Events

Dr. Thomas Fingar is a Shorenstein APARC Fellow in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University.  From 2005 through 2008, he served as Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis and, concurrently, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council.  Dr. Fingar’s previous positions include Assistant Secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (2000-2001 and 2004-2005), Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Analysis, Director of the Office of Analysis for East Asia and the Pacific, and Chief of the China Division.  Fingar earned his AB in Government and History at Cornell and his MA and PhD in Political Science at Stanford.  His recent books include The New Great Game: China and South and Central Asia in the Era of Reform, Uneasy Partnerships: China and Japan, the Koreas, and Russia in the Era of Reform, and Fateful Decisions: Choices that will Shape China’s Future (with Jean Oi).

Cancer CAREpoint is dedicated to transforming support for cancer patients and survivors, their families, and caregivers in the Bay Area through personalized, one-on-one Counseling, Assistance, Resources, and Education. One of the areas of support is to provide CARE Kits that address a variety of needs related to cancer treatment, survivorship, and caring for someone impacted by cancer at  no cost to the recipient. The kits include items that may be needed when going to appointments (such as hand sanitizer, tissues, notebook and pens) as well as comfort and support items (such as hats and port pillows made and donated by members of the community). At our meeting, we will be writing notes of support to be provided with these kits. 

Los Gatos Rotarian, Lissa Kreisler will interview Guisselle Nuñez about her recently published book written with former San Jose mayor, Ron Gonzales - “Life in the FishBowl: Lessons to Help you Survive and Thrive in Elected Office”.

Seth is a Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute in Mountain View. SETI stands for "Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence". SETI is a non-profit research organization whose mission is to lead humanity's quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe and share that knowledge with the world.

Seth developed an interest in extraterrestrial life at the tender age of ten, when he first picked up a book about the Solar System. This innocent beginning eventually led to a degree in radio astronomy, and now to his work at SETI.

Dan Rusanowsky is a local sports broadcaster, best known for being the radio play-by-play announcer for the San Jose Sharks since the team's inaugural season in 1991. His tenure with the team has earned him the title as the "Voice of the Sharks".

Please join us at the home of Marie and Don for happy hour, for a fun social event

Please bring an appetizer to share and your favorite beverage.  Desserts will be provided.

Significant Others, potential members and friends are welcome.

Reminder:  There is a steep walk up to the house so please leave people with difficulties off at the driveway and help them up to the house. Thank you. 

Join Sonya Moore-Wells as she introduces us to Positive Intelligence (aka PQ).  Learn how to build powerful mental fitness habits for a positive mindset so that you can respond to your life’s challenges with less stress and negativity.  Sonya is a certified PQ coach and utilizes research based tools to empower her clients with personal wellness, higher work performance and healthy relationships. 

Sonya has over 25 years of experience understanding human behavior at work, and holds a master’s in organizational leadership.  She’s a certified executive coach, business leader and advocate for women and girl empowerment.  She and her daughter Hannah (who is a senior at LG high school) serve our communities as members of the local chapter of the National Charity League.  Sonya is married to Los Gatos Rotarian, David Wells. As a family, she, David & Hannah enjoy being in nature together and traveled to Norway this summer on their family vacation. 

Named as the 2015 Reporter of The Year by the Associated Press, Robert Handa is a reporter for NBC Bay Area News. He joined NBC Bay Area in June of 2014 returning to the station where he began his career more than three decades ago. He has interviewed some notable people throughout the years, including President Jimmy Carter, the Dalai Lama, Henry Kissinger, Hillary Rodham Clinton, UFW Founder Cesar Chavez, Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, 49ers quarterback Joe Montana, Giants baseball great Willie Mays, former 49ers head coach Bill Walsh, both Star Trek's 'Mr. Sulu's: George Takei and John Cho, and TV star, writer and producer Mindy Kaling.

Sal Pizarro is a Bay Area News Group columnist who has written the Around Town column for The Mercury News since 2005. His column covers the people and events surrounding the cultural scene in Silicon Valley. In addition, he writes Cocktail Chronicles, a feature column on Silicon Valley bars and nightclubs. He is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a BA in political science.

Over the course of her career, Vidya has been an executive in the semiconductor business at both Digital Equipment Corporation and Xilinx. More recently, Vidya has been focused on the systems side of electric vehicle design from ramping up Model 3 production at Tesla to her current role as Vice-President of Engineering at Rivian. In June 2022, Vidya was named as one of Electric Vehicle’s 30 Power Players by The Business Insider.

Ken Middlebrook is the Curator of Collections at History San Jose, a museum that manages one of the largest collections of regional artifacts in California. Ken is also the Locomotive Engineer for the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad in Los Gatos Oak Meadow Park. Come hear his stories of this fabled, local landmark!

Join us for our second quarter in-meeting service project where we will assemble backpacks for sexual assault victims who are being supported by The Grateful Garment Project. This organization's mission is to ensure that every victim of a sexual crime who crosses the threshold of a Sexual Assault Response Team facility or who seeks medical attention or law enforcement involvement is provided with whatever new clothing, toiletries, snacks, and other items that they may require. 

Stan Bunger is an American broadcast journalist who was the morning co-anchor at KCBS in San Francisco for more than 20 years. Bunger is a 1973 graduate of Leigh High School and received his B.A. in Broadcast and Electronic Communications from San Francisco State University. He was inducted to the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2010 and to the San Francisco State University Alumni Hall of Fame in 2011. 

Join us while he tells stories from his new book, "Mornings with Madden". ​Despite his international fame, there was a side of football legend known only to those who listened to San Francisco morning radio. San Francisco is where John Madden grew up, lived, & died and where, for decades he found joy in a daily chat with his hometown radio station. It was a chance to unwind, tell stories, and impart his own brand of wit and wisdom. In "Mornings With Madden, Stan - who was on the other side of that radio mic - illuminates this larger-than-life figure, drawing upon memories of more than fifteen years of daily broadcasts. 

Join us as Los Gatos Mayor, Mary Badame, gives us a town update! Mary was elected to the town council in 2020 and became our mayor in 2023. In addition to her mayoral duties, Mary has been a local insurance agency owner for over 35 years. She also enjoys spending time with her daughter, son-in-law, and young grandchildren.

Dan Gordon, CEO of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, has earned a reputation as one of America's leading brewing engineers.

Dan was the first American in more than 40 years to graduate from the prestigious 5-year brewing engineering program at the world-renowned Technical University of Munich in West Germany.  Dan, who was born in San Jose in 1960, entered the program after earning an economics degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1982.  

After completing the world's most advanced brewing program, Gordon returned to California and joined forces with restaurateur Dean Biersch to take advantage of a new state law allowing "brewery" restaurants.  In 1988, the partners opened their first Gordon Biersch brewery restaurant in Palo Alto. Now, Dan directs the operations at his state-of-the art canning and bottling San Jose brewery, the 15^th largest brewing company in the country.

Believing in the power of art to heal, Antonia Dapena-Tretter, who received her Master’s degree in art history from the University of Toronto, is the Art Curator for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. In this role, she oversees all acquisitions, installations, and conservation for a robust permanent collection of art. She will speak to us about how the hospital’s art collection, which includes sculptures, painting, and interactive exhibits, promotes well-being and fosters a sense of belonging for young patients and their families.

Margaret Smith is a long-time resident of Los Gatos and owner of Domus, the iconic kitchen and home accessories store that re-opened in downtown Los Gatos in Fall of 2023. Prior to Domus, Margaret was a business attorney with her own law practice in Los Altos, California.  She is the recipient of a number of business awards, both local and national. Margaret was selected as the Business Person of the Year by the Los Gatos Chamber, the Woman Business Owner of the Year by the San Jose Business Journal, and was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame as the result of her leadership as the National President of the National Association of Women Business Owners, an organization representing the 10 million women- owned businesses in the United States. Margaret is credited with negotiating the first Women’s Entrepreneur Loan Fund with Wells Fargo Bank which established a $1 Billion loan fund for US women entrepreneurs. Within a few short years, the loan fund grew and, as of 2022, the Fund had loaned over $59 Billion to women-owned businesses.  Margaret is a graduate of George Washington University and received her law degree from Santa Clara University. She is the proud grandmother of four grandchildren who all attended Los Gatos schools. She is also a Los Gatos Rotarian!