Cathy Johnson, Recreational SCUBA Commissioner biography :-
Cathy has been a member of the AUF since 1984 when she was instrumental in starting underwater hockey in Darwin. She held various positions in the AUF NT branch in the eighties, including President and Director of Coaching and held the position of National Director of Coaching from 1986 to 1991. During this she was part of the working group that developed the Australian Standard 4005.1 Training and Certification of Recreational Divers Part 1: Minimum entry-level SCUBA diving, often involving heated negotiations with the head of PADI Australia and SSI. She also developed programs and materials for several coaching courses as well as delivering several coaching accreditation courses. She was instrumental in advancing the NCAS snorkelling program in State education departments.
Initially trained as a scuba diver under the NQS system delivered by FAUI she qualified as a FAUI/CMAS Two Star Instructor in 1984. In 1986 with the demise of FAUI she crossed over to NAUI maintaining dual certification with NASDS, becoming a NAUI Master Instructor and CMAS Three Star Instructor in 1987.
Over the past 30 years Cathy has worked both full time and part time in the diving industry training divers through to Divemaster level in Darwin, Adelaide, Melbourne, Townsville, Cooktown and the Cocos Keeling Islands. She has also worked in dive retail, on charter boats and in her own businesses. Currently she is the President of the Cooktown Dive Club which she founded together with a small group of dedicated divers in 2003.
Cathy has also worked as a commercial diver and research scientist/scientific diver for the NT Museum and the Australian Institute of Marine Science. Cathy is a qualified environmental scientist and currently heads up the Biosecurity Services section for Cook Shire Council.
