Animal Advocate and legal expert for DPMMR and Dolphins Plus
Alexander Penalta, Esquire
Chief Litigation Counsel, Juris Doctor
Licensed to practice in Florida and Washington, D.C.
United States Supreme Court
United States Court of International Trade
United States Court of Military Appeals
- Board of Directors, Florida Hospital
- Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce
- Veteran and Minority Business Enterprise, Certified by the State of Florida
- President, Edgewater Expo, Inc.
- Association of Former Intelligence Officers, Florida Satellite Chapter
- Space Coast Women In Defense, (NDIA) national security organization
- FBI Infragard, Orlando Branch
- Chair, Police Pension Board, City of Edgewater
- Chair, Volusia Bar, Aviation & National Security
- Co-Chair, Marine Mammals, Zoological Parks and Aquariums Subcommittee of the Florida Bar Animal Law Section, Wildlife Law Committee
- Florida Bar Animal Law Section, Equine Committee
- Co-Chair, Subcommittee for Human-Wildlife Interaction; The Florida Bar Animal Law Section's Wildlife Law Committee [Note - awaiting name change approval and confirmation by the FL BAR Executive Committee]
- Licensed FAA Private Pilot
- Licensed USCG, U.S. Merchant Marine, Captain & Master 50Ton w/Auxiliary Sail
- United States Naval Reserve, Judge Advocate Generals Corps, (1990-92) Honorable Discharge
- National Defense Medal Recipient
- Equine Committee, Florida Bar Animal Law Section, Member
- Florida Bar Speakers Committee, Authorized Speaker
- Training Officer, United States Naval Academy, NAVY 26 and NAVY 44 Qualified
- United States Merchant Marine Officer - Licensed United States Coast Guard Master & Captain USCG 25GT Master with Sailing Endorsement
BLUE WATER SAILING SCHOOL GRADUATE and AMERICAN SAILING ASSOCIATION CERTIFICATIONS:
- ASA (101) Basic Keelboat
- ASA (103) Basic Coastal Cruising
- ASA (104) Bareboat Chartering
- ASA (114) Cruising Catamaran
- American Red Cross Basic Canoeing
- United States Power Squadron
- Basic Boating and Navigation
FORMER LEGAL ADVISOR - SCUBA INSTRUCTION & RISK MANAGEMENT:
- University of Florida - College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Scientific Diving Coordinator
- Legal Advisor, University of Florida, College of Health and Human Performance, Academic Diving Program
- Legal Advisor, National Young Men's' Christian Association Scuba Program-Florida Field
- Legal Advisor, United States of America Underwater Federation
- Legal Advisor, National Association for Cave Diving
SCUBA DIVING INSTRUCTOR RATINGS:
- (CMAS) International Confederation Mondiale Des Activites Subaquatiques - Instructor (002 - USA) World Underwater Federation - Paris France founded in 1959 by Capt. Jacques Yves Cousteau
- (NAUI) National Association of Underwater Instructors - Instructor & Asst. Instructor
- (UFADP) University of Florida Academic Diving Program - Instructor
- (YMCA) Young Men's Christian Association - Gold and Silver Star Instructor
- (YMCA) Young Men's Christian Association - SLAM Instructor
SCUBA DIVING NON-INSTRUCTIONAL RATINGS:
- (PADI) Openwater Diver
- (PADI) Advanced Openwater Diver
- (YMCA) Openwater Diver
- (NAUI) Master Scuba Diver
- (ARC) American Red Cross Multimedia First Aid
- (ASHI) American Safety & Health Institute - Pediatric First Aid-Adult First Aid-Universal First Aid
- (AHA) American Heart Association CPR - Adult/Child CPR with Mask and Choking
- Adult/Infant AED Automated External Defibrillators - Infant CPR with Mask and Choking
- (NAUI) Diving Rescue Techniques
- (CMAS) First Degree Diver
- (CMAS) Second Degree Diver
- (CMAS) Third Degree Diver
- (CMAS) Fourth Degree Diver
- (CMAS) Third Degree Scientific Diver (006 - USA)
- (NACD) Cavern Diver
- (NSS/CDS) Cavern Diver
- (NAUI) Cavern Diver Specialty
- (NAUI) Wreck Diver Specialty
- (SDI) Computer Nitrox Diver
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS:
- Robert F. Millott, Ed.D., Milledge Murphey, Ph.D., Mary Beth Horodoski, Ed.D. and Alexander Penalta, Esq. "OSHA Regulations' Potential Impact on the Dive Industry." SOURCES, National Journal of Underwater Education, Vol. 7, Issue 5 September/October (1995), Technical Issues, p.42
- Murphey, Ph.D., Milledge and Alexander Penalta "Cavern Diving: A Student's Perspective."National Association for Cave Diving, Vol. 19, No. 1, January/February (1987), p.4.
