About Us

Mobilization

The group organized over 600 volunteers and is growing for its most prominent campaigns.

Community Events

• Led “Read-Ins” at all HB Library Branches.
• ProtectHB citizens staffed informational ‘Did You Know?’ tabling across the city.
• Corner Campaign Crews with signs, dancing, and enthusiasm!
• Postcard writing events.
• Community fundraisers for elections!
• Supporting a variety of HB non-profits/charities—from Tee It Up for the Troops, to HB Waymaker Youth Shelter, to OC Huddle, and more!
• Building bridges and working closely with the underrepresented Oak View Community, with food banks, essentials drives, and community activities. 
• Conduct canvassing to educate neighbors on City Hall elections and activities. 
• Civics and bond-building marches, dinners, coffees, happy hours, picnics, screenings, and meet & greets! We are the CREATIVE and POSITIVE GROUP!

Fundraising

Unlike typical political groups, ProtectHB’s funding is largely resident-driven, with an average donation of around $100.

Monthly continuing donations are growing!

Grassroots Action

• Starting with over 40 Community Chats in homes to amplify dissent to Charter Amendments A, B, and C.
• Growing to campaigning to defeat Measure U and supporting our incumbent city council library champions in the 2024 election.
• WE DID IT! ProtectHB volunteers also collected more than 16,000 signatures—representing at least 10% of registered voters—to qualify Measure A and Measure B for the June 2025 special election, with a resounding victory!

Education

• Offer tours of the OC ROV-Orange County Registrar of Voters– to educate and validate our safe and secure local elections.
• Organizing workshops on: Public speaking, coaching, crafting letters to the editor, CPRA instructions and tips, messaging support, and budget savviness.  

Social Media Engagement

Facebook; Instagram; Blue Sky; TikTok; YouTube; Substack, Podcasts, Newsletters, etc… Come see us!

PROTECTHB HAS PEOPLE POWER!

Cathey Ryder, co-founder of ProtectHB, is a wife, mom, and nana who has been a homeowner and voter in Huntington Beach since 1985. She considers herself to be a supportive family member, lifelong learner, community volunteer, and avid reader.

She spent 37 years as an educator at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley. Her volunteer activities have included Sports Team Mom(multiple times) for her sons; Newland Elementary School PTA; VP Huntington Valley Little League; Perry Elementary School PTA President and Board Member; Volunteer/Teacher HB Art Center; Home Delivered Meals for HB Seniors; CalRTA Div 77 Co President; Board member Soroptimist HB; Common Ground Board; UCI Town and Gown President;40 years DKG California and have served at both the local and state level; Working Wardrobes Dress for Success; PEO Chapter TO Philanthropy Lead; Team Captain Everyone Counts; Schools on Wheels Volunteer/ Teacher; and tutor for Robyne’s Nest.

Pat Goodman is a 50-year resident of Huntington Beach and can’t imagine living anywhere else. She has deep, longstanding ties to the community and currently serves with the Historic Wintersburg Conservancy, Homeless United HB, Residents for Responsible Desalination, and the Greater HB Interfaith Council.

Along with Cathey Ryder, she helped launch ProtectHB after beginning to observe Huntington Beach City Council meetings on December 6, 2022. As the MAGA agenda unfolded, key city government checks and civic processes began to erode: Boards and Commissions were eliminated, campaign contribution limits were increased tenfold, and a secret multimillion-dollar settlement was reached with single-source contractor Pacific Air Show.

Deeply concerned, Pat worked with the PHB team to organize efforts to educate voters on local issues. She is proud of the June 10, 2025 Special Election that protected the Huntington Beach Library from censorship and privatization, and she is deeply disturbed that the current City Council has chosen to ignore the will of the voters. Elections matter and they have consequences. 

PROTECT HUNTINGTON BEACH is a group of grassroots Huntington Beach citizens working to protect the welcoming culture and sound financial future of their city. Protect Huntington Beach will work to educate citizens of potential changes in local government and actively campaign against these dangerous changes. The group coordinates donations through the Citizens for Good Governance, a CA Committee (FPPC #1454094).

Sign up for the ProtectHB Newsletter sent out every Sunday at 3 pm, chock-full of events, opportunities to get involved, volunteerism, local HB news, lawsuit updates, and chit-chat for all things HB!

ProtectHB uses SignUpGenius to gather leaders, movers, and shakers, and WE’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU ON OUR TEAM!