On Tuesday, May 13, our lunch program will be autobiographies from new members Laura Thompson, Craig Walker, and Carol-Ann Nelson.

Come learn more about some very interesting fellow Rotarians!

Laura Thompson is President of Central Oregon Center for the Arts. After a career as a hospital department director, Laura branched out from hospitals to become founder/president of a leading Southern California event production company specializing in fundraising and development for nonprofit organizations. She is a former president of the board of directors of the Pasadena (Calif.) Museum of History and served on the boards of the American Red Cross, YWCA and Rotary Club of Los Angeles. Laura has a long history as an impresario, selecting and hiring top-line musicians and actors for a wide variety of performances at fund-raising events, golf tournaments, organization anniversaries and more. She is a versatile visual artist who creates in a variety of media and styles. When she doesn’t have her paints or sketching materials with her, she has her camera.

Craig Walker moved to Bend eight years ago. He recently retired from a company he founded 45 years ago, FlashAlert Newswire. He plans to volunteer with non-profits that need help with their communications.

Carol-Ann Nelson founded Destination Rehab as a 501(c)3 in 2016 because she saw the need to help adults with neurologic conditions get back into the community and enjoying nature again. She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Duke University before moving to Florida where she worked as a Physical Therapist in a Neuro specialty center. She sees patients with a variety of complex neurologic conditions including spinal cord injury, stroke, Parkinson’s, Guillian Barre, CP and MS. She is former Vice President of APTA Oregon, Advisory Board Member for the OSU-Cascades Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Carol-Ann grew up in Eugene, moved to Bend in the summer of 2015 and is passionate about combining her love of the outdoors with bringing people to a new level of ability in their daily function.

We’ll be in our usual room at the Riverhouse – Deschutes South.

Signup for lunch here.

This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

On Tuesday, May 6, our lunch program will be a presentation entitled “Order in the Court! A Look Behind the Bench” from Judge Beth Bagley. Judge Bagley was first elected to the Deschutes County Circuit Court in 2012, and she is in her twelfth year as Circuit Court Judge for Deschutes County.

Judge Bagley handles general civil, criminal and domestic relations cases. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Bagley was a prosecutor for 13 years, and a criminal defense attorney handling indigent defense cases for 2 years before that.

Judge Bagley received her undergraduate degree from the University of California—Santa Barbara in 1994, and her law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1997. Judge Bagley has lived and practiced law in Oregon since 1997.

Judge Bagley is the Immediate Past-President of the Oregon Circuit Court Judges Association (representing all of Oregon’s Circuit Court Judges) is a member of Oregon Women Lawyers and an advisory Board Member for Cascade Women Lawyers, its local affiliate chapter. Judge Bagley regularly provides training and education to judges and lawyers and is an active volunteer in her local Bar Association and community.

We’ll be in our usual room at the Riverhouse – Deschutes South.

Signup for lunch here.

This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

On Tuesday, April 22 2025, our speakers will be three Athletic Directors from our local high schools. This is a highlight each year where the Sports Committee provides a recap of our annual fund raiser from the Sports Program, but more importantly we will hear from the Athletic Directors regarding the benefits of high school students, both boys and girls participating in school athletics. Speaking: Mike Carpenter, AD at Summit High School (Oregon’s 5A Athletic Director of the year); Ryan Cruz, AD at Caldera High School; and Ricky Rodriguez, AD at Bend High School.

They will talk about how high school sports promotes team work, discipline, and leadership skills among students. Additionally high school athletics contributes to higher self esteem, higher GPA’s and more participation in volunteerism. We hear about the struggles some high school students experience with mental health due to peer pressures, academic pressures and family issues. Studies have shown that students that participate in high school athletics are better prepared to deal with these issues and learn coping skills that come from team work and discipline they receive from their sport(s).

Athletic Directors oversee all the sports activities within their high school and play a major role in making the school athletic experience a positive learning skill that will provide a solid foundation for their transition to adult hood. Each Athletic Director will also provide an update of their school’s athletic program and prospects for the future.

We’ll be over at the Riverhouse Convention Center this week.

Signup for lunch here.

This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

On Tuesday, April 15, our lunch program will be a presentation on innovation in business and energy and economic development from Rebecca Robinson, Zachary Taie, and Eric Zeece from the Innovation Hub at OSU-Cascades.

Rebecca Robinson serves as the associate vice president for the economic development and industry relations office at Oregon State University (OSU) and as senior advisor for strategic initiatives at OSU-Cascades. She brings extensive experience from Kansas State University, where she most recently served as president and CEO of K-State Innovation Partners, overseeing economic development, corporate engagement, technology commercialization, and strategic initiatives. During her 16-year tenure at Kansas State, she recruited 29 technology-based companies to the region and created over 1,700 high-wage jobs, resulting in a projected economic impact of over $1 billion. Robinson holds an MBA and is a doctoral candidate in leadership communication. At OSU, she joined the Division of Research and Innovation, contributing to the development of the innovation district at OSU-Cascades and fostering industry-university partnerships to drive economic growth and workforce development in Oregon.

