In his role as the Washington Policy Manager, Gus coordinates the Surfrider Foundation Washington Chapters role on statewide policy initiatives such as ocean protection, coastal resiliency and eliminating plastic pollution, distilling complex information into actionable pieces, and helping to elevate the collective voice of recreational users on coastal conservation issues. Gus resides in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of South Seattle, and has been a member of the Surfrider staff for over 10 years in the Pacific Northwest. Gus serves at the pleasure of the Governor as the ocean recreation representative on the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council, as well as the Marine Resources Advisory Council focusing on implementing solutions on ocean acidification. Additionally, he represents Surfrider on the Puget Sound Environmental Caucus as well as the Washington Environmental Priorities Coalition.