about filipa
Filipa Leandro was born in Portugal and discovered her passion for surfing at a young age, becoming one of the country’s first female surfers. After competing in surf contests for ten years and earning a degree in Diplomacy, Filipa travelled to Hawaii, where she worked on her thesis for a Master’s in Human Ecology.
Filipa Leandro has been a surfer since her youth and has always been deeply passionate about nature. After earning a Master’s degree in Human Ecology, she married and had three children—who, by great fortune, also chose surfing as their sport of choice.
From the very beginning, she has been committed to helping her children grow—not just as athletes but as individuals—supporting them in achieving their goals while staying closely connected to nature, family values, and guiding principles that empower them to follow their dreams.
With a lifelong passion for writing, she saw an opportunity to create stories based on her family’s adventures. Her goal was to inspire other children to pursue their dreams, showcase the incredible world of surfing, and demonstrate how adventure sports can instil important values, cultural awareness, and respect for traditions.
This journey resulted in the creation of her book series, Come Surf with Pipa, Jaime, and Kika, a collection that creatively narrates her family’s story, her children’s adventures, and the values she has instilled in them throughout their lives.
To complement her Master’s, she obtained a certification in Education for Sustainable Development from the Earth Charter Institute. This, combined with her deep dedication to her children’s growth, led her to develop projects that encourage young individuals to become more conscious and active participants in their communities, in nature, and in environmental preservation as a whole.
Filipa’s Work & Projects
Through this work, she has had the opportunity to give presentations at both public and private schools, as well as within Portuguese communities, both in Portugal and abroad. She has conducted numerous presentations in the United States (San Diego, San Francisco, and Oahu) and Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra).
Her presentations focus on several key themes:
- Showcasing Portugal’s rich culture, traditions, and world-class waves.
- Raising awareness of environmental issues, particularly those affecting the oceans.
- Inspiring resilience, motivation, and discipline through sport as a pathway to achieving one’s dreams.
These presentations can be tailored in two ways:
- A dedicated focus on environmental issues and critical thinking.
- A combination of environmental awareness and critical thinking, integrated with the themes explored in her book series.
No matter the format, her goal is to inspire, educate, and empower individuals—encouraging them to dream big while fostering a greater connection to nature, sustainability, and personal growth.
Existing book titles are:
01 • Kika starts surfing!
02 • Kika in surfing school: the competitions and the Maldives… Jaime enters the scene!
03 • Jaime, the family’s mascote!
04 • The gigantic waves of Nazaré!
05 • At Peniche during the Surfing World Championship… Super Tubes!
06 • Cascais, Capital of Portuguese Surfing and it´s all down to King D. Luís and his Love of Swimming in the Sea!
07 • The Resano Sisters!
08 • Ericeira, World Surfing Reserve!
09 • Viana do Castelo, Nautical City of the Atlantic: “Those who like it come, those who love it stay!”
10 • The trip to the Hawaiian islands or the Sandwich islands!
The prefaces of the published books were written by prominent figures in the Portuguese surfing community, including João Aranha, President of the Portuguese Surfing Federation; Nuno Jonet, widely regarded as the “father” of Portuguese surfing; professional surfer Frederico Morais (known as “Kikas”); João Macedo, a renowned big wave surfer; Paulo Morais Ferreira, Director of the Peniche Surfing Club (PPSC); and Teresa Abraços, one of Portugal’s pioneering female surfers.
