2026 Stories of Stoke: Executive Director Craig Jenkins
Our Executive Director, Craig Jenkins, was recently featured in SDVoyager magazine, where he shares his powerful 15-year journey with Urban Surf 4 Kids and the deep personal connection that fuels his commitment to the organization. Craig explains how his own experience in a similar youth program as a teenager gave him the role models, confidence, and sense of purpose that changed his life, inspiring him to dedicate his days—while working night shifts as a Marine Interdiction Agent with U.S. Customs and Border Protection—to leading our organization to support surf therapy, mentoring, life skills, and leadership programs for youth from foster, homeless, and other at-risk backgrounds.
In the feature, Craig reflects on the organization’s growth across San Diego County and the importance of keeping promises, no matter the challenges. He recounts a memorable story from years ago when the team refused to cancel a promised trip to Hawaii for youth who had completed our Dreaming of Aloha program, even when funding fell through—choosing instead to uphold our word and create a life-changing experience that reinforced his belief that an organization’s true strength lies in its integrity and the lasting transformations it creates.
Read his story at SDVoyager.com
