Welcome to the Rotary Club of Washington, DC
Upcoming Lunch Programs
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Lesli Creedon
Make-A-Wish® grants life-changing wishes for children diagnosed with critical illnesses, in the U.S. and its territories, a wish is granted every 33 minutes.
Lesli Creedon is the President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic, a position she has held since 2018. Lesli has over 35 years of experience in the non-profit sector in Washington, DC, having led major fundraising and marketing campaigns for preeminent institutions including the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, United Nations Foundation, The Brookings Institution, Aspen Institute, and Resources for the Future. She enjoys building meaningful relationships with donors to fulfill their philanthropic visions and working with Boards of Directors on strategy and governance. Her passion for Make-A-Wish stems from her family’s receipt of a life-changing wish eight years ago when her son was battling leukemia.
Lesli graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, political science, and diplomacy and international affairs. Lesli and her husband, Dan, have two children – Catherine and Jack – whom they adopted from Russia at 18 months of age.
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Thomas Reich
Okinawa: on the frontline between China and Japan
Thomas Reich is an independent consultant in the defense and aerospace industry, with expertise in international business development and sales; the US and Japanese government systems of export controls for defense articles; and defense trade with Japan.
From November 2020 to November 2023, he was resident in Tokyo as President of BAE Systems Japan GK. Prior to assuming this position, he served as Director, International Government Relations, BAE Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the British defense company BAE Systems PLC. In that position, his responsibilities centered on representing BAE’s international interests with key US and foreign government officials.
Before joining BAE in 2010, he served for 29 years as a Foreign Service officer in the U.S. Department of State, and has extensive experience in international affairs issues, particularly those associated with political-military and reconstruction/stabilization affairs. He has served overseas in the Philippines, the United Kingdom; Geneva, Switzerland; Japan (three tours of duty, including US Embassy Tokyo and as Consul General in Okinawa); and Afghanistan.
A native of North Carolina, Mr. Reich received a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations, also from Georgetown. His awards include numerous Superior Honor and Meritorious Honor awards from the Department of State. He has served on the executive boards of several business organizations in the US and Japan. He is married to Seiko Kyan, a citizen of Japan. Tom and Seiko have a daughter, Nina.
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Gabrielle Webster
History and Current Status of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington
Gabrielle Webster is a visionary leader and youth development expert serving as President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW). She has fueled unprecedented growth for BGCGW, exceeding financial goals and achieving record accomplishments, including leading a $30 million comprehensive campaign and tripling the number of Clubs in the metro area. Under Gabrielle's leadership, BGCGW has become one of the top 5% of BGCA affiliates nationally and initiated the flagship Center of Transformation at the Nation’s Boys & Girls Club, designed to pilot innovative programs across local sites and within the BGCA movement. Gabrielle brings extensive leadership experience from the nonprofit and public sectors, previously raising over $220 million in various leadership roles.
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Xavier University and a Master of Physical Chemistry degree from Clark Atlanta University. Gabrielle is also a graduate of the Greater Washington program and was awarded a Harvard Business School Executive Education Certificate for Strategic Agility and Inclusive Leadership. She and her husband reside in Upper Marlboro, Maryland and they have one daughter.
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Dr. Mark Peters
The State of Research and Development in the United States
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Wade Warren
Board Chair, Society for International Development (and former Acting USAID Administrator)
Wade Warren is a globally recognized leader in international development, with more than three decades of experience shaping U.S. foreign assistance policy and practice. He spent 27 years
at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), including serving as Acting Administrator, where he oversaw a workforce of 12,000 and an annual budget exceeding $40 billion. His senior leadership roles at USAID spanned the Bureaus for Policy, Planning and Learning, Global Health, and Africa, and he also served at USAID Missions in Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Wade was Acting Chief Operating Officer for the State Department’s Office of the Director of
U.S. Foreign Assistance (F), helping coordinate foreign aid across agencies. Earlier in his
career, he spent nine years on Capitol Hill as an analyst and speechwriter and served as Chief
Financial Officer of the U.S. Telecommunications Training Institute, a nonprofit providing training
to communications professionals from the developing world.
From 2018 to 2025, Wade served as Deloitte’s Chief Strategy Officer for International Development, advising clients such as USAID, MCC, DFC, the World Bank, UN, and EU. His work focused on supporting USAID contract delivery, enabling technology adoption across development agencies, and providing thought leadership through global platforms including the UN General Assembly, Tidewater, and the Brookings Blum Roundtable.
Wade holds a degree in history from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a graduate degree in international business from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
He currently chairs the Board of the Society for International Development – US Chapter.
Our Upcoming Events
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Lesli Creedon
Topic: Make-A-Wish® grants life-changing wishes for children diagnosed with critical illnesses, in the U.S. and its territories, a wish is granted every 33 minutes.
More info
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Thomas Reich
Topic: Okinawa: on the frontline between China and Japan
More info
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Gabrielle Webster
Topic: History and Current Status of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington
More info
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Dr. Mark Peters
Topic: The State of Research and Development in the United States
More info
"Walk, Serve & Play” Community Event
Topic: A special Earth Day service fellowship in partnership with the Anacostia Watershed Society, alongside Rotaract and Interact clubs.
More info
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Wade Warren
Topic: Board Chair, Society for International Development (and former Acting USAID Administrator)
More info
Interested in the Rotary Club of Washington DC?
ATTEND LUNCH
Visitors are warmly invited to attend a weekly luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club of Washington, D.C. to experience our culture of service, leadership, and fellowship. The Club meets every Wednesday from 12:30–1:30 p.m. at the University Club of Washington, D.C. (1135 16th Street NW), with informal fellowship beginning at approximately 12:15 p.m. Guests are encouraged to register in advance using the link below and to introduce themselves at the registration table upon arrival. The cost of lunch is $42.
MEMBERSHIP INFO
We would also like to invite you to attend a New & Prospective Membership Orientation, which takes place on the 3rd Monday of every month from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Please register HERE.
It’s the best opportunity to meet Club leaders and learn more firsthand about why joining us is so rewarding personally and professionally.
APPLY TODAY
If you are looking for a place to serve, lead, and connect with others who care about making a difference, we invite you to apply for membership in the Rotary Club of Washington, D.C. Our members come from many professions and backgrounds, united by a shared commitment to “Service Above Self” and to building community in the nation’s capital. Simply complete the application using the link below, and a member of our team will reach out to welcome you and guide you through the next steps.
Impacting the Community
Our members take action to create lasting change in Washington, D.C. and around the world. Through service projects, partnerships, grants, and hands-on volunteerism, we work to address real needs in our community while building meaningful relationships with those we serve and with one another.
Rotary is where people come together to turn commitment into impact.
Our Impact
