In mid-October, Surfrider leaders from across the Pacific Northwest gathered in Long Beach, Washington, for the annual Surfrider Cascadia Leadership Conference — a celebration of community, collaboration, and coastal stewardship. Hosted at the Adrift Hotel, the conference brought together chapter volunteers, regional staff, and partners to share ideas, strengthen campaigns, and plan for another powerful year of protecting the places we love.
What a crew! Chapter leaders from across the PNW and staff from across the country gathered for a fun-filled weekend in Long Beach, WA.
Friday: Settling In & Reconnecting
The weekend kicked off with check-in at the Adrift Hotel, the country’s first-ever Ocean Friendly Hotel, where familiar faces and new friends arrived from across Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. After a casual evening of snacks and socializing, participants gathered downstairs for an informal mixer — complete with ocean views, laughter, and a shared sense of purpose. It was the perfect start to a weekend focused on building community across our Cascadian coastlines.
Regional Managers Kaia & Liz wo-maning the check-in table
Saturday: Strategy, Storytelling, and Surfside Collaboration
Saturday morning began with breakfast and logistics (including tsunami evacuation routes because we’re into raising awareness about coastal hazards!) led by Kaia and Liz. Chapters then introduced themselves, sharing highlights from their local programs and events. This was the first year our PNW crew included volunteers from our shiny new Alaskan chapter and their amazing salmon and halibut swag.
Did you know: State policy requires all Alaskans to wear XtraTuffs whenever they venture outdoors!
Our keynote and State of the Surfrider Foundation presentation set the tone for the day, with Dr. Chad Nelson, Surfrider CEO, outlining the organization’s strategic direction and vision for the future. That vision includes more coastal victories to ensure clean water and healthy beaches for all, which segued into a dynamic Local Ordinance Toolkit and Campaign Planning session led by our trio of Policy Managers - Pete, Charlie, and Matt the Gove. They provided a primer on how to implement local campaigns and leverage the policy pipeline to build capacity, followed by break-out groups where chapters brainstormed real-world local campaigns to bring home.
Pete Bootyman Steelquist providing a primer on the value of campaigns
After lunch — featuring optional roundtables, zine-making, and a JEDI book club planning session — the afternoon shifted to one of the most vital topics for any chapter: Volunteer Recruitment. Michaela, Surfrider’s SoCal Regional Manager, led an engaging workshop packed with practical tools for engaging, empowering, and retaining volunteers, including an epic rock-paper-scissors battle won by Washington’s Joe McGee, man of many talents.
The day wrapped with some free time before the evening’s festivities. Attendees joined in beach games, while others relaxed with crafts, saunas, or a dip in the heated pool. A few of us ‘enjoyed’ a refreshing polar plunge in the ocean. Dinner was preceded by a short video and Q&A with Sara Wolf on Surfrider's efforts to address plastic debris generated by aquaculture industries in the PNW, as well as an impromptu DIY play created and led by Mr. McGee that included some incredible roll-playing by volunteers and staff. Dinner featured pizza, salads, and conversation, followed by a raucous round of karaoke at the Long Beach Tavern which rounded off the night in true Surfrider tradition.
A DIY play led by Mr. McGee, with star performances by Sandy Beach, a surly Storm Drain, a water quality lab assistant, an exuberant Surfrider volunteer, and near-sighted seal
Sunday: Reflection and Recommitment
Sunday morning centered on reflection and connection. Over breakfast, attendees prepared for a meaningful session introducing the Indigenous Working Group, led by Pete Steelquist, with a discussion on next steps for going beyond land acknowledgements and integrating tribal partnerships into chapter work — a fitting conversation as Indigenous Peoples’ Day approached. Huge shout-out to our OPC volunteers who provided an excellent overview of the complex topic of Tribal history, rights, and sovereignty, as well as examples of how chapters can engage with and support local Tribes.
The morning continued with programmatic overviews across key Surfrider initiatives. Participants rotated through sessions on:
- Ocean Friendly Businesses (OFB) with Miho and Tiffany (Adrift’s owner and sustainable lodging extraordinaire), exploring challenges, benefits, and opportunities to support food and lodging establishments to be more ocean-friendly across the PNW
- Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) with Jaime, our BWTF Lead, on how to communicate results and leverage this program towards campaign and policy solutions to improve our coastal water quality
- Membership growth with Chris Casey, highlighting real-world case studies, the value of tracking volunteer hours, and the power of having a large membership when influencing policy and decision-makers
- Beach Cleanup data collection led by Miho and Liz, emphasizing the importance of data collection to influence policy, as well as a great discussion on different methods, barriers, and best practices for capturing data
Our Plastic Pollution Initiative Manager, Miho, and our SoCal Regional Manager, Michaela, presenting on the programmatic work and capacity building in our PNW network.
The weekend concluded with closing reflections, shared commitments, and next steps — including plans for regional webinars, inter-chapter check-ins, and shared campaign spaces to keep the Cascadia network connected year-round.
Gratitude and Next Steps
The 2025 Surfrider Cascadia Conference was more than a meeting — it was a reminder of the power of community, creativity, and shared purpose. From policy brainstorms to karaoke ballads, every moment underscored what makes this network special: the people who love their coastlines and want to spend their free time protecting and enjoying them.
A huge thank you to Adrift Hotel, our speakers and facilitators, and every volunteer who made the journey to Long Beach. Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected Cascadia coast!
