Monterey Chapter Leadership
Meet our Executive Committee and Leadership Team
Chair & Ocean Friendly Businesses Lead, Peter Adame
Peter's been volunteering with the Monterey Chapter since June 2021 where he's supported by coordinating monthly Blue Beers Mixers, managing digital communications, and relaunching our Ocean Friendly Restaurant program. He also represents the chapter on the Monterey County Plastic Pollution Coalition and the Planning Committee for Monterey Whalefest. Peter became the Chapter Chair for Monterey County at the start of 2024 and was highlighted as a Surfrider Foundation Featured Activist.
Outside of volunteering with Surfrider, Peter is the former outreach manager of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program and is now the Director of Sustainability at Lusamerica Foods and Monterey Bay Seafood. Pete's free time is filled with beach volleyball, surfing, tennis, co-ed softball, traveling, and volunteering with Shoreline Community Church.
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Public Outreach and Relations Coordinator, Jeff White
Jeff White is the former chair of the Surfrider Monterey Chapter and currently on the board as the public outreach and relations coordinator. He’s the General Manager and Program Director of KRML, a locally owned and operated radio station serving the Monterey Bay.
Events Coordinator, Christen Jones
Christen was born and raised in rural North Monterey County and brings more than 25 years of hospitality, restaurant, and event coordinating experience to our team. She serves as our chapter's Event Coordinator. Now volunteering as an Event Coordinator on the board for the Monterey Chapter of Surfrider Foundation Christen is also the Decor Manager for the Big Sur Fashion Show. When she is not volunteering in her free time Christen creates artwork and home decor made primarily of recycled and repurposed materials.
Vice Chair, Antony Tersol
Born and raised in Carmel, Tony has been connected to the ocean his entire life. He studied physics and biology at UC Santa Cruz, and his early career included roles with an abalone farm, California Fish & Game, and as a lab tech in the Physics Department at Monterey Peninsula College.
Tony went on to pursue graduate studies in Applied Physics at UCSD and Physical Oceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. His adventurous spirit later took him to Bali, where he co-founded a manufacturing and import company, Little Dogs of Bali. Returning to the Monterey Peninsula, he worked as a consultant in physics education and has been designing and engineering solar energy systems since 2001, including creating a solar training program for Rancho Cielo in Salinas.
An active member of Surfrider, Tony focuses on protecting public access to the ocean, environmental advocacy, and policy work. He has served on the Southern Monterey Bay Coastal Erosion Workgroup and is involved in desalination issues overseen by the CPUC. Most recently, he has been advocating against Monterey County’s proposed $25 million, 1,000-foot seawall at Carmel River State Beach.
Plastics Lead, Gen Millington
Gen has been on the Surfrider board a few years now. Starting out with Special Events, she is now the Plastics Lead and having fun finding ways to encourage environmental stewardship. Growing up on the Monterey Peninsula, the beaches and ocean have been a staple in her life. She has always been passionate about the environment, loves the outdoors, and is addicted to plants. She is a fitness instructor, and also runs a sustainable succulent business. When she is not teaching, working on her business, or volunteering, she is usually outside hiking, in her garden, or entertaining her 2 Australian Cattle dogs.
Volunteer Coordinator, Erika Delemarre
An avid scuba diver and kayaker, Erika has worked on marine conservation and environmental education initiatives in countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Palau, and Iceland. While working both on and under the ocean, Erika has helped people of all ages discover and explore their unique connection with the ocean. Building stewardship through education, Erika believes together we can work to empower individuals and communities to change their practices to reduce and reverse the damage that has been done to our global ocean. Erika holds a Master's in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego and Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Northern Arizona University. She currently works as the Climate Resiliency Program Manager and the lead underwater interpretive diver for California State Parks.
Blue Water Task Force Lead, Harry Parker
Harry Parker picked up a camera in college and never put it down. The camera opened doors unimaginable at the time of film. He began chasing his friends and adventures, shooting events, portraiture, weddings, and travel throughout college.
By the end of his college years, a skydiving and BASE jumping career began. Harry took his photography skills for a ride developing a professional skydiving and action sports photography business covering almost 30 years, reflecting the people, businesses, and lifestyle of the hidden scene of skydiving and BASE jumping.
"I found the ability to reflect the people, businesses, and lifestyle in a positive light people enjoyed and committed myself to develop a photojournalistic and brand photography style."
Harry traveled the world and quickly became a widely known skydiving and BASE jumping photographer and cinematographer, shooting large events, competitions, and commercial jobs as a photographer and talent. Harry worked with some of the biggest names in the skydiving filming business, including Tom Sanders of Aerial Focus and Craig O'Brien, widely known for his work on some of the biggest action movies.
Secretary, Margarett Gabrielson
Born and raised in the Bay Area and a proud Peninsula resident for the past 15 years, Margarett Gabrielson is a community-minded leader with a lifelong instinct to stand up for others. A mother of five and a former family-business owner of 11 years, Margarett brings resilience, empathy, and a deep sense of responsibility to everything she does.
Margarett discovered indoor cycling more than eight years ago and eventually became co-owner of Fuel Cycling. Teaching brought her back to a part of herself she thought she had lost — the same inner strength she first found as a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. Whether in the studio or in the community, she leads with heart, compassion, and a fierce protective spirit.
During the pandemic, Margarett helped her cycling community stay connected in a time of isolation, building a supportive network that grew from a handful of riders into a vibrant, tight-knit family. Her ability to unite people, celebrate collective success, and create inclusive spaces is at the core of her work.
As a member of Surfrider Monterey, Margarett brings that same passion for connection and advocacy to protecting our coast. She believes our beaches should be safe, accessible, and loved by everyone — and she’s committed to uplifting the community, defending public access, and inspiring others to care for the ocean we all share.
Treasure, Michelle Menczkowski
Michelle Menczkowski, known as Meeshy by her close friends, grew up in Carmel and Pacific Grove. She loves to spend time at the beach reading, having picnics, jumping off the pier, and swimming laps in the ocean sans wetsuit. She is currently this chapter's treasurer but has also worked as our event coordinator and secretary, marking this her 8th year with us. A longtime resident of the area, she teaches kindergarten in Pacific Grove at the elementary school that she and her mother both attended when they were little. Her grandparents and great grandparents also resided here. Thus, she has a long standing, deeply rooted love for this gorgeous coastal town. She recently had a full circle moment while volunteering for the SORAC team at the Monterey Bay Aquarium when a sea otter pup she helped rescue off the shore near Asilomar was finally released back into the wild after a year of rehabilitation. Her love for the ocean runs deep as does her desire to reduce her environmental impact.
Grants & Fundraising Coordinator, McKenzie Ploen
McKenzie is a graduate student studying Ocean Policy and Environmental Management at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey. She brings five years of experience in corporate supply chain management at Target, where she led multimillion-dollar logistics strategies and cross-functional initiatives. Now, she’s channeling her business background into ocean conservation, both as a Biodiversity & Sustainability Fellow with Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies and through her work with Surfrider Monterey County.
In her role with Surfrider, McKenzie is focused on securing funding through grant writing and strategic fundraising to help the chapter reach its goals and expand its impact. A certified scuba diver and ocean lover, she’s excited to dive into the waters of Monterey Bay and continue dedicating her life to protecting our ocean and coastal ecosystems.