San Diego Rotary

Erik Greupner, CEO - San Diego Padres
2021-03-11 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
We are privileged to have scheduled new Padres CEO Erik Greupner to showcase the new and upcoming highlights for the 2021 season. He will discuss all of the exciting news related to the Padres and the 2021 roster.
Greupner was promoted to his current post of chief executive officer in February 2021. He oversees the Padres’ business operations and leads the growth and development of the Padres’ business and culture. 2021 marks his 11th season in San Diego after joining the club in December 2010.

Virtual Camp Enterprise Kickoff
2021-03-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
This year Camp Enterprise will be virtual and will welcome 50 high school juniors who will be participating in our 45th annual three-day program. This life-changing experience is one of our signature service projects and a staple of San Diego Rotary since 1976. The students will be online with us to watch our kickoff program so let’s show them our support!
Our featured guest speaker will be the CFO and Co-Founder of Pura Vida Bracelets, Paul Goodman. Paul is charged with ensuring the growth and financial success of the multimillion-dollar jewelry and lifestyle brand.
Immediately after graduating from SDSU, Paul and his best friend, Griffin Thall, teamed up with two Costa Rican artisans to launch the brand. Within a decade, the startup has become one of the biggest jewelry companies around, with millions of fans all across the globe.
Paul is not only dedicated to building a strong brand culture both internally and externally, but he’s also passionate about making an impact on the lives of other people. He helps provide full-time jobs to more than 850 artisans around the world, and the brand’s Charity Collection has raised more than $2M for charitable causes and organizations.
He is a member of global leadership organization YPO and has been featured on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list. Pura Vida is one of Inc.’s 5,000 Fastest-Growing Companies in America, and was named LA Business Journal’s Direct to Consumer Brand of the Year in 2019.

Dr. Tony Hunter, American Cancer Society Professor, Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, Renato Dulbecco Chair
2021-03-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
Tony Hunter, PhD, is a Salk scientist and American Cancer Society Professor.
Dr. Hunter made the seminal discovery, more than four decades ago, that the addition and subtraction of phosphate molecules to proteins on tyrosine, one of the 20 amino acids, allows cells to control when key proteins are on standby and when they are active. He went on to show that, in cancers, growth was switched to an always-on mode by the malfunctions of these phosphates. Since then, his lab has led the field in understanding how chemical additions to proteins control the cell cycle and growth. Dr. Hunter uses cutting-edge molecular, genetic and cell biology techniques to probe how these programs interact with each other, what effect they have on cells and how cancers disrupt them to encourage uninhibited growth. Already, cancer drugs—such as the leukemia therapy Gleevec™—have been designed based on Hunter’s discoveries. Gleevec turns off an enzyme that normally adds phosphates to tyrosines in proteins, thus preventing cancers from growing. As Hunter continues to discover other ways in which cells use chemical additions to proteins to control their growth, he aims to find potential therapeutic targets for cancers.
Dr. Hunter will talk about his major discovery that led to the drug, Gleevec and the research he is currently conducting through his NCI Outstanding Investigator Award, which supports accomplished leaders in cancer research.

District Governor Steve Weitzen
2021-04-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
It is our honor to have joining us Rotary 5340 District Governor, Steve Weitzen.
A native San Diegan, Steve is a resident of La Jolla with his wife, Ava. He has been a licensed attorney since 1987 and opened his law practice in 1990. Today, he is a solo practitioner in the area of civil litigation.
Steve has been a member of the Del Mar-Solana Beach Rotary Club since 2006 and served as President in 2013-14. He has been to El Salvador twice with the club to work on international projects in this poorest of Central American countries. He also serves at Stand Down as a counselor of homeless military veterans.
He was an Assistant Governor from 2015-18, and was the Chief Assistant Governor from 2019 -2020.
Steve will share with us his inspiring Rotary story: his reasons for joining Rotary and why he stays in Rotary. He will also catch us up on the District’s anti-human trafficking focus.

Nancy Worlie - KPBS Interim General Manager
2021-04-08 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
In February, we heard from retiring KPBS General Manager Tom Karlo about how KPBS evolved over his 47-year career.
On April 8, we are pleased to meet the new KPBS Interim General Manager, Nancy Worlie, who will discuss the steps the station took to meet the public’s need for information in 2020.
The forced and accelerated change in media habits during COVID-19 pandemic social distancing requirements will have a long-lasting impact on how media companies, like KPBS, produce and deliver content.
What’s next in 2021 and beyond for KPBS? Join us on April 8 to find out.

