Sam Bailey founded Eco Surf Volunteers in August of 2008.  In addition to running Eco Surf, Sam is also an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), a student-teacher at Corona del Mar High School, the girls' water polo coach at Corona del Mar High School, the head coach of CdM Aquatics, and is taking classes toward the completion of a Masters in Education.  Sam has been working with students and student-athletes at the high school and collegiate levels since 2002, and possesses invaluable experience in the hospitality industry working at a tropical island resort in Saipan.

Sam served as head coach to California State Champion Corona del Mar Girls' Water Polo team (summer 2011), and Assistant Coach of the Division I NCAA Championship UCLA Women's Water Polo team (2008).  He also served as Assistant Coach to the UCLA Men's Water Polo team (2007)  and NCAA Division I Runner-up Stanford University Men's Water Polo team (2005).

As a substitute teacher and water polo coach at Corona del Mar High School between 2002-2004, Sam led the Boy's Water Polo team to a 2nd place finish at the State Championship Tournament (fall of 2004) and was named CIF Division I Coach of the Year (2004).  He also served as Assistant Coach in back-to-back CIF Girl's Water Polo Championships (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 (2000), 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, and New Orleans, LA to Memphis, TN; 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, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography.