Meet the team

Mario Ordonez-Calderon is a Navy Veteran, Indigenous Mayan, and Surfer dedicated to creating opportunities for underserved communities to experience the ocean’s transformative power. Inspired by the ocean’s power as a catalyst for interconnection with self and nature, Mario wanted to create a way to pass along the opportunity to experience the ocean and its benefits to future generations. He believes the ocean is both a classroom and a teacher, inspiring youth to build a deeper connection with nature and themselves. Mario serves on the inaugural Environmental Justice Advisory Board (EJ Advisory Board) for the Ocean Protection Council, providing equity-focused insights to address the unique needs of coastal communities. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences from San Diego State University and is an International Surfing Association Level 1 Surf Coach with certifications in Surf Therapy for Trauma Recovery and Ocean Safety.

Kat Reynolds is a commercial and documentary photographer who’s impassioned by the concept of “relationship.” She is dedicated to shifting culture through storytelling and grassroots social and environmental work to help move people into a greater sense of awareness for our interdependence and the opportunity to give more than we take in order to collectively build a better tomorrow.

Yvette is a first generation latine queer woman. She is a community organizer, adventure seeker, and advocate for BIPoc. During her time at USD, she studied Spanish and Latin American Studies, where she discovered a passion for history, healing, and decolonization. Her journey gave her the opportunity to develop trauma-informed and community centered approaches to healing. She is a certified Community Resilience Model Teacher, and is an advocate for folx who have experienced trauma in their life. She is committed to creating safe spaces for BIPoc to heal, be empowered, and thrive towards an equitable world. Additional certs include Surf Therapy For Trauma Recovery Training Level 1.

Ramon Chairez grew up near the border in South San Diego after his family moved to San Ysidro from East Los Angeles when he was 14. With a deep commitment to supporting underrepresented communities, Ramon earned an M.A. in Education with an emphasis in Multicultural Counseling and Psychology from San Diego State University. Passionate about creating inclusive spaces for connection, dialogue, and growth, Ramon has dedicated his career to building genuine community through youth collaboration. As a former director of residential programs for teenage youth of color, Ramon co-developed transformative curricula and workshops focused on positive relationships, social-emotional intelligence, and restorative justice. He currently serves as a founding board member of SunCoast Market Cooperative, a food co-op based in Imperial Beach, CA. A lover of the ocean and the outdoors, Ramon is also an International Surfing Association Level 1 Surf Coach with certifications in Surf Therapy for Trauma Recovery and Ocean Safety.

Having attained a B.A in Business Administration from Cal State Fullerton, Randy works primarily with small business creatives and non-profit organizations, handling fiscal workflows and helping them understand their financial situations while allowing them to focus on their artistic and philanthropic vision.

Brennen Daniels is a bi-racial, multi-disciplinary artist compelled by curiosity, language, and the power of a good story. Constantly at the border of definitions and the boundaries of cultures, he seeks to use his art to bring people together in conversations about the beauty and paradox of living together as diverse individuals in an interconnected world. Brennen holds a Bachelor's in Media Communications and has worked with small non-profits to some of the most well-known brands creating compelling story-driven content. When he is not creating you can find him in the ocean, curled up with a good book, or around the table with his friends.

Alexis is a driven creative with over 6 years of experience in marketing, graphic design, & advocacy work. She is a designer skilled at building brand awareness through digital content creation and social media. As she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing at Arizona State University, she merged her passion for design with the business and marketing principles she acquired in school. She finds inspiration in the beauty of the world and the organizations she admires, and is dedicated to driving meaningful work and effecting positive change. You can catch the multifaceted Alexis always on the go; roller skating around San Diego with some jams playing, surfing glassy waves, or getting her hands dirty at the local garden.

Katia is an environmental educator and surfer. Proudly raised as a bilingual Chicana, Katia recently returned from Peace Corps Mexico where she led water and biodiversity conservation work alongside indigenous leaders and diverse stakeholders, and created and taught a hands-on climate curriculum for K-12 students. She has a Bachelors of Science in chemistry with an emphasis on science education from the University of California, Berkeley. Growing up in the SF Bay Area, Katia experienced the transformative power of mentorship and believes fostering a relationship with the ocean is the greatest gift she could share with youth. She hopes every young surfer can see themselves as an environmentalist because we have the responsibility to protect what we love! In her free time, Katia is exploring San Diego county on her surfskate, showing up to community environmental projects, and sharing a smile with strangers in the lineup.

