Changing Tides

Nick Knowles is a PhD candidate at the University of Exeter researching surfing-based wellbeing interventions through a realist evaluation lens. In 2026 he published a realist synthesis in Advances in Mental Health explaining how, why and for whom surf therapy improves mental health and wellbeing in adults.

Dr. Ariel Ezra holds a PhD in Social Work and serves as Head of Research at HaGal Sheli. He is a surf therapist and assistant surf instructor, and an experienced surfer. Ariel specializes in trauma and group therapy and is deeply involved in HaGal Sheli’s research and therapeutic work.

Dr. Hamutal Ben-Zion holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is a trauma specialist and surf therapist with HaGal Sheli.

Dr Rosie Arthur (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, UK. Her research spans sport and exercise psychology, behaviour change, inclusion in sport, and mental health, with 25 peer-reviewed publications and research support for Groundswell Scotland, Groundswell America, and UK healthcare, education, and sports organisations. She's interested in nature connection and blue spaces, and how natural environments restore attention and reduce stress. A keen surfer, surf therapy volunteer, and mother of two, she brings both professional and personal perspective to her work.

My name is Isabelle Delfosse, but most people call me Bella. I’m the Co-Founder and Director of the Sirenitas Surf Club, an international project that connects girls to their inner power through surfing, swimming, and education. What started as a small surf program has grown into a girl-centered project where girls build confidence, leadership skills, and a deep relationship with the ocean.

Salty Kids Surf Club was founded by a pediatric occupational therapist and long-time surfer Laura Thatcher MOT, OTR/L. As the north county SD hub for neurodiverse surfing, our mission is to bring the magic of the waves and ocean to our local neurodivergent kids. We believe that with a great community and the right support, every child deserves the chance to catch waves and experience the transformative power of the ocean - together.

I am a pediatric occupational therapist who specializes in sensory integration and how that influences our physical, emotional, and cognitive development; and especially our sense of self. The ocean has been a space of healing for me and it is my honor to bring kids into this space in which they can feel safe, play, and develop an identity that says they are so much more than their limitations.

Jerry-Thomas Monaco, PT, PhD, DPT, OCS has more than 20 years experience in Orthopedic and Sport Medicine, as well as over 10 years of Surf Therapy experience with adults and pediatrics. Professor Monaco has been a healthcare educator for 15 years and is currently Assistant Professor in Interprofessional Health Science and Physical Therapy at Seton Hall University; he is a researcher in Rehabilition and Sports Sciences with multiple peer reviewed publications.

Gregor V. Sarkisian, Ph.D., is a consultant, evaluator and professor of psychology at Antioch University. Gregor volunteered with the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation as a surf instructor and evaluator, he was the lead editor of the 2020 Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice special focus issue on Surf Therapy, and he has led several coalition building initiatives for ISTO. He currently serves as a Board Director for ISTO.

Rachael Parker is the Founder and CEO of Ocean Mind, a leading Australian organisation delivering surf therapy programs to improve youth mental health. A qualified Youth Worker with over 10 years' experience, she has worked with young people facing homelessness, youth justice involvement, and mental health challenges. Drawing on professional expertise and lived experience, Rachael has developed evidence-informed programs combining surfing, nature, and youth development to foster resilience and connection, with extensive experience in program design and community partnerships.

Associate Professor Lisa Olive is a Senior Clinical Psychologist, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, and Associate Professor at Deakin University. She leads the Child and Adult Lifestyle for Mental Health (CALM) Lab within the Lifespan Institute, researching lifestyle-based interventions, integrating physical activity, nutrition, sleep, and other health behaviours, for preventing and treating common mental disorders. She is passionate about building the evidence base for nature-based and lifestyle interventions that complement traditional mental health care for children and young people.

I am a Monitoring & Evaluation Officer at Waves for Change, where I use data to understand programme performance and impact on young people, collecting, managing, and analysing data, monitoring quality, and driving evidence-based improvement. I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Mental Health from the University of Cape Town and a Diploma in Sport Management from VUT, with interests in mental health, youth development, data, and sport.

Dr Roxy Davis is an eleven time South African surfing champion, founder of the Roxy Davis Foundation and head coach of the South African National para surf team. She holds a PhD examining the experiences of children with disabilities participating in a surf therapy programme in South Africa, and her research informs the Foundation's evidence based approach to ocean therapy and disability inclusion.

Rowan was fourteen, a quadruple amputee from Khayelitsha, when he joined a six week surf therapy programme having never surfed before. He began the programme believing "I can't do it." By its conclusion his goal had shifted to becoming a national and Paralympic champion. His case, published as a single case story in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living in January 2026, forms part of a twelve month longitudinal doctoral study in Cape Town, South Africa.

