CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sophie began working in the behavioral and mental health field in 2014 after getting sober and graduating with her BA from University of Southern California. Since entering recovery, she has received her Masters in Social Work (MSW) and has held various positions in the mental health field, including case manager, group facilitator, primary therapist, clinical outreach, and most recently executive director of a national young adult mental health and substance use disorder treatment center.

Sophie currently has her own private practice in South Bay, and WAS the co-founder of Academics Anonymous, a sober living at USC for young adults.

Sophie learned to surf during her recovery journey and found deep healing and transformation through a connection with the ocean, which she loves to share with others! She followed her passion for surfing and discovered how to integrate water and therapeutic modalities to support overall wellbeing.

Sophie is also the founder of The Ocean Healing & Therapy Program, a 3 month certification program that trains individuals to integrate the water into their therapeutic work.

CO-FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Ryan grew up in South Bay and has been surfing since the age of 6. Surfing is something he lost in the depths of his addiction and has since regained in recovery.

Ryan got sober in 2015 and received his BA in history from Cal State Long Beach in 2017 and went on to pursue a career at the City of Hermosa Beach in the Department of Planning and Building. He simultaneously was coaching surfing and working in treatment on the side. In March of 2020 he made the shift to full time surf coaching and Mentoring.

Ryan has been coaching surfing and working in treatment as a sober living manager, companion, & most recently as a sober mentor for the last 8 years. Over time he found more and more crossover between the two professions and Waves of Recovery was born out of that experience.

Ryan is currently the head Surf Coach and Beach Safety Manager for Waves of Recovery, while also teaches surfing & conducts surf therapy full time.

Surfing saved Ryan’s life, and now he is stoked to work with others in recovery and use the ocean as a tool and bonding experience.

BOARD MEMBER

Chris has been a long time supporter of Waves of Recovery. He is stopped to support the company’s mission and help make surf therapy accessible to more of the community as the organization grows.

Chris has been working in field of Behavioral Health Treatment and Intervention since 2013. He has vast personal and professional experience in the areas of substance abuse and mental health recovery. He has a well documented history of helping men and Women between the ages of 16 and 70 with successful interventions and treatment episodes.

Chris has developed several treatment modalities, some which result in an 86% success rate using outcomes measures (2021). He pioneered a model of assessment called Elemental Interviewing which he credits for his high rate of treatment admission and retention.

He has personally toured and vetted over 200 treatment facilities for client referrals. He is on the forefront on modalities treating the Millennial and Z generations. He is regularly asked to speak to medical and clinical professionals on his methods for treating drug addicted, struggling and at risk people.

Chris is a former CADC certified counselor and has trained in multiple intervention techniques.

BOARD SECRETARY

Lauren has been working within Education since 2001 starting as a classroom teacher to end up co-creating a social/emotional curriculum that provided a foundation for safe and positive learning, while enhancing students' ability to succeed in school, careers, and life.

Lauren is extremely passionate about helping others learn to be more mindful, more self-aware, and more responsible in decisions that will reflect in relationships, skills, social awareness, and self-management.

Lauren is an experienced Chief Learning Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the primary education industry. She is skilled in Social Impact, Learning Management, Educational Technology, and Instructional Design. Lauren has a sense of entrepreneurship professional with a Master of Education (MEd) focused in Graduate School of Education from Pepperdine University.

BOARD MEMBER

Lucas Brown grew up in Santa Barbara California. He began surfing and doing junior lifeguards at six years old. When he was Twelve years old he began experimenting with drugs and alcohol which led him to homelessness and isolation.

In 2010 when he was 22 years old he moved to Los Angeles California to begin his journey in recovery. Today he has worked in the field of addiction treatment for 6 years and owns Golden Gate Recovery in Marin County CA. He is an active member in the 12 step recovery community with 12 years of continuous sobriety.

He has achieved a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and surfs regularly. Surfing has become an integral part of his recovery and he is excited to share his love of the ocean with anyone struggling with addiction or mental health.

