The Women Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF) has officially welcomed five new members as its Class of 2026.
The new inductees include stunt performer and marine conservationist Liz Parkinson of the UK; conservationist and artist Margery Spielman of California, USA; cetologist and author Ingrid Visser of New Zealand; mermaiding pioneer and inventor Linden Wolbert of California, USA; and pioneering saturation diver Marni Zabarsky.
‘These extraordinary women have each made a lasting impact on the underwater world through leadership, innovation, education, conservation, and service,’ said a WDHOF spokesperson on Facebook.
‘We are honoured to recognise their achievements as the Women Divers Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
An official induction ceremony will take place during the NOGI Gala Awards Banquet, held in conjunction with the DEMA Show, on 4 November 2026, at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Class of 2026 WDHOF Members
Dr Ingrid N Visser, PhD
Founder of the Orca Research Trust and a leading expert on New Zealand’s orcas, Dr Ingrid Visser has, for more than 30 years, pioneered underwater studies of their behaviour, becoming the first to document orcas hunting stingrays and ‘karate-chopping’ sharks.
Alongside more than 40 scientific publications and books, she is a global advocate for wild orca conservation and captive cetacean welfare, and has featured in documentaries for National Geographic, the BBC and Animal Planet.
Linden Wolbert
Professional mermaid, educator and inventor, Linden Wolbert qualified as a scuba diver at the age of 24, then, after turning to freediving, handcrafted a biomimetic silicone tail and created the Mermaid Minute children’s video series, which has attracted more than 50 million YouTube views.
A former AIDA judge, Reef Check Foundation Board Chair and Make-A-Wish granter, she also holds two patents, including the world’s first foldable monofin.
Liz Parkinson
A stuntwoman specialising in aquatic performance, actor training and on-set safety for film and television, Liz Parkinson is a former competitive swimmer and highly qualified scuba, freediving, technical and cave diving instructor.
She is a SAG-AFTRA member whose credits include Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash, and also supports marine and shark conservation through partnerships with ocean-focused nonprofits.
Margery Spielman
Margery Spielman is an educator, conservationist and marine artist who was inspired by Jacques Cousteau from an early age. Certified as a diver at 16, she managed a dive shop by the age of 20, taught scuba for NAUI and PADI, worked as a stunt diver and underwater model, and became one of the first women on Cousteau’s Diving Team.
Her artwork has been exhibited internationally, and for 31 years she has served as Lead Naturalist for Road Scholar in Channel Islands National Park.
Marni Zabarsky
Marni Zbarsky is a commercial diving pioneer and the Gulf of Mexico’s first female saturation diver. After graduating from The Ocean Corporation, she built an offshore career before moving into project management, business development and HSEQ leadership.
Now HSEQ Manager at Aqueos Corporation, she serves on the IMCA Diving Committee, chairs its Inclusive Diving Operations workgroup, and has sat on The Ocean Corporation Advisory Board since 2011.
For more from the Women Divers Hall of Fame and the work they do supporting women in diving, head to www.wdhof.org
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