Erik Nelsen

Quiksilver and Roxy Surf Camps, Owner/Operator
Born in Laguna Beach, California, Erik Nelsen had his first surfing experience through a small family-run surf camp. The intimacy and expertise of this positive experience fueled Erik’s passion for the sport and inspired his life-long love of surfing. Erik has surfed around the world, including work as a lifeguard/surf guide on the world famous Tavarua Island surf camp in Fiji for over 15 years.

Erik’s passion for surfing motivated him to provide kids with a safe and positive way to learn the sport. At the age of 15 he started a surf camp as part of his father’s Ocean Adventure Program’s science camp.

From a one-man show Erik developed his surf camp over the last 25 years into a thriving business that now features 15 instructors and has taught over 5000 students how to surf safely and with confidence while learning valuable lessons about ocean awareness and ocean safety.

Erik’s passion and love for surfing flows into everything he does and everyone he meets. Come join Erik in one of his surf camps or private lesson’s and share the love of surfing.

Jeff Nelsen

Ocean Adventure Program, Operator and Founder
Introducing children to ocean science is Jeff Nelsen’s passion! He began his teaching career at University School in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Since then, Jeff has taught preschool children through community college students in camp settings, public schools and private schools on the East and West coasts.

Jeff created and directed the county Marine Science Laboratory program, the high school biology program for St. Marguerites School, the K-8 science curriculum at Thurston Middle School district and wrote the science curriculum for Harbor Day School.

He created and continues to direct the Ocean Adventure Program, a summer ocean science day camp for children 5 through 12 years of age over the past thirty years. My website is oceanadventureprograms.com

“Hi, Jeff here! My personal philosophy is to engage, nurture, and challenge students to discover, explore, think, and question and in the process mutually respect each other. Come join our scientific ocean
adventure!”

Taylor Lobdell

Quiksilver and Roxy Surf Camps, Manager
Taylor was born and raised in the ocean of Newport Beach. Not only was he a member of the NHHS state champion surf team, but he also has a degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he was also a part of the surf team.

His bachelor’s degree in sustainability shows in his daily lessons on safety, tide cycles, storm systems, and the environment. Along with important lessons, Taylor has been inventing and perfecting beach games over the last 8 summers. When not managing the surf camp, you can usually find him surfing the waves somewhere along the coast of Orange County.

Liz Rodgers

Senior Camp Director
Liz loves the ocean and teaching. An avid yogi, swimmer, and artist she grew up spending her summers in Corona del Mar enjoying the beach and tide pools of Big Corona and Crystal Cove.

Liz has a California Teaching Credential. Her teaching experience includes: Red Cross Lifeguard Training, CPR, First Aid, BCCC Swimming, City of Newport Beach Kids and Teen Yoga, Preschool Art, Harbor Day School Geography & History Teacher, and Ocean Adventure Science. Her educational philosophy is summed up in the statement “every piece counts.”

Liz has traveled extensively, studying cultures, history, and art around the world. Ocean and coastal environments she has explored include the Galapagos Islands, the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Costa Rica, Peru, the Sea of Cortez, Tanzania, Thailand, Cambodia, Bahamas, the Grenadines, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Alaska and the Amalfi Coast of Italy. She enjoys using firsthand experience when teaching to inspire and open students’ eyes to the global community.

Nikki Magliarditi

Camp Supervisor
Nikki is a native of Newport Beach. Currently a freshman at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from Harbor Day School in Corona del Mar, she began spending five weeks of her summer break as a recreation instructor for the Ocean Adventure Program. She continued devoting her time as an instructor for the program during the summers throughout all her years at Sage Hill School in Newport Coast. She excitedly plans to spend her sixth consecutive summer working at Ocean Adventure Program.