Dr. Constance Carroll, Chancellor - San Diego Community College District
2021-04-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
The California Community College Baccalaureate: A New Direction for Workforce Education
California’s baccalaureate community college pilot program was approved by the legislature in 2014. Following two statewide evaluations of the pilot program, additional legislation was passed to extend the deadline or “sunset” of the pilot. In the current legislative session, California Assemblyman Jose Medina has introduced a bill (AB 927) to make the current pilot programs permanent and to expand the opportunity for offering baccalaureate programs to all 116 California community colleges. San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance Carroll chairs the statewide advocacy effort and will report on the purpose and future direction of this new role for community colleges.

Leah Koontz, Vice President Controller of Southwest Airlines, and Michelle Brega, Senior Director for External Relations for the SD County Regional Airport Authority
2021-04-22 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
Guest speakers Leah Koontz, Vice President Controller of Southwest Airlines, and Michelle Brega, Senior Director for External Relations for the SD County Regional Airport Authority, will join us to talk about the challenges that both the airlines and the airport have experienced during this pandemic, to give us an update on national and international travel, and what the recovery looks like over the next few months. We will also get an update on the airport’s Terminal 1 project.

Annual District 5340 Four-Way Test Speech Contest
2021-04-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
Club 33 will be hosting this year’s Four Way Test Speech Contest District Finals on Thursday, April 29, in our new virtual world. Students throughout the County are competing in regional contests – learning to communicate effectively and building their public speaking skills, while collecting scholarship prize money along the way. Our event will feature the “Final Four,” and we encourage you all to please lock this date in on your calendar.
Club 33 is very proud to host these outstanding young leaders of tomorrow and hear their compelling stories. Our Club 33 Speech Coaches have dedicated hundreds of hours to making this a success in our new virtual world, now let’s celebrate the Finals together!

SDSU Mission Valley: Built for San Diego
2021-05-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
After purchasing the Mission Valley stadium site in August 2020, San Diego State University immediately began construction on SDSU Mission Valley and Aztec Stadium. As Aztec Stadium begins to rise, San Diego Stadium’s demolition will unlock the site’s development potential, which will include innovation space, housing, and a community River Park.
Gina Jacobs, Associate Vice President for Mission Valley Development and JD Wicker, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, will share an update on the university’s progress and planning.

Paul Baribault, President & CEO-San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
2021-05-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a unique organization in the conservation space- as they have two powerful front doors, the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park. But, many people don’t know everything that happens behind the scenes that makes them a premiere conservation organization.
We are excited to host Paul Baribault, President and CEO of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, who will give a glimpse into the important conservation work the organization does, as well as an inside look at their evolving approach to the future.
On October 1, 2019, Paul Baribault began his leadership role as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (formerly San Diego Zoo Global), a nonprofit organization and leader in wildlife conservation, health care, science and education. His team leads cutting edge conservation work across six continents, collaborating with hundreds of partners around the globe to save wildlife. And, they bring their work home to share with guests at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, inspiring the next generation of wildlife allies.
Previously, Baribault worked at The Walt Disney Studios as Vice President of Animation Marketing Operations and Strategy and General Manager of Disneynature. Baribault co-led theatrical film campaigns for Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, and The Muppets. He was instrumental in the creative development and leadership of the first 14 Disneynature films. And, it was here where he built an understanding of the challenges facing wildlife today. In his work with Disneynature, Baribault pioneered the connection of conservation projects to films, collaborating with leading nonprofits to plant millions of trees and protect millions of acres of land for wildlife worldwide.
Baribault has a long, committed history as a conservationist. He has served as vice chair of The Jane Goodall Institute, a member of the executive committee of Jackson Wild (a conservation summit and wildlife film festival), and executive chair of The Aspen Institute High Seas Initiative.

The 5G Revolution - How It Will Impact You
2021-05-20 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
5G (5th Generation) wireless connectivity and IoT (Internet of Things) is set to revolutionize the way businesses as well as consumers leverage technology. This week’s program will cover an overview of 5G & IoT and summarize the benefits to consumers as well as businesses. Michael Gordon IV, owner of MGIV Telecom and Technology and Joe Fizor, Solutions Engineer and 5G/IoT specialist, will be sharing their knowledge, experience, and some real life applications in play today! We hope you will join us for this very informative & innovative (or futuristic) program!
Michael Gordon IV, founder and President of MGIV Telecom and Technology, started his career in the Information Technology space in 2009 working with multiple organizations until he founded MGIV Inc in 2013. Since founding the company, Michael Gordon has quickly become a leader of the next generation in a niche industry referred to as “The Channel” or indirect sales channel for telecom and technology solutions. MGIV Incorporated partners with their clients and positions themselves as agents, brokers and consultants to assist their clients with identifying, implementing and supporting solutions such as remote workforce & mobility applications, internet services, network architecture & security, cloud phone systems, & team collaboration tools.

Joe Fizor has over 15 years of experience designing and consulting IT services throughout the Enterprise space. He now leads a team of Solution Engineers at TBI, that are vendor agnostic, and offer technical support to customers as they navigator the hundreds of vendors in the managed service and telecom space. He has extensive experience with network design and security solutions. Throughout his TBI career, Joe has strived to stay up to date on the latest trends from SD-WAN to SASE, and more recently the developments of 5G and IoT, with a look to the future and the importance of Edge Compute. TBI serves as a conduit for organizations like Michael Gordon’s at MGIV to leverage best of breed solutions from connectivity through to Cloud Infrastructure and Security.

Stacey Murphy- Cryptocurrencies: From Curiosity to Viable Investment
2021-05-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
Stacey Murphy is a self-employed, serial entrepreneur and new to Rotary this year. She is an advisor to several start-ups including Metabit Broker which helps companies and influencers onboard onto blockchain and the metaverse.
For better or worse, cryptocurrencies have gone from curiosity to viable investment, making them almost impossible to ignore. There’s still lots of unknowns with this emerging technology, including regulations. Stacey will share her crypto story that began in 2014 and why she remains excited about the possibilities despite all the ups and downs.

Matthew T. Hall - The State of Journalism Today
2021-06-03 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
These days, more and more people distrust journalism, and fewer and fewer journalists practice it. Join the national president of the Society of Professional Journalists and the head of The San Diego Union-Tribune Opinion section, Matthew T. Hall, for a lively conversation on what’s wrong with journalism. He’ll discuss why you should care, how you can help and what the Union-Tribune and outlets across the nation are doing to rebuild trust and reinvigorate an industry.
Matthew Hall is the editorial and opinion director at The San Diego Union-Tribune, where he has worked since 2001. He manages the Ideas and Opinion section, writing and editing editorials, and overseeing editorial cartoons, commentaries, letters to the editor, a daily podcast called “San Diego News Fix” and a weekly podcast called “Name Drop San Diego.”

Martha Gilmer - The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
2021-06-10 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
The Future is “Hear”!
The San Diego Symphony is pleased to unveil a long-awaited dream of theirs and the city, a premiere state-of-the-art outdoor waterfront performance venue for all of San Diego to enjoy. The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park will have its grand opening weekend on August 6th featuring their fabulous orchestra and music Director Rafael Payare,“Best of Broadway” on August 7th, and Gladys Knight with Naturally 7 on August 8th.
Martha Gilmer, CEO of the San Diego Symphony, will be joining us to talk about the Shell’s journey to fruition and all of the exciting events they have coming up.
Martha was named Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra in October 2014 and leads the institution in realizing all areas of its mission: expanding its programming, increasing its community engagement, heightening its artistic profile, and building its capacity to share transformative experiences.
For more information on The Rady Shell’s inaugural season, visit www.theshell.org.

San Diego Rotary's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative
2021-06-17 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
Laurie Coskey
Jordan Harrison
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) continues to be a top priority for Rotary. In this program, you will hear more about the steps San Diego Rotary is taking to keep DEI at the forefront of what we say, think, and do. Join the conversation, as President Chris will share the importance of rolling out this initiative, while co-chairs Jordan Harrison and Laurie Coskey will relay the work the DEI Committee has done thus far, the strategy plan for the upcoming years to come, and DEI from a Rotary perspective and lens.

Annual President's Roast!
2021-06-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
The Pandemic President’s Roast
It’s hard to believe that Chris Sichel’s reign over San Diego Rotary’s “ZOOMLAND” is about to end. We will honor all that he has done to help us do good in grand style. Join us for what will be a funny and fitting tribute to our President. You won’t want to miss it!

DARK - No meeting
2021-07-01 | CA
Enjoy your Fourth of July weekend!

Annual Change of Command Program
2021-07-08 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
The day has arrived! We are excited to bring back IN-PERSON meetings on July 8 for the start of a new Rotary year and our annual Change of Command program.
Please join us in welcoming our 2021-22 President, Phil Blair, our club’s 112th president. Our newest leader will be sworn in and then will share his vision for this exciting new year. We are looking forward to seeing you all in person again!
As a reminder, lunch is served from 11:45 am – 12:30 pm, and our Rotary meetings run from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm.
The Liberty Station Conference Center address is 2600 Laning Road, 92106.

