Meet Our Speakers

The Rotary Club of Washington, DC is strategically located to gather the most prestigious group of speakers our nation’s Capital can generate.  From Ambassadors, Business Executives, and Tribal Chiefs to an endless array of Champions of Change.  Our Club Members, and visitors to our weekly meetings, receive an impressive amount of intellectually-stimulating, heart-warming presentations each week.   Further, on this page, is a sample of speakers whom have recently spoken at our Club…

Upcoming Speakers

July 23rd 2025 at 12:30 pm
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Iryna Lujan
Ukraine Children Need Peace

Iryna Lujan is the Executive Director of Universal Aid for Children, Inc. (UAC, Inc.), a charity dedicated to addressing the medical, educational, and emotional needs of orphans, orphanage graduates, displaced children, children with disabilities, and refugee children in the Odesa region of Ukraine.  Since its founding in 1977, UAC, Inc. has worked tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of these deserving children.
During Ukraine's defense against the ongoing war of aggression, UAC, Inc. has shifted its focus to urgent humanitarian aid, ensuring survival and support for children in crisis.  The organization is recognized as a 2020–2025 Top-Rated Great NonProfit and received the "Best Foreign Charity Angel of Goodness" Award in 2017 from the National Association of Philanthropists of Ukraine.

Iryna was born and raised in Ukraine, is a proud mother of two children, and is married to Eliseo Lujan.


 
July 30th 2025 at 12:30 pm
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Carl Gray III
Youth Entrepreneurship: Not the future, the NOW

Carl Gray III

“There’s no problem in our community that doesn’t have an entrepreneurial solution.”
That’s not just a belief for Carl J. Gray III—it’s the mission.

Carl is a Business Solutions Architect, speaker, 2x Best Selling author and founder of
the Raising Founders Foundation, a national youth entrepreneurship movement known
as the “AAU of Entrepreneurship.” Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Prince
George’s County, Maryland, he’s a proud graduate of Hampton University, where his
passion for culture, creativity, and community was shaped.

With over 20 years of experience in consulting, assurance and entrepreneurial systems,
Carl launched Raising Founders to solve a deeper issue: too many young people have
vision but no structure. Through camps, incubators, in-school programs, and pitch
competitions, the foundation equips students ages 12–20 to launch real businesses with
real tools—websites, branding, AI training, funding, and mentorship.

The flagship incubator, hosted at Jacob’s Ladder in Fort Washington, MD, is backed by
community leaders, business partners, and a growing national footprint. Whether they’re
launching merch brands or tech services, these students leave with ownership,
confidence, and a strategy to sustain it.

From school districts to CEOs, Carl teaches with faith, structure, and soul. No fluff. Just
implementation.

We’re not raising employees.
We’re raising founders.

Be blessed by building.
Be blessed by selling.

That’s the mission.

 

Missed the meeting? Watch the speaker’s presentation.

YouTube

Linda Ziglar joined the CFP Board in 2011 when she retired as Vice President of Finance at the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and Executive Director of the American Frozen Food Foundation. She became CFP’s Chairman in 2015. Prior to joining AFFI, Linda founded and operated the consulting firm LKL Consultants for 25 years. In this capacity, she provided a variety of services to a client list that included Fortune 100 companies, non-profit organizations and law firms of all sizes. Initially, she developed and modified mainframe software applications for the financial and banking industries. With the advent of the personal computer, the focus of her consulting switched to PC based business applications and systems – designing, installing, and maintaining local and wide area networks for the legal and educational sectors. She also provided statistical and numerical analysis services for legal defense groups involved in complex class action lawsuits and expert witness testimony with respect to the methodologies used. In addition, she provided entrepreneurial advice for small technology firms seeking government contracts. Before starting her own business, Linda worked for the Institute for Defense Analysis, writing scientific computer programs and analyzing and developing investment and support cost methodologies for the military. Linda graduated summa cum laude from the George Washington University with a degree in mathematics and has served on the boards of many non-profit and community organizations.

Linda Ziglar joined the CFP Board in 2011 when she retired as Vice President of Finance at the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI)
and Executive Director of the American Frozen Food Foundation. She became CFP’s Chairman in 2015.

