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Where were you born and where do you currently live?

I was born just outside of Detroit and now live in San Francisco, CA.

Why do you support the Surfrider Foundation and our mission to protect the world’s ocean, waves and beaches?

I think we as humanity need to do a better job protecting the planet, our home. I’ve seen some of the most beautiful places on the planet completely polluted. Covered in trash that doesn’t decompose and is a problem for our environment. Equally important to me are coastal access issues. I had an unfortunate experience in Maine while chasing a hurricane swell with some friends. This secret point break was firing and we showed up to paddle out. We parked on the road and saw a small path to a dock about 20 yards from the road. There were a half dozen people in the lineup on it already. A cop was waiting for us and informed us that the wealthy landowners that lived on the property did not want anyone accessing the water from their land. They had a lot of land. We wanted to take 2 steps on a path that was not public land. Instead of jumping right into the take off zone… we had to drive several miles down the road to park in a lot and hike to the water. The paddle out was over a mile. Some of us didn’t make it and had to turn back. It was appalling to me that the cops were there guarding a 20 yard pathway we wanted to take a few steps on instead of doing something more productive. The police officer said “Look… I think surfing is amazing, and great for the mind and soul… I wish I could let you go… I really do… I’m just doing what I was told… and I was told to not let anyone on this person’s property”. Public (and free) access to the coastline (for everyone) is important to me.

What coastal issue are you most passionate about?

Both Public access and protecting undeveloped coastal lands are at the top of my list.

What is your profession?

I am a photographer and I work on hardware at Square.

What are some of your main interests or hobbies?

Surfing, hiking, camping, travel. Just getting outside.

What does the ocean mean to you and why should it be protected?

You protect what you love, and if you love the ocean then you’ll want to protect it.