Zac Taie is a mechanical engineer with a strong focus on renewable energy and thermal-fluid sciences. With a PhD from Oregon State University, he has extensive experience in research, development, and project management, particularly in advancing innovative energy technologies. His work spans hydrogen systems, energy storage solutions, and sustainable energy systems, combining technical expertise with leadership in both industry and government-funded projects. Based in Bend, Oregon, Zachary has a proven track record of contributing to cutting-edge advancements in energy science and technology.

Eric Zeece is a business leader with more than 25 years of experience. He was appointed executive director of the new Central Oregon Innovation Hub based at Oregon State University – Cascades in November of 2024. Most recently, Eric was chief executive officer of Thyreos Inc, a startup biotech vaccine company that is commercializing technology developed at University of Nebraska, Northwestern University and Tufts University. Prior to leading Thyreos, Zeece led a consulting agency where he authored Nebraska’s State Small Credit Initiative program application and designed more than $64 million in grant, loan and equity investment programs to support innovation and innovators in Nebraska. Eric has also worked as the innovation manager with Invest Nebraska Corporation, as interim director, deputy director, and chief performance officer of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and as senior commercialization specialist with the Innovation Accelerator Foundation, a national accelerator that partnered with the National Science Foundation. He received an MBA from the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs.

We’ll be in our usual room at the Riverhouse – Deschutes South.

Signup for lunch here.

This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

On Tuesday, April 8, our lunch program will be presentations from three candidates for our club’s beneficiary for the 2025 Duck Race proceeds.

The finalists are:

• Latino Community Association
• Family Access Network
• J Bar J

Each finalist will do a brief presentation at the lunch meeting to share what the funds will be used for and there will be time for Q&A before club members vote on this year’s winner.

We’ll be over at the Riverhouse Convention Center this week.

Signup for lunch here.

This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

On Tuesday, April 1, our lunch program will be on the topic of dementia, with member Greg Ferenz explaining generally about the disease states and pathology of cognitive decline and then how and when interventions happen.

Dr. Gregory Ferenz, DO, is a distinguished neurologist based in Bend, Oregon, renowned for his comprehensive, patient-centered approach to neurological care. With over 12 years of medical practice, Dr. Ferenz specializes in a broad spectrum of neurological conditions, placing particular emphasis on dementia and memory care.

Dr. Ferenz has held board certifications from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in general neurology, clinical neurophysiology, and epilepsy; the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine; and the American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology. He is a fellow of the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society and maintains extensive local and national professional affiliations, including membership in the American Academy of Neurology and Oregon Medical Association. Additionally, he has served on the boards of Partners in Care and the American Board of Registered Electrodiagnostic Technicians.

In his current role, Dr. Ferenz is the owner of the Northwest Center for Cognitive and Neurological Health, where he dedicates himself to improving the quality of life for patients and the community through support of their memory and cognitive health. He also serves as the Medical Director of the ALS Clinic of Central Oregon, leading a multidisciplinary team providing comprehensive care for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Special location: This meeting will be at Central Oregon Community College (COCC), in the Wille Hall, which is part of the Coats Campus Center. Click the map image below for a larger version. The meeting location is marked in orange.

Signup for lunch here.

This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

On Tuesday, March 11, our lunch program will be on the Latino Community Association of Central Oregon. Our speakers from the LCA will be Executive Director Catalina Frank, and Deputy Director Mary Murphy.

The Latino Community Association (LCA) is an essential connecting point for our immigrant community to ask questions, have letters translated, get help making phone calls (interpretation) and negotiating payment plans (advocacy).

They help families pay their bills, file their taxes, work through legal issues, find work, improve their English, and connect to new opportunities. They give their clients the time to be heard and understood. They also provide volunteer opportunities that bring people together across cultures to build a more cohesive community.

We’ll be in our usual room at the Riverhouse – Deschutes South.

Signup for lunch here.

This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

On Tuesday, March 4, our lunch speaker will be Eric Denbrook.

From 1989-2019 he worked for Orbital Sciences Corporation where he worked on the upper stage for the space shuttle as well as numerous rockets including Pegasus, the first successful commercial rocket. Before that, Eric was at Hughes Space and Communications from 1979-1989, where he worked on numerous commercial, NASA, and classified Satellites starting with design and finishing with integration, test, and launch. Eric graduated from Arizona State University in Mechanical Engineering in 1979.

We’ll be in our usual room at the Riverhouse – Deschutes South.

Signup for lunch here.

This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.

On Tuesday, February 18, our lunch speaker will be Shareef Dajani, Vice President of Business Development, Strategy, and Sales at Silverlabs Inc.

Silverlabs leverages AI from leading companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, Getty Images, and Eleven Labs to transform written text into video. The company focuses on using AI responsibly to create marketing videos, training and DIY content, and converting articles into engaging video formats. The focus of Shareef’s discussion will be to provide insight into how AI is being used in business and the future applications of this technology.

With a 32-year career spanning Knight Ridder, Yahoo, Intel, and Getty Images, Shareef has been at the forefront of digital innovation. His insights into AI, data gathering through home gateways, and the broader implications of technology will leave you entertained—and possibly a bit shaken—given the current landscape with TikTok, tariffs, and AI regulations.

Outside of work, Shareef enjoys everything Bend, Oregon, has to offer, alongside his partner and great friends.

We’ll be in our usual room at the Riverhouse – Deschutes South.

Signup for lunch here.

This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.

Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link

You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.