We're absolutely buzzing after a fantastic Cascadia Chapter Leadership Conference! Earlier this month, volunteers from Washington and Oregon Surfrider chapters gathered for a gorgeous weekend on the Oregon Coast to learn, collaborate, and connect. We were stoked to be returning to Oregon this year, and were rewarded with beautiful weather.
The 2026 Cascadia Conference crew posing on a sunny day on the Oregon coast!
This year, our focus was on the power of people to turn community engagement into meaningful action, with interactive workshops exploring ways to organize effective campaigns, cultivate new leaders, and leverage our programs to strengthen our network and move the mission forward.
We kicked off the weekend with a presentation from senior staff on our Coast & Climate Initiative, learning about the coastal resilience work that Surfrider is engaged in both here in the PNW and beyond and getting up close and personal with coastal hazards. We highlighted past coastal victories on local beach access campaigns, as well as ongoing statewide efforts in both Oregon and Washington to protect our Cascadian coasts.
We also dug into one of the biggest challenges facing all volunteer organizations: how to turn occasional attendees into engaged advocates and future chapter leaders. We had a great workshop on how chapters can strategically leverage their programs and events to build capacity without adding to their workload, and a fun role-playing communications session to practice working with the media.
And of course, the extracurricular activities were a highlight! From an incredibly fun ‘dance the coast’ workshop led by one of our volunteers, to an idyllic sunset surf session at Otter Rock, to behind-the-scenes tours of the Oregon Coast Aquarium and Hatfield Marine Science Center, we had plenty of opportunities to build community outside the conference room.
"Dancing the Coast" - Building community and connection through movement
We wrapped up the weekend with statewide campaign breakout sessions, where Washington volunteers focused on their "Keep Westport Wild” campaign, and Oregon chapters discussed our "Oregon Beaches Forever” campaign. I loved hearing about the different events and programs each chapter does throughout the year, and all the different strengths, perspectives, and ideas they were able to share, leading to a stronger, more connected movement across the Pacific Northwest.
Shout out to the Inn at Otter Crest and the Spyglass Restaurant for hosting us - the rooms were comfy, the views were epic, the food was amazing, and the staff were so delightful! We’re stoked to announce that by the end of the weekend, the Spyglass registered as our newest Ocean Friendly Restaurant!
Welcome table full of sun swag!
After earning a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon, Kaia gained professional experience working in coastal wildlife interpretation and watershed conservation. As Oregon Regional Manager, her favorite part of the role is connecting with dedicated activists across the entire state.