About Adaptive Scuba Knoxville
Our Team
Adaptive Scuba Knoxville consist of a team of specially trained scuba instructors, assistants, and dive buddies who are able to custom tailor the traditional Scuba program to fit the individual needs and requirements of our participants.
Who We Serve
Adaptive Scuba Knoxville works with people with traumatic injuries, limited mobility, sensory disorders, developmental or neurological disabilities, or progressive conditions, including but not limited to spinal cord injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, amputees, PTSD, and visually and hearing impaired.
*We also train family members and caregivers as Openwater Divers and then Classified Dive Buddies to enable them to become an integral part of the experience.
Sponsors
We are very lucky to have some terrific sponsors! First and foremost is Ski/Scuba Center who has provided all of our equipment and a wonderful facility, including indoor heated pool, allowing us to run programs year round.
*If you or your business would like to become a sponsor please see our Donate page or just give us a call to discuss options.
Board of Directors & Health Advisory Panel
Jimmie Wheeler
David Watermeier
Jimmie Wheeler
Jimmie is the Owner of Ski/Scuba Center as well as the President of Adaptive Scuba Knoxville and member of the Health Advisory Panel. He is an expert in all things recreational scuba diving, drawn from some 4 decades of teaching Scuba going back to his time at the University of Tennessee. He is a Platinum Pro 5000 Instructor with SSI, and also maintains Advanced Instructor ratings with PADI and NAUI as well.
Joseph Hill
David Watermeier
Jimmie Wheeler
Joseph serves at the Vice President of Adaptive Scuba Knoxville. He currently holds the rating of Platinum 1000 Instructor with SSI, as well as being an SSI Mermaid Instructor and Freediving Instructor.
David Watermeier
David Watermeier
David Watermeier
Dave serves as the Secretary for Adaptive Scuba Knoxville. He is an SSI Openwater and Classified Diving Instructor. Dave genuinely loves teaching new and advancing scuba students. He enjoys sharing his passion for diving and helping others discover and appreciate the beauty of the ocean and its inhabitants.
Chris Copelan
Chris Copelan
David Watermeier
Chris serves as the Treasurer for ASK. He is an Advanced Open Water and Classified Diving Instructor. Chris first got involved with adaptive scuba through Don's annual event with the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center. He and his wife Kim have now assisted with that program the past 5 years.
Randy Trudell
Chris Copelan
Randy Trudell
Dr. Randy Trudell, MD is an ASK board member and advises with the Health Advisory Panel. He received his Medical Degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine (NY) in 1979 and, completed his Neurological Residency and Neuromuscular Disease Fellowship at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester NY. Currently, Dr. Trudell is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee, Division of Neurology. He is an SSI Open Water and Classified Diving Instructor.
Don Orr
Chris Copelan
Randy Trudell
Don is an NAUI and SSI Instructor with decades of diving experience, particularly in the Flordia springs and the Keys. In addition to helping out with classes at Ski/Scuba and ASK, Don runs the Scuba program at the University of Tennessee instructing upwards of 150 students a semester. For the past 20 years or so, Don puts on an annual Try Scuba experience for participants from the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center.
Lane Wolfenbarger
Lane Wolfenbarger
Lane Wolfenbarger
Lane is a practicing Attorney and General Sessions and Juvenal Court Judge in Grainger County. He sits on several community boards including the Volunteer Housing Development Corporation, the Grainger County Health Council, and of course Knoxville Adaptive Scuba. Lane recieved his Open Water certification back in 2020 after completing the program with his son Cole.
Kelly Baker
Lane Wolfenbarger
Lane Wolfenbarger
Dr. Kelly Baker, MD is an ASK board member and sits on the Health Advisory Panel. Dr. Baker is a Family and Dive Medicine physician who has been practicing with Summit Medical Group since July 2000. Dr. Baker has a special interest in Dive Medicine and is a Diving Medical Advisory Committee (DMAC) Level I and II Dive Physician. She provides comprehensive fitness to dive examinations for scuba divers at all levels of training in accordance with standards set by RSTC, WRSTC, DAN, UHMS and ADCI. She is also a referral physician for the Divers Alert Network, offering dive medicine consults for medical issues that may impact or restrict a diver's ability to dive safely. She assists in coordinating care related to dive accidents or injuries. As an avid recreational, technical and cave diver, Dr. Baker enjoys local Tennessee diving as well as travelling to international dive destinations.
Gina Hummel
Lane Wolfenbarger
Gina Hummel
Dr. Gina Hummel holds a seat on the Health Advisory Panel. She is a licensed clinical psychologist at East Tennessee Children's Hospital. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Mississippi in 1999 and completed her pre-doctoral internship at Charleston Area Medical Center (WV). She has worked in medical and outpatient settings specializing in treating children, adolescents and young adults with anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders and chronic health conditions. Dr. Hummel began her career working in community mental health with both adult and pediatric patients.
She is a PADI Open Water Diver and SSI Nitrox Diver having received her certification from Ski/Scuba Center in 1998.
Kim Copelan
Kim Copelan
Gina Hummel
Kim is an SSI Assistant Instructor, Classified Dive Buddy and ASK board member. In addition to helping out with Ski/Scuba programs, she and her husband Chris assist with Don's annual Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center Try Scuba event.