Estefania Holt

Estefania Holt is the founder, primary surf instructor and board member of Shaka Soul Surfers. She is a 27 year old special needs teacher. She has worked with special needs for 9 years now.

​She has worked at non profit special needs school, Super School, for 7 years. She has volunteered at Surfers for Autism and Special Olympics as a surf instructor!

​Estefania is the daughter of Carl Nichols, a Puerto Rican semi professional soul surfer. She grew up surfing and it runs in her blood. The reason she created this school was to give her special needs students and her loved ones the same opportunity she did growing up. Nothing compares to the calming therapy you get from being on a board.

Estefania is CPR and PCM (Professional Crisis Management) certified. She is also seizure and behaviorally trained. ​

Carl Nichols

​Carl Jose Nichols is the co-founder, primary surf instructor, board member, and food and equipment manager at Shaka Soul Surfers. He is natural soul surfer from Bayamón, Puerto Rico. He is a board member. He started surfing in 1969 at age 11. Carlitos fell in love with the longboard. He inspired many surfers to use longboard. In 1977, he moved to Hawaii to surf for 3 years. He has surfed almost all the spots in Puerto Rico such as Machuca, Tubes, Marias, Domes, Sheraton, LaPunta, La Ocho, Airplanes etc... 

​In 1987, he moved to Florida and has surfed the entire Florida coast from Diana Beach to Stuart Beach. He considers himself a soul surfer! He advises every surfer to stay in the water and continue surfing, to enjoy surfing that is not to compete with each other or have rivalries. He says that as long as there are waves and until he can keep surfing "forever."

He has been featured in the Puerto Rico SurfBoard Magazine:
https://surfboardmagazinepr.com/carlitos-nichols-leyenda-del-surfing-de-pr/

Kiera Martin

Kiera Martin is the co-founder, primary surf instructor, board member and special needs specialist of Shaka Soul Surfers.

Kiera is a board member. Kiera was a special needs teacher. 

She has worked with special needs for 8 years.

She previously worked at a non profit special need school with Estefania and Daniela. Kiera is CPR and lifeguard certified.

​She is also seizure and behaviorally trained.