Sam Bailey founded Eco Surf Volunteers in August of 2008.  In addition to running Eco Surf, Sam is also an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), high school water polo coach, and is taking classes toward a California Teaching Credential and Masters in Education.  Sam has eight years experience working with students and student-athletes at the high school and collegiate levels, and possesses invaluable experience in the hospitality industry working at a tropical island resort in Saipan.

Sam served as an Assistant Coach of the 2008 Division I NCAA Championship UCLA Women's Water Polo Team.  He also served as Assistant Coach to the 2007 UCLA Men's Water Polo team and 2005 NCAA Div I Runner-up Stanford University Men's Water Polo team.

As a teacher and water polo coach at Corona del Mar High School in Orange County, Sam led the Boy's Water Polo team to a 2nd place finish at the State Championship Tournament in 2004 and was named CIF Div I Coach of the Year.  He also served as Assistant Coach in back-to-back CIF Girl's Water Polo Championships in 2004 & 2005.

Sam has a vast understanding of study abroad and cultural immersion programs from experiences working at Foreign Language/Cultural Immersion Summer Camps and participating in a study abroad program in Barcelona, Spain. 

Since graduating from UCLA, Sam has traveled extensively with and without a surfboard to more than 30 countries on four continents.  His adventures include bicycling from Seattle, WA to San Clemente, CA, surfing the coasts of Brazil, Peru, France, and Ecuador, and camping the beaches of Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, and Colombia. 

Sam is a native of San Clemente, CA and a graduate of UCLA, class of 2000, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography.