Events

Elizabeth Poker-Yount is a Certified Independent Dementia Trainer,

Harry Anastasiou,  Portland State University Professor of International Peace & Conflict Studies, will provide an update on the Russia-Ukraine situation.

Hello, my name is Karina Logan-Robledo and I am one of the Directors for Kesem at Arizona State University. I am studying biomedical sciences with a minor in psychology. Being a part of the Kesem community has been the highlight of my college career. Kesem provides free year-round services to children (aged 6-18) dealing with a parent or guardian's cancer. Our main program is a fun-filled, week-long summer camp which allows our often overlooked population of children to be kids again and know they are never alone.

Carol Polcyn, Advertising Account Executive at Robson Publishing, will chat with us about the publishing world.

 Highlights of the Rotary International Foundation and explanation of the benefits and outstanding causes of this excellent foundation.

Richard Cassey, Creative Director at Fox Restaurant Concepts (“FRC”) in Phoenix, Arizona, will provide us with an overview of FRC. With two decades of brand and creative experience in the hospitality and restaurant industry, Cassey now oversees creativity for the 11 FRC brands, as well as the development and creation of new brands.

Arnold Payne of the Run Wild African Safaris will share with us how this family-owned tour operator offers personalized and customized itineraries in Southern Africa.

Carrie Hemme, fellow Rotarian from the Lake Havasu City Rotary Club, will share with us her latest Rotary mission of End Plastic Soup, which is a global initiative to eliminate plastic soup from our environment, including oceans, lakes, rivers and land.

Claire Shanovich is the Director of Development for Oakwood Creative Care, and has a decade of experience in aging and disability services. Starting in High School, Claire took a position as a camp counselor at a special recreation summer camp for children with disabilities. During her undergraduate coursework at the University of Kansas, Claire worked as an in-home care assistant helping both children and adults with disabilities remain independent at home and in the community. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis, Claire went to work for the development team at the Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City. From there she took a position with the grassroots consumer advocacy organization Kansas Advocates for Better Care, where she served in both development and community outreach roles. Today Claire is proud to take the knowledge and experience she gained from direct care, nonprofit development, and elder care consumer advocacy to help Oakwood Creative Care best serve Arizona’s seniors.

Jennifer W. Sanchez, Community Affairs Manager of Intel's Global Affairs and Sustainability, will highlight Intel's operations and its interface with neighbors and the community.  Jennifer also oversees Intel's Arizona Pre-K-12 strategic program, specifically around STEAM.

Brenda Vargas is Director of Counseling and Social Services for the Chandler Unified School District.  Her topic will be Mental Health and Social Services in schools

Dr. Jessica Edgar, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Chandler Unified School District, holds Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral degrees.  She will share with us information on the Melinda Romero Instructional Resource Center and her experiences as a former middle school teacher and building principal for 12 years in a K-8 setting.

Mark Huish is Director of Safety for the Chandler Unified School District and he will provide us with and overview of overall safety in schools. 

Carolyn is a co-founder and the Chief Operating Officer of Earth Funeral, a green death care brand. Prior to joining Earth, Carolyn worked in healthcare, most recently as the Vice President of Patient Experience and Social Work Services at DaVita, a Fortune 200 healthcare company and the leading provider of kidney care services in the United States. Carolyn is also a hospice volunteer and trained End of Life Doula. 

Talk: "Earth Soil Transformation: A Green Alternative to Traditional Burial and Cremation"

Carolyn will provide an overview of soil transformation, which is an environmentally-friendly alternative to cremation. Over the course of 30-45 days, the body is gently and naturally transformed into nutrient-rich soil. Families can use the soil to plant a tree, garden, etc., and/or can scatter it in meaningful places. The majority of the soil is donated to a restoration project on the Olympic Peninsula. An Earth Soil Transformation is carbon-neutral and enables one's last act to be a gift to the planet and future generations. 

Harry Coder is a retiree and resides in Ahwatukee, Arizona.  Harry will share with us his experiences as a Columbus, Ohio, homicide detective.