SURF THERAPY FACILITATOR

Michelle is an Associate Clinical Social Worker from Santa Monica, CA. She has worked with children and families in the mental health and social welfare field for 8+ years. She is a swimming and surfing coach and has been helping to facilitate surf therapy groups for the past three years. In her free time, Michelle is an open-water swimmer, surfer, and overall lover of all things ocean. She believes passionately in water's ability to heal and connect us.

SURF THERAPY FACILITATOR

Isabel decided to become a therapist after finding healing through her own
therapy journey. Through her lived experiences and professional training, she shares how to find balance and comfort with surfing the highs and lows of life, which are essential for healing.

Isabel received her BA in Psychology from LMU and her Master’s in Social Work from UCLA. With a clinical foundation in outpatient psychiatric services and school-based social work, Isabel has experience with various populations from young kiddos to older adults. As a certified yoga instructor, Isabel practices mind/body work with clients through yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation. In her free time, Isabel surfs (obviously), plays beach volleyball, and makes art!

SURF COACH

Nicolai was born and raised on the north shore of Oahu, the 7-mile miracle. From living at Waimea Bay, he has gained experience in big wave surfing & rescue & is trained in CPR & jet-ski rescue. He was featured in local newspapers a few times for saving tourists at Waimea Bay & Three Tables! Growing up, he was a surf coach up until moving to California to continue his education.

Nicolai has a BS in graphic design & holds a journeyman electrician license. He's a father & permanent resident of California. He faced struggles towards the end of his 20s, fighting addiction, depression & homelessness, losing it all. However, he was able to find a solution that worked for his recovery program. In 2020, he started his journey and has been sober for a little over 3 years, regaining everything back & more, embracing a new way of life & happiness.

He rediscovered his passion for surfing, and he's now enthusiastic about getting people to catch waves through his dedication to spreading the stoke!

SURF COACH

Easton has been surfing from the age of 5. He grew up on the east coast in Virginia Beach, Virginia surfing hurricane swells and heading down to the OBX whenever the waves were good.

Easton has been sober since February 14th, 2025 and has been finding his way helping other recovering addicts learn to surf. It is a passion of his to see people catch their first wave and be absolutely stoked about it. He says “watching other people stand up for the first time is better than him catching his own wave now a days”.

He is continuing college at Santa Monica Community College and is planning to get a degree in Business with a minor in Psychology. The water is his passion.

SURF THERAPY FACILITATOR

James was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and from the age of 6, childhood trauma and PTSD has profoundly shaped his journey, guiding him to pursue studies in yoga and a deep commitment to teaching wellness and healing practices to others. Now 32, a certified 500-hour yoga instructor, personal trainer, surf coach, and founder of Axial Flow Movement- a movement modality blending mindful movement and breathwork - James is passionate about guiding others to cope with life’s stressors through resilience and mindfulness.

He has traveled globally, studying various movement modalities, including yoga, martial arts, and dance, learning to heal himself, and now shares these practices with others. A lifelong surfer, skier, and wellness advocate, James leads youth surf camps and coaches youth ski and snowboard racing teams in California during the winter. His true passion lies in teaching others to navigate life’s ups and downs, drawing on the flow state that surfing the oceans and mountains brings. Through his work coaching out in nature, James helps others find healing and balance to embrace life’s waves with mindfulness and grace.

SURF THERAPY CLINICAL INTERN

Nathaniel is a Zen Buddhist, yoga instructor, a surf instructor and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Pacifica graduate institute. 

Nathaniel grew up with chronic and severe anxiety and perpetually felt unable to meet the responsibilities of life and enjoy being in his body. The pandemic was a wake up call for him and it showed just how clearly the work of transformation was an inside job. Through Zen meditation, yoga and surf he has reinvented the way he relates to himself and life.

He is entirely passionate about offering mindfulness tools and breath practices in order to help people reclaim their innate sense of agency and joy. He sees surf and ocean healing as an integral part of connecting us back to our roots and our origin.

SURF COACH

Alex was raised on the East Coast, and got sober in California in 2016. Since then, he has been living in Los Angeles, and his life centers around his love for the ocean, physical fitness, emotional fitness, and spiritual fitness. He likes to incorporate all of these things when helping others on their journey to be successful in their life and sobriety. Life should be as fun as you want it to be!