Jess is the driving force behind Oxford Dive Centre and the person who has shaped it into the thriving, award-winning dive centre it is today. With nearly three decades of diving experience and an unrivalled depth of knowledge, she is equally at home helping a nervous new diver take their first breaths underwater as she is mentoring experienced professionals on their journey to becoming instructors.
Her diving journey began in India in 1998 before she came to Oxford Dive Centre to complete her Open Water Diver course. Like so many divers, she quickly caught the bug and never looked back. Together with Kim Beaumont, she established Inspires and, when the opportunity arose in 2000, the pair purchased Oxford Dive Centre. Following Kim's passing in 2013, Jess reimagined the business and successfully guided it into a new era, developing it into the highly respected 5-Star PADI Instructor Development Centre it is today.
Jess became a PADI Master Instructor in 2019 and is also a Technical Diving Instructor and Advanced Gas Blender. These qualifications reflect her commitment to excellence, but it is her ability to pass on knowledge, build confidence and inspire others that truly sets her apart. Over the years she has helped hundreds of divers progress from their first qualification through to professional-level training, while also mentoring many of the instructors who now form the backbone of the Oxford Dive Centre team.
As a leader, Jess has a remarkable talent for bringing people together. Managing a team of more than 20 instructors and staff, she has created a culture that is welcoming, professional and centred around helping every diver achieve their goals. Her influence can be seen throughout the dive centre, not only in its success, but in the standards of teaching, customer care and community that have become hallmarks of Oxford Dive Centre.
Jess is also the driving force behind our hugely successful overseas dive programme. Hosting around six international trips each year, she has introduced countless divers to some of the world's most iconic destinations. Regular expeditions to Marsa Nakari in Egypt sit alongside adventures to bucket-list locations such as French Polynesia, the Galapagos Islands and Socorro. Her passion for travel and exploration, combined with meticulous organisation and an unwavering commitment to diver safety, ensures that every trip is an unforgettable experience.
For many divers, Jess is the heart of Oxford Dive Centre. Her patience, encouragement and extraordinary knowledge have helped generations of divers discover a lifelong passion for the underwater world. Whether you're taking your first steps into diving, developing your technical skills or beginning the path to becoming an instructor, there are few people better placed to guide you on that journey.
