October 21-22, Reedsport, OR
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association is thrilled to announce the next in our lineup of keynote speakers for the annual People’s Coast Summit, taking place from October 21-22 in Reedsport, OR.
Learn more and Register here!
Lunch Keynote: Beneath the Surface: Sharks, Science, and the Surprising Future of Coastal Tourism
Buckle up for a jawsome dive into one of the most thrilling and misunderstood stories of the Oregon Coast: sharks! This keynote is more than just bite-sized facts about fins in the water. It’s a deep dive into the powerful role sharks play in our coastal ecosystems and the creative opportunities they offer for tourism.
Join Dr. Sulikowski from Oregon State University’s Big Fish Lab as he takes us on a journey from Oregon’s surf to some of the most remote waters on Earth, where his team studies shark movement, reproduction, and the fragile habitats that sustain these keystone predators. You’ll hear the latest on Oregon Coast sharks, how science is shifting the narrative around these charismatic creatures, and why protecting sharks is good for the ocean and the climate.
But we’re not stopping there! We’ll also explore how these incredible animals can inspire new visitor experiences from “Sharktoberfest” shoulder season celebrations to science-based shark charters, helping tourism professionals tap into the thrill without the fear.
This keynote is packed with science, storytelling, and…sharks! Don’t miss your chance to see sharks in a whole new light and maybe leave with shark-fueled marketing ideas of your own.
Meet the Presenter
Dr. James Sulikowski
Dr. Sulikowski is the Director of Oregon State University’s Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station (COMES) and a Professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences (FWCS). Dr. Sulikowski has masters’ degrees in marine biology and physiology as well as a PhD in Zoology. His interdisciplinary research integrates aspects of physiology and ecology to provide an understanding of how humans and a changing environment effect the movements, and spatial/temporal distribution of sharks in both the coastal and pelagic environments.
Dr. Sulikowski’s 25 years of experience using a variety of techniques, including hormone analyses, electronic tracking, and ultrasound imaging, has resulted in over 120 peer reviewed publications and over 13 million dollars in external grant funding. His work has been featured on such media outlets as the BBC, Discovery Channel’s Shark week, Nat Geo Wild, The Today Show, as well as many other local, regional and national affiliates.
The People’s Coast Summit is a campus style event taking place across multiple venues in Reedsport. This year’s full agenda (coming soon) will feature a line up of speakers and workshops that will offer big-picture thinking and topics valuable to tourism stakeholders from all over the coast. Attendees can expect to takeaway valuable knowledge and resources around destination marketing, technology, sustainability, and more!
Get ready for the Oregon Coastal tourism event of the year.
Register here!
Sponsorship
Thank you to Cardwell Creative, Oregon Coast Today and Media America for their sponsorship of the 2025 People’s Coast Summit.
For partners who want to get even more involved, we are offering various sponsorship levels to suit your goals and budget, including exclusive benefits such as logo placement on event materials, complimentary summit registrations, and opportunities for direct engagement with attendees.
Sponsorship offers a great opportunity for you to gain brand visibility, engage in networking opportunities, be seen as an industry leader, and make a community impact.
View our sponsorship opportunities here, and contact Deputy Director Arica Sears for more information about becoming a sponsor of the 2025 People’s Coast Summit.
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association organizes this event to keep coastal businesses, leaders and nonprofits up to date on new trends, studies and topics for the tourism industry while providing plenty of casual networking and fun entertainment. Stay tuned for details on workshops, speakers, and more for this year’s Summit.