Brooke is the Community Outreach Coordinator at Un Mar de Colores, where she draws from her experiences as a bi-racial woman raised in San Diego to help create inclusive and empowering spaces for youth. With a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara and nearly a decade of experience in youth development, she is passionate about fostering environments where young people can thrive. Rooted in her belief in the healing power of nature, Brooke's approach to youth development is built around a framework of creativity, mindfulness, and holistic practices. Whether through art workshops, guided yoga sessions, in the classroom, or through nature-based activities, she integrates these principles into every aspect of her work to promote personal empowerment, emotional well-being, and a deep sense of connection to self, community, and the Earth. Brooke's love for surfing and the ocean fuels her advocacy for greater inclusion in the surfing community. Through her role, she is committed to building lasting change by creating opportunities for growth, healing, and connection for underserved families and individuals.

Sophie is a dedicated volunteer who has been part of Un Mar since the summer of 2023. She joins our team with a diverse background in community building, surf programming, and holistic wellness. Sophie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Cultures and Politics from Michigan State University in 2019. She founded a youth surf initiative while living in Mexico, raising funds to provide surfboards, surf trips, and leadership development opportunities for local youth. Additionally, she facilitated the Women’s Outreach Mentorship Program (WOMP) with the Changing Tides Foundation, where she empowered teens through surf, environmental education, and creative arts. Currently, Sophie is pursuing a Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, deepening her commitment to wellness and healing. In her free time, you’ll find her boogie boarding with friends, taking long beach walks with her pup, Harley, and playing her guitar. As the Blue Spaces Lead at Un Mar, Sophie’s role is to ensure that families and youth feel safe, supported, and connected to the coastal environment.

Abhi is a dedicated therapist and Clinical Manager passionate about eco-therapy, neurodivergence, and community healing. As the Clinical Manager & Lead On-Site Therapist at Un Mar de Colores, he plays a key role in developing and overseeing the practicum program, supporting trainees, and facilitating mental health-focused outdoor experiences for youth. His work helps bridge the gap between traditional therapy, environmental education, and non-clinical mental health support, ensuring young people can build confidence, resilience, and a connection to nature. His journey into this work was shaped by a deep curiosity about human experience, emotional regulation, and liberation psychology, as well as his own lived experience of turning to nature as a healing source. Surfing, in particular, has been a powerful way to process difficult moments in life, offering a space to both regulate emotions and connect with something larger than oneself. He is committed to non-traditional, culturally relevant approaches to healing and believes that access to nature is a right, not a privilege. When he’s not working with Un Mar, you’ll find Abhi working with his one-on-one clients, conducting research, cooking for and with friends, surfing, camping and backpacking, and finding ways to bring more play into life.

Jacqueline R. Reynoso possesses 15 years of executive management experience in policy advocacy, program development, stakeholder engagement and regional planning efforts in San Diego. Prior to joining Cordoba Corporation, she served as President and CEO of the National City Chamber of Commerce for 12 years where she oversaw all organizational functions including budgeting and finance, operations, strategic planning, marketing and communications, contract negotiations, project delivery, public affairs, and business development. As our President, Jacqueline is passionate about expanding our program to serve Southern San Diego families.

Jorge McFarland, President of the Baja Surf Club and facilitator of the Scorpion Bay Open. An Ensenda Native, Jorge is a pioneer in Mexican surfing and has spent over five decades riding the Baja waves.As the surfing landscape evolved from a passion to a profession, Jorge's numerous victories and personal milestones have solidified his status as a true surfing icon. He looks to the future with the goal of promoting and advocating for the sport, especially among talented young surfers in Baja California.

Dr. Kovats is a postdoctoral scholar for the Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement at the University of California, Davis where she contributes to the assessment and evaluation of activities that connect the university to the broader community. Previously, Dr. Kovats Sánchez was the faculty scholar for San Diego State University’s Native Resource Center and Center for Intercultural Relations. Dr. Kovats Sánchez's body of work focuses on conceptualizing and problematizing the concept of Latinidad in higher education and recognizing the racial, cultural, and linguistic variability of Indigenous communities of Abya Yala living in the United States.