Theme: Ocean. Earth. Humanity.

Come celebrate Earth Day weekend with us in Laguna Beach!

We are excited to bring together a collection of action-orientated creatives and innovators, explorers and visionaries, teachers and lifelong learners, all sharing a ‘think global, act local’ philosophy. Our goal is to unite the Laguna Beach community and inspire hope, optimism and action towards a flourishing future for our cherished city and the world as a whole.

South Coast Theater
162 S Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, California, 92651
United States

Alan Salazar

Alan Salazar is a tribal elder with the Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. He is renowned as a traditional storyteller, an Indigenous educator, a consultant on Indigenous matters, a spiritual advisor, and a skilled paddler and builder of Chumash canoes, known as tomols. With a heritage tracing back to the Chumash village of Ta’apu (present-day Simi Valley, CA) and the Tataviam village of Chaguayanga near Castaic, CA, Alan is Ventureno Chumash and Fernandeno Tataviam. His ancestors were integrated into the San Fernando Mission beginning in 1799, and he actively works to preserve their village sites and tribal territories as a monitor and cultural resource advisor. A founding member of the Chumash Maritime Association, Alan plays a vital role in various Native American organizations. He contributed to the construction of the first operational traditional Chumash plank canoe in modern times and has been paddling in such canoes for over 27 years. Presently, he oversees the construction of two tomols for the Ventura Chumash community, marking the first time in over 180 years that Chumash tomols have been built in Ventura. Dedicated to preserving tribal heritage, Alan considers sharing his tribal stories and mentoring the next generation of storytellers among his most significant aspirations as a tribal elder. He has devoted much of his adult life to working with young people, drawing from his rich life experiences, which have exposed him to various cultures and peoples. Raised with a deep sense of pride in his heritage, Alan continues to honor his roots and contribute to Indigenous communities.

Amber Sparks

Amber is Co-Founder of Blue Latitudes LLC, a woman-owned marine environmental consulting firm that specializes in repurposing offshore oil and gas platforms into artificial reefs. Recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee and business leader by Entrepreneur Magazine, Amber has spent the past decade conserving 100+ acres of reef habitat on repurposed oil rigs worldwide. Amber is also Co-President of Blue Latitudes Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization committed to elevating the scientific understanding of our oceans at the intersection of energy and the environment. Through her foundation, Amber educates stakeholders on the value of a healthy ocean, encouraging them to think differently about the future of ocean conservation, and has collaborated on multiple award-winning documentary films. Amber holds a master’s degree in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography which she obtained after receiving her bachelor’s degree in Marine Science from UC Berkeley. A Laguna Beach native, she lives in Laguna with her husband and two children.

Annee Della Donna

Annee Della Donna stands as a prominent civil rights attorney in California and is the founder and President of InnocenceOC a pro bono innocence law group working with UCI Law School. Over the past three decades, she has obtained large verdicts and settlements against law enforcement agencies for causing the wrongful death of innocent individuals. In a landmark achievement in 2023, Della Donna settled the largest civil rights case in California for $24 million dollars against the California Highway Patrol. This legal triumph held the CHP accountable for the tragic death of a father who was held down during a compelled blood draw. Moreover, her impactful advocacy in 2020, led to the release of two wrongfully imprisoned men who spent 17 years in prison for a crime they did not commit. In an additional victory in 2023, Della Donna proved their factual innocence in the Superior Court. Della Donna’s exceptional contributions to the legal community have not gone unnoticed. In 2021 and again in 2023 she was named Orange County’s Most Influential Attorney. Furthermore, her dedication was recognized with the prestigious top honor of the ADL’s Marcus M. Kaufman Jurisprudence Award in 2021. She continues to make a profound impact through her tireless efforts to rectify injustices and advocate for the rights of the wrongfully accused.

Bodhi Patil

Bodhi is a UN-recognized, award-winning GenZ ocean-climate “Solutionist” dedicated to improving the interconnectedness between ocean health and human health. He is the Founder & CEO of Inner Light, empowering a generation to build resilience from the inside out for people and planetary wellbeing. He is co-creator/cofounder of Ocean Uprise and SeaDragon Studios and advises several love-based climate organizations on a mission to protect our blue planet. He has been featured by the United Nations, Forbes, Economist Impact, Wildlife Conservation Society, Oceanic Global, and has presented to world leaders at over 12 global climate conferences.

Chad Nelsen

Dr. Chad Nelsen is the CEO of the Surfrider Foundation, the world’s largest grassroots coastal and ocean conservation organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches. He is a proven leader with over 30 years of conservation experience and has led hundreds of successful campaigns to protect our coast and ocean. Chad is an avid surfer and outdoor recreation enthusiast.

