We're very pleased to announce that we have hired Ryan Cruse as our new Oregon Field Coordinator for Surfrider Foundation. This is not a decision we took lightly and is the culmination of 3 months of applications and interview processes - despite the extremely competitive nature of the position and applicants, Ryan clearly rose to the top and we’re excited to have him on board. His official start date is December 1st, but as many of you know, Ryan’s already gotten a little wet behind the ears with chapter engagement, so feel free to reach to out to him in the meantime (rcruse@surfrider.org. - 503-729-7471). A little bit about Ryan for those of you that don’t know him yet:
Ryan hails from the landlocked state of NM but has been living happily in the PNW for over 10 years now. He is one of the Co-founders of Warm Current and is passionate about getting kids active and outside, with the hope that they will find as much peace, happiness and health in nature as he has. Ryan studied Environmental Policy and Sustainable Transportation at Western Washington University, but could have majored in teaching sailing, surfing and windsurfing. He has been working in the nonprofit sector since 2008 with a focus on program development and community engagement. In 2013, Ryan was named one of the “25 Portlanders Changing the World” by Portland Monthly magazine. In his spare time, you'll find Ryan out in the ocean chasing waves, on a river chasing trout, or looking for his next derelict vehicle project. Below you can see Ryan in action as a "bag monster", from back in July of 2010 at our Portland Chapter’s city hall rally to ban plastic bags…a campaign that Ryan was intimately engaged in as a Portland Chapter executive member and campaign leader.