Malte Niebelschuetz, Founder - Shore Buddies
2021-07-15 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
Shore Buddies are the world’s first stuffed animals made from recycled plastic bottles. The bottles are collected and sorted by recyclable collectors. At their factory, those bottles get cleaned and shredded into plastic flakes. Some of these flakes are used for the Shore Buddies’ stuffing, others get melted and turned into polyester yarn for the soft outside.
The Shore Buddies mission is to save marine life and keep plastics out of the oceans. $1 from every product sale is donated to non-profits that share their vision. Proceeds fund educational outreach campaigns to educate children about the dangers of Ocean Plastic Pollution, to save marine life and keep plastics out of the ocean. They thrive to make sustainability a second language from Day 1.
From San Diego to the world; Shore Buddies are sold in 10 countries, across 3 continents and has kept over 1,000,000 bottles from entering the environment.
Shore Buddies founder, Malte Niebelschuetz, will be joining us to tell us how he founded this company (which was by accident!), why these are more than just your typical stuffed animals and what impact they are trying to make on our plastic footprint.
Shore Buddies has been featured on Forbes and Kickstarter and was a 2021 Toy of the Year finalist.
You can visit their website here https://shore-buddies.com/

Tracy Sundlun - Inside the Olympics with a Track Geek
2021-07-22 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
With the Tokyo Olympics starting this month, hear from Club 33’s own Olympian, Tracy Sundlun, a Coach, Manager, and Team Leader in 6 summer Olympic Games from 1972 to 2016, as he shares some of his most poignant memories and observations from his unique vantage point from inside the Olympics in the Village and on the Track.
Tracy Sundlun is currently best known as the co-founder of the precedent-setting Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. But that is just one chapter of the life of this seasoned professional with over 40 years of involvement in virtually every facet of the sports of track and field, road racing, cross country running, and race walking. His experience includes everything from coaching, to sports administration, to event creation, planning, and production; officiating to athlete representation; sponsorship sales to charity fundraising; contract negotiation to television production; event marketing, to government relations, to budgeting and finance.
Tracy is a visionary who is not afraid “to take a chance on being great,” and who has been at the forefront of a number of the sports’ innovations and advances over the past 40+ years. His actions, events, and programs have always epitomized his core belief that the sport should impact all of society; be greater than the sum of its parts; is only as strong as its weakest link; and look to include as opposed to exclude, involving all constituencies and athletes of all ages and abilities.
Currently, Tracy is a self employed, athletics consultant. EVERYTHING RUNNING, INC. is an international boutique event consulting firm focused on ‘Anything and Everything Track & Field, Running, and Race Walking.’

Teresa Stivers, CEO - Walden Family Services
2021-07-29 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
Teresa Stivers, CEO
Teresa Stivers, CEO of Walden Family Services, a nationally recognized foster, adoption, and youth services agency, will discusses the importance of mentorship to children and youth in the child welfare system. Hear from two former foster youth and learn about their incredible journeys and the role their Walden mentors have made in their lives. Rajah Gainey, current Walden board member and former foster child, shares his moving story of his 26-year relationship with his Walden mentor.

Kathie Lembo, CEO - SBCS
2021-08-05 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
SBCS began in 1971 as a tiny drop-center for drug-abusing teens. Under Kathie Lembo’s leadership as President and CEO since 1982, it has grown into one of the largest social service and community development agencies in the County, and touches the lives of 50,000 people every year. They offer 50 different programs that provide supportive services to children, youth and families throughout San Diego.
Kathie led the SBCS team in taking immediate action to support San Diegans hardest hit by COVID-19: securing hotel rooms to temporarily house families and transition-age youth affected by the virus; collaborating with the City of Chula Vista on the innovative use of RVs to house the homeless; providing emergency food for over 10,000 families per month; and working closely with the Alpha Project on outreach in the South Region. Together with community partners, SBCS has also provided distance learning support and mental health and violence prevention services to thousands more since the start of the pandemic.
As written in the Union Tribune: “When San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and county Supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Nora Vargas announced in March that the convention center would, within a matter of days, temporarily house unaccompanied migrant children, the leaders turned to San Diego’s community of service providers to care for them. Without hesitation, SBCS, along with Casa Familiar, the YMCA, New Alternatives, MAAC, San Diego Youth Services, the San Diego County Office of Education and the Logan Heights Community Development Corp. were all on board.
Kathie will talk about the sheer logistics of the creation of this emergency intake shelter in the San Diego Convention Center, drawing on each of the participating organization’s areas of expertise and decades of experience in helping vulnerable children to thrive.

