From ocean advocates to soft robotics founders, meet the people making waves across the Monterey Bay region in 2026.
The nominations are rolling in for the first-ever Santa Cruz Works Wavemaker Awards (but our 10th awards event!), and the early slate shows just how wide our region's impact runs. Formerly known as the Titans Awards, the event got its new name by community vote this fall, proposed by former Titan Aviv Elor. A Wavemaker is someone who starts something and creates ripples far beyond their own work.
The Wavemaker Awards honor people who made a meaningful impact in business, education, innovation, science and technology in Santa Cruz, Monterey or San Benito County during 2026. The Santa Cruz Works Board will select up to 10 Wavemakers from the list of nominees to be celebrated on January 20, 2027 at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center.
Here are the nominees so far, in the words of the people who nominated them.
The Current List of Nominees
Technology and Science
Maryam Tebyani, Co-Founder and CEO, Stork Labs Medical
A UC Santa Cruz spinout, Stork Labs applies soft robotics to a maternal health problem: about 1 million U.S. births end in C-section each year, while assisted vaginal delivery has fallen from 9% to 3% of births. Maryam's team is building a flexible, sensor-guided device shaped by more than 200 interviews with physicians, mothers, midwives and doulas. In one week this spring, Stork Labs won three competitions totaling $85K, a run Santa Cruz Works covered. It then joined FourthWave's 2026 accelerator and Innovate Bay's second cohort, bringing non-dilutive funding to $160K. Maryam was also issued U.S. Patent 12,691,574 this year. Nominator Aviv Elor notes she credits the student volunteers who help build Stork Labs and is a visible role model for women in engineering.
Business
Robert Hymes, Chief Development Officer, Mynt Systems
Rob led two Mynt EV charging projects that were funded through Santa Cruz-based Climatize, including the Windmill Market EV hub. With more than 15 years in renewable energy, nominator Alba Forns says he "finds solutions where others see obstacles" and brings generosity and enthusiasm to every collaboration.
Education
Dr. Manel Camps, Director, Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development, UC Santa Cruz
Manel believes entrepreneurship should be accessible to every student, regardless of major. He was instrumental in launching UCSC's interdisciplinary Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2025, and by early 2026 more than 2,000 students had taken courses that count toward it. Under his leadership, CIED has grown student startups, venture competitions and mentorship that connect the campus with regional business leaders.
Clara E. Minor, Owner and Instructor, Minorsan Self-Defense and Fitness
Clara started her downtown Santa Cruz business more than 40 years ago. Her women-centered classes in self-defense, kickboxing, HIIT and strength training help people of all ages feel safer and stronger. She often offers free self-defense workshops for women, teens, seniors and the LGBTQ community. "It has been life changing," says nominator Leslie Cucuel, a student for over a decade.
Nonprofit
Molly Turner, Founder and Executive Director, Skills of Life Café
An occupational therapist with 25+ years at Dominican Hospital and Santa Cruz City Schools, Molly built a mobile café at Simpkins Swim Center that doubles as a 360-hour job training program for neurodivergent teens and young adults. In 2026, SOL graduated its second cohort, and nearly two-thirds of graduates have found jobs at employers like the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, NHS, Inc., Bargetto Winery and Pacific Cookie Company. SOL pays a graduate's wages for their first three shifts, removing the risk for employers. Santa Cruz Works profiled SOL Café, and it was named Nonprofit Business of the Year by the Capitola-Soquel Chamber.
Ginaia Kelly, Executive Director, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Fund
Hired in 2018 to lead the Monterey Bay Chapter of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Ginaia built a fundraising and advocacy operation from scratch. When the chapter split from the foundation in 2026, she built a new organization all over again. The Fund supports new exhibits at the Sanctuary Exploration Center, volunteer and education programs, whale disentanglement, and efforts to protect the sanctuary from offshore drilling and seabed mining.
Katie Thompson, Executive Director, Save Our Shores
Since joining in August 2024, Katie has kept beach cleanups going while re-orienting the organization to fight renewed offshore oil threats and the emerging risk of seabed mining. She is leading the effort to strengthen the "Blue Wall" of 27 local communities with onshore facility restrictions, including leadership of the Santa Cruz County Measure D campaign.
Angela Chambers, Associate Director, Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center
A dance educator and activist, Angela keeps access, equity and excellence at the center of TWDCC's mission, with a special focus on Black and Brown youth. She also directs the award-winning Santa Cruz County Black Health Initiative's Youth Ambassadors Program, which supports BIPOC youth through mental health advocacy, mentorship and leadership development.
Dennis Bartok, Executive Director, The 418 Project
New to the area, Dennis has brought fresh energy and LA-honed programming to a beloved Santa Cruz creative space. After The 418 Project lost its original address, nominator Sheena Cuccia says it felt like it had faded away. Under Dennis, it is once again a community creative hub full of events and new connections.
Community
Neil Pearlberg, Host, Off the Lip Radio Show When Sentinel budget cuts ended his job as the paper's surf writer, Neil built his own platform. Thirteen years and more than 1,100 episodes later, he says he has never missed a Tuesday night show. With co-host Terry Campion, he has hosted Congressman Jimmy Panetta, Guy Kawasaki, early-stage founders, small business owners, scientists and Santa Cruz Works' own Doug Erickson. His 1,000th episode was a calm, expert-led forum on the Moss Landing battery fire.
Shaun Logan, Artist, Illustrator and Graphic Designer
An Aptos native, Shaun spent a decade designing album art and merch for the Expendables and Rebelution before coming home in 2013. His Giant Dipper centennial mural at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is now one of the park's most-photographed spots. He also painted the Hidden Beach County Park mural and has served as California Roots Festival's poster artist for more than a decade. As nominator Cindi Busenhart puts it, "Santa Cruz is his canvas."
Know a Wavemaker? Nominate Them!
There is still time to add to this list. If you know someone in Santa Cruz, Monterey or San Benito County who started something in 2026 and created ripples beyond their own work, tell us about them.
Nominate a Wavemaker here by midnight on December 3. Everyone who submits a nominee is entered to win two VIP tickets to the Wavemaker Awards on January 20, 2027 at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center.
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