USA Surfing Just Named a New Commissioner, And Kelly Slater Approves

Ask Todd Kline, and he’ll tell you that at the height of his professional surfing career, he was huge in Japan. But these days, having just been named USA Surfing’s Surf Athlete Commissioner, Kline’s focus is on the home front.

“I love surfing. Every discipline, every surfer, from our elite juniors, longboard, para surfers, and racers, deserves a system that protects, develops, and celebrates them,” Kline explained in a press release. “That’s what USA Surfing is doing, and I’m honored to be part of it. My number one goal is to make sure that I’m doing the best for our surfers and providing them a platform that gives them the best opportunity to reach their full potential. This is about strengthening the future of surfing and ensuring that Olympic momentum invests back into surfing for generations.”

Growing up surfing in Florida, Kline and 11-time world champ Kelly Slater spent their formative years sparring against each other at iconic spots like Steamer Lane. Kline eventually transitioned away from chasing points and took a marketing position running the team at Quiksilver, where he and Slater spent years traveling the globe and racking up titles. All these years later, and Slater’s a fan of Kline’s new role.

“Surfing was started as and has been run as a grassroots sport since its inception, with the people who make it their life overseeing its development and direction. It’s important to me and many others that big decisions are guided by those who have a lifetime of energy poured into it,” Slater shared in the same press release.

“Todd Kline is one of those people who came up through the amateur ranks on the East Coast, surfed professionally around the world and found his calling to live in California while commentating and adding value to see the sport’s evolution into the future. Whether it’s caddying and coaching, team help, surf specific conversations or just being a voice for professional and amateur events alike, Todd has done it all and is personally known to everyone involved. I’m stoked to hear he has joined USA Surfing as Commissioner, and excited to see where he leads from the front.”

According to USA Surfing, the commissioner's role will focus on being a “direct liaison between surfers, competition platforms, and USA Surfing leadership, ensuring athlete priorities guide the sport’s future.”

With his lifetime of competitive, industry, and event experience, Kline is uniquely qualified for this role. Among his responsibilities will be to help ensure that America’s Olympic surfing program stays in the hands of USA Surfing. In 2025, there was an unsuccessful bid made by US Ski and Snowboard to bring surfing under their control. Launching an effective public awareness campaign, USA Surfing is recognized by the International Surfing Association (ISA) as the official governing body for Olympic surfing in the United States.

“Outside interests may see surfing as a short-term commercial asset,” said Kline, “but USA Surfing sees surfing as a community, a responsibility, and a future worth protecting. We owe it to the surfers coming up now, and those still to come, to get this moment right.”

“USA Surfing is stronger, more accountable, and more performance-focused than ever,” USA Surfing CEO Becky Fleischauer added in the press release. “Together, we’ve built a platform that gives Olympic surfing a true home,  and ensures the benefits reach every level of the development pipeline.”

Kline settled into his new role over at the USA Surfing Prime event in Huntington Beach last weekend.