Events

Shannon Thomas

Shannon Thomas is the CEO of Sutter Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley since March 2022. During her tenure at EMC, the hospital has earned Five Stars, the highest ranking possible in the CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings, as well as numerous other national recognitions including U.S. News & amp; World Report Best Hospitals in Stroke and Spinal Fusion, Cal Hospital Compare’s Maternity Honor-Roll, American Stroke Association & Becker’s Hospital Review-Great Community Hospitals in 2023.

Shannon has been with Sutter Health for over 16 years in various roles including Director of Nursing/Site Administrator at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. In this role she led the successful opening of the new Mission Bernal Hospital Campus of CPMC. In addition, she served as the Chief Administrative Officer at Novato Community Hospital in Marin County prior to her current role at EMC.

Shannon received her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte before moving to California to work at the University of California, San Francisco, where she earned a master’s degree in Nursing Administration. Shannon has a 16-year-old son Kai who she enjoys trying to understand and loves to travel during her time off.

Sheriff Yesenia L. Sanchez

Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez was sworn in as the 23rd Sheriff of Alameda County on January 3, 2023. She is the first woman and Latina Sheriff in Alameda County. Sheriff Sanchez started her career with Alameda County Sheriff’s Office in 1997. She worked hard and excelled through the ranks over the course of her 27 years:

• Sheriff’s Technician (1997-2001) - Assigned to North County Jail (now the Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility), in Oakland where she tracked and logged the day-to-day activities of the jail.

• Sheriff Recruit (2001) - Attended the 117th Academy at the Alameda County Regional Training Center in Dublin.

• Deputy Sheriff (2001-2009) - Served as a sworn peace officer, at Santa Rita Jail, on patrol at AC Transit Police Services and Eden Township Substation, and as a detective at Dublin Police Services.

• Sergeant (2009-2013) - First line supervisor at Santa Rita Jail and AC Transit Police Services, and detective sergeant at Dublin Police Services.

What's Happening in the Local Real Estate Market?

www.yourlenderchris.com

After nearly 20 years of working in the Silicon Valley for startups, holding roles in communications, marketing, finance, business development and compliance management, Chris’ broad business experience provides a strong foundation for counseling his clients on home finance.

This San Francisco Bay Area native holds BS in Business Administration at the University of California at Berkeley. A lover of good food, good music, travel, motorcycles and excellent puns (or bad Dad jokes), Chris and his family reside in Castro Valley, where he is active in the community.

His commitment to understanding your objectives for home finance and creating a path to realize those goals is only paralleled by his dedication to offering personalized, timely service to his clients.

Eden Area ROP

edenrop.org

Abraham O. Mendoza has served as a work-based learning specialist at Eden Area ROP for the past eight years, supporting work-based learning efforts in Castro Valley, Hayward, San Lorenzo, and San Leandro Unified School Districts’ career & technical education (CTE) programs. Abraham coordinates with local business partners to provide guest speakers, field trips, and internships for CTE students. Moreover, Abraham has developed the growth of the Castro Valley High School CTE summer internship program to provide CVHS students with homegrown work experiences that teach them valuable skills for their future and towards the community’s benefit.

CREATE HOPE IN THE WORLD is the theme for the

2023 - 2024 Rotary District 5170 Richard D King Youth Speech Contest

Students from the Castro Valley and Redwood Christian High Schools are participants.

Our Club contest winner moves to the Area level competition between March 25 and April 5, 2024.

The first-place winner of the Area competition will be selected to participate in the Regional level competition between April 8 and April 19, 2024.       

The first and second-place winners from each Regional Competition will attend the District level final competition on April 28, 2024, during the 2024 District 5170 Conference.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

Prizes are awarded to top participants at all levels.

Robert Chau

deathincambodiapodcast.com

Mr. Chau is a serial American entrepreneur. He is the Founder of B&H Bakery Distributors and additionally founded other companies in the bakery and donut industry including Golden Bake Food Products, Evergreen Packaging, Mammoth Drinks Inc, Robert Creek Winey, Pac-Am Investment Group and more. He is known for being the founding father for most donut shops in Northern California, building approximately 60+ donut shops throughout Northern CA, TX, and Philadelphia.