Paul Gothold - San Diego County Superintendent of Schools
2021-08-12 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
Dr. Paul Gothold was named San Diego County Superintendent of Schools in 2017, after four years leading Lynwood Unified School District where he championed systemic changes to improve student outcomes.
Gothold has more than 25 years in K-12 education with a focus on building school systems with equity at the core. He has a proven track record of supporting quality professional learning for teachers, backing innovative ideas, and putting students first.
While at Lynwood, the population was 96% students of color and more than 94% qualified for free- or reduced-lunch. Through his efforts, Lynwood went from failing and on the brink of receivership to one of only three in the nation – and one in California – to be selected as a 2017 College Board AP District of the Year. The award is for simultaneously raising the number of students taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes and improving passing rates on AP exams. The district graduation rate rose 23 percentage points since 2010-11 with a current rate of 93%.
Since beginning his career as a teacher for adjudicated youth in Los Angeles County, Gothold’s heart and passion have been in working to ensure every student regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or language has the opportunity to succeed in school and in life. He believes that starts with graduating high school with the option to attend a four-year college.
Dr. Gothold will be talking about the special challenges facing education in our community both during and after the pandemic.

Besty Brennan - President/CEO, Downtown San Diego Partnership
2021-08-19 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual Online Meeting Via Zoom
Join fellow Rotarian and the President & CEO of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, Betsy Brennan, as she walks us through some key projects already in construction in San Diego. Exciting projects like The Campus at Horton, IQHQ RaDD, and Radian will help Downtown San Diego step up to help meet the demand for nearly 3.8 million sq. ft. of life science space in our region and an increased need for tech and start up space as well.

While Torrey Pines, University City and North county markets may be at max capacity, the opportunities available in the live, work, play environment of our urban center are beginning an exciting next chapter. Learn more about the demand for these creative spaces and how Downtown is ready to welcome the opportunities.
As President and CEO, Betsy leads the Downtown San Diego Partnership, a member-based organization whose mission is to promote an economically prosperous
and culturally vibrant urban center.
The Partnership proudly serves more than 400 member businesses, representing thousands of residents, employees, and Downtown property owners. Betsy and her staff are also responsible for administering the Clean & Safe Program, a $9-million property and business improvement district of the City of San Diego, which offers enhanced maintenance and safety services throughout 275 blocks in the heart of Downtown San Diego.

John David Wicker, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics - SDSU
2021-09-02 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
John David (J.D.) Wicker was introduced as San Diego State University’s new Director of Intercollegiate Athletics on Oct. 24, 2016.
Wicker was SDSU’s Deputy Athletic Director from 2011 until leaving for Georgia Tech in July 2015. During his first term at SDSU, he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Aztecs athletics department, overseeing business operations, human resources, events and facilities, capital projects, strength and conditioning, academics, video and sport oversight for football, rowing, and men’s and women’s basketball.
Wicker took over an athletic department that has enjoyed great success in recent years. The football team was eligible for an 11th straight bowl game last season and the men’s basketball returned to the NCAA tournament. In all SDSU athletic teams have won 52 conference championships since the 2012-13 academic year. Over the past 3 semesters, student athletes have posted the highest GPA’s in the history of the department while navigating the challenges of a global pandemic.
He will provide us with some highlights of the SDSU football and basketball programs and preview how they are looking as they enter this next season. He will also give us an update on Aztec Stadium construction, sales, and partnerships for the 35,000 capacity multi-use stadium being constructed at SDSU Mission Valley.

