Events

It is an enduring mystery whether Frank Morris, and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, escaped from Alcatraz prison in 1962. It is widely believed that they succumbed to the waters of San Francisco Bay, though no trace of the men has ever been found―only their makeshift raft. Our guest speaker, Mike Lynch co-authored a book with the escapees' nephew, Ken Widner, in which they present compelling evidence that Morris and the Anglin uncles did in fact survive. Join us for this account of a fascinating slice of Bay Area history.

Join our CrabFest Committee to learn about all things CrabFest coming up on Saturday, February 1st. This is our club's biggest fundraiser of the year and we hope that the 2025 event will be the biggest ever! At this club meeting, we will be bringing some of the items in the fabulous auction that you can win that day! You'll learn about the CrabFest event night schedule, registering to bid, using the auction "win-it-now" option and even "otto bidding". Don't miss it!

Dr. Jennifer Zumarraga, MD., is the Medical Director, Adolescent Psychiatry, Scrivner Center for Mental Health & Addiction Services at El Camino Health. She has a decade of experience in working with children of all ages with mental health issues. She started out in research at the National Institute of Mental Health working with youth with ADHD. She continued her training at the University of Rochester and the University of Southern California. Dr. Zumarraga was involved in the formation of the ASPIRE program for teens at El Camino Health in response to the glaring shortage of services for adolescents with anxiety and mood disorders and the lack of resources for their families. 

The ASPIRE Program at El Camino Health has been transforming lives in the Los Gatos community since 2010 by providing specialized care for middle schoolers, teens, and young adults facing depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and other mental health conditions. This presentation will explore the impact of mental health conditions on our youth and how innovative treatment programs can be a critical resource.  

Dr. Zumarraga will be joined by Sam Kotmel who is an ASPIRE graduate. The program changed Sam's life and taught her vital skills that she uses on a daily basis. She has a bachelors degree from Otis College of Art and Design and is currently applying to go back to school to pursue a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. 

In this in-meeting service project, we will make birthday cards for seniors who are clients of Peninsula Volunteers, Inc. (PVI). PVI's mission is to enable seniors to age in place by empowering them to lead independent lives, engage with their communities, and continue to get the most out of life. Joining us from PVI will be Stephanie Stephanie Figeira, Director of Nutrition Services. She has over 12 years of experience in holistic nutrition and is committed to helping seniors achieve healthy longevity through mindful eating and wellness practices. 

Each year, Rotary District 5170 sponsors a high school speech contest. Participating contestants will speak on a predetermined Rotary theme. Each Club holds a contest and judges select the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers. The Club 1st place finisher advances to the Area contest. The winner of the Area contest goes on to compete in the Regional speech contest.  The top two finishers in the Regional advance to the District Final Speech Contest. Join us for the Los Gatos club-level contest on Tuesday, February 25th! 

Local resident, Caroline Cocciardi, the author of Leonardo’s Knots, will introduce us to a facet of Leonardo da Vinci that you have not seen before.  Caroline will explain how da Vinci used mathematically-inspired knots throughout his work containing hidden messages that appear in his most famous pieces including The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

Every Spring, along with Los Gatos Morning and San Jose Rotary, we sponsor the Enterprise Leadership Conference bringing together nearly 100 high school juniors from over 20 Silicon Valley schools to learn how to become the entrepreneurs and leaders of tomorrow! This is a three-day event at the beautiful Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove where students break into teams led by Rotarian mentors to develop an idea for a business. Throughout the conference, they are introduced to the concepts of Marketing, Finance, Research, and Human Resources as they develop their Business Plans. On the final day of the event, all of the teams present their plans before a panel of judges in a spirited but friendly competition. Join us at our March 18^th meeting when the winning team from the 2025 ELC presents their pitch to our club!

Join us for an inside look at minor league baseball with San Jose Giants General Manager, Ben Taylor, who will be interviewed by Los Gatos Rotarian, Mike Norcia.

Matt Braker has served as a prosecutor with the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office for over 25 years, bringing justice and compassion to some of the county's most challenging cases. As the head of the Homicide Unit, he oversees all homicide prosecutions, the Cold Case Unit, and Officer-Involved Shootings.

A two-time recipient of the prestigious Napolean J. Menard Trial Advocacy Award, Matt was most recently honored in 2017 for successfully prosecuting three jail guards in the high-profile murder case of mentally ill inmate Michael Tyree.

Matt earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1992. He and his wife, Cyd, reside in San Jose and are proud parents of two grown sons, Bill and Max.

Beyond the courtroom, Matt has been an engaged and passionate member of the Rotary Club of San Jose since 2015 and will proudly assume the role of Club President this July.

Join us for a captivating presentation by Matt Braker as he takes us inside the world of cold case investigations. He'll highlight the story of a 1974 Palo Alto murder and the groundbreaking forensic techniques that finally brought justice decades later.

Matt will also discuss the formation of the Cold Case Unit within the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, sharing insights on the unit's successes and how modern technology is transforming the way old cases are solved. Don't miss this compelling and thought-provoking talk!

Ewell Sterner is founder and Executive Director of Hunger at home In San Jose which got its start in 2008 in San Diego and moved to Silicon Valley in 2015. Ewell, a single dad of 4 kids, was with his 8 year old volunteering at a food bank when Casidy turned to his dad and said “Why are so many people hungry and homeless? We must do more” And they did!. Ewell started Hunger at Home which distributes food to hungry and homeless through an amazing network and at last count had donated close to 13 million meals locally. Where does that food come from and how does it get to the people in need? Wait until you hear!

Dr. Herbert Lin is a Fellow in Cyber Policy and Security at the Stanford University Hoover Institution and senior research scholar for cyber policy and security at the Center for International Security and Cooperation also at Stanford. He has previously served on Obama’s Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity and on the House Armed Services Committee during the Reagan Administration. He will discuss the landscape of digital security as a national security issue, addressing both offensive operations in cyberspace and information/influence operations.

We will embark on a delectable journey led by Brennan Bowen, owner of the Golden Gate Cookie Company, through the history of the cookie, learning the mouthwatering mysteries behind the iconic chocolate chip cookie from its humble origins to its irresistible rise to global cookie domination! We'll also activate our senses in a chocolate-tasting experience where we'll learn to describe and compare a diverse array of chocolates, gaining an appreciation for chocolate’s sweet symphony of flavors.

Brennan is a third-generation baker whose passion for dessert was ignited by his family's baking legacy. During his time living in Mexico and China, he had the privilege of sharing his sweets with friends from diverse backgrounds, infusing his creations with international flavors and inspiration.

Musician, Pasquale Esposito, was born and raised in Naples, Italy. After he immigrated to the United States in 1998, he pursued his passion for music by studying at and receiving his bachelors degree from San Jose State University. He is now an internaional recording artist acclaimed for his pop-opera performances through the lens of his Italian heritage. He will speak to us about what coming to America has meant to him and about some of the famous people he has met along the way.

The mission of the Humane Society of Silicon Valley is to save lives, keep families and their pets together, and create a better future for pets and their people. Join us in making pet blankets for the sweet animals in their care.

Art Bernstein, a resident of Los Altos and COO of a local law firm, is an appointee of the Secretary of the Treasury serving on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. Despite the introduction of digital money, physical coinage is still widely in use. Many American have collected coins including an increase in collectors during the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters Program in the early 2000s. Currently, the U.S. Mint is issuing new quarters honoring notable American women. This presentation will discuss who is being honored, how the designs were selected, what designs were rejected, and why George Washington is facing the other way in the new design. All attendees will receive a newly minted quarter to add to their collection or to perhaps start one!