John McPartland – BART District 5 Director - Castro Valley Rotarian and BART Director for District 5, which includes Castro Valley, provided the Club with an update on BART by focusing on three areas: Safety and Reliability; Station Security and Access; and, Future Planning. Click here for more information about BART. 

Castro Valley High School Madrigal Singers - Once again, the Club was treated to a holiday concert at lunch by the award-winning Madrigal Singers from Castro Valley High School under the direction of Laryssa Sadoway. Ms Sadoway described the Madrigals as the best of the best from the Castro Valley High School Choir Program.

Phong La, Alameda County Assessor - Alameda County Assessor Phong La began his presentation with an inspiring tale of how his family came to the United States as refugees from Vietnam when he was two years old (i.e., picked up at sea by the U.S. Navy) and settled in Union City. He described how his parents went from picking lettuce to starting their own successful small businesses to provide a better life for him and his siblings. Phong is a graduate of James Logan High School in Union City, lived in Fremont after law school, and he, his wife and daughter now live in Alameda. Phong received his BA from UC Davis in 2000, his JD from the UC Hastings College of the Law in 2003, and is a member of the Rotary Club of Alameda.

Assemblymember Dr. Bill Quirk (Dem - Assembly District 20) - Assemblymember Quirk served on the Hayward City Council 2004-2012 and was elected to the California Legislature in 2012 representing Assembly District 20 (Ashland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, Fremont, Hayward, San Lorenzo, Sunol, and Union City) . He was re-elected in 2014. 2016, and 2018. Assemblymember Quirk is the only rocket engineer to serve in the California Legislature. Prior to his election to the City Council, Bill worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) 1979-2005.