FACES OF THE FESTIVAL

Serge Dedina, Ph.D.

Conservationist & Co-founder, WILDCOAST

Serge Dedina, Ph.D., is a conservationist and co-founder of WILDCOAST, where he has led global efforts to protect coastal and marine ecosystems since 2000. With degrees from UC San Diego, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Texas at Austin, he has built a career focused on combining environmental protection with community engagement. His work includes creating marine protected areas, addressing climate change, and collaborating with governments and local communities. He has received numerous honors, including the Surf Industry Environmental Award, the San Diego Zoological Society Conservation Medal, the California Coastal Commission's "Coastal Hero" Award, and recognition as a UC San Diego John Muir Fellow and Peter Benchley "Hero of the Sea."

Kevin Anderson

Artist & Muralist

Kevin Anderson is a professional artist whose passion for drawing began in early childhood and grew into a lifelong career in fine art and illustration. He studied art at San Dieguito High School, Palomar College, and California State University, Long Beach, graduating in 1985 with a strong foundation in traditional and professional art practices. For more than 40 years, he has worked as a full-time artist creating large-scale murals and canvas paintings inspired by the California coastline, especially throughout San Diego County including Del Mar, Solana Beach, and Encinitas. His work has taken him across the United States and internationally, including projects in New York, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada, as well as major commissions in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace and Harrah's. He has completed private and public commissions for a wide range of clients, including high-profile residences in California and notable figures such as Eddie Van Halen and Merv Griffin, along with mural projects for the U.S. Navy in San Diego and Veterans Village San Diego, reflecting a career defined by both artistic craftsmanship and large-scale public impact.

Jim Lischer

Filmmaker & Lifeguard Videographer

Jim Lischer began filming in 1968 during the Vietnam War after purchasing his first 8mm movie camera, and by 1969 he was documenting surf culture while surfing the North Shore of Oahu. In 1972, he was hired as a Del Mar ocean lifeguard, beginning a 40-year career in public safety and coastal service. During his time with the City of Del Mar, he played a key role in organizing community surf contests and events involving the Del Mar Surf Club, the city, and the Del Mar Lifeguard Association. He also began filming lifeguard training sessions, a role he has continued for decades, and as of summer 2026 will mark his 54th year as a training videographer. Today, he continues to produce videography projects focused on the ocean, surfing, beach life, and private events through his ongoing work in coastal documentation and storytelling.

Todd Glaser

Photographer, Surfer & Waterman

Todd Glaser is a San Diego-born photographer, surfer and waterman. A SURFER staff photographer for over a decade, Glaser amassed over a dozen covers during his tenure at surfing's most exalted publication. His photographs have appeared in Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, Outside, Men's Health, GQ, and the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. Forever enamored by the dynamic power of the sea and the spirit of adventure, Glaser is endlessly and intrinsically driven to capture the world's best surfers, in the world's best waves, in the day's best light.

Peter Sprague

Musician, Composer & Producer

Peter Sprague is a Del Mar music legend, who started recording his own albums at the age of 20. He's been a guest artist on many albums and toured with Chick Corea, Hubert Laws, Rianne Reeves, David Benoit, Sergio Mendes and many others. He has taught music at the California Institute for the Arts, the Musicians Institute and the annual UCSD Jazz Camp in La Jolla. He has been the recipient of countless grants and awards, including Best Jazz Artist of the year by SDMA. He is also an author, having published eleven books on various musical topics. He has also created two video courses for the Open Music Network. He has a state-of-the-art recording studio where countless artists come to take advantage of his producing, playing and engineering talents. Peter and his brother Tripp are beloved by the Del Mar community for the Christmas Eve Concerts they have been giving since the 1980s. Peter and his group will be the featured musical artists at the Opening Night Reception of the Surf Del Mar Festival at the Del Mar Plaza.

Wade Koniakowsky

Fine Artist & Creative Director

Wade Koniakowsky is an acclaimed artist with an international following and a lifelong passion for art. Wade has spent the majority of his years devoting himself to art through outlets which combine philanthropy with his deep connection to Fine Art, the Ocean and Surfing. With a background in graphic design and advertising, Wade's creativity and talent has resulted in the successful development of revered national marketing campaigns for multiple Fortune 500 companies and brands including Billabong, Vans, Surfrider Foundation, Tommy Bahama, and Roxy, resulting in over 300 creative awards. "Wade Koniakowsky's focus is capturing Polynesian dreamscapes and the related emotional tie we have with far away lands. His vibe intersects with those same emotions — unspoiled, nirvana-esque landscapes, islander portraits, and ephemeral visions that make you want to sell it all and travel." — Jim Moriarty, past president of the Surfrider Foundation.

