Friday, September 2, 2022

Women Making Waves 2022

 

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.

 

SurfWriter Girls

Surf’n Beach Scene Magazine

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 Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.


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