The Mark Schulein Passion Project

Scott Muir is one of the most inspirational and positive people that I’ve been honored to meet. His story is both incredible and so so scary; and through it all he is one of the most upbeat, engaging, and happy people I've met. I got way more out of this interview than Scott has any idea. He thoroughly impacted me and I have very much taken his messages to heart. Scott is a proud husband and parent, a passionate lifelong surfer, an Air Force Academy graduate and D1 soccer player, an Air Force veteran, pilot, is someone that likes to...

Leanne Stanley is a highly respected, Canadian outrigger canoe paddler, coach, and ocean athlete whose impact spans decades in the paddling community. Known for her grit, discipline, and deep love for the water, Leanne has competed at the highest levels of racing, across numerous paddle craft, earning a reputation as both a fierce competitor and someone that can push through significant obstacles. Living, and racing, with Type 1 Diabetes is no small feat and it took many years for Leanne to get a proper diagnosis; which ultimately changed her world… for the better. However, as result of a major car crash, sh...

Nathan Visagie is on a mission to ride the biggest waves in the world; and he gave himself a pretty short window of time to get there… while documenting it all and sharing his path with the world. Nathan has created a large following of his quest with a super cool, vibrant and honest depiction of the road to doing something that 99.9% of humanity will never experience. Me included. Nathan is capturing the entirety of his pursuit; from concept through execution and all the highs and lows along the way. He shares the vision, the commitment to training and learning th...

Chuck Patterson may not be a household name but if you’re into extreme sports that happen in massive surf, big mountains, or howling wind, there’s a very good chance you know exactly who he is. And if you don’t know him… you want to. Chuck is also known for his huge smile and infectious positivity. He possesses the unmistakable energy of someone who’s not only incredibly accomplished, but genuinely stoked to be doing what he loves. He is an all-around rad human. There are very few people on the planet with Chuck’s level of extreme, multi-sport...

Lauren Kleiman is a dedicated public servant and community leader serving the residents of Newport Beach, CA in numerous community and civic roles. She is a member of the City Council and for 2026 she is serving as Mayor. No small feats. This is especially impressive considering that Lauren grew up on Long Island, New York and had no aspirations for “politics.” But she found herself wanting to be an engaged and active member of her community when she and her husband moved to Newport Beach over a decade ago. Today, she is as passionate and committed to her community as they...

Branch Lotspeich is co-founder and Director of the Rescue Tube Foundation, a non-profit based on Kauai, Hawaii, whose mission is to save lives. Is there a more important purpose for an organization? I don’t think so. If you’ve spent time on the Hawaiian islands, there is a good chance that you’ve seen, or been in close proximity to a Rescue Tube. Hopefully you’ve not needed to use one or be saved by one; but that’s what they are there for… and that’s exactly what they do. Hundreds of these “public access rescue devices” are strategically plac...

James Merrill is the Founder, CEO and the force behind Stoked Plastics and Opolis Optics; and he is an unapologetic optimist about our ability to fix the worldwide plastics problem. James has built these companies that don’t just talk about sustainability… they literally turn plastic waste into high-performance products. From discarded plastic water bottles to premium materials, his work sits at the intersection of sustainability, environmental impact, design, and innovative business. James’ background is not what you might think. He did not grow up in the outdoor, action sports or fashion industries but deep in international assistance work; in some o...

Cyril Derreumaux is truly one of a kind. There are only a handful of people in the history of the world that have done the things that he has. 

Cyril has paddled his kayak (named Valentine) across both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, solo and unsupported. 

He is the ONLY person in history to paddle both oceans in this way.

And for the record, the Pacific took him 91 days and the Atlantic, 71. 

Can you imagine? 

Before that he kayaked across, he rowed the Pacific with a crew of four guys...

Kaleigh Gilchrist is as cool and rad and impressive as they come. It’s not just that she is a three time Olympian, or that she has two Olympic water polo gold medals (in her sock drawer) or the NCAA championship ring, or the high school CIF win; or the multitude of other championship wins on the water polo world stage. What if I told you that she’s also a professional surfer with a ton more elite level accomplishments spanning her youth, collegiate and professional career? A two sport monster. Kaleigh has had incredible success based on her passion for...

Jay Larson and Lyndon Cabellon; aka L8Night with Choccy. These guys are surf industry pros going back decades, Huntington Beach icons, ripping surfers, funny guys and hosts of the wildly popular L8Night with Choccy podcast. With diverse backgrounds, these guys connected early in HB and have been friends ever since. Jay was a professional surfer on the world stage and part of the “Momentum Generation” palling around with some of the most accomplished surfers in history. You would have seen Jay featured in surf magazines and video parts in the most popular surf movies of that era. Lyndon and...

