Nominations for the WDHOF Class of 2025 are closed.
New Members will be announced this summer.
The Women Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF) seeks to recognize the outstanding contributions that women divers have made in the exploration, knowledge, safety, enjoyment, and preservation of our underwater world. We know there are many deserving women not yet among our honorees. Please take time to recognize them with your nomination.
To be considered for Membership in WDHOF, a woman must meet these two basic requirements:
Other representative achievements which have qualified Nominees for selection in the past can be seen in the member roster. Criteria for successful nominations is provided here.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN, PLEASE CONTACT JOAN FORSBERG, NEW MEMBER COMMITTEE CHAIR, JAFORSBERG@AOL.COM, TO DETERMINE IF THE PROSPECTIVE NOMINEE IS ELIGIBLE TO BE NOMINATED THIS YEAR. ONCE CONFIRMED, READ ALL OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. AFTER JANUARY 1, 2025, YOU CANCLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE NOMINATION FORM (OR ENTER THIS URL INTO YOUR BROWSER SEARCH BOX: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=wdhf) AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. IF YOU HAVE TECHNICAL ISSUES ACCESSING THE NOMINATION FORM, PLEASE CONTACT THE WDHOF NOMINATION PORTAL ADMINISTRATOR.
A Nominee who has had a total of four or more Nominations submitted on her behalf must take a hiatus of three years, and then she may be nominated again.
We strongly recommend that you begin assembling the documentation and other materials early, especially the Letters of Recommendation. Packages received after the deadline date — or incomplete packages — will not be considered.
In order for your nomination to be processed, all entries marked with an asterisk (*) on the Nomination Form must be completed. Incomplete packages will not be accepted for consideration.
All nomination materials must be received electronically using the online nomination form and must be submitted together as a single submission. Deadline date for submission of nominations is April 1, 2025.
THE FORM MAY BE SAVED AND EDITED PRIOR TO SUBMISSION, BUT IT CANNOT BE EDITED AFTER SUBMISSION. Any questions before submitting, contact Joan Forsberg, jaforsberg@aol.com.
All information contained in the Nomination Form must be approved by Nominee prior to submission. It is extremely important for the Nominee to participate in the gathering of the information to ensure accuracy and completeness. There is a question on the Nomination Form that asks if the Nominee has checked over the information that must be answered “yes” for the submission to be considered. For a posthumous nomination, answer N/A.
PLEASE READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE COMPLETING THE NOMINATION FORM!!
This section corresponds question by question to the Nomination Form.
The completed WDHOF NOMINATION FORM must include:
1. Accurate contact information for Nominee and Nominator. Self-nominations are permitted, but all materials are still required.
2. How does the Nominator know the Nominee? How long they have known each other? This must be no longer than 100 words.
3. If this is a posthumous nomination, some accommodations will be made. Check with Joan Forsberg, jaforsberg@aol.com.
4. The Nominee's most recent CV or resumé must be attached, which includes a nominee’s publications, if any.
5. A summary of DIVING-RELATED CERTIFICATIONS, including the year of the earliest certification.
6. The approximate total number of dives.
7. A Summary of DIVING-RELATED ACCOMPLISHMENTS (can be as lengthy as necessary) that addresses, but is not limited to, the CRITERIA.
8. Materials to document a nominee’s statements of significant achievements must be attached. For example, links to websites, pictures of book covers, photo of an advanced specialty diving certification card, photo of award, documentation of record broken, etc. There are five sections you may use to attach this information. Each has a maximum total file size of 10 MB. Items must be combined into a single file or pdf, rather than uploaded individually into each of those five sections.
9. A BIOGRAPHY of approximately 100 but not more than 120 words, which will be used as the descriptor on the Member Roster, press releases, and other places where Members are honored, if the nominee is selected for Membership.
10. At least THREE (but no more than FIVE) LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION (LOR). Five letters are more advantageous than the minimum of three, but all letters should be strong, detailed, and substantive, and follow all the guidelines for letters below:
11. All information contained in the Nomination Form must be approved by Nominee prior to submission. The question that asks if the Nominee has checked over the information must be answered “yes” for the submission to be considered. If it is a posthumous nomination, answer N/A.
If you have any questions or if electronic submission presents a hardship, please contact Joan Forsberg, New Member Committee Chair, jaforsberg@aol.com.
PLEASE RETAIN A COPY OF YOUR COMPLETED NOMINATION AND ALL SUPPORTING MATERIALS.
You should receive an acknowledgement of your nomination within 10 days of submission.
We are pleased to invite each Nominee to become a WDHOF Associate free for one year.
The New Member Committee will consider all completed nominations and make its selection of the New Members of the WDHOF Class of 2025 in May 2025. Nominees and Nominators will be notified as soon as possible after the decision.
WDHOF expects that any Nominee who is selected will accept the invitation for membership and induction into the organization. Within 10 days of receiving the offer of membership, the NEW MEMBER MUST PROVIDE WDHOF WITH AN OFFICIAL WRITTEN ACCEPTANCE OF MEMBERSHIP. The acceptance can be made by email directly to Joan Forsberg, New Member Committee Chair at jaforsberg@aol.com or by regular mail to
WDHOF Nominations
10 High Lake Ave.
West Chicago, IL 60185 USA
The New Member should then provide a high-resolution photo (showing the face) and confirmation of the short biography for the press release and contact information for the WDHOF directory.
The official Induction Ceremony for WDHOF New Members will be held at the DEMA dive show in November 2025. Each New Member is encouraged to attend the Induction Ceremony, but if for some reason she is unable to attend, alternate arrangements may be made.
All personal information (including postal/email addresses, phone numbers, etc.) will remain confidential and will be used only for correspondence relating to this nomination.
Questions on the nomination process may be submitted to Joan Forsberg, New Member Committee Chair at jaforsberg@aol.com.
Thank you for helping the Women Divers Hall of Fame to raise public awareness of the outstanding contributions that women have made and continue to make to the diving community!