Prior to joining AFFI, Linda founded and operated the consulting firm LKL Consultants for 25 years. In this capacity, she provided a variety of services to a client list that included Fortune 100 companies, non-profit organizations and law firms of all sizes. Initially, she developed and modified mainframe software applications for the financial and banking industries. With the advent of the personal computer, the focus of her consulting switched to PC based business applications and systems – designing, installing, and maintaining local and wide area networks for the legal and educational sectors. She also provided statistical and numerical analysis services for legal defense groups involved in complex class action lawsuits and expert witness testimony with respect to the methodologies used. In addition, she provided entrepreneurial advice for small technology firms seeking government contracts.

Before starting her own business, Linda worked for the Institute for Defense Analysis, writing scientific computer programs and analyzing and developing investment and support cost methodologies for the military. Linda graduated summa cum laude from the George Washington University with a degree in mathematics and has served on the boards of many non-profit and community organizations.

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Linda Ziglar | Creating Friendships for Peace and Rotary | June 11, 2025

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Ms. Garcia de Alba (she/her) brings over 15 years of experience in project management and grants administration within the health nonprofit and international development sectors in her role as Director of Grants and Funded Contracts at Clinica del Pueblo. She works closely with the Executive team to identify funding and partnership opportunities, fostering a collaborative approach to revenue growth aligned with the organization’s mission. She earned her Master’s degree in Geography, with certificates in International Development and Conflict Resolution, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Rotary World Peace Fellow Class X) and holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City. Fluent in English and Spanish, she leverages her language skills to build strong relationships with funders and partners in the Washington, DC area and beyond.

Ms. Garcia de Alba (she/her) brings over 15 years of experience in project management and grants administration within the health nonprofit and international development sectors in her role as Director of Grants and Funded Contracts at Clinica del Pueblo. She works closely with the Executive team to identify funding and partnership opportunities, fostering a collaborative approach to revenue growth aligned with the organization’s mission.

She earned her Master’s degree in Geography, with certificates in International Development and Conflict Resolution, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Rotary World Peace Fellow Class X) and holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City. Fluent in English and Spanish, she leverages her language skills to build strong relationships with funders and partners in the Washington, DC area and beyond.

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Ana Catalina Garcia de Alba Diaz, La Clinica del Pueblo | The Power of Primary Care | June 4, 2025

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Luis Navarro is an Electoral Strategist for the National Education Association. His career has afforded him the opportunity to serve in a senior role for a variety of political entities, from unions to members of Congress, as well as presidential campaigns, campaign committees and international democracy development. Since 1999, he has served as political director for SEIU, executive/coordinated campaign director of the Florida Democratic Party, political director in John Kerry’s presidential campaign, western region director for America Coming Together, presidential campaign manager/chief of staff for then-US Senator Joe Biden, Senior Resident Director in Georgia (the country) for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, senior advisor for Every Voice and deputy mobilization director for the AFL-CIO. Luis is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, a Eurasia Program Fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a native Washingtonian.

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Luis Navarro | U.S. Policy in the Black Sea Region, Focusing on Georgia and Ukraine | May 28, 2025

Rotary Club Washington DC 4 views July 7, 2025 8:03 am

Stephen Powers is the Chairman of NACABOSTCO, The Nation’s Capital Boundary Stones Committee. He has spent the last twenty years raising public awareness and leading preservation efforts at the forty various sites. Stephen is a Civil Engineer graduate from Virginia Tech and has spent his thirty-seven-year career as a Project Manager for a Heavy Highway Contractor, the Resident Airfield Engineer at Washington National Airport, and is currently a Senior Project Manager for Infrastructure Rehabilitation with WMATA, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

Stephen Powers is the Chairman of NACABOSTCO, The Nation’s Capital Boundary Stones Committee.
He has spent the last twenty years raising public awareness and leading preservation efforts at the forty various sites.

