Executive Committee
Our Executive Committee
Chair
Jordan Gorostiza
Jordan is a writer, naturalist, and queer surfer based in San Francisco. Trained as a science communicator, he spent years helping government agencies tell better stories around conservation and climate change issues.
He enjoys introducing people to coastal paces– from the tide pools to the line up– and believes access to these spaces must be equitable across all communities. When not in the water, he likes to shoot film, support local artists and performers, and camp throughout California.
Our Executive Committee
Chair
Jackson Oberlink
Our Executive Committee
Secretary
Maria Newman
Maria Newman has spent her whole life calling this little stretch of the Pacific Ocean 'home'. She joined Surfrider to help keep the beaches and waters she loves safe, clean, and healthy for generations to come. Outside of Surfrider, Maria has dedicated her career to fighting climate change and currently works to decarbonize large businesses as a Customer Success Manager at Watershed. Soil health and regenerative agriculture have been a through-line in her work and she is excited to bring those interests to Surfrider's Ocean Friendly Gardens and Dune Restoration initiatives. If you see her (and her dog Rae) at Ocean Beach, please say hi!
Our Executive Committee
Member At Large
Laura Walsh
Laura is a public trust advocate and has spent the past ten years studying and helping cities to prepare for sea level rise. Formerly Surfrider's California Policy Manager, she can finally say out loud that Ocean Beach is the best beach in the state. She is currently a Policy Manager at Save the Bay and hopes to connect Surfrider's local advocacy efforts with broader Bay Area community and watershed priorities.
Our Executive Committee
Member At Large
Newara Brosnan- Faltas
Newara is a lifelong water lover raised between the Big Island of Hawai‘i and California, two places that shaped her deep connection to the ocean. Her career sits at the crossroads of ocean advocacy, grassroots organizing, policy work, and storytelling.
When she’s not in the office, you can probably find her outside. She has been enjoying exploring her new home in San Francisco and the Bay Area’s coastline, hikes, and parks. If she isn’t surfing, diving, or crouched over a tidepool spotting sea creatures, she’s usually beading, painting, or capturing moments on her camera.
Our Executive Committee
Volunteer Coordinator
Summer Polster
A passionate advocate for clean water, connected communities, and a plastic-free future, Summer brings both heart and hands-on experience to the SF chapter. Previously active with the UC Berkeley chapter, she organized zero-waste band nights and taught science lessons to elementary students. She is currently thriving across a range of part-time roles, always seeking new ways to engage with the world. When she's not advocating for public access to nature, art, and joyful events, you can find her dancing, biking, reading, making handmade cards, or photosynthesizing.