Chris Ahrens

Author, Columnist & Former Magazine Editor

Chris Ahrens is a local author, columnist and former editor of Longboarder and Risen Magazines. His two latest books, Windansea: Life. Death. Resurrection, and Good Things Love Water, are available at numerous bookstores and surf shops nationally.

Jeffrey Lehmann

Emmy-Winning Television Host & Producer

Jeffrey Lehmann is an Emmy Award-winning television host and producer best known for the PBS travel series Weekend Explorer, which he has hosted, written, and produced since 2001. The sustainable eco-travel series has earned multiple Emmy and Telly Awards, including the 2025 Telly Award for Culture & Lifestyle TV Series, and airs on PBS stations nationwide as well as international broadcasters. Lehmann is also developing Ocean Explorers, a series focused on inspiring stories of scientific and environmental leaders working to protect and restore the world's oceans. In addition to his television work, he serves on the board of the San Diego Underwater Film Exhibition and previously served on the board of the North American Travel Journalists Association from 2008 to 2023. Passionate about environmental conservation, Lehmann also advises and volunteers with multiple ocean-focused nonprofits and helps environmentally sensitive destinations around the world develop sustainable tourism initiatives.

Sarah O'Connor

Ocean Artist & Painter

Sarah O'Connor is a Del Mar ocean artist whose paintings are inspired by a lifetime spent surfing, diving, and walking the shoreline. With a BFA from the University of Notre Dame and over four decades of painting experience, she brings the physical, sensory experience of the coast onto canvas — capturing the energy, calm, and timeless freedom of the sea. Sarah paints both outdoors and in her ocean-view gallery studio in Del Mar, where her work celebrates the memories, movement, and healing presence of the ocean we all love.

Shaun Tomson

World Champion Surfer, Author & Speaker

Shaun Tomson is a world champion surfer, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker. A former World Surfing Champion, he has been named among the greatest surfers of all time. He is the author of Surfer's Code, The Code: The Power of "I Will," and The Surfer & the Sage. Through his speaking, writing, and Code Method, Tomson has inspired audiences around the world to live with courage, commitment and purpose.

Kevin Whilden

Green Business Entrepreneur & Geologist

Kevin is a green business entrepreneur and a geologist. His passion is solving the problem of climate change, and his career has spanned this field: scientific research in Antarctica, carbon offset policy and development, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and Clean Tech startups developing technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Kevin's underlying interest is in understanding how complex systems work and what is needed to create large scale change on a societal level. Seatrees and Sustainable Surf grew out of the recognition that the solution to climate change needs a fun and interesting "low-carbon lifestyle", which surfing can become. Kevin is also interested in all lifestyle solutions to climate change, such as biodiesel fuel, permaculture, and solar energy.

Kim Dwinell

Author, Surfer & Disney Animation Artist

Author Kim Dwinell is a lifelong surfer, former beach lifeguard and Disney animation artist. When not at her desk, she's in the ocean getting one more freckle.

Mac Hillenbrand

Marquetry Artist & Surfer

Mac Hillenbrand is the owner of the marquetry art business Amber Waves of Grain, he holds a C-33 painting contractor's licensing and lives, works and surfs in San Diego. Above all, he is working to be the first person to use marquetry wood veneering techniques specifically to explore the aesthetic organic parallels between wood grain characteristics and oceanic textures.

Jesse Miller

Watercolorist, Lifeguard & Surfer

Jesse Miller is a San Diego based watercolorist. He began pursuing art at Brigham Young University in Hawaii in the early 90s. He has been a lifeguard with the City of San Diego for more than 25 years, and this allows him to be near the ocean to continue to seek inspiration for his work. He has spent his life surfing and that plays a big role in what he sees, and what he wants to share with others.

Andrew Wright

Surf Artist & Painter

Andrew Wright’s passion for painting was born from two primary life experiences: surfing and cancer. His 50 years of surfing worldwide is the bedrock of his work as an artist. The second is his ongoing battle with Leukemia. While he was recovering in the hospital for 2 months, he started sketching waves in various settings. The images inspired visions, and he decided to paint them. His artwork is the direct result of thousands of hours of painting. His goal is to insert the viewer into pristine surfing locations as if they were there themselves. www.andopaintswaves.com.

