Here is some informantion about who we are and what we do, as well as learn a bit about the founders of The Groundswell Society!

 

Who We Are

Mission Statement

The goal of The Groundswell Society is to establish a values-based influence on modern surfing supporting education, research and community involvement in the arts, sciences and issues of the world of riding waves.

What We Do

Rincon Invitational

Surf Benefit event raising money for local environmental and educational organizations in the Rincon community.

Surfing Arts, Science And Issues Conference (SASIC)

Annual conference covering issues and topics that seek to invoke thought and debate with surfing's intellectual elite giving seminars and classes.

Surf Safety Alliance

The Surf Safety Alliance was founded in February 2004 by Ventura CA resident Maggie Hood, after her then-13-year old daughter, Marissa, an experienced surfer, was knocked out by another surfer as she paddled back out.

Scholarships

Created to help fund the higher education of surfing's next generation of intellects.

Groundswell Society Publication

The Groundswell Society's periodical covering topics and issues relevant to the surfing community.

Founders

Glenn Hening, co-founder

Glenn is a published writer, public speaker, professional educator and father of two. In 1984 he developed the concept and signed the papers to found The Surfrider Foundation. Glenn lives in Oxnard, CA and checks the surf almost every morning just after sunrise.

Email Glenn Here

Matt Meyerson, co-founder

Matt is a serial entrepreneur, writer, and life-long surfer. In the summer of 2000 he met Glenn Hening and came together with both he and Jericho to formalize The Society into a viable non-profit organization. Matt lives in Santa Monica, CA with his wife and surfs Topanga, Venice Breakwater, and Point Dume regularly.

Email Matt here

Jericho Poppler, co-founder

Jericho is household name among surfers growing up in Southern California. As a surf champion, mother of five, and co-founder of The Groundswell Society, Jericho rarely has time to breathe. Still ripping, she can be seen at Bolsa, the Cliffs, and Seal as often as the swell permits.

Matt, Jericho and Glenn

Current Board Members

Mike Downey - A consummate waterman for the past 30 years, Mike has charged hard up and down the coast, including a near-death experience surfing Morro Bay harbor several years ago when it was closing out across the channel. M.D. is a Pilates trainer and surfing coach in Huntington Beach, announces contests and works with people in the surf industry to advance the Society's goal of "sharing the stoke of surfing."

Matt Hagemann - Secretary of the Board and the man who keeps us in line with the I.R.S. as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. A surfer going back to the Mickey Dora years at Santa Monica State Beach, Matt has also been a U.S. EPA regulator and is a leading expert on soil contamination from toxic chemicals. He's married with two children, and third on the way... and just bought a new windsurfing rig to replace the ones he's worn out over the years.

Maggie Hood - Started the Surf Safety Alliance in response to some gnarly barnacle-encrusted local running over her daughter at C-street -- and only thanks to a rescue performed by another surfer and a fast trip to the emergency room, her daughter's life was saved and she's surfing more than ever. But Maggie was not going to let the whole thing slide -- if it could happen to a young lady just trying to have some fun, it could happen to anyone. Go to our Surf Safety Alliance page to learn how you can be a part of the Surf Safety Alliance, now involving surf schools and new surfers up and down the coast.

Rob Woods - A main man behind the Rincon Invitational, Rob has worked for Patagonia for years and is a true pillar of the surfing community in Ventura County. A former Coast Guard serviceman, he's traveled all over the South Pacific and can be found in the water any time the waves are good at C-street. If there is one guy who exemplifies the true spirit of "sharing the stoke of surfing" it is indeed Rob Woods.

Cher Pendarvis - Cher is an artist, author and educator with a passion for surfing since her first wave in the early 1960s. She's traveled and surfed extensively throughout California, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe and the South Pacific and checks the surf every morning with her husband Steve in San Diego. She did all the artwork for our Clean Water Classic t-shirts and was the key to having SASIC VI at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She was a featured artist in the Society's 4th Annual Publication and her love of surfing's pure joy keeps her in the lineups at Sunset Cliffs. We're stoked to welcome her as a new addition to the Society's board of directors.

Greg Johnson - A transplant from the North East, Greg's love for surfing was born during a semester abroad in Australia where he spent 5 months surfing the Super Bank and other choice breaks along the east coast of Australia. Shortly after his return, he picked up and moved to San Diego where you can typically find him in the water anywhere between Seaside and 8th st. After a chance encounter with Mike Downey at SASIC VI, Greg offered to help re-launch the Groundswell Society's website which you see before you and he's now the driving force behind the Groundswell Society's online presence.