The Women Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF) has named three new members appointed to its rolls for 2023.
Dedicated to recognizing and honouring the contributions of women divers around the world, the international non-profit professional honour society spans a wide variety of fields including the Arts, Science, Medicine, Sports, Exploration, Underwater Archaeology, Media, Service, Dive Training and Education, Safety, Business, Marine Environment and Conservation, Free Diving, Commercial Diving, and Military Diving.
This year’s new appointees will be inducted into WDHOF in 2023 in an event to be announced in the coming months.
Erika Lopez – Colombia
Marine conservationist, island sanctuary protector, pelagic conservationist
Erika Lopez is the Executive Director of the Biodiversity Conservation Colombia Foundation. It’s dedicated to conserving and protecting the biodiversity of the flora and fauna sanctuary of Malpelo. In the international diving world, this iconic hotspot has been known as one of the top dive sites for migratory sharks in the Tropical East Pacific Marine Corridor connecting Malpelo to Galápagos (Ecuador), Cocos (Costa Rica), and Coiba (Panama).
Erika leveraged partnerships with the Colombian Navy, Colombian National Parks, and ecotourism to protect this region of the world. She’s also an accomplished PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer with more than 10,000 dives.
Andrea Marshall, PhD – Mozambique
NGO founder, conservation biologist, educator
Obsessed with the ocean from the age of five, Andrea wrote her Jr. Open Water test on her 12th birthday. Thousands of dives later, Andrea is a technical diver, a professional underwater photographer and a leading marine field biologist in Africa. She co-founded the Marine Megafauna Foundation- a prominent conservation organization, is a National Geographic Explorer and a fellow of the Explorers Club. Andrea works globally but lives in Mozambique with her cinematographer husband and daughter. She is a respected ocean conservationist, a prolific public speaker and educator and runs two travel companies that provide opportunities for adventurous, conservation-minded divers.
Elizabeth (Liz) Taylor – California, USA
Explorer, educator, submersible industry executive
Liz Taylor has been involved with DOER Marine from its inception, becoming President in 1994. The company designs/builds submersibles and other subsea systems. As an advisor to Cal Maritime, the Wild Oyster Project and the Deep Water Horizon Study Group, she advocates for public access to the water and broadening water competency. She has participated in
more than 60 scientific diving and ocean exploration projects including Explorers Club flag expeditions. She has authored numerous articles and white papers. Liz is the recipient of the prestigious inaugural Wings WorldQuest innovation award and co-hosts the DiveInwithLiz and Sylvia series produced by The Ocean Elders.
For more information about the Women Divers Hall of Fame, log on to www.wdhof.org.
