Alisia Carlson (known as Al by fellow divers & crew members) started life in Panama City, FL and fell in love with the ocean as a child. Her first job was as a lifeguard and swim instructor and, no matter what state her family moved to, she found a way to be in the water. While lifeguarding in Mississippi one day, an instructor allowed her to do a quick scuba dive in the deep end. It was MAGIC!!! Years later, in Springfield MO, she was bouncing in and out of college and couldn't figure out what she wanted to do with life. She read a book that suggested thinking of the happiest fifteen minutes of her life and applying that to a career. Immediately that fifteen minutes in the deep end of a pool came to mind and she decided to be a dive instructor! After getting her open water certification in Key Largo she knew it would become her home. A couple of years and a lot of hard work later, she made her home in Key Largo and started building her life and career there. Now an Advanced Open Water Instructor, Al can navigate around the reefs better than on land and has been building her portfolio of professional underwater photography. When you visit Ocean First Key Largo, definitely dive with Al!