Cristina is Italian born, raised in the African Congo, and living in the Bahamas as dive operations manager, PADI Master Instructor, NSS-CDS Full Cave Instructor, TDI Extended Range, and Advanced Nitrox with Decompression Procedures Instructor. Cristina created and instructs a unique shark course in the Bahamas based on her extensive experience and knowledge with Caribbean Reef sharks, dissolving myths and misconceptions of shark behavior. She uses her expert knowledge to remove hooks from sharks and helps scientists collect data to support research. She initiated the campaign that resulted in the protection of all sharks within Bahamian waters. She has worked with and learned from scientists and shark handlers and behaviorists in the Bahamas, South Africa, Fiji, Rhode Island, California, Florida, North Carolina, China, and Mexico. Cristina has been featured in programs on the BBC, Discovery, National Geographic, ABC, and multiple other science and nature programs internationally.
Cristina is actively involved in many charitable organizations; Bahamas National Trust, Our World Underwater Scholarship Society, Women Divers Hall of Fame of which she is an esteemed member. And she also is a member of the Explorers Club, Oceans Artists Society, and the recipient of the Platinum Pro Award 5000 from Scuba Schools International (SSI). Cristina embodies a spirit of exploration with a passion for education and conservation.
To learn more about Cristina and her work, visit her website: https://cristinazenato.com/
To learn about her non-profit, People of the Water, visit: https://pownonprofit.org/
