OUR SPEAKERS

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

March 19th 2025 at 12:30 pm
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Filmmaker, Cheryl Jacobs Crim
Changing the Way Americans Feel About Peace
Changing the Way Americans Feel About Peace

Cheryl Jacobs Crim, also known as CJ, is an award-winning visual storyteller. She began her career at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati directing, producing, and editing highly acclaimed specials and documentaries earning her a Gold Medal at the New York Film Festival, Best of Show at the Houston Film Festival, two silver Telly’s, and 12 regional Emmys. She directed ESPN's “LPGA Magazine,” the first national television series dedicated to women’s sports. She was a series producer for New Jersey Public Television. Living in Liverpool, England allowed her to direct throughout Europe.

In 2009, she moved to the DC area creating visual content for schools and nonprofits. In 2020, she released RESISTERHOOD, her first feature documentary, about the power of women, hope, and resistance. The film has been honored with 15 festival awards, has a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is streaming on Amazon Prime.

CJ is currently working on REBRANDING PEACE, a documentary about an audacious ad campaign aimed at changing the way Americans think about peace.

She is an avid photographer. She loves to travel, ride her new electric bike, and cheer for Liverpool FC. She lives in Sandy Spring, Maryland with her husband, Rob and her wondermutt, Darwin.

March 26th 2025 at 12:30 pm
In-Person/Hybrid Washington DC Weekly Club Meeting
Speaker: Gabrielle Webster
President & CEO, Boys and Girls Club of Washington, DC
President & CEO, Boys and Girls Club of Washington, DC

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.

Gabrielle 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 Leadership 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.

Missed the meeting? Watch the speaker’s presentation.

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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 9 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

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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 28 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 6 views December 10, 2024 9:03 am

Briana "Bri" Franklin is a businesswoman, philanthropist, and student debt expert leading the crusade to conquer predatory lending.
Having taken on a loan burden that eventually ballooned to nearly $120K through her undergraduate studies at Dartmouth College, Bri developed an acute appreciation for the challenges many student debt holders experience, including diminished ability
to establish financial independence, exercise personal freedoms (i.e. starting a family and home buying) or launch business ventures.
In recognizing the extent to which debt constraint has become the leading source of wealth depletion, especially for Black women, she established an end-to-end solution spectrum dedicated to addressing the issue, consisting of nationally acclaimed 501(c)(3), The Prosp(a)rity Project, its fintech offshoot, Cadet Prosparette, hit YouTube series, UnDEBTfeated and her high school and college education programs,
Pathways to Prosparity.

Her accolades include coverage in Forbes, Katie Couric Media, Buzzfeed, and Authority Magazine, winning SXSW's 2023 Innovation Award for Social Impact, being accepted into the 2024 Chime for Changemakers cohort, and being named
Visionary Women's 2023 Rising Visionary and a 2023 Aspen Ideas Fellow.

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Bri Franklin | Started With Them But Ends With Us: Defeating Debt to Take Back Your Power | 11/13/24

Rotary Club Washington DC 21 views December 9, 2024 9:03 am

Jennifer (Jenn) Wisdahl is the driving force behind strategy and operations at FASD United, the national organization dedicated to supporting individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and promoting healthy pregnancies. With FASD affecting 1 in 20 Americans, Jenn plays a pivotal role in shaping the national legislative and policy agenda to address this under-recognized yet widespread disability. Her leadership approach is data-driven but always centered on people’s needs, contributing to significant organizational growth at FASD United. Under Jenn’s guidance, FASD United has successfully expanded key initiatives, including the Family Navigator Program, National FASD Impact Week, and the International FASD Research Conferences, which have now found a permanent home in the United States. Jenn’s efforts have been instrumental in elevating
FASD awareness and ensuring that those diagnosed receive the support they deserve.

Before joining FASD United, Jenn accumulated over 20 years of experience in human resources, recruitment, and operations, serving on international boards and advisory panels. She is also the executive producer of the award-winning short film *The FASD Project*, which highlights the realities of living with FASD. Beyond her professional achievements, Jenn is a passionate advocate as the mother of three young adults with
FASD, which fuels her dedication to the cause.

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Jennifer Wisdahl | FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders): Prevalence, Awareness & Stigma | 11/6/24

Rotary Club Washington DC 28 views December 6, 2024 5:46 pm

Yes on 83 Campaign. Kenyatta Smith explains what Ballot Initiative 83 in the Washington DC election of November 2024 is about.