If you find yourself in harm’s way or in high risk situations in the ocean (or anywhere for that matter) you want Hoover and his friends running point on your safety. Hoover is a respected Water Safety and Risk Management Specialist, master instructor and all around waterman. His list of certifications and expertise related to water safety and first aid is off the charts. His experience in big wave surfing (the biggest of big,) offshore sailboat racing, distance paddling, etc. is extensive and sought after. Hoover has had a long and impressive career in water safety and today is on...

Joe Stapleton is the busiest person I know. At the time of this interview, Joe serves as the Mayor of Newport Beach, California and has passionately served this community for two decades. His view of public service is on point; and the genesis of it comes from an experience that changed his view of the world and of his own legacy. Since that time, Joe has held more positions in his city than I can on my hands and feet, and attends more civic events than I can comprehend. Every day he’s somewhere… or five places. At the same time...

Gaby Laurent’s story starts the way every story should start; with an awesome, loving and supportive family and a wonderful upbringing. She grew up with love and the push, the drive and the support to have a great life. And when she went off to college she met the love of her life on the first day. Graduation, graduate school, marriage, career, and then pregnancy… everything that she wanted. Then came the diagnosis that changed her life. AML. Acute Myeloid Leukemia. While pregnant. No one had ever gone through the aggressive AML treatment while pregnant. Ever. Gaby was a medi...

Whitney Erickson is a non-profit leader as Executive Director of Open Water; an organization dedicated to supporting members of our military and first responder communities. She is also a mermaid, a pirate, an educator, and a badass. She is also one of the coolest and most authentic people I know. And I've known Whitney for a very long time. She grew up in the waterman world of Orange County. Outrigger, surf, prone paddling, hula and boats; she has forever lived in and on the ocean and has not left it. Her story and her storytelling are rad; full of fun...

Kalani Vierra is what I consider modern “Hawaiian Royalty.” He looks and acts the part everyday and in every way. The list of what he does and how he does it is incredible. He is a renowned waterman in his personal and professional worlds and the lines between the two are very much blurred; this is who he is. And he is as cool, humble, dedicated, determined, authentic and as compelling a leader as they come. Professionally, Kalani is a 25+ year lifeguard, the Kauai Ocean Safety Bureau Chief, a renowned Hawaiian waterman, a personal watercraft risk management trainer, active member of t...

Kanesa Duncan-Seraphin is world class. She has an unmatched record of 8 wins in the Molokai to Oahu women’s prone paddling world championships and 1x Catalina Classic winner. She has paddled and raced the Molokai channel many times on many craft. Put Kanesa in the ocean and she’s home… both in sport and in her professional world where she has her PhD in marine biology; so she is actually Dr. Kanesa… but don’t call her that. =) She is host and producer of the award winning Voice of the Sea TV program which, through compelling storytelling and breathtaking visuals, highlights...

The island of Kauai continually breeds world class ocean athletes and Kristin Foster is at the top of the outrigger world. A multiple time outrigger World Champion, she has won the Molokai to Oahu solo one-man race twice, has been a part of the top women’s 9-man team for more than a decade, has won this same race in the two person relay event, and has a long, long list of paddling accomplishments in big water. Born and raised on Kauai, Kristen calls the North Shore her home; where she juggles work, family and training at the highest level. He...

Spencer Wadsworth and Stu Jeremias. Young guns, good buddies, and great watermen that have some impressive paddling accomplishments under their belts… including a recent World Record. No joke. Both of these guys grew up in and on the water; with full-on surf families. But the similarities in how they grew up in the water is super different. Spencer grew up at the Wedge and as a result, both he and his younger brother make charging heavy waves look easy. Stuey on the other hand grew up on the vintage side of surfing with his dad and uncle both fully immersed in...

Maddie Musselman Woepse has an incredible story; complete with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Through it all her passion, positivity, composure and resilience absolutely shines through. Truly amazing. Maddie’s path to becoming a three time Olympic athlete, a two time gold medalist, Olympic MVP and one of the most decorated athletes in women’s water polo. Her accomplishments are based on those very same traits… and she talks about her incredible journey. Maddie met her match in another “hard charger” in her husband Patrick Woepse. Patrick was a celebrated collegiate 2x NCAA water polo champ who went o...

Tim Burnham does a lot of things… and much of his life has been influenced by his decades of focusing his attention on one of the heaviest and most notorious waves on the planet. The Wedge. The Wedge is an iconic beast of a wave in Newport Beach, CA and when it’s big it is one of the heaviest, most dangerous… and most mesmerizing waves out there. Are there bigger waves? Yes. Are there more dangerous waves? Maybe. Is the Wedge capable of killing you? Absolutely. Tim is part of the Wedge Crew; a community of “characters” that has made their...

