Nine More Women Shaping Our
Seas & Surfing
Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny
Magdaug and Patti Kishel
This is the seventh year for SurfWriter Girls annual Women Making Waves story focusing on nine amazing women making a difference in the life of our oceans and in surfing.
Like the ninth wave in a set, that is more powerful than the rest, these women have had a powerful impact on the world. Scientists, surfers, environmentalists, artists, and more, SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel are excited to introduce you to this lineup of dynamic women.
Erika Bergman, a
submarine pilot and explorer, has guided submarines from the Arctic to
Antarctica. A National Geographic Young Explorer in 2013, Bergman is a
storyteller for the undersea world, sharing its wonders through videos and
podcasts, including Into the Deep with Erika Bergman. The founder of Global
Engineering and Exploration Counselors (GEEC), her organization helps girls get
involved in science and technology. A virtual reality engineer with a degree in
chemical oceanography, Bergman is captivated by the ocean: "Every single
dive is completely different. I always see something new and
unexpected."
Barrie Boehne,
legendary tandem surfer, has won more tandem surf championships (with
husband/partner Steve) than any other competitor. Co-owners of Infinity Surfboards,
Dana Point, CA, Boehne and her husband were featured in the 2011 film Tandem
Surfing The Love Story. A tandem surfing duo to contend with from the
1960's, they met at a surfing event in Santa Monica and went on to dominate the
sport for four decades, winning two world championships, while putting the
focus on fearlessness and fun.
Maria Brophy,
artists' agent/consultant and author of Art Money Success: Finally
Making a Living Doing What You Love, has helped thousands of surf artists and
other creatives turn their passions into profits by showing them how to market
their art works and plan their careers. Her "Think, Strategize and
Apply" methods help artists envision their success, set goals and find
their audiences. She and her husband, surf artist Drew Brophy, run the Brophy
Gallery in San Clemente, CA, and believe in "paying it forward" by
encouraging the next generation of artists.
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson,
Ph.D., is a marine biologist and co-founder of the non-profit Urban Ocean Lab,
which studies the future of coastal cities. Host of the podcast How to
Save a Planet, she was formerly with the Environmental Protection
Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Dr. Johnson is at
the forefront of ocean conservation and protection issues around the world,
writing and speaking frequently on the subject, including her TED Talks
"How to Use the Ocean Without Using it Up" and "A Love Story for
the Coral Reef Crisis"
Kristen Marhaver, Ph. D., a marine biologist studying coral reefs at the Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity Research Station in Curacao, is working to protect the world's coral reefs. A coral reefs reproduction expert and head of the Marhaver Research Lab, she uses "classic scientific methods and new technologies to help threatened coral species survive their early life stages." The recipient of numerous fellowships and featured in The Atlantic and Popular Science magazines, Dr. Marhaver is a National Geographic Explorer and TED Senior Fellow
Kim McDonald, Maui ocean and surf artist, transforms the lush beauty of Hawaii's "Valley Isle" into magical artworks that bring the island to life. Hidden coves, mysterious valleys, giant waves. Whether it's a vivid canvas, print or surfboard, each piece captures the mood and moment of the island paradise she calls home. Finding inspiration exploring the island and in the water, McDonald calls her art "a celebration of the sea" and she supports organizations that help protect the ocean and environment.
Dení Ramirez Macias, Ph.D., marine biologist and conservationist, is the
director of Whale Shark Mexico in the Sea of Cortez. She also leads the Giants
of Peru Project of the Save Our Seas Foundation. A diver since the age of
seven, through her organizations she is a powerful advocate for the ocean. She
remembers as a child "seeing a sea turtle lay her eggs" on the sand.
"It was awesome, yet sad because the local people took the eggs." Dr.
Ramirez Macias says that's when she knew "I wanted to do something for
conservation."
Bettylou Sakura Johnson,
at seventeen the youngest woman on the World Surf Tour, is turning heads with
her barrel rides and power turns and rapidly making her mark at surfing
competitions. After winning the Haleiwa Challenger event in December 2021 she
added to her accomplishments with a win at the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing,
August 7, 2022. The surfing phenomenon, who grew up surfing Hawaii's famed
North Shore, hopes to encourage other young people "to push your
limits" and is excited to be able to see the world, try new waves, and
experience different cultures.
Samantha Thomas,
founder Tide + Seek Swimwear, activewear made with sustainable methods and
recycled materials, is an avid surfer and environmentalist. Having visited some
of the world's most beautiful and remote places and seeing the trash and
plastics accumulating in the ocean and on the beach, she wanted to find a way
to turn that waste into something beneficial. Thomas says, "For me
sustainability is a lifestyle. I strive to make ethical, responsible choices
every day which help protect and preserve what I am passionate
about."
Leaders in their chosen fields, each woman shares one thing
in common – a passion for the ocean and a desire to make the world better.
To see more amazing Women Making Waves, see SurfWriter Girls previous stories.
Sunny Magdaug and Patti
Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications
wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com
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