Nadi Gabriel Saddy is a filmmaker, creative producer, and founder of Surf Côte d'Ivoire, a nonprofit developing surf culture in Côte d'Ivoire through youth empowerment, ocean education, and coastal stewardship. His work explores surfing's intersection with identity, social impact, and environmental justice in underrepresented coastal communities. He is co-director of The Rising Dawn, the first Ivorian surf documentary, highlighting surfing as a tool for cultural pride, community resilience, and environmental awareness.

Satoko Tsuda, PhD, RN, PHN, is an Associate Professor at the College of Life and Health Sciences, Chubu University, Japan. Her research focuses on child and adolescent health, neurodevelopmental disabilities, trauma-informed care, and nature- and ocean-based therapeutic programs. She is also a board member of The SCC Surf Therapy Japan, committed to developing safe, inclusive, and evidence-informed surf therapy practices.

Yasuhiro Shibata is affiliated with Nami-nications and The SCC Surf Therapy Japan. He was a joint runner-up for the 2026 Aloha Award, recognizing his contribution to the surf therapy community.

Dr. Sammy Tirado is a clinical psychologist from Puerto Rico with a longstanding passion for the healing potential of the ocean. Having surfed for more than a decade, he has combined his professional expertise and personal experience to explore innovative approaches to mental health and well-being. Dr. Tirado volunteered with Surf4DEM and his doctoral dissertation examined psychological well-being among adults in Puerto Rico and compared their results with those of mental health professionals using the same assessment instrument.

Henry Yayir Espinoza Panta is the founder of Waves Lobitos, a community-based surf organization in Lobitos, Peru, using surfing to foster youth development, ocean connection, and social transformation. He has helped build safe spaces where young people relate to the ocean as a source of confidence and belonging rather than just work or risk. His work reflects a Latin American expression of regenerative surf rooted in place, community, and care for coastal ecosystems.

Marcelo Muñoz Álvarez is the founder and president of Surf Therapy Coquimbo in Chile and host of the 5th Latin American Regenerative Surf Congress, Rompientes Vivas. His work integrates surf therapy, Blue Mind principles, and ecosystem conservation, developing ocean-based wellbeing programs for children, families, and vulnerable communities that position the sea as a space for healing and collective hope.

Alli founded The OisF after surviving abuse and discovering, through a summer of surfing, that the ocean could heal in ways therapy couldn't. That personal experience became a mission: helping women and children impacted by abuse find belonging and healing through the sea. She builds partnerships and programs that expand ocean access for survivors, blending lived experience, community, and research to grow what we know about the ocean's power to heal.

Dancer on land, fish by sea. Casey Mauro is The OisF's Program Director, blending yoga therapy, neuroscience research, and a published background in women's health to create safe, supportive spaces for healing. A 2x bestselling author on sisterhood and ritual.

Brighde Dougherty is the original program leader and helped create year long programming and builds valuable connections in the community for The OisF.  She is a Somatic Coach, entrepreneur, and lifelong student of the mind-body connection. With a masters degree in Leadership and over two decades of credentialed experience in coaching, education, and somatic healing, she helps individuals and teams move from stress and disconnection into clarity, balance, and empowered flow.

Vicki Curran, LPC/LMHC, is a wife, mother of three, and Marriage and Family Therapist passionate about helping people heal and connect. As a board member for The Ocean Is Female, she supports its mission to raise awareness about abuse, empower survivors, and build community for women and girls — work that resonates deeply with her professional and personal values. Vicki believes in the organization's vision of helping survivors rediscover their voice, resilience, and strength through the restorative power of the ocean.

Jerry-Thomas Monaco, PT, PhD, DPT, OCS has more than 20 years experience in Orthopedic and Sport Medicine, as well as over 10 years of Surf Therapy experience with adults and pediatrics. Professor Monaco has been a healthcare educator for 15 years and is currently Assistant Professor in Interprofessional Health Science and Physical Therapy at Seton Hall University; he is a researcher in Rehabilitation and Sports Sciences with multiple peer reviewed publications.

Palma Vizzoni is a mother whose family has experienced transformative benefits from surf therapy over the past eight years. Drawing on her background in qualitative research, she documented her observations through journaling, revealing something profound happening in the ocean. Passionate about inclusive, nature-based activities that build health, community, and confidence, she is driven to build the evidence base that helps more families access surf therapy.

Jessica O’Hagen, PT, DPT, is a pediatric physical therapist who earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Columbia University. Her clinical background includes work in ALS, SMA (spinal muscular atrophy), and pediatric neuromuscular clinics. For the past several years, Jessica has volunteered as a water safety practitioner with surf therapy programs and is passionate about expanding access to evidence-informed surf therapy through research, education, and innovative programming.
Jessica is also the mother of four children and values bringing a practical, family-centered perspective to her clinical and research work.

Dr. Elizabeth Bishop has been on the ISTO board since 2022. Bishop serves as the Research Director for the ISTO community and support alignment of research and evaluation efforts across the global network. Bishop is an award-winning professor, author and executive based in the U.S. Find her online at @DrBishopDigital