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Once you're a Surf Sister, you're always a Surf Sister!
Year after year, staff come back to be part of this amazing 'family'. They are inspiring, strong, independent, confident crew who do what they love and love what they do.
Check them out! Send them snailmail. Give them treats. It's the simple things that gets them excited.
Krissy (AKA Surf Momma)
The mother hen. Inspiration to all. Story teller extraordinaire. This girl has passion, drive and and dedication. She works hard and pours her heart and soul into supporting her staff, friends, family and the community. She's the best boss and friend you could ever ask for. Talk to anyone about Krissy and they'll light up and probably have a story or two to share. She knows how to have a good time! Krissy loves long boarding, short boarding and isn’t afraid to throw down on a boogie board if the conditions call for it!
Tiff
If you are looking for a good time, track down this beauty by following the echoes of her contagious laugh. This girl pours her heart into making sure anyone that walks through the doors at Surf Sister has a good experience and surf lesson. She cares so much about surfing, we are certain she wants you to enjoy it as much as she does. Tiffany inspires us all to be better surfers with her early morning surfs almost every dang day and her yoga practice that keeps her shreddin'. She is the queen of the big hugs and and if you need it she'll pet your head like a cat. We love Tiffany almost as much as she loves birds… Almost.
Kate O
Our Surf Sister shack mama! Kate has a contagious personality and if you are lucky enough to take a lesson from our Surf Shack location, you were probably greeted by her big smile, her epic tales from her extensive travels and of course - Salty Dog, our favourite furry shop mascot. Kate makes surfing fun, and she looks freaking cute and badass doing it. We hope you get to meet Kate one of these days, because Surf Sister wouldn’t be the same without her.
Alyssa
With a total of almost two decades of surf experience in Tofino, France, Mexico and El Salvador, Alyssa has learned all the “dos” and “don’ts” of catching and riding waves! Alyssa’s surf career began with a surf lesson at Surf Sister at age 15. Despite being from the prairies, she spent most of her summers on the island with her family, where she was grew an intense connection to the ocean. Alyssa has been teaching with us since 2017, and loves getting students of any age in the water. Her passion in meteorology and biomechanics has allowed her to have a deeper understanding of how the weather and ocean relate, how to isolate certain ways our bodies can move and appreciates the patience needed with any extreme sport. If you can’t find her in the water, Alyssa will likely be on the beach with her family, or resting up at home with snacks!
Jazz
Jazz loves big waves and little dogs. Hailing from Gibsons, BC, she’s lived in Tofino for several years and will be the one to convince you that the west coast is the best coast! She discovered surfing during a stint in Australia and knew she had to move to Tofino to pursue Canada’s cold water waves when she returned home. Now she gets to share her passion for surfing with her students, both in Tofino and abroad! When Jazz isn't out teaching advanced surf lessons or shredding her locally shaped Cox Bay fish, you can find her taking photos, walking her tiny dog or going on good ol’ outdoor adventures.
Liz
Liz has always been a water baby, spending her childhood swimming in rivers and lakes. While traveling, she got to know the ocean and became deeply curious about surfing. Liz took her first surf lesson in Byron Bay, then made Tofino her home break. Liz always wants to remember what is was like to be a beginner and how to simply have fun! For her, surfing is a lifelong journey where there is always something to learn and discover. She believes that no one is too old to start surfing (or anything) and loves it most because it’s like dancing on water. Liz is also a yoga instructor, plant based chef and volunteers with the SurfRider Foundation!
Jess
Surfing, craft beer, and dogs. Just a few of the things Jess loves. Originally hailing from Ontario, she made the move out west over 14 years ago to chase the snow. After completing the Adventure Guide program at Thompson Rivers University, Jess quickly realized that teaching people to surf is her true passion. She has since shifted her journey and moved away from the mountain life, so that she could plant herself in a wetsuit everyday. Living in Tofino and working at Surf Sisters has allowed Jess to grow and connect deeper with who she truly is. (She is also a surf nerd and teller of dad jokes, sometimes we call her Jeff). “The mountains helped me dream and the rivers led the way, so the ocean could steal my soul.”