Ted Leitner - Sports Anchor and Commentator
2021-09-09 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
Controversial, outrageous and hilarious, Ted Leitner has been the enduring voice of San Diego’s sports scene since 1978.
In his signature free-form style, Leitner will regale San Diego Rotary with stories, memories and reflections on his 40-year career as the Padres radio voice.
Through the pandemic-shortened season of 2020, Ted Leitner spent 41 seasons as play-by-play voice of the Padres and 25 years as the radio voice of football and basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs.
Leitner also spent 25 years (1978-2002) as sports anchor and commentator on San Diego’s CBS 8 as well as serving as a popular talk-show host and sports humorist on KFMB-AM Radio.
Long a familiar fixture in San Diego, Leitner has MC’ed thousands of events, led by the Padres’ annual Opening Day ceremonies, the team’s Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, and “Jerry Coleman Day” in 2012, paying tribute to his longtime broadcast partner.
Notably, he also served as MC for the Petco Park memorial services devoted to Coleman (January 5, 2014) and later that year, for Tony Gwynn (June 16, 2014).
Prior to coming to San Diego in 1978, Leitner was a TV sports personality in Oklahoma City, Hartford, and Philadelphia.
In addition to the Padres and Aztecs, his play-by-play credits include the NFL’s San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, the NBA’s San Diego Clippers, as well as the University of Oklahoma and the University of Connecticut.
On January 15, 2021, Leitner was officially appointed the Padres’ Team Ambassador by team owner-chairman Peter Seidler.

Dan Gensler - District Governor 2021-22
2021-09-16 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
District Governor Dan Gensler will share his Rotary journey highlighting his personal experience with international projects including working with a “living angel” in South Africa, distributing 350,000 pairs of Toms Shoes and starting an artificial limb clinic in Ensenada Mexico. Dan will also discuss the impact The Rotary Foundation is making to alleviate human suffering around the globe.
Dan previously served as President of the Rotary Club of Coronado from 2006 to 2007, was nominated Rotarian of the Year in 2004, and has been a member of Coronado Rotary since 1996.
He has served in several roles within District 5340, including Assistant Governor, Foundation Mentor, District Grants Subcommittee Chair, and Foundation Fundraising Subcommittee Chair. In 2015, Dan chaired a fundraising drive called Millions for Hope that raised over $30 million of new bequests and donations to The Rotary Foundation.
Dedicated to Rotary ideals and passionate about humanitarian causes on both a local and global scale, Dan has made an impact on the local and international communities.

Dan Eddy-Deputy Fire Chief, San Diego Fire-Rescue
2021-09-23 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
Dan Eddy, pictured on the left, received his badge and shield as the department’s newest deputy fire chief.
Recent high temperatures and accompanying weather conditions have caused large wildfires to spike in Northern California, but the risks of wildfires in San Diego County have not disappeared. It is crucial that each of us take action to prepare ourselves, our homes, and our families for a disaster.
Dan Eddy, SD Fire-Rescue’s newest deputy chief, has 22 years with SDFD and began his new role as the A division shift commander on July 10 2021. He will join us on Sept. 23 to talk about the impact of these wildfires on our community and on the fire-rescue department.

Shaka Johnson-VP & Associate General Counsel, Sony Electronics Inc.
2021-09-30 12:00 - 13:00 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
It is Shaka Johnson’s life mission is to have a positive impact on the lives of others – at home, at work, and in his community. He looks forward to talking about the impact we can all have on those around us. With that, he will also discuss how Sony Electronics has approached the positive impact the company can have, and his passionate support of the organization in those efforts.
Shaka Johnson currently leads the legal department at Sony Electronics Inc. as Vice President & Associate General Counsel, and Secretary. As head of the department, Shaka and his team are responsible for corporate security and traditional legal affairs for the business in North America.
Shaka was named one of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Top-10 30 Somethings in 2014, participated as a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow in 2018, and was recognized as a “Leader in Law” by the San Diego Business Journal in 2020.
In 2019, he had the humbling honor of delivering the commencement address at his alma mater, USD School of Law, and earlier this year the National Diversity Counsel recognized him as one of the most influential African Americans in Business.

Shalini Vajjhala, PhD - Executive Director, San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center
2021-10-07 12:00 - 13:30 | Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
The San Diego Foundation in partnership with The Brookings Institution announced a new 501(c)3 organization called The San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center (PIC) . PIC will develop, test, and implement world -class research and policy-driven solutions to address San Diego’s most pressing challenges. The Executive Director of the new Center, Shalini Vajjhala, will tell us why this is different from anything currently in San Diego.
As a 501(c)3 organization of The San Diego Foundation, the PIC benefits from The Foundation’s community knowledge; strong relationships with all sectors of the San Diego economy, including community-based, grassroots organizations; mission and vision of just, equitable, and resilient communities; and its support systems and resources.
Through PIC, regional leaders, municipalities, and other stakeholders will have opportunities to engage with scholars of the world’s leading think tank, Brookings Institution, to gather insight into federal policy programs and co-develop new regional policy solutions for the region’s biggest problems.
Their core focus is on multi-jurisdictional collaboration to solve problems that extend beyond the reach of any single agency or department.
