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THANK YOU for the support of our Smart Coast California Virtual Policy Summit. We had nearly 150 attendees hear dynamic expert panelists address one of California’s most pressing challenges: adapting to a changing coastline. This online event explored what’s working, what’s not, and how California communities are preparing for the future in the face of sea level rise and evolving coastal risks.
Below are the presentations, recordings and bio's of the panels. |
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Surfline Coastal Intelligence (SCI): Resilience powered by computer vision - the next-generation tool
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Dane Lazarus, Policy Specialist, Sea Grant Program at University of Southern California
Ben Freeston and Austin Heimark, SCI co-founders Jayme Timberlake, Coastal Zone Administrator for the City of Oceanside Leslea Meyerhoff, AICP, Coastal Administrator for the City of San Clemente (Summit Environmental Group) Andy Hall, San Clemente City Manager Vertical Divider
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Discover how Surfline’s computer vision and camera-based system provides coastal municipalities with comprehensive data on the coastal zone: beach visitation metrics, shoreline measurements, run up & overtopping, bathymetry, surf quality and more. Clients can tap into existing cameras, or Surfline installs brand new, government-compliant cameras at your site of interest. SCI. SCI’s Custom Machine Learning and Scene Segmentation: Our model understands a wide variety of coastal features at the pixel level, including waves (whitewater, unbroken face, plunging lip, spray), beach, crowds, and objects. This allows for detailed data to be derived on any aspect of the surf zone environment better detection results in the ocean environment than a 'best in class' generic object detection model.
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The California Beach Resiliency Plan (CBRP)
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Ella McDougall, Climate Program Manager, Ocean Protection Council
Dr. Charles Lester, Director, Ocean and Coastal Policy Center, University of California Santa Barbara and members of his multidisciplinary team (Ceto Consulting, U.S.G.S., Point Blue Conservation Science, CSU Channel Island and Strategic Earth) Dr. Phillip King, PGK Economics, former San Francisco State Economics Professor Lilia Mourier, Research Assistant and Graduate Student | Bren School of Environmental Science & Management Vertical Divider
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Resilient Futures: Elevating Voices in Humboldt Bay’s Sea Level Rise Planning
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Cristin Kenyon, AICP, Director of Development Services at City of Eureka
Dr. Laurie Richmond, Cal Poly Humboldt Environmental Planning Professor, Cal Poly Humboldt Sea Level Rise Institute (HSLRI) Co-chair, California Sea Grant Alexandra Toyofuku, Climate Specialist, Blue Lake Rancheria Kristen Orth-Gordinier, Cal Poly Humboldt Sea Level Rise Institute Secretary and consultant with GHD
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Cristin Kenyon, AICP will open this session with a brief demographic overview of the Humboldt Bay region and introduce Dr. Laurie Richmond, Cal Poly Humboldt Environmental Planning Professor, Cal Poly Humboldt Sea Level Rise Institute (HSLRI) Co-chair, California Sea Grant, Kristen Orth-Gordinier, Cal Poly Humboldt Sea Level Rise Institute Secretary and consultant with GHD and Alexandra Toyofuku, Climate Specialist for Blue Lake Rancheria. The Blue Lake Rancheria is a federally recognized Native American Tribe in within the aboriginal territory of the Wiyot people; the Blue Lake Rancheria was founded in 1908 as a ‘refuge for homeless Indians.’ Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe has 100 acres of land in trust and thriving economic enterprises that support hundreds of local jobs, government operations and programs, economic diversification, resilience and sustainability efforts, environmental protection, and a wide array of social services. Our featured speakers will explore how multiple sectors (tribal government, local government, academia, private consultants, etc.) collaborate to elevate voices with inclusive and innovative methods to protect vulnerable communities now and into the future.
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Celebrating the Coastal Act: Legacy and Leadership
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Dr. Kate Huckelbridge, Executive Director, California Coastal Commission
Kelsey Ducklow, Statewide Coastal Resilience Coordinator Brittney Cozzolino, Coastal Resilience Manager
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Keynote Speaker – Kate Orff, RLA, FASLA, Founding Principal, SCAPE, Professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
Kate is redefining landscape architecture for a changing climate, designing resilient urban habitats that invite community and ecological stewardship. A MacArthur “genius” grant recipient (2017), she blends research, activism, and design to create spaces that inspire social connection and environmental resilience.
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Legal Pathways for Housing and Disaster Recovery in the Coastal Zone
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Beth Collins, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
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California’s coastal zone is at a pivotal moment, facing mounting pressures from climate-driven disasters, housing shortages, and evolving land use policies. This session will examine key recent regulatory changes, including new state laws designed to incentivize and streamline housing approvals in traditionally restrictive coastal areas. Participants will gain insight into how these laws intersect with the California Coastal Act and local permitting processes, and what they mean for long-term planning, equity, and environmental stewardship. The presentation will also address major challenges in rebuilding after natural disasters—such as the Los Angeles wildfires—and explore the tension between resilience, redevelopment, and regulatory compliance. Led by Beth, a Shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt, this session offers a timely and practical overview for policymakers seeking to balance housing needs with sustainable coastal management in an era of accelerating climate impacts.
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Coastal Quest: Accelerating Coastal Resilience
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Dr. Tegan Hoffmann, Board Member and Executive Director
Emma Koeze, SB 1 Program Director Emiko Innes, Coastal Planner, Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors Doug Krauss, Environmental Programs Manager, City of Hermosa Beach Sadie Waddington, Communications & Outreach Director Vertical Divider
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Join Coastal Quest as they share compelling case studies and emerging trends from their work across multiple coastal jurisdictions. Learn how their hands-on support, providing Technical Assistance for the Ocean Protection Council’s Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program is helping communities accelerate coastal resilience. Guest panelists include an expert coastal planner from Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors and the Environmental Programs Manager for the City of Hermosa Beach.
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Closing Presentation – Observations and Call to Action
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Dr. Laura Engeman, Senior Project Manager, GHD
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Drawing from her extensive experience in coastal resilience and policy innovation, Laura will reflect on key themes from the day and how adaptation is being pioneered in communities across California. She will share examples of innovative projects that are inspired by collaborative visioning, restoring natural landscapes, and a willingness to experiment with new design paradigms. Laura will wrap up the summit with ideas for how participants can collectively encourage more investments and advancements in coastal adaptation.
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