Kenyatta Smith is a Native Washingtonian, Howard University Graduate and dedicated resident of Ward 7. She serves on the Board of Directors for Style X showroom: a local DC, women-owned creative incubator and on the Leadership Committee for the ACT-SO, NAACP DC chapter.

With over five years of experience as an educator in the DC Public Schools and Prince George's County Public Schools, Kenyatta has a strong commitment to community education. She is a community organizer and the lead programmer for DDOT’s Open Streets initiative.

Kenyatta advocates for equitable transformations within DC's power systems which focus on implementing ranked choice voting and fostering Black independent political power. Passionate about the pursuit of DC statehood, she plays a key role as a leadership committee member and The East of the River
Organizer for the “Yes on 83” campaign initiative.

Lisa D. T. Rice, a passionate political innovator and champion of electoral reform, is a native Washingtonian and serves her local community as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 7. She is the proposer of Initiative 83, a bold ballot initiative which would let independents vote in taxpayer-funded elections and implement ranked choice voting in DC.

Lisa is a Unite America board member; an Open Primaries national spokesperson; a DC State Leader of Veterans for All Voters; and Vice Chair of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship board of directors. Lisa was a 2022-23 Bridge Alliance JEDI Democracy Fellow.

Lisa lives in her childhood home with her husband in the Penn Branch neighborhood; her son is a District of Columbia Public Schools early literacy teacher in Ward 8. A sought-after keynote speaker and panelist, Lisa has moderated several political panels, debates, and forums on national and local platforms. Lisa loves to write, quilt, and speak truth to power.

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Kenyatta Smith | Outreach & Engagement/ Make All Votes Count DC | Yes on 83 | October 23, 2024

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Alpaslan Özerdem is Dean of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and professor of peace and conflict studies. Dr. Özerdem specializes in conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconstruction, with over 25 years of field research experience in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, El Salvador, Indonesia, Kosovo, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, and Turkey.

Dr. Özerdem has published extensively (15 books and numerous journal articles, book chapters, and op-eds) and, amongst others, is author of Post-war Recovery: Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (2008); co-author of Managing Emergencies and Crises (2011 & 2022); creditor of Child Soldiers: From Recruitment to Reintegration (2011); co-author of Peace in Turkey 2023 (2013); co-author of Youth in Conflict and Peacebuilding (2015); co-editor of Routledge Handbook of Turkish Politics (2019), co-editor of Comparing Peace Processes (2020), co-editor of Routledge Handbook of Peace, Security and Development (2020), co-editor of Routledge Handbook of Conflict Response and Leadership in Africa (2021); and co-editor of A Companion to Modern Turkey’s Centennial (2023).

Dr. Özerdem has also initiated and managed advisory and applied research projects for various national and international organizations, such as the United Nations and international NGOs. He is a frequent speaker and workshop leader for events organized by the private sector, higher
education institutions, international organizations, and governmental authorities. He received his Professor Extraordinary in Politics title from Stellenbosch University in 2017 and a visiting professorship from Jiangsu University and Coventry University in 2019.

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Alpaslan Özerdem | Peace and Conflict Resolution: Challenges and Opportunities | October 16, 2024

Rotary Club Washington DC 9 views December 3, 2024 9:03 am

A native of Colorado and current resident of Virginia, Bettie Baca had a long career in politics, government, education, and community service. She has worked at the highest levels of government, as Counselor to the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration in the Clinton Administration; and at the finest institutions of higher education. As a Senior Administrator at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, she directed the academic Summer Programs for incoming graduate students, and was Associate Director of the Master’s in Public Administration Program. She served in the Congress as Executive Director of the Congressional Caucus, and in the U.S. Department of Commerce as a senior aide to the late
Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown. She is a graduate of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)-sponsored
Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program.
Early in her career, Bettie was a community organizer in Kansas and an editor/writer in the private sector. She was one of three founders of MANA, the nation’s largest Hispanic women’s organization; and she was profiled in book for junior high school-aged Latino youth entitled Careers in Law and Politics, Linda R. Wade, Mitchell Lane Publishing, Bear, DE, 2002.

Bettie currently serves on the Board of Directors of HealthWorks for Northern Virginia, the DC League of United Latin American Citizens, and Dialogue on Diversity. She is working with others to create a Herndon Labor Center to assist day laborers and others looking for employment.

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Bettie Baca | Natl Hispanic Heritage Month: History, Struggles & Contributions of Latinos | 10/9/24

Rotary Club Washington DC 23 views December 2, 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.