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Meet Our Team

Get to know our awesome team at Kauai Z Tours

Passionate about what we do, the staff at Kauai Z Tours is focused on creating safe, memorable experiences. Our captains and snorkel guides spend many hours training and maintaining required certifications to ensure we are fully prepared for our guests. Many times these team members are also certified divers, professional PADI divemasters, and scuba instructors who bring superior knowledge of the underwater world to each tour. Whether educating you on the fundamentals of snorkeling, pointing out the unique species of marine life, or sharing stories back on land, you’re in for amazing times ahead!

Z Tours Team

Ona Lowry

Snorkel Guide

Hometown: Kapaa, Hawaii

IAG Team Since: 5/2023

  • Favorites:
  • I really like dance shows
  • Basil, Mozzarella, & a Balsamic Reduction
  • My family is my good fortune
  • I have a fish named Oasis
  • Why Leave? I think Kauai is the best!
  • Kauai is my home. I love the ocean above everything else. My favorite places are being outside and with my family. If I could go for a visit anywhere in the world I would go to Australia. I think traveling is fun but there is nothing like Hawai’i.

Brett Hughes

Snorkel Guide

Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minnesota

IAG Team Since: 3/2024

  • Favorites:
  • Frank Sinatra
  • Any kine shark 🦈
  • Pepperoni, Pineapple, & Jalapeño
  • "Right is always Right, so go Left!"
  • Shrimp Burritos 🌯
  • When I was younger, I always wanted to be an Explorer. Earth's land is only 1/3 of the planet so get out there and let's explore the other 2/3 together!

Keoni Cannizzaro

Snorkel Guide

Hometown: Kapaa, Hawaii

IAG Team Since: 4/2024

  • Favorites:
  • Dirty Chai!
  • Beef Bourguignon
  • Coline Rio
  • Ali’i Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Basil
  • The coasts of Chile
  • My name is Keoni! I’m a musician, surfer, snowboarder, cook, and most importantly, professional snorkel guide! I spend all of my free time either surfing, camping, or making music.

Shane Stubbs

Snorkel Guide

Hometown: Plano, Texas

IAG Team Since: 4/2024

  • Favorites:
  • Black with 2 cream
  • Cross your fingers
  • BBQ Chicken
  • Peach Cobbler
  • Cowboy Up!
  • Aloha! I grew up in Plano, Texas – far from the ocean, but something about the sea has always captivated me. So this brought me to Koloa, Hawaii, a place where the ocean became an everyday companion. I’ve discovered a passion for the water by way of scuba diving, spearfishing, deep sea fishing, and boat rides on the Na Pali. I’m currently working towards achieving my goal of earning a boat captain’s license. Whether steering a vessel or diving into the depths, my goal is to share the wonders of the sea with others. Much Mahalos 🤙🏼

Lindsey Kaye

Snorkel Guide

Hometown: Westchester, New York

IAG Team Since: 5/2024

  • Favorites:
  • Thrillers or Romance Novels
  • Manta Ray!
  • Vietnamese Iced Coffee!
  • Almost Famous
  • Veggie Lasagna
  • I studied environmental science in college. I then went on to work a variety of wildlife/biology jobs including working with sea turtles, bats, shore birds and coral restoration and even working for the National Park Service. After that, I got my open water scuba certification in Indonesia, which is where my true passion for the ocean developed. I have continued my dive certification and even became a dive instructor in Bonaire! I worked in Maui as a whale watching tour guide, which was amazing!! I have been on Kauai for 5+ months and it has been an absolute adventure!

Anna Beniek

Snorkel Guide

Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota

IAG Team Since: 9/2024

  • Favorites:
  • My mom's famous oven pancakes
  • Shooting Star
  • Cartagena, Columbia
  • Bloody Mary (when it comes with snacks in it)
  • "Live every week like it’s shark week!"
  • Heyo, I’m Anna! Before moving to Kauai I spent my life living in Minnesota, Colorado, and Montana. While I might get homesick for a snow storm on particularly hot days, the island life is a great change of pace. Eating papaya and fresh fish is what life should be about! When I’m not in the water you can find me hiking around the island or trying out a new recipe. Possibly the only thing missing is a ski slope, I guess I’ll have to settle for surfing!

George Dumbauld

Snorkel Guide

Hometown: New Canaan, Connecticut

IAG Team Since: 10/2024

  • Favorites:
  • Classic Rock
  • Key Lime Pie
  • Jackson Hole, Wyoming
  • Django Unchained
  • Hammerhead Shark
  • Hey, I’m George! Before moving to Kauai, I lived in Florida, where I discovered my passion for the water. That’s why being a snorkel guide here is such a perfect fit for me. In my free time, I love spearfishing, surfing, skiing, and just hanging out with friends.

