughout the Hawaiian Islands, Mexico and Croatia.
Wanting to continue his education and increase his proficiency under water, Chris completed the Master Diver challenge in 2019, and quickly advanced through the DM program with Sea Stallion.
​
Chris has currently completed his Open Water Intructor in 2021 !
Craig Noel
Open Water Instructor
Craig grew up near the water in Huntington Beach where he fell in love with all types of water sports including swimming, sailing, and bodyboarding.
During a family vacation to Hawaii, Craig was introduced to snorkeling at the world-famous Hanama Bay. This led to his fascination with the undersea world which was further fueled by countless reruns of the TV shows Sea Hunt and The Undersea World Of Jacques Cousteau.
​
While attending San Diego State University, Craig enrolled in their diving program and was certified in Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Science of Diving, and Stress and Rescue. During these classes, Craig first felt his calling to teach Scuba. His wife Angie also earned her Open Water Diver certification while at San Diego State.
After graduation Craig and Angie were married and raised their two children where Craig continued an active diving lifestyle as a recreational diver.
Diving has enabled Craig to explore the oceans up and down the coast of California and the Channel Islands, Florida, Hawaii, the Sea of Cortez, the Yucatan Peninsula, and much of the Caribbean.
​
When Craig’s best dive buddy moved out of the area, he enrolled his son Andrew in Open Water Diver at Sea Stallion Scuba.
Using diving as a father-son activity, Craig and Andrew trained together and were both certified through Master Scuba Diver.
During this training, Craig realized again his true calling was to teach Scuba. Craig began his professional diving career in 2022.
Patrick Zanio
Open Water Instructor
Patrick is our youngest but by far the most intrepid of our Instructors.
Always looking for adventure he joined our Family in June 2021 where he signed up
for the Open Water Diver Course.
​
Since that very day Patrick has been a regular visitor to the store, hanging out amongst the neoprene until one day as he was here almost every day... he accepted a job offer.
​
Patrick can be found milling around Customers sharing his adventures as he's also a Pilot !
If he's not soaring above the clouds , he soaring through the kelp in his UNmistakable style ,
flashing his Purple diving attire to all the underwater creatures.
​
Patrick went on to complete the Advanced Course and then became a Dive Master in 2022.
He was unstoppable, always furthering his dive career until his love of diving
ultimatley culminated in him achieving his Open Water Instructor certification in 2023 :D
​
Stop by the store and meet Patrick... its sure to be an Adventure !
​
David Chon
Open Water Instructor
A Southern California native, David grew up with the ocean as his backyard and spent much of his youth at the beach. Over a decade ago, he turned that lifelong connection to the water into a passion for scuba diving, taking him from local kelp forests to world-class dive spots like the WWII wrecks of Coron, Palawan, and the vibrant reefs of Hawaii and the Maldives. Driven by a dedication to diver safety and ocean stewardship, he transitioned into professional instruction, serving as an Assistant Instructor before earning his SSI Open Water Instructor certification in 2026.
At Sea Stallion, David focuses on building confident, self-sufficient divers through solid fundamentals, calm control, and buoyancy mastery. Whether teaching new students their first skills in the pool or leading ocean dives, his goal is to foster a lifelong love for the underwater world. Off the dive deck, David stays active playing sand volleyball, grilling from scratch, and planning his next underwater adventure.
