Elizabeth Peters, Vice President of The Peters Company, will share her expertise on Organizational Culture. Elizabeth's goal is to cultivate the strongest Lean leaders at every level of your organization through focused training, coaching, and mentoring. This approach creates value, avoids waste, and continuously improves your team’s performance.
Amanda Guile-Hinman and Jenny Tomka, co-executive directors of Reason to Run, will present their nonprofit organization’s running program, which has been operating at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility since 2015. The program offers an 8-week training course for adults in custody, culminating in a 5K race held inside the prison. Participants receive race bibs, post-race treats, and certificates to celebrate their achievements, and upon release, they are provided with a care package, including running shoes, socks, and a sports bra to support their continued wellness journey. To date, over 900 individuals have participated in the program, and more than 280 post-release care packages have been distributed.
Wilsonville High School and West Linn High School students from Error Code Xero, a local award-winning robotics team, will share how they design, build, and compete in international FIRST Robotics events. Learn how their team mission, "Building Robots, Building People," fosters technical skills and leadership through mentorship and community outreach.
Chris Reavis will explore the neuroscience of stress and how it affects both employee and family engagement. He will introduce empathy-driven strategies to diffuse fight/flight responses and activate new neural pathways, empowering individuals to better handle future stressors. Chris is the bestselling author of Boost Your BS Resilience At Work and Unleashed: What a Child with Autism Can Teach You.
Lane Thompson, Student Loan Ombudsman from the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation, will discuss navigating student loan repayment options, the role of a student loan ombudsman, and resources available to help Oregonians manage the second-largest form of consumer debt nationwide.
Kaylee Chrystal, the Community Engagement Coordinator for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Oregon, is focused on expanding the program to every county in the state. The Imagination Library sends a free, age-appropriate book each month to children from birth until age five, regardless of family income. In her presentation, “Expanding Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Across Oregon,” Kaylee will share updates on the program’s growth and how community members can help bring books to children across Oregon, nurturing a love for reading from an early age.
Ron Herring shares Project Flourish, a Rotary global grant launched by the Lake Oswego Rotary Club in 2021. Partnering with MAIA, an Indigenous-run high school in Guatemala, the initiative empowers Indigenous women through education and economic development. Despite challenges, all 80 participants passed university entrance exams, with many securing scholarships, employment, or higher education opportunities.
Jim Urquhart from the Donkey Sanctuary of Oregon will present on Caring for Special Needs Donkeys at Oregon Donkey Sanctuary. Since 2006, Jim and his wife Rhonda have transformed their 40-acre farm into a sanctuary for neglected and abused donkeys. They established Oregon Donkey Sanctuary Northwest in 2021, providing lifelong care for special needs donkeys with the help of dedicated volunteers. Each donkey has a unique story and personality, and the sanctuary aims to educate people on proper care and advance the status of donkeys. The ultimate goal is to create an equine therapy program named Pearl's Place, in memory of their beloved matriarch Pearl.
Tiffany Bolstad-Cox, board member of Wilsonville Community Sharing, will provide an overview of this vital organization. Wilsonville Community Sharing supports individuals and families through programs like food assistance, utility help, and housing resources, fostering stability and well-being in the community.
Jeannine Murrell is the Rotary District 5100 Governor for 2024-25. The district follows the Oregon-Washington border from the Pacific Ocean to Idaho, covering a northern slice of Oregon and a southern slice of Washington, including the major cities of Portland, Salem and Vancouver. The District Governor visits all clubs, each on a designated date, during the course of the year, to give updates on Rotary from the district and international perspective and to inspire clubs and members to higher success.
