Mandy Sackett, Policy Coordinator for Surfrider California, and Her Latest Big Win Before the CCC

October 4, 2020

Taking a trip out to the West Coast to talk with Surfrider!

On this episode, Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham talk to Mandy Sackett, the California Policy Coordinator for the Surfrider Foundation. As the California Policy Coordinator, Mandy advocates for the protection of all 1,100 miles of California’s coastline. This work includes tracking development applications at the California Coastal Commission (CCC) and participating in the state’s efforts to adapt to climate change and plan for sea level rise.  Mandy lead Surfrider's efforts to stop a bluff armoring project on the famous Strands Beach in Del Mar, California.  After marshaling beach advocates and local high school students -- who waited six hours to testify -- they WON.  Smart planning and adaptation are the key to ensuring California’s waves and beaches - and the recreational opportunities they provide - are able to survive in the coming decades.  It takes effective action in the public arena to win.  Check out one of the recent victories for the beach defenders with Mandy Sackett.  Only on ASPN!

Show Transcription
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Peter Ravella & Tyler Buckingham

Peter and Tyler joined forces in 2015 and from the first meeting began discussing a project that would become Coastal News Today and the American Shoreline Podcast Network. At the time, Peter and Tyler were coastal consultants for Pete’s firm, PAR Consulting, LLC. In that role, they worked with coastal communities in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina, engaged in grant writing, coastal project development, shoreline erosion and land use planning, permitting, and financial planning for communities undertaking big beach restoration projects. Between and among their consulting tasks, they kept talking and kept building the idea of CNT & ASPN. In almost every arena they worked, public engagement played a central role. They spent thousands of hours talking with coastal stakeholders, like business owners, hotel operators, condo managers, watermen, property owners, enviros, surfers, and fishermen. They dived deep into the value, meaning, and responsibility for the American shoreline, segment-by-segment. Common threads emerged, themes were revealed, differences uncovered. There was a big conversation going on along the American shoreline! But, no place to have it. That's where CNT and ASPN were born.