Steve Hawk: Surfing in Silicon Valley
Description
Surfer, editor, and novelist, Steve Hawk has successfully navigated between different worlds: riding waves around the globe and working in Silicon Valley. Come hear about his decades immersed in the amazing Coastside surf culture, his exposure to Big Tech leaders while serving as the editor of Stanford Business magazine, and how he connects the two in his upcoming novel, Nearshore. The thriller and murder mystery features characters based on real-life local personalities and explores both the beauty of life by the ocean and the darker undercurrents of Silicon Valley. Hawk’s talk will appeal to Coastsiders, surfers, writers, mystery fans, and anyone fascinated by how tech is impacting modern coastal life.
Steve Hawk is the editor of Stanford Business magazine and a senior editor on the marketing and communications content team at Stanford Graduate School of Business. He previously served as executive editor of Sierra, the magazine of the Sierra Club, as senior editor of Adventure Journal, and as editor of Surfer. Hawk has been at Stanford since 2016. In 2018, his article “Transforming Homes and Saving Lives” won gold for feature writing in the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards, and Stanford Business won gold for general interest magazines. He lives in Half Moon Bay, California, where he spends as much time as possible frolicking in the ocean.
Moderator Ren Agarwal is a Bay Area-based executive, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor with over 25 years of experience helping companies grow and find their footing in competitive markets. He serves as CEO of chipsy.io, an SF-based IT consultancy, and StoryAZ Studio, a marketing, podcasting, and analytics agency. Beyond his work, Ren is an active community member and proud member of the Ocean View Lodge.
6PM Pre-Talk:
Bill Murray from the Coastside State Parks Association (CSPA) will discuss the importance of providing funding for vital education and interpretation programs and projects that enrich visitors’ experiences.
Bill Murray currently serves as the Communications, Public Relations and Marketing Director for Half Moon Bay Golf Links. He has been the publisher of the Half Moon Bay Review, regional magazines and related websites for the San Mateo County Coastside. Bill led the Half Moon Bay Review to the California Newspaper Publisher's Association General Excellence Award for 3 consecutive years.