Brandon Thompson

Captain

Hometown: Seattle, Washington

IAG Team Since: 2/2023

  • Favorites:
  • '64 Ford Falcon Futura
  • My favorite food is definitely Pizza
  • Smith and Cross Daquiri
  • A Blue Whale that surfaced in front of my boat
  • I grew up sailing around Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, and up into the Gulf Islands of Canada. I started sailing professionally at age 18 doing charters off Maui. Working as a freelance delivery captain, I have sailed extensively on the west coast from Canada, the US, and south into Mexico. I’ve also sailed throughout the Caribbean and as far north as Rhode Island on the East Coast. I am a navigator at heart, a musician, and an infinite seeker.

Nick Aasand

Captain

Hometown: Kekaha, Hawaii

IAG Team Since: 7/2023

  • Favorites:
  • '64 Baja Bug
  • My faves are free and cold!
  • I like turtles
  • Hey, I’m Nick. I’m a boat captain and lifelong resident of Kauai. I enjoy surfing and tinkering on my cars. Always looking for the next adventure on the water or the road.

Justin Ipac

Captain

Hometown: Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii

IAG Team Since: 4/2024

  • Favorites:
  • Cybertruck
  • Tiger Shark
  • Reggae
  • Captain 'n Coke
  • Pono
  • I was born and raised on Kauai. I have a passion for being on the water. Good vibes!!

Elaine Leung

Senior Reservations Specialist

Hometown: Hanapepe, Hawaii

IAG Team Since: 5/2021

  • Favorites:
  • Spinner Dolphins
  • Illy Coffee is my jam
  • Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara, Japan
  • Shoutout to the cats that keep the birds away!
  • Cakebread Cab or Meomi Cab
  • The way to my heart is definitely through my stomach! As a passionate foodie and lover of coffee & wine, I find myself daydreaming about delicious treats. Share a cookie with me, I’ll be all smiles; pair it with great coffee, and you’ll have my full attention. I adore traveling to sample mouthwatering dishes from around the world. I’ve loved exploring Kauai’s sea life! On our NaPali Coast tour, the pods of dolphins were so close, it felt like they were within reach. Same goes with sea turtles when I tried scuba diving. It’s so amazing to be underwater and in such close proximity to marine life!

Rob Prytherch

Reservations Specialist

Hometown: Hagerstown, Maryland

IAG Team Since: 3/2024

  • Favorites:
  • Vancouver, BC: city, beach & mountains all-in-one!
  • Beetlejuice - The Musical
  • Vacation Duck (aka the pink flamingo rubber ducky)
  • The Boulevardier - Bourbon & Campari amazingness!
  • Mushrooms, Ham, Onions, & a Sunny-Side Up Egg
  • With a degree in Scenic Design & Production Management, I've always enjoyed a passion for the performing arts and try to support local & regional theatres as I am able. Much of my career has been in hands-on education and through many facets of guest service; and I've loved (almost) every minute of it ;-). In my role here on Kauai, I'm fortunate to help guide visitors to our many amazing, immersive, and memorable outdoor adventures. I'm also incredibly grateful to have traveled to many places in this world and it's always the people whom I've met that make it worth it. Safe travels & cheers!

Josh Helmin

Owner, Island Activity Group

Luggage lost in Lihue … more info coming soon

IAG Company Founded in March 2000

Kevin Abernathy

Director of Sales, Marketing, and Systems Administration

Hometown: Pueblo, Colorado

IAG Team Since: 6/2016

  • Favorites:
  • Groundhog Shark
  • Kauai Coffee Compostable Pods
  • John Grisham
  • Pepperoni & Peanut Butter
  • Breckenridge Bourbon Old Fashioned
  • I’m a seasoned (Salty) professional having overseen multiple companies from restaurants to scuba tours in Kauai. I am passionate about bringing people together through great fun and food. I work a ton while navigating my love for diving, entrepreneurship, and travel. I’m a political junkie, a dedicated dog dad to Tucker, and I love to bake! I am driven by integrity but frustrated by mediocrity – especially in business. What keeps me up? A deep desire to create meaningful, efficient systems and foster a work culture of accountability.

Will Kelley

Operations Manager

Fax machine jammed … more info coming soon

IAG Team Since: 9/2018

Micah Tillman

Staffing & Operations Manager

Hometown: St. Augustine, Florida

IAG Team Since: 10/2023

  • Favorites:
  • Spaghetti
  • Mola Mola
  • Skiros, Greece
  • Denzel Curry
  • Yuengling
  • Always been a water person and when I found scuba diving, I knew it was my life! Certified when I was 13 years old and achieving my Dive Master at age 19, I've climbed the ranks in professional scuba world and I'm now a Master Instructor. I've been able to travel all around and have worked in Costa Rica, Greece, the Bahamas, Florida, and Hawaii. It's an endless journey with so much water to explore. Let's make some bubbles!