T. Jefferson Parker

Edgar Award-Winning Author

T. Jefferson Parker is the author of 26 novels, including Silent Joe and California Girl, both of which won the Edgar Award for best mystery. His next novel, “A Thousand Steps,” is due out from Forge in January 2022. When not writing, Jeff likes to fish in Baja, hike in San Diego and settle in for the evening with a good book. He will be doing a presentation and book signing of his surfing-themed book “Desperation Reef” at the Surf Del Mar Surfwriters Book Fair.

Jim McConlogue

Fine Artist & Surf Painter

Jim McConlogue is an award-winning fine artist renowned for his captivating surf inspired oil paintings, created both outdoors in plein air and in his home studio in Encinitas, CA. His original works are highly coveted, and his Limited Edition Fine Art Giclée prints serve as an excellent introduction for new collectors. Jim's artwork is represented by The Corner Frame Shop & Leucadia Art Gallery – Leucadia, CA, Cassidy’s Interiors – Solana Beach, CA, Art in Framing – La Jolla, CA, Coastal Custom Framing & Art – Carlsbad, CA, Hansen Surfboards – Encinitas, CA, and Solterra Winery – Leucadia, CA, where you can find both his original oil paintings and Giclée prints and posters for sale. From time-to-time, Jim's artwork also adorns the light posts in the City of Del Mar through a series of 12 iconic Del Mar images commissioned by the Del Mar Village Association.

Michael J. Leyva

Artist & Visual Arts Educator

Michael is an award-winning visual arts educator and artist. He has been an integral part of the Grossmont Union High School District for over 30 years, as well as the Department Chair. With a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts and teaching credential from the California State University at Fullerton, he continues to create vibrant paintings that capture the rhythm, light and culture of the Southern California coast and ocean.

Michael has been involved in many art exhibitions throughout California and Arizona over the past few decades. Most recently, his artwork was featured in the Oceanside Museum of Art during an exhibit titled Surf Art: Exploring Southern California's Coastal Culture. He is also a contributing artist for Tiki Oasis, a large festival honoring tiki culture held over summer in both San Diego and Scottsdale. Michael also donates artwork for philanthropic organizations such as the UCSD Moores Cancer Center, specifically for The King Tide Challenge. He is a stage 4 cancer survivor himself.

Fred Benedetti

Guitarist, Educator & Composer

Fred Benedetti is an internationally acclaimed guitarist, educator, and composer whose career spans more than four decades. Beginning classical guitar studies at age 16, he later became one of only 12 guitarists worldwide selected to perform in one of the final masterclasses of legendary guitarist Andrés Segovia.

Fred has performed throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, and Mexico, and has appeared with organizations including the San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, and Old Globe Theatre. He has shared the stage with artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Dave Brubeck, Willie Nelson, and Art Garfunkel.

An emeritus professor of music at Grossmont College and longtime faculty member at San Diego State University, Fred has received numerous honors for excellence in teaching and performance, including recognition in “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.”

Equally respected in classical, jazz, world, and contemporary styles, Fred has recorded extensively as both a soloist and collaborator, contributing to more than 100 recordings, film soundtracks, and television projects. Fred was inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame in 2023.

Jeff Divine

Photographer & Author

Growing up in La Jolla, California Jeff Divine began taking pictures of his fellow surfers in his hometown and got to know and photograph the original alternative sport before the mainstream media blew it up into the commercial kingdom it has become. He is well known for his work capturing the culture and spirit of surfing from the 1970’s through the 2000’s. In 1971, his work took him to a Senior Staff Photographer position with Surfer Magazine. He lived on the North Shore of Oahu for 10 years until returning in 1981 to Dana Point, California to become Photo Editor for Surfer Magazine and The Surfer’s Journal for a span of 35 years. He has traveled extensively throughout the world to the best surfing locations. Divine has been recognized for his contribution to the sport and surf culture with his 2020 induction into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, California and The San Diego Surfing Hall of Fame in 2023.

Patrick Moser

Author & Surf Historian

Patrick Moser has written widely about surf history. His articles have appeared in The Surfer's Journal, Surfer magazine, The Inertia, and The Hawai`i Review of Books. His books on surfing include Surf and Rescue: George Freeth and the Birth of California Beach Culture, The Surfer's Code (with Shaun Tomson), and Pacific Passages: An Anthology of Surf Writing.