Events

Ann spent her undergraduate years at the University of Michigan where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology.  Her interest in plant pathology started there but she took a five year diversion working in the field of medical diagnostics and molecular biology research.  After that long wait, she returned to plant pathology to earn a master’s degree at UC Berkeley. 

Her work has been primarily in disease diagnostics of ornamental plants, first with Soil and Plant Lab in Orange CA, and then with Nurserymen’s Exchange in Half Moon Bay.  She currently works 3/4 time at Montalvo Art Center in Saratoga as the Landscape Curator, consults privately in plant pathology and arboriculture and teaches horticultural classes at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills and Merritt College in Oakland.  One of her long time and current enjoyments is volunteering at the "Sick Plant Clinic" at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden.  She is also an active volunteer in the UCCE Master Gardener program of Santa Clara County. 

Wayne Gregori is a technologist and entrepreneur that has the rare talent of translating the complex world of Bitcoin and blockchain out of the abstract and into concrete, real world examples in a fluid and entertaining manner. He first took an interest in Bitcoin in 2014 thanks to the innovation and promise of blockchain technology (the foundational bitcoin technology). But over time he became equally interested in the potential social impact Bitcoin/blockchain might have on our human communities and on the institutions upon which society relies so heavily; government, finance (banking) and security.

Money might be the most imporant and misunderstood concept in modern society. Bitcoin and crypto currencies are at the root of a global conversation that will force the re-evaluation of the global financial system. Fiat currencies (like the dollar) have an average life of 27.5 years. Our current dollar (since we left the gold standard in 1971) is 48 years old. Bitcoin and other cytypto currencies will challenge the dollar and the banking system that underpins our financial system. This presentation covers, the history of money, social drivers behind bitcoin, explanation of how bitcoin works, and the competitive landscape of other crypto currencies.

• To increase the personal knowledge and awareness of the importance of being able to speak effectively before a group.
• To increase public knowledge of what Rotary is and does throughout the world, especially among young people.  Through this knowledge, we hope that they will learn, as we have in the past,          “He who serves best profits most.”
• To increase participation in the contest and to provide all high school contestants an opportunity to win prizes as top speaker, or runners-up, in District 5170.
  
  Four levels of competition -  prize levels:
  Club - $25 - $100
  Area  - $100 - $200
  Region - $250
  District price - $300 - $1,000
  For more information click here

About the Speaker

Born and raised in China, Mr. Nan Su came to the U.S. in 1989.  Mr. Su has been serving as a news commentator for SOH International Chinese Radio Network and NTD International TV network since 2003, and has made many speeches at public events in the past decade on China-related topics.

Mr. Su currently is a Senior Reporter for The Epoch Times, a newspaper published in 35 countries and 23 languages.

In addition to his media work, Mr. Su has also been an activist for China’s human rights. He was one of the coordinators of Human Rights Torch Relay in 2008 prior to Beijing Olympics Game. Starting from Athens, Human Rights Torch Relay spanned from July 2007 to July 2008, with stops at more than 140 cities around the world in order to raise international awareness of China’s human rights situation.  Mr. Su was instrumental in making San Jose as the first stop of the torch relay in North America.

Mr. Su has been married for 30 years, and currently lives with his wife and two daughters in San Jose, California.

About the Presentation

Many people have long been interested in China.  This is true today more than ever before.  The ethical values and principles derived from traditional Chinese culture helped create five-thousand years of splendor in Chinese history.

With the current state of the world, understanding the true China has never been more important.

Titles "Wisdom and Humanity from Ancient Chinese Culture”, this new presentation is the continuation of the previous well-received program: The Renaissance of Traditional Chinese Culture, which was presented to and overwhelmingly welcomed by more than 250 organizations in Northern California.

While the previous program bridged the ancient Chinese culture and modern American culture with humanity, the current 2^nd presentation reveals the ancient philosophies deeply rooted in the Chinese culture since its very beginning, and explains how traditional Chinese culture built based upon these philosophies.

Josh Zulliger currently works as a Game Warden with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and has worked with the Department for the last 11 years. Working in law enforcement, however, was not always Josh's dream. In 1995, Josh joined the United States Cost Guard.  After a year on a Coast Guard Cutter in Alaska Josh transferred to Humboldt Bay where he finished his tour in the United Stated Coast Guard.  He later received a degree from Humboldt State University in Industrial Technology with the hopes of becoming a high school shop teacher. Those dreams never became reality however, as Josh gained a passion for the outdoors and the oceans of the North Coast. In 2008, he became a Game Warden, assigned to patrolling the rivers, streams, and oceans of the North Coast from southern Mendocino County to the Oregon border.   In 2016 he joined one of the Department's first Watershed Enforcement Teams (now Cannabis Enforcement Teams), which works with biologists to protect California's natural resources from exploitation by those in the legal and illegal cannabis industry.

 Josh currently lives and works in Humboldt County, the heart of the "Emerald Triangle".  He lives near the City of Fortuna with his fiancé (an elk biologist) and their small family of dogs, cat, beef, and chickens.