The San Francisco Shoreline Leadership Academy is a 15-week training program for high school juniors and seniors sponsored by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission and the Port of San Francisco. Participants will get to tour parts of the San Francisco shoreline and be trained by subject matter experts on a variety of topics including sea level rise, flooding, beneficial reuse of sediment, and economic development.
Each participant will receive a $1,800 stipend upon completion of the Academy (as well as food and travel stipends throughout) and will have a chance to apply for a summer internship with the Port of San Francisco. In addition to weekly virtual and in-person meetings and discussions, participants will be able to create and present a final project that combines their learning.
The Academy is an opportunity to meaningfully engage with issues related to the Bay environment and shoreline, and to practice how they can be change-makers in these spaces, individually and collaboratively.
About the Facilitators
Presenting Intro to Climate Change
Teron Marie McGrew is a climate at Teron Marie McGrew & Associates, LLC, and a passionate advocate for environmental justice. Her expertise lies in regenerative housing, community development, and urban planning, with a commitment to fostering equitable, Climate SMART communities. Teron focuses on empowering underserved populations through collaboration and innovative solutions that address climate challenges and promote systemic change. By leveraging her experience and passion, Teron aims to create resilient, sustainable communities that prioritize belonging and inclusivity.
Presenting Intro to Sea Level Rise
Dr. Kris May is the CEO and Principal of Pathways Climate Institute, a research-based firm that helps communities develop adaptation strategies and increase their climate resilience, with an emphasis on coastal environments, sea level rise, rising groundwater, and increasing extreme precipitation as the climate continues to warm. Kris firmly believes that adapting our shorelines requires consideration of the entire water cycle, while balancing nature-based solutions, protecting our built environments, and having honest discussions of community-driven relocation. Kris is currently a lead author for the Sixth National Climate Assessment and has previously supported the Fourth and Fifth National Climate Assessments.
Presenting Intro to the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan
Jaclyn Perrin-Martinez is the Senior Climate Adaptation Planning Manager at BCDC. She holds an undergraduate degree in Aquatic Biology from University of California, Santa Barbara and a master’s degree in marine biodiversity and conservation from University of California, San Diego. Jaclyn has over ten years of experience in environmental communication and co-authored Sauvons nos océans with world-renowned ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau. She is also a certified scuba dive master!
Danielle Flanagan is a Climate Adaptation Specialist at BCDC. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in environmental management from Yale University. Danielle has experience in environmental nonprofit work, focusing on sustainable land use and community engagement. A fifth generation Bay Area resident, she began her environmental work in high school, co-creating an award-winning climate change education program.
Presenting Communications Training
Justin Ebrahemi brings eight years of experience in nonprofit leadership, environmental policy research, and journalism to Greenbelt Alliance. As BCDC’s marketing & communications consultant, he develops strategic communications to engage stakeholders and leads digital marketing campaigns. Justin is passionate about diversifying environmental advocacy to protect Bay Area ecosystems for future generations.
Tallulah Shepard weaves digital storytelling, community engagement, and climate resilience to amplify environmental work. As a graphic and web designer with experience in community engagement, they specialize in transforming complex climate topics into vibrant, engaging content that resonates with diverse audiences. Their passion for climate action began during the 2019 climate strikes, driving their commitment to bold environmental communication.
Presenting at the Pier 96 Recology Site visit
Davon Ward started their waste industry career when they were 18. Davon spend 25 years working for the largest waste management company in the US. They have worked in various positions from material handling to environmental compliance and now in management. Davon Ward is currently the Sr. Operations Manager for the recycling facility.
Presenting SF Water Board – Water Quality Issues
Ross Steenson is an Assistant Executive Officer supporting and leading the Groundwater Protection and Toxics Cleanup Divisions at the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board where he has worked since 2008. His professional experience consists of over 35 years of regulatory and professional activities in the investigation and cleanup of contaminated sites. He has a BS in geology from William and Mary and a MS in geology from Miami University. He holds California licenses as a professional geologist and certified hydrogeologist.
Presenting the Southeast Shoreline Tour
Anthony Khalil is the inaugural Senior Community Engagement Specialist with the SF Estuary Institute helping to foster partnerships and supporting projects that address the needs of those who have been historically excluded and disproportionately affected by environmental inequity and the impacts of climate change.
Over the past two decades, Khalil has worked at community-based organizations Literacy for Environmental Justice and Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates alongside vital cross-sector stakeholders, supporting the transformation of southeast San Francisco and environmental justice communities throughout the estuary into more ecologically sustainable and equitable places.
Khalil has a dynamic and interdisciplinary background with extensive experience in environmental education, ecological restoration, and community-based participatory research. He earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental studies with a concentration in Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice from San Francisco State University. He currently serves as an Environmental Justice Advisor to the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. Khalil is an avid outdoorsman, angler and sports enthusiast, helping his family connect with nature locally and globally.
Presenting the Heron’s Head Park Shoreline Resilience Project
Erica Petersen is currently acting as head of the project management office for the Engineering Division of the Port and has been a project manager at the Port since 2018. She is a civil engineer and worked as a marine structural engineer at a consulting firm prior to coming to the Port. She has managed the bidding, construction and post-construction monitoring phases of the Heron’s Head Shoreline Resilience project.
Presenting the Mission Rock Tour
Paul Chasan is a Project Manager at the Port of San Francisco and has worked for the City of San Francisco for nearly 15 years. In his current role, Paul manages the implementation of public landscapes at the Port’s major development areas at Mission Rock and Pier 70.
Previously, Paul worked as a Senior Urban Designer with the San Francisco Planning Department, where his work involved facilitating streetscape design processes and public realm design coordination between City Agencies. Select previous projects include coordinating legislation that eliminated minimum off-street parking requirements in San Francisco and implementing large-scale tactical urbanism installations, authoring the San Francisco Parklet Manual, and drafting a public realm plan for the City’s South Downtown.
Presenting the Design and Construction of China Basin Park
Native to the Bay Area, John Rabago is an agile project manager and collaborator, specializing in planting design, technical documentation and construction. He is a registered Landscape Architect and ISA Certified Arborist who has built his expertise via more than 20 planning and constructed projects.
Hogan Edelberg specializes in public realm resiliency in the urban environment. Across a range of domestic and international projects, he finds impactful multidisciplinary solutions to complex challenges in all phases of design, planning, and community engagement. Hogan brings a deep understanding of the intersections between the built environment, climate resiliency, and the social benefits of urban spaces.
Photo by Karl Nielsen