Don Meek

Don Meek is an experienced media, brand, and revenue executive and advisor with a diverse background spanning digital, television, print, events, technology, and sales. His early career involved developing and managing a portfolio of sports event properties, including the U.S. Open of Surfing, under Prime Ticket Network. This provided him with invaluable hands-on experience in various areas such as programming, production, brand development, integrated sponsorship development, international distribution, web development, and team leadership. Don’s expertise further expanded through roles such as launching international television networks at Sony Pictures, heading up sales and marketing at iFilm, leading Primedia’s Action Sports Group, and serving as head of digital at Tribune Company. In his advisory capacity, Don has worked across various market segments, including public health with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, advanced media with Jacked, enterprise technology with Levels Beyond, and media rights representation with WPP’s GroupM. Currently, Don serves as the managing director of A New Earth Project, the sustainability initiative of Atlantic Packaging, aimed at tackling plastic pollution in oceans, lakes, and rivers worldwide. He also sits on the board of directors of FUEL TV and serves as the board chair of U.S. Board Riders Clubs, a 501(c)3 Public Charity dedicated to guiding the development of the Board Riders Clubs movement in the US. A lifelong surfer, Don is deeply passionate about the history and culture of surfing and is committed to preserving it for future generations.

Frankie Myers

Frankie Myers is currently serving his second term as Vice Chairman of the Yurok Tribe, the largest federally recognized tribe in California. Residing on tribal lands in Humboldt County with his wife and five children, Frankie’s family has deep roots in the area dating back to time immemorial. Known for his adeptness in fostering connections between diverse groups, Frankie has collaborated with a range of stakeholders including for-profit corporations, family farmers/ranchers, conservation groups, and tribal, state, and federal lawmakers. His leadership was instrumental in the successful removal of four fish-killing dams on the Klamath River, slated for dismantlement by the end of 2024 as part of the largest salmon habitat restoration project in world history. In addition to his tribal responsibilities, Frankie oversees three construction and environmental restoration businesses that collectively employ hundreds of individuals. He has spearheaded numerous high-profile initiatives for the Tribe, resulting in significant economic contributions to the region totaling half a billion dollars. With a keen eye on community well-being, Frankie remains vigilant about addressing issues such as the rising cost of living and healthcare within the district.

Logan Teeple

Ignited by his experience with project based learning, High school student Logan Teeple explains how his journey serves as a model for other experiential education programs. Logan is passionate about aviation and has devoted the last two years to flying and studying flight. He has completed his first solo flight and is training for the private pilot practical exam. Logan was inspired to pursue aviation by working with a Boeing Aerospace Engineer on multiple research projects through Authentic Exploratory Research. Logan will attend Olin College of Engineering where he will pursue a Mechanical Engineering degree. His ultimate goal is to be the lead test pilot for his own aircraft. He hopes to make a positive impact in the global transportation industry.

Nancy Caruso

Nancy has been doing ocean restoration projects in Southern California since 2002. Her Giant Kelp Restoration Project taught 5000 students to grow giant kelp in their classrooms, which was then planted in the ocean by 250 trained volunteers. After 10 years of work, there are giant kelp forests again! Continuing her restoration work, she has taught 7000 more students to grow white seabass and green abalone in their classrooms to restore in the kelp forests. Pismo clams are the next species on her list for restoration! Nancy’s projects invoke stewardship and involve the community in solving problems, giving us hope, and reminding us that we can make a difference if we all work together.

Rodrick Echols

Rev. Rodrick Echols serves as Pastor at Neighborhood Congregational Church, UCC in Laguna Beach, CA. He is a graduate of both Brown University and the School of Theology at Boston University. With 20 years of professional experience in the religious ecosystem, he is a pastor in transition to a new world where the largest religion in America is now no religion. His insatiable curiosity causes him to wonder about the possibilities of human spirituality untethered from religion.

Sarah Bedolfe

Sarah’s lifelong passion for ocean conservation developed while exploring the beaches and tide pools of her native California. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Swarthmore College, Sarah worked with the IMAX documentary team at MacGillivray Freeman Films where she helped develop the One World One Ocean Campaign. She went on to pursue a three-year graduate program in her other home country of the Netherlands. She earned a Master’s of Science degree in Marine Biology, graduating cum laude from the University of Groningen with a dual emphasis in Research and in Science, Business & Policy. Since joining Oceana in 2017, Sarah has collaborated across departments and geographies to help campaign teams in more than 10 countries achieve their goals. She provides strategic research, analysis and writing, and connects Oceana’s international community of scientists, particularly on the topics of habitat protection, ecology, and biodiversity

Steve Brittan

Steve Brittan is a visionary leader at the intersection of education, technology, and sustainable design. With a career spanning the commercial sector, higher education, and city government, Steve has pioneered groundbreaking projects that redefine the boundaries of design’s impact on our society. Throughout his career, Steve’s passion for design’s transformative power has been evident. From designing academic classrooms for higher education, to his collaboration with tech companies on new sustainable smart cities, Steve’s work has consistently pushed the envelope of what’s possible. His projects, at the scale of interactive art installations with inner-city elementary schools, to revitalizing distressed urban neighborhoods in Boston and Washington DC, showcase his commitment to human-centered sustainable design. Steve’s influence extends beyond his professional achievements. He has served on academic, venture capital, and corporate boards, advocating for interdisciplinary collaboration and sustainable design. As a respected educator, he has taught at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University, Columbia University, and the Rhode Island School of Design, nurturing the next generation of design leaders. As President and CEO of Laguna College of Art + Design, he continues to inspire the next generation of creatives through practice-based learning and interdisciplinary collaborations. With extensive publications, speaking engagements, and advisory roles, Steve continues to shape the discourse on the future of education and design. His dedication to fostering collaborations between students, faculty, and industry partners ensures that the legacy of innovation he has built will endure for years to come.