M.C. Sungaila is a passion driven, highly acclaimed and award winning litigator whose advocacy, leadership and service to others have made her a well-regarded pillar of her community. And, her passion to serve goes well beyond her legal skill and experience and manifests itself outside of her daily work, in many ways for the greater good. M.C. shares many traits, the work ethic and mindset of ultra high achievers typically seen by the best of the best; gold medal Olympians, world champions, and the like. But M.C.’s medium isn’t sport… it’s law. She shares the work...

Adam Cleary is 3rd generation Newport Beach, California and thus his kids are 4th gen. There are very few families that can claim this. His heritage goes back 100 years in Newport; which was VERY different at that time. Remote, small, nominally populated, agricultural and fishing focused. It was NOT what it is today. Adam’s family has a long history of passions for, and careers associated with, the ocean. A big sailing, boating and surfing family that has close ties with Hawaii going back decades; the family flame for the ocean and surfing has not lessened. Not whatsoever. This is al...

Gael Dutigny is… the most interesting man in the world. Raised in Paris to a father that was an arms dealer, a mother that always worked two jobs in the fitness world, and a grandfather that was a POW during WWII. If you listen closely you can hear the clear impact of his upbringing. He is incredibly well traveled and has lived in 5 countries and speaks three languages fluently. He also has three masters degrees and is contemplating his next one. Gael has been an accomplished journalist for decades and was embedded in Iraq and Afghanistan with the US Army du...

Joel Guy was raised on the North Shore of Kauai. Not only is this area stunning, with an incredibly rich history, but it also happens to produce some of the world’s best surf, and surfers. For these reasons and more, it has also become a major tourist destination. Joel tells the story of growing up there, becoming Andy Irons primary filmer, and traveling the world with Andy and a crew of world class surfers, during the peak of Andy’s competitive domination. Some of the other names include Bruce Irons, Dustin Barca, Roy Powers and more. Top of the top...

Dr. Tim Brown is a leading name, and an innovator, in the world of chiropractic sports medicine. With more than 40 years of experience working with and on some of the world’s most recognizable athletes, he has built an incredible reputation for his value on the sidelines, in-office and around the world. Tim is the go to for some of the biggest and most recognized athletes and brands out there. You know many of the names. Tim “coaches the coaches” and “mentors the mentors;” and has built an incredible reputation for his knowledge, skill, mastery and his approach to care for world...

Erin Tharp is an impressive young woman; and I found her to be cool, smart, well spoken and passionate about her pursuits. From USC undergrad to her masters at UC Irvine, and playing water polo at both universities; she is now pursuing her PHD in marine biology in Florida. Add in a NCAA championship win and becoming a yoga instructor on top of them all; she has accomplished a ton already, at only 24 years old. She is an admitted lover of education, the environment, and making a difference in our oceans. Her passion for coral reefs and shining a light...

Jimelle Carlson is amazing. She is the co-founder and leader of Foundations Cognitive Schools; a physical and online school and a methodology that is focused on helping students and families that are navigating learning challenges. What it provides and how it does so is unlike anything that is currently available in the public school system. Foundations approach is to transform the brain, establishing capabilities that did not exist and, thus, begin to instill newfound confidence, and a love of learning, in the students that attend this incredible school. It is having profound results and is being recognized for its impact. ...

Dan Levine is a long standing industry leader with an incredible backstory that brought him from the East Coast to the West as part of the strategic plan that he created… when he was 11. From his days at The Gap under the iconic Mickey Drexler to REI, Hurley, RVCA, Skullcandy, Stance and other iconic brands in the surf and outdoor markets; he now operates the premier lifeguard outfitter brand, Original Watermen. Dan’s passion for business, the ocean and for those that work in and on it, is crystal clear, and how he came to this point in his career (and...

Lauren Segal found her calling to help those impacted by social injustice, early on. Since a teen, her passion has been to help those in underserved and heavily impacted communities. I happen to have grown up with Lauren and have watched her along this path; always striving to make a difference on big and challenging issues impacting our world. Today she is the co-founder and Executive Director of GiveABeat.org; a non-profit dedicated to providing music education as a vital tool to end the cycle of mass incarceration in the US. That is a lofty goal. Give A Beat works...

Sara Schulting-Kranz is the epitome of the goal of Passion Project; to share stories of amazing people doing amazing things. Sara is that. After a life changing traumatic event a dozen years ago, she has made her way back to happiness and success, not through medication but by way of a lot of hard work, extensive learning; and through immersion in nature and adventure. And that too changed her world. Today, Sara is a best selling author, keynote speaker, wilderness guide, life and business coach, podcast host and so much more. Sara shares her life experience and how it has...

