Speakers

Talented instrumentalists from local high schools will perform as part of the first stage of the District 5340 Instrumental Music Contest. The performance of each contestant will be assessed for musical ability, technique, interpretation and stage presence.  The top performer will receive $300.00 and represent our club at the regional level, where s/he will have opportunity to advance to the District-wide finals and compete for a cash award of $3,000.  

Richard Lederer is passionate about words and language. He’s authored over 40 books that illustrate the pleasure and fun of the English language.  Mr. Lederer is a founding of the long-running KPBS radio program “A Way With Words” and authors the weekly UT San Diego column “Lederer on Language”.   

Club Rotario Tijuana Kumiai is only 4 years old, but this dynamic club is already making a difference in several Rotary projects in Baja, California. Club member Heather Johnson Soto will discuss several District and Global Grants their club helps support, including a tilapia fish farm, clean water projects (solar-powered and biosand water filters), and mobile breast cancer detection unit.

Linda Olson lost both legs and an arm in an accident when she was in her late 20’s. That loss didn’t stop her from becoming a mother and a Professor of Radiology at University of California San Diego. Linda and her husband, Dave Hodgens, chose to focus on all that Linda could do instead of what she could not do.  She now lends the same drive to empowering those affected by Parkinson’s Disease, which she learned she had in 2015. 

Gary London, Partner of London Moeder Advisors, is a nationally recognized real estate expert who has advised real estate developers, investors, and owners on transformative technological and societal changes taking place in our cities and regions. A graduate of UC Berkeley and San Diego State University, Mr. London has taught real estate development courses at Arizona State University, University of San Diego and the UCSD Extension. He will speak about future prospects for the San Diego real estate market.

The Immunotherapy Foundation (IF) funds promising research into ways that the immune system can be harnessed to fight cancer. The recent growth in immunotherapies has been explosive and these therapeutic strategies represent the most promising development in cancer treatment in decades. IF was founded in 2015 by Ralph Whitworth, who lost his battle with cancer shortly thereafter, and is dedicated to advancing immunotherapeutics from the lab to the clinic. IF Executive Director Christina Martinez will discuss current projects being pursued by IF.

Patrick Steusloff is a biomedical engineer who has developed a range of technologies, including a management system that promotes more efficient and safer drug delivery by hospital nurses and a monitoring device that fits on the end of a golf club that allows golfers to analyze their swing mechanics. Patrick will discuss his interest in developing assistive devices that facilitate rehabilitation after injury or stroke.    

Our own Jim Watkins was responsible for revitalizing Del Mar nearly 50 years ago. He will speak about a new vision for Del Mar, the Downtown Streetscape that will revitalize the village with new sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and art. Jim is a longtime Del Mar resident and founder of Winner’s Circle Resorts International.  In addition, he developed numerous hotels and commercial properties. Photo credit K.C. Alfred

Brian Keating, professor of physics at University of California San Diego, researches cosmic microwave background (CMB) in an effort to learn more about the origins and evolution of the universe. In particular, Dr. Keating is searching for a particular polarization pattern of CMB light, termed B-modes. As director of the Simons Observatory in northern Chile and as part of the BICEP collaboration at the South Pole, Dr. Keating searches for B-modes that are predicted by physicists to hold secrets behind events that occurred shortly after the Big Bang.

Literary Agent Sandra Dijkstra focuses on authors who produce books that make a difference.  Her work as earned her accolades as one of the country’s top literary agents.  She has represented authors of both fiction and non-fiction books,  and support authors though each phase of the publishing process to ensure that they reach the widest possible audience.  

John Allcock is a nationally recognized expert on mindfulness, and in particular how mindfulness techniques can be applied in an education setting. His approach to mindfulness is to provide practical essentials for everyday living that can be used by parents and young adults alike to improve the quality of their lives. John is a certified mindfulness instructor and built the innovative mindfulness program at Sea Change Prep in Del Mar.