Staff

Caroline “Cea” Higgins

Coastal Trail Advisor

Cea Higgins served as the Executive Director of Coastwalk/ California Coastal Trail Association until 2020 and now serves as the organization’s Advocacy Coordinator. Her career includes serving as the Policy and Volunteer Coordinator for Sonoma Coast Surfrider Foundation, where she has coordinated beach clean-ups and conducted youth and community marine debris education programs for the last 20 years. Cea was also selected by NOAA to serve on the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council and chaired the Sediment Management Working Group working with governmental agencies and County planning departments to develop climate-smart adaptation policies to more effectively deal with coastal erosion and sea level rise. She is the coastal representative on the Sonoma County Water Coalition, which focuses on improving water quality. In addition, she is a founding member of the Bodega Bay Collaborative, which sponsors town halls, community forums, and provides a voice to unincorporated coastal areas. Cea also helped establish the Sonoma County Marine Protected Areas Collaborative, where she works with scientific institutions, environmental NGOs, and tribal governments to raise awareness of the value of marine protected areas amongst coastal residents and visitors.

Cea earned a BS in Education from the University of Virginia and a Masters in Science in Curriculum Design & Atypical Learning from the University of Wisconsin. To improve her ability to advocate for coastal preservation, she earned a Juris Doctorate with honors from Concord Law School. An avid surfer, hiker, and trained in marine mammal and sea bird rescue, Cea believes in giving back to the ocean and coast that she is blessed to enjoy and work to protect.

Email contact: [email protected]

Lindsey Pacela

Director of Communications and Administration

Lindsey is a passionate humanitarian and environmentalist, currently finishing her double major in journalism and psychology at the University of La Verne. From kindergarten to her senior year of high school, she was a Girl Scout who loved giving back through community service and environmental conservation projects. In college, she worked as an intern at the City of Chino’s HOPE Program, dedicated to stabilizing families in need. She has held leadership roles as the editor-in-chief for the La Verne Magazine and the news editor for the Campus Times newspaper. In addition, she has specialized in social media management and website development for other non-profit organizations.

In 2023, Lindsey went on a Coastwalk trip to write about the experience for the La Verne Magazine, but found herself falling in love with the organization. As of 2024, Lindsey now works as the Assistant Director of Communications and Administration for Coastwalk California. She manages the organization’s social media, helps with the newsletter and various administration needs. She plans on continuing to serve Coastwalk as she pursues her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Email contact: [email protected]

Phone Contact: (707) 829-6689, Ext. 2