Our Ohana - Mauli Ola Foundation

My brother Charles and I are very proud to be founders and supporters of Mauli Ola. In 2007, we read a landmark article in the New England Journal of Medicine about the the healing nature of saline (salt water) to those with cystic fibrosis (CF). We have been working with CF at Ambry Genetics since 1999 and surfing our entire lives, so when we learned that people with CF get actual relief and treatment from being in the ocean surfing, we decided immediately to combine both our professional and personal passions and create MOF. It started in Southern California through word of mouth amongst our surfers and we were able to connect the world's best watermen and waterwomen to children in need. MOF has grown to include children and hospitals in Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic.

James Dunlop is the founder and President of Mauli Ola Foundation. He is also the President and Chief Commercial Officer at Ambry Genetics. He has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a concentration in western political theory. Mr. Dunlop was raised in Laguna Beach, where he lives today with his wife Nicole and children, George and Margaret.

- James Dunlop Co Founder and President

Alongside my brother, James, I am extremely proud to be one of the founders and supporters of Mauli Ola. As a lifelong surfer and physicist, both my brother and I had a simple idea of putting CF patients in touch with the ocean’s many beneficial properties. While operating on the ground floor of diagnostics for many years, we felt the need to help people through the ocean’s healing qualities. After working with these patients at Ambry Genetics and studying the relief and treatment surfing has had for those individuals, it only made sense to make both interests an essential focus in our lives. We merged our passions for helping people with genetic disorders with our love for the ocean and surfing into a foundation that does exactly that! Since our first Surf Experience day in 2007 at Newport Beach, California, it has been an incredible journey watching MOF grow and progress nationwide in addition to incorporating the world’s top watermen and waterwomen who share their passion with children in need.

- Charles Dunlop Co Founder

Administration

Kala Alexander Vice President

Kala Alexander became Vice President of the Mauli Ola Foundation in 2008. Kala also is a regional sales manager for Hawaii on behalf of Ambry Genetics. Kala was born on Oahu's North Shore and raised on Kauai, but has returned to Oahu. As a lifelong waterman and a professionally sponsored surfer by age 13, he has an affinity for big wave surfing. Kala's interests are his children, family and friends, martial arts, cooking and of course surfing.

Hans Hagen Executive Director

Over the past 20 years, Hans has excelled as a professional surfer, businessman, filmmaker, writer, producer and philanthropist. It's been four years since Hans joined Maul Ola Foundation and the Ambry team. He has developed events and partnerships, like Battle for the Breasts, North Shore Benefit Concert, WSL Partnership, Pro Ballers, MOF National Tour, Volcom Give Back Series and Stand Up For a Cure. His leadership is building a bright future of continued advocacy, expanding the MOF mission globally. He is the proud father of two loving kids and currently lives in Laguna Beach, CA.

Steve Swanson Special Events Director

Steve Swanson was born and raised in Westminster, CA, where he also attended high school. While growing up, he enjoyed all sports (tennis, basketball, golf, the ocean and snowboarding). Steve received a degree in Physiology and Chemistry from Long Beach State in 1997 and currently holds licensure as a clinical molecular genetics laboratory technician. He was a co-founder of Ambry Genetics in 1999 and currently works as Ambry's Vice President of Operations. He is married to Ismaela and currently lives in Laguna Niguel, CA.

Teddy Navarro Community Outreach Representative

Teddy was born in Whittier, California, but luckily for the Mauli Ola Foundation he made his way west. He began surfing at an older age of 16, and after a couple short years, he won the US Amateur Championship. As a pro, Teddy has traveled all over the world to compete, and has been featured in numerous surf videos. When he isn't on tour with Mauli Ola, he can be found shredding the Northside of Huntington Pier. If he's not there, he's body boarding the shore break with his daughter Emma and son Dax.

Jacqueline Talpash Community Relations Specialist

Jacqueline was born and raised in Orange County, CA. She began volunteering for philanthropic events at a young age and has close family ties to cystic fibrosis, which led her to work for the Mauli Ola Foundation. She attended University of Hawaii at Manoa, and ultimately graduated from Chapman University with a degree in Communication Studies and an emphasis in Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She enjoys reading, paddle boarding, playing ukulele, spending time with her friends and family, and anything involving the ocean.

Sunny Garcia Community Outreach Representative

Sunny Garcia was born on January 14, 1970. He grew up on the Westside of Oahu and after leaving school, he debuted his surfing career in the 1986 Gotcha Pro at Sandy Beach. He became the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 2000 World Championship Tour (WCT) World Champion, which became his top surfing achievement. Sunny also holds the record for the most World Qualifying Series event wins, and holds 6 Triple Crown of Surfing titles. Additionally, he is only the second professional surfer to win over $1 million in total prize money. Despite his 2005 retirement, he decided to continue competing. With all of his success in the surfing world, Sunny Garcia makes sure to find the time to volunteer and support events and travel across the country on our national tour.

Jason Magallenes Community Outreach Specialist

Jason's middle name, Ryan, was chosen because of the great Eddie Ryon Aikau, a famous Hawaiian surfer. Jason, also known as Mags, was born and raised on Oahu's notorious Wai'anae coast. He grew up surfing with other Mauli Ola ambassadors, such as Sunny Garcia. Mags didn't have to travel far if he ever broke a surfboard because his father, Cino, has been shaping him boards since the age of six. As an amateur, Mags won over 300 contests, and decided to turn pro straight out of high school. Mags traveled the globe for 15 years on the world surfing league's qualifying series. To him, pro surfing was fun, but very stressful. He transitioned over to helping kids with genetic disorders because it was much more gratifying and gave him a sense of pride to be able to help those in need. Mags has been working with children for over eight years and enjoys every minute of it. He is proud to work with the Mauli Ola Foundation, and proud to work alongside the best watermen on Earth.