Danielle Judd is the founder and passionate force behind Farmhouse Friends - “The farm that grows purpose.” Their mission is very clear: “To Save the Lives of Animals to Restore Purpose and Hope to Humanity.” Danielle’s story and all she’s accomplished is so impressive but her path to creating Farmhouse Friends (formerly Farmhouse Rescue) is nothing short of harrowing. As a result of what she was going through, she made a pact with God… and the outcome is Farmhouse Friends. The beneficiaries are animals, and humans; the impact and the results are incredible. Danielle and her team, with the support of...

Yoki. Jeff Yokoyama. If you surf, have surfed over the last 45 years, or have ever worn any surf inspired clothing, you’re likely aware of Yoki. He’s a globally renowned designer, visionary brand builder, innovator, entrepreneur many times over, a forward thinker, a family man, a model, a master of the “California Cool” style, and one of the coolest, most stylish guys you’ll meet. All of which is why he was a central figure in Ground Zero of the global surf fashion craze that started in the early 80’s; and remains so today. Yoki has been instrumental in many iconic...

Jay Wild and his wife Anik are world class, accomplished, multisport athletes with a passion for adventure, the outdoors, coaching, and doing really good things. They have used their impressive skills to build an incredible “waterman” community far from, and far above, the ocean on beautiful Lake Tahoe. You may not think of Lake Tahoe as a “waterman” destination… but because of them, it absolutely is. However, it’s also way more than that. As accomplished and passionate coaches and members of the community, they have created a powerful resource to help kids, adults and those dealing with physical or mental obsta...

Jason Lavin is many things; a business founder and CEO, an entrepreneur (even though he refers to himself as a “risk mitigator,”) he is a mentor and coach, a podcast host and studio owner, an author, an acclaimed speaker, a sports aficionado, a non-profit leader, a dad and husband, and so much more. Meanwhile Jason is as humble as they come and he downplays all of these roles and accomplishments while redirecting the accolades to others. But you’ll quickly see that Jason is incredibly passionate about everything listed above and he has significant reach and meaningful impact. Jason is one of...

Molly Kassouf is rad. A proud mom of three, an accomplished ultramarathoner, and a community builder within the trail running world. If you run trails or trail races in Southern California and beyond there’s a good chance you know Molly, or have run in an event that she organized. For the last decade Molly has led her Wednesday Night Run Crew (WNRC) and the Whoos In El Morro (WIEM) trail races; and then shifted into the role of Race Director for the John Wayne Foundation Grit Series. Molly is a running community leader who always has a big smile an...

Kai Bartlett is a multiple time world champion outrigger paddler, an elite boat builder, master craftsman and an Adventrepreneur. Kai started paddling late by today’s measure and quickly found his way to the very top by way of hard work and passion resulting in numerous World Championship wins; on canoes that he designed and built under his brand, Kai Wa’a. In 2023 Kai was inducted into the Hawaiian Waterman Hall of Fame in recognition for his incredible achievements. Bigger than any challenge on the Kaiwi Channel, for the last three years Kai has been navigating his biggest battle… with Multip...

Danny Ching is about as impressive as they come. Humble, cool and approachable while being an absolute monster when it comes to training and racing. If you paddle just about any craft you know his name because he is a multiple time world champion in outrigger and in stand up paddling; and many, many more accomplishments at the highest levels. All while inspiring and coaching scores of people, young and old, to be their best. Some of his protégés are now competing alongside him, which was his goal all along. He has done all of this while building a...

Morgan Hoesterey is more comfortable in the water than on land and while she claims to be a “clumsy giraffe” on terrafirma, she’s a dolphin in the water; absolutely at home in the ocean and wildly accomplished. Whether it was her D1 collegiate swimming career, stand up paddling across all of the Hawaiian islands, racing the Molokai channel or teaching people the art of freediving and CO2 tolerance, Morgan pursues “Type 2 Fun” adventures and wants you to come along with her.

Terry Romine is a huge resource for people that beat up their bodies and break themselves down. Like me. As a well known sports chiropractor, Terry works with some of the top athletes and biggest sports brands in the world. While his practice is in Costa Mesa, CA he does extensive on-location work around the world with his athletes. He does this for events like the World Surf League and this thing called the Olympics.Terry is as cool and humble as they come and has made a huge impact on my life and the lives (and bodies) of many...

Bud Hohl and Billy Whitford have been part of the Outrigger Paddling world since the 60’s; and they haven’t stopped. Bud is a walking encyclopedia of paddling history, trivia, names, dates and details with a long history of making canoes, paddles and everything else in the sport. These two continue to provide leadership, support, race organization, humor and history. Today they are dedicated to gathering and preserving this history so it lives on. This interview is part of that mission.