PAST/ PRESENT AWARDS:
- Directors Award for Outstanding Long Term Service to the University of Florida Academic Diving Program, 1994; Outstanding Services Rendered
- External Diving, November 1987; Instructor Spring 1987; Instructor Summer 1987; NAUI Gator Instructor Trainer Course Participant; NAUI/UF
- Instructor Trainer Course, Most Improved Candidate, 1986; Outstanding Assistant Instructor Award, Fall 1986
MEDIA AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:
- Radio Interview. Civil and Criminal Aspects of Scuba Diving Instructor Negligence, Boating Negligence, and other related forms of Human Negligence. RADIO FIESTA, WLVS-AM 1380, Revista Dominical Contacto Sunday Radio Broadcast, Helman Ruiz. June 7, 1998
- University of Florida, College of Health and Human Performances, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, PET 4491 Sports Law, "Intentional Torts and the Right of Self-Defense" Gainesville, Florida. November 1997
- University of Florida, College of Health and Human Performance, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, Academic Diving Program, "Civil and Criminal Aspects of Negligent Scuba Diving Instruction" November 1997
- Riverglades Elementary "Career Day - The Law and Scuba Diving" Parkland, Florida. April 1997
- "Let's Talk about Sex: A Primer for Management in Sexual Harassment Claims." University of Florida, College of Health and Human Performances, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, PET 4491 Sports Law. Gainesville, Florida. October 1996
- University of Florida, College of Health and Human Performances, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, PET 4491 Sports Law. "Employment Practices and Gender Discrimination in Sports Law" Gainesville, Florida. October 1996
- University of Florida, College of Health and Human Performance, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, Academic Diving Program. "Negligence in Scuba Diving Instruction" October 1996
- Dania Marine Trade Association "Hiring Practices and Pre-Employment Screening Procedures that Will Prevent your Company from Being Sued" Dania, Florida. June 1996
FORMER COMMITTEES, MEMBERSHIPS AND LEGAL ADVISORY PANELS:
- University of Florida, College of Health and Human Performance, Academic Diving Program, Legal Advisor
- National Young Men's' Christian Association Scuba Program, Legal Advisor
- United States of America Underwater Federation, Legal Advisor
- National Association for Cave Diving, Legal Advisor
- (IMATA) International Marine Animal Trainer's Association, Member
- (IAAAM) International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine, Member
- International Business Advisory Board, Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce
- Import/Export Committee Member
- Commercial and Legal Committee Member
- Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, Marine Committee Member
DIVING ENVIRONMENTS:
- Scuba Diving since 1982
- Five Hundred (500) + Open Water Ocean Dives
- Three Thousand (3000) + Pool Hours
- Twenty-Five (25) + River Dives
- One Hundred (100) + Night Dives
- Fifty (50) + Wreck Dives
- Fifty (50) + Cavern Dives
- Six (6) Deep Penetration Cave Dives into Florida Underwater Caves