Stephen is a Civil Engineer graduate from Virginia Tech and has spent his thirty-seven-year career as a Project Manager for a Heavy Highway Contractor, the Resident Airfield Engineer at Washington National Airport, and is currently a Senior Project Manager for Infrastructure Rehabilitation with WMATA, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

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Stephen Powers | Boundary Stones of the Original Federal City | May 7, 2025

Rotary Club Washington DC 22 views July 6, 2025 11:26 am

Kevin R. Kosar, Ph.D., is a resident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank, where he studies the US Congress, American politics, and the US Postal Service. He edits UnderstandingCongress.org and hosts the Understanding Congress podcast. Previously, he was a vice president at the R Street Institute, and served as an analyst and research manager at the Library of Congress’ Congressional Research Service. He is the co-editor of Congress Overwhelmed: Congressional Capacity and Prospects for Reform (University of Chicago Press), co-author of Unleashing Opportunity: Policy Reforms for an Accountable Administrative State (National Affairs); and the author of Failing Grades: The Federal Politics of Education. He also wrote the preface to Government Project (AEI Press, 2023) by Edward C. Banfield.

Kevin R. Kosar, Ph.D., is a resident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank, where he studies the US Congress, American politics, and the US Postal Service. He edits UnderstandingCongress.org and hosts the Understanding Congress podcast.

Previously, he was a vice president at the R Street Institute, and served as an analyst and research manager at the Library of Congress’ Congressional Research Service. He is the co-editor of Congress Overwhelmed: Congressional Capacity and Prospects for Reform (University of Chicago Press), co-author of Unleashing Opportunity: Policy Reforms for an Accountable Administrative State (National Affairs); and the author of Failing Grades: The Federal Politics of Education. He also wrote the preface to Government Project (AEI Press, 2023) by Edward C. Banfield.

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Kevin Kosar | Ame. Ent. Ins. | The Federal Budget: Serious Issues and Unserious Politics | 4/30/25

Rotary Club Washington DC 55 views May 2, 2025 8:24 pm

Julia Roig has more than 30 years of experience working for democratic change and conflict transformation around the world, is best known for her ability to convene diverse coalitions and her facilitative leadership of global networks. An organizer at heart, in her role as Chief Network Weaver at The Horizons Project, Julia is committed to bridge-building across sectors, disciplines, and cultures. Throughout her career, she has been called upon to translate between theory and practice, while seeding new approaches, organizing principles, and mindset shifts for social change. After serving for almost 14 years as the President and CEO of PartnersGlobal, one of the preeminent international democracy and peacebuilding organizations, in 2022 Julia launched The Horizons Project to focus on the intersection of peacebuilding, social justice, and democracy in the United States. She is a renowned public speaker, facilitator, and trainer able to connect deeply with different constituencies within civil society, social movements, governments, and corporations. Julia is the main architect of ground-breaking new research and approaches for more effective Narratives for Peace, working with front-line peacebuilders, social scientists, filmmakers, advertising industry leaders, and other creatives to bring peacebuilding into the mainstream. She works with philanthropists, non-profits, and movement leaders to incorporate narrative competency as an essential tool for restoring societal relationships and democratic values. Julia was licensed as an attorney in the state of Maryland and brings to Horizons her many years of diverse international experience and practical field work in more than 30 countries. Prior to joining PartnersGlobal, Julia spent two years as the Country Director for the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative in Belgrade, Serbia. She is also a recognized expert in community justice and dispute resolution in Colombia having spent five years living and working from Bogota, promoting a national expansion of the Equity Conciliation and Justice Houses programs. She is currently the Chair of the Board of the Alliance for Peacebuilding. She also serves on several Advisory Boards including: Nsquare, the Corruption, Justice and Legitimacy Program at Tufts University, and Scripps College Laspa Center for Women’s Leadership. Julia’s roots growing up in the Pacific Northwest are an important part of her identity, and you can always count on her to lead a group in song around the piano or a campfire. Her biggest passions include baking and decorating cookies for her loved ones, and amateur filmmaking to capture special gatherings of friends and family. A frequent author and public speaker, Julia’s TedXTalk is called “We Are All Peacebuilders”.

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Julia Roig, Founder | HorizonsProject | Block, Bridge, Build Our Pluralistic Future | Dec. 11, 2024

Rotary Club Washington DC 23 views January 16, 2025 9:03 am

Shannon Hader, MD, MPH, former Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of Programmes at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and a prominent leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the United States and globally, is the dean of the School of International Service at American University. Before accepting the position at the UN, Dr. Hader served as Director of the Division of Global HIV and TB at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She also has served as Vice President and Director at Futures Group International (now Palladium); as Senior Deputy Director of the HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and TB Administration at the District of Columbia Department of Health; Senior Scientific Advisor to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief at the US Department of State.

