Hannah has been involved with the Surfrider DC Chapter since she moved to the city in 2022. Her goals for her term as Chapter Chair are to increase membership, build new partnerships and opportunities for direct community action, and help more locals understand our city as part of- not separate from- nature, by protecting all the trails, waterways, and parks this region has to offer.

As a born and raised Floridian, now somewhat lost to be living so far inland, Hannah loves all water! As she left home and traveled, with brief stints in Hawai’i, West Africa, and Central America, the beauty of these natural places inspired her to pursue a career in environmentalism. Hannah is a graduate student and consultant working on policy solutions for climate security, community resiliency, and equitable data access. She’d also like you to know that she is a horrible surfer, but a decent paddler and trail runner.

Jack Polentes (he/him)

Vice Chair

vicechair@dc.surfrider.org 

Jack is a lifelong ocean lover who grew up exploring the South Jersey shore. He loves all things saltwater including polar plunging, surfing, beach camping, and bobbing beyond the breakers at sunset. Professionally, Jack has worked across marine science, conservation, and federal policy. He previously served with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as a congressional affairs specialist covering coastal and marine issues. He has also worked on whale conservation, marine fisheries, and offshore wind policy at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Jack currently serves as Senior Policy & Government Relations Manager for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, where he advocates on Capitol Hill for access and conservation of our public lands, waters, & wildlife. 

As the Chapter’s Vice Chair, Jack wants to focus on building Chapter capacity, exploring new opportunities to collaborate with organizations, and getting folks in the ocean!

Anita Harrington (she/her)

Volunteer Coordinator

volunteercoordinator@dc.surfrider.org 

Anita is a passionate ocean enthusiast and the DC chapter’s Volunteer Coordinator (and unofficial surf trip planner). 

Her journey with Surfrider began during her college years, where she studied marine biology and served as Vice Chair of the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Surfrider Club, channeling her dedication into ocean and coastal conservation. After later earning her M.S. in marine science in Hawai’i, Anita continued her conservation career working as a marine biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Anita's commitment to safeguarding our seas led her to the Washington DC area, where she continues to make waves as an integral part of the Surfrider DC Chapter since 2021.

Caitlin Manley (she/her)

Communications Coordinator

socialmedia@dc.surfrider.org

Cait was raised in the seaside town of Oxnard, California. Her love for her hometown's coastline inspired her to begin volunteering with the Surfrider Foundation in 2013. Over the past 13 years, Cait has volunteered with the Ventura, O’ahu, Central Long Island, and Washington D.C. chapters of Surfrider, helping to remove trash from countless different coastlines and riverbeds. 

In addition to serving as the chapter’s Social Media and Communications Coordinator, she works as an endangered species recovery biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Through her professional and volunteer work, Cait is passionate about creating equitable solutions for the conservation and restoration of coastal and marine wildlife, habitats, and communities.

 

Grant Voirol (he/him)

Program Manager

ofr@dc.surfrider.org

Grant Voirol is the Ocean Friendly Program Manager for the DC Chapter. He was born and raised in inland Indiana but followed his love of the ocean to undergrad in Florida and graduate school in Delaware. Grant uses his background in marine animal behavior and oceanography for his day job expanding environmental monitoring and sustainable development in the U.S. Gulf. For DC Surfrider, he is working to implement sustainable business practices through the Ocean Friendly Restaurant Program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emily Herbut (she/her)

Cleanup Coordinator

cleanup@dc.surfrider.org

Emily is a native of Leesburg, Virginia and first discovered the Surfrider Foundation over 10 years ago when she spotted a Surfrider license plate. Though she didn’t grow up on the coast, she admired surfing from afar, drawn to the culture and relationship it reflects between people and the ocean. Emily attended Eckerd College in coastal St. Petersburg, Florida, where she served as Co-Director of the Environmental Responsibility Committee while studying Environmental Studies and Anthropology. After college, she traded the ocean for the mountains—first in Colorado as a backpacking guide, then in California working in outdoor education. 

After moving back to Virginia, Emily rediscovered Surfrider, attended her first cleanup, and now serves as the D.C. Chapter’s Cleanup Coordinator. She hopes everyone can experience the same joy in the outdoors that inspires her to steward the environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naz Ahmed (she/her)

Campaign Coordinator

campaigns@dc.surfrider.org

As the DC Chapter’s Campaign Coordinator, Naz is a program and partnerships leader with more than a decade of experience overseeing mission driven initiatives in environmental advocacy and outdoor recreation. She’s served on a board for an international non-profit, with operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, requiring access to extremely high mountains, and has also led grant-giving strategy for REI in the Sierra-Tahoe region and the Mid-Atlantic.

Naz currently oversees volunteer-led trail work events and philanthropy for Runners for Public Lands. As a trail runner who visits local trailheads multiple times a week, surfs on state and national beaches, and skis on national forest land, Naz is passionate about public land access and advocacy!

 

 

Scott Hanson

Treasurer

treasurer@dc.surfrider.org 

(he/him)