Ava
Ava was raised on the West Coast of BC, a pluviophile through and through! She fell in love with Tofino and Surf Sister after taking her first surf lesson with us at the age of 12. Since joining the team in 2019, Ava has developed a deep love and appreciation for instructing and sharing her stoke for surfing. The most rewarding part of teaching for Ava is connecting folks to the power of the ocean and encouraging bodies to move in a new way. Ava spends most of her time with her dog, in the woods, on the beach, or in the water. A few of her other favourite things include oysters on the half shell, bowling, the Rolling Stones, travelling, tall trees, and great clothes. Be sure to say hi if you see her, she loves to make friends in the water!
Rachel
Rachel was born and raised on the island and feels very lucky to have had it as her playground. She has been in the water with us for a year while living the van life. She’s addicted to learning new skills, whether it be ripping on a new board, playing an instrument or making preserves from her yard. You might even catch her cruising on the MUP. If you can’t find her in a wetsuit with her surfboard, you’ll find her in a pair of overalls with her chickens. Tofino is where she fell in love with the culture and sport of surfing. We are so excited to have Rachel at Surf Sister this summer before she heads back to the mountains for her nursing program.
Ruby
Ruby is a local girl who was born and raised in Tofino. She grew up surfing the west coast and her other passions include photography and ultimate frisbee. Ruby loves being on the water and is quite knowledgeable about the local wildlife. She spends a lot of her time on boats, camping, hiking and adventuring around the coast. Although Ruby favours her longboard and surfing warm water peaks in Mexico, she doesn’t think winter in Tofino isn’t too bad either- she’s just stoked to be out in the water!
Jorynn
Jorynn loves everything Greek mythology, music or books. At any given time you can always find her with a book in her bag. She started surfing back in 2021 in Tofino alongside her older brother. This year, she got to surf in Mexico where she fell in love with the feeling of being on the waves underneath the hot sun. When Jorynn was little, she used to spend hours in the water: whether at pools, in the ocean, or in the lake. That love has never faded and being able to turn that into something more means the world to her!
Ella
As a Tofino local, Ella is grateful for growing up near the ocean. As a grom (young stoked surfer), Ella spends most of her free time surfing. When she is not out on the water, she spends her time hanging out with friends, exploring the coast, watching movies or TV shows, and enjoying her favourite music. As a new addition to Surf Sister, Ella is stoked to share her love of the water with other people. Oh, and did we mention she rips?!
Liv
Liv was born on the east coast but grew up in Ontario missing the ocean. After visiting Tofino (for one afternoon) on her first trip to BC in 2022, she began planning her move out west! Liv has lived in big cities like Toronto and Paris as an Aupair, but did a full 180 when she fell in love with small communities and surfing. It was then that she knew Tofino was where she wanted to be for a long, long time. Liv loves longboarding and the health benefits the ocean and surfing has brought to her! When she’s not teaching, Liv spends her time reselling vintage clothing, sewing, creating art, and researching herbs- but mostly, cuddling her cat.
Katie
Katie grew up an east coast girl but is slowly being converted to the “west coast, best coast” mentality. During her university years in Halifax, she dedicated her studies to ocean conservation which is what initially drew her to surfing and to Tofino. Being on the water with Katie, you can count on big smiles, laughs and nerding out about ocean fun facts including seaweed and bird ID-ing (so fun!). When not out for a paddle, Katie can be found creating fiber arts, hiking, and trying to perfect the ultimate vanilla oat cortado.
Carson
This They/Them indentifying Gemini has a passion for adventure and recently traded in a stressful career for the freedom of chasing waves. With 7 years of surf experience, Carson is thrilled to be guiding you through the waves with Surf Sister. If you’ve had the pleasure of surfing with Carson, you’ll know that they love to incorporate their yoga teacher knowledge into their surf side instruction (hope you like cobra pose)! As a passionate nature advocate, Carson is always seeking new ways to connect with the world around them. When Carson’s not in the water, you can find them with their fur buddy Ke Tha chasing mountain adventures in their camperized ambulance.