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Shannon Hader, MD, MPH | Trends in Global Disease Eradication | December 4, 2024

Rotary Club Washington DC 94 views December 30, 2024 9:03 am

Diana Parsell is a writer, editor and former journalist, and a 45-year resident of the Washington area. During her career she wrote and edited for many publications, including National Geographic and The Washington Post, and for science organizations in Washington and Southeast Asia. Her book, "Eliza Scidmore: The Trailblazing Journalist Behind Washington’s Cherry Trees (Oxford, 2023) was featured by NBC’s “Today” and other media. Diana has spoken on the book and related topics to a range of organizations, such as the National Arboretum, Women's National Democratic Club, White House Historical Association, Asian American Forum, Library of Congress and others. She likes to illustrate her talks with historic slides. See her website at www.dianaparsell.com for more information.

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Diana Parsell | DC's Cherry Tree Legacy of Eliza Scidmore | November 27, 2024

Rotary Club Washington DC 48 views December 13, 2024 9:03 am

A passionate linguist and humanitarian, Astrid de Vries embarked on her journey to Haiti in 1998, just as she was beginning her career in the Netherlands after studying economics, linguistics, and hotel management. It was during her time volunteering at an orphanage that she encountered the resilience and spirit of the children, sparking a profound connection that would change her life and theirs forever. Astrid quickly realized that even small acts of love, family support, and access to education could transform despair into hope. By 2009, having relocated to the US, Astrid continued her commitment to helping older youth from the orphanage—young adults striving for stability but lacking the resources to achieve their dreams. With her guidance, they completed their education and launched microbusinesses, laying the groundwork for what would become Kids Connection Haiti (KCH). Then came January 12, 2010—a day that would forever alter Haiti’s landscape. The devastating earthquake left millions homeless and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, creating an urgent need for support as the number of orphans surged. In the face of such overwhelming challenges, the vision for KCH became a beacon of hope. Today, KCH supports approximately 100 young men and women, with over 300 having graduated from our program. With a remarkable 99% graduation rate and 92% of graduates finding paid employment, KCH is making a significant impact in a country where unemployment is a staggering 60%. Through education and empowerment, we are turning the tide and inspiring a brighter future for the next generation in Haiti.

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Astrid de Vries | Transforming lives in Haiti throughout the current humanitarian crisis | 11/20/24

Rotary Club Washington DC 7 views December 10, 2024 9:03 am

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Sampling of Our Past Speakers

The Rotary Club of Washington, DC would like to thank our past speakers for the engaging and motivational and informative presentations.

Bob Cusack

Editor in Chief, The Hill/TheHill.com

Reporting on politics and policy in the nation’s capital since 1995, Mr. Cusack joined The Hill as Business and Lobbying Editor in 2003 and is now the newspaper’s Managing Editor.  Mr. Cusack regularly appears on ABC, CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC as a political analyst.

Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana

Ambassador of Rwanda to the United States

Prior to her appointment, Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana was a tenured Professor of History at Cosumnes River College (CRC) in Sacramento, California from 1994 to 2013. She is also Co-Founder and President of Friends of Rwanda Association (F.O.R.A).

Manny Mandel

Holocaust Survivor

Emanuel “Manny” Mandel was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1936, the year in which his parents returned to their native Hungary. Manny’s father had been selected to become one of the Chief Cantors…

Juan Williams

Fox Political Analyst and Author

Juan Williams is one of America’s leading political writers and thinkers. Mr. Williams is a top political analyst for Fox Television, co-host of the daily talk show ‘The Five’ and a regular panelist for Fox News Sunday and Special Report.

James Chen

Institute for Global Engagement

James Chen is the Vice President of Global Operations at the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE). James first joined IGE in 2011, serving as both a Program Officer and the Executive Director…

Anne Midgette

Classical Music Critic, The Washington Post

Anne Midgette is a graduate of Yale University. She lived in Munich, Germany, reviewing opera, music, and art throughout Europe for The Wall Street Journal, Opera News, and other publications.  In 2008, she took over as the chief classical music critic for The Washington Post.