Ashtyn
Ashtyn grew up in London, Ontario where she was surrounded by sports. She has always been obsessed with fitness and movement and studied a dual degree in Kinesiology and Nutrition. Asthyn is a certified personal trainer, wheelchair-fitness leader and gymnastics coach. Her surfing journey began with her first surf lesson in California and continued when she moved to New Zealand in 2020. After returning home, she did a backpacking trip across British Columbia and decided to move to to her favourite little town, Tofino! When Ashtyn’s not working for Surf Sister, she’s probably out for a surf herself, biking, running, reading or finding a way to escape to the mountains. If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that Ashtyns love for sharing sport and movement is here to stay… But this time it’ll be in her happy place- the water!
Eveline
Eveline grew up in Western Australia where she loved spending her days by the beach. She started surfing in 2021 and her favourite part of her day quickly became a morning surf followed by coffee with her mates. After spending three years as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, her love for travelling and exploring new places inspired her to move to BC. When she’s not surfing, Eveline’s likely engrossed in a book, hiking a new trail or thinking of a new recipe to cook.
Bea
Bea was born and raised near the ocean on the small island of Tasmania south of mainland Australia. She has spent her whole life in and around the ocean snorkelling, surfing, and boating to explore the incredible underwater landscape and beautiful coastline of Tasmania. Her dad instilled a love of surfing at a young age, and when she was 14 years old they built Bea’s first handmade surfboard together. Bea rides a variety of mid-length boards but her favourite by far remains that eight foot fish hybrid that she shaped with her dad. In love with the wild beaches and cold-water waves of Tofino, Bea will be calling the west coast and Surf Sister home for the summer. When not in the water or on the beach, she can still be found outside camping, hiking and mountain biking.
Marine
This is Marine, a very fitting name considering she loves the ocean! Marine is half french and half dutch, but grew up in Ghana where she started surfing as a teenager. She fell in love with the sport and has been lucky enough to explore the waves in the Canary Islands, Senegal, Portugal, France, Netherlands and Canada! With the French side of her family living in the Alps, she spends winters snowboarding in Europe and now Canada. Even better, she’s a certified surf AND snowboard instructor- living the best of both worlds! Marine is passionate about nature and is always up for some adrenaline. She’s also an aspiring filmmaker/artist who loves trying new things and learning from different cultures.
Erin
Originally from Ottawa, Erin spent the last two years living in Oregon completing a Master’s in Folklore and Public Culture. She’s always had an affinity for the water, spending eight years lifeguarding at beaches, pools, and lakes and teaching swimming, sailing, and canoeing. Erin first started surfing in 2019 and fell in love with the sport, so she came to the island to follow the surf! This will be her second summer working as a surf instructor in Tofino. When Erin’s not out surfing for herself, she likes to play music, dance and in the winter she skis a lot. But for now, she's just excited to take you out in the waves!
Hannah
At the age of 17, Hannah packed her belongs in her red Toyota corolla and moved to the Byron Bay with two of her close friends. It didn’t take long for her to fall in love with life on the road, travelling and the laid back lifestyle of surf culture on the East Coast. Surfing has led Hannah to some amazing places, such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico and Canada! When she isn’t surfing for herself, or spending her days by the beach, you can find her behind a camera taking the perfect photo, or whipping up some short videos of the cool adventures she gets up to with friends.
Ted
Ted is a South African with a life-time of surfing experience. He is always surf stoked and ready to share his love for the ocean. He has surfed over a dozen countries, claimed the title of Polish Surfing Champion, and can bust out a mean worm dance on the sand. Inspired by the legendary Big Z from Surf’s Up, Ted’s happiest near water—whether he's swimming, diving, sailing, or riding anything from logs to boogie boards. His love for the ocean runs deep, and he's always on the hunt for the next epic wave and unforgettable adventure.
Issy
Originally from Muriwai Beach, on New Zealand's West Coast, Issy brings a wealth of surfing experience and a deep love for the ocean. Growing up in a family where surfing was a way of life, Issy was introduced to the waves by her Dad at an early age. The ocean quickly became her happy place, shaping her childhood and igniting a lifelong passion for surfing. Issy began her first job at a surf school as a teenager, whilst studying Fine Art at university. Her dual passions for art and surfing shaped her unique approach to instruction, blending creativity with technical skills. Driven by her love for adventure and new experiences, Issy moved to Canada with just a backpack. After spending the winter chasing the snow season and embracing life on the slopes, Issy felt a pull back to her true happy place —the seaside.