Robert has also funded and built the only school in his hometown Mongkol Borey, Cambodia, and is a director of the Heart Without Boundaries Organization. In his free time, he dabbles in real estate, property investments, creating new foods, and training Dorothy to be the best CEO she can be.

Hon. Ignazio J. Ruvolo: California Appellate Districts & Retention Elections

www.courts.ca.gov

Hon. Ignazio J. Ruvolo (Ret.) was first appointed as an associate justice to the California First District Court of Appeal, Division Two, in 1996 and became presiding justice of Division Four of that court in 2006. Prior to that, he served on the Contra Costa Superior Court from 1994 to 1996. He began his legal career as a trial attorney with the Torts Section of the Civil Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.. He later transitioned to private practice spending 17 years representing both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of civil matters. Justice Ruvolo's work in legal and judicial ethics is well-known, and he has served as a member or chaired numerous local, state, and national committees regarding legal ethics and professional responsibility. He was appointed by the California Supreme Court as a member of the Commission on Judicial Performance, ultimately serving as commissioner and chairperson. That commission is charged with investigating and taking disciplinary action, where appropriate, in connection with complaints about the conduct of California judicial officers. In addition, Justice Ruvolo was a member of the California State Bar Commission for the Revision of the Rules of Professional Responsibility, where he played a role in drafting new ethics rules for attorneys.

Justice Ruvolo retired from the public court system in 2018 and joined JAMS, a private alternative dispute resolution service organization. He has now retired from JAMS effective June 30, 2023.
His educational background is as follows:

A.B., Rutgers College, 1969;
J.D., Valedictorian and Editor-in-Chief of the San Diego Law Review, University of San Diego School of Law, 1972
LL.M., Judicial Process, University of Virginia, 2004.

Alameda County Assessor's Office

www.acassessor.org

Phong La was elected on November 6, 2018, to serve as the Assessor for the County of Alameda and is committed to making government work for the people of Alameda County.

The work of the Assessor’s Office helps generate revenue for Alameda County, its 14 cities, and six unincorporated communities. These major funds provide for crucial services such as schools; public health, social, and family support services; fire, police and sheriff departments; road maintenance; neighborhood improvements, and more.

Since taking office, Phong’s priorities include increasing customer service and office efficiency. The Assessor’s Office is implementing e-Forms, which allow applicants to file forms online from the convenience of their office or home. Phong is also securing resources to address the issue of increased staff workload generated by historic highs in real estate construction and business activities. In addition, the Assessor’s Office is working with the Assessment Appeals Board to
schedule and hear appeals cases more quickly and ensuring a timelier resolution for taxpayers. Phong has completed digitizing historic real property records currently maintained only in hard copy. This project will ensure that vital assessment details and property files are protected and available to the staff when valuing both residential and commercial properties off site.

Phong obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of California, Davis and his Juris Doctor from the UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). Phong worked as an attorney in one of California’s largest real estate law firms, for the United States government, for a privately held real estate holding company, and his own small businesses. Phong has also worked as an adjunct professor teaching Real Estate Law, Economics and Property Management.

Phong was born in Vietnam and came to the United States as a refugee at the age of two. He grew up in Union City, lived in Fremont for many years, and currently lives in Alameda with his wife Stephanie and daughters Olivia and Charlotte.

Ralph Freightman

www.touchstonegolf.com

Ralph Freightman is a Regional Manager, Touchstone Golf-Northern California at Touchstone Golf based in Austin, Texas.

Previously, Ralph was a General Manager at Coyote Creek Golf Club and also held positions at California Wine Tours, Richmond Country Club, Mira Vista Golf & Country Club, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Orinda Country Club.

Deputy Ruben Pola: Grand Juries & Pres-Elect Dan WIllits: 2024-2025 Rotary Year

Deputy Pola will speak about Grand Juries, while Preisdent-Elect Dan Willits will provide insight on the incoming 2024-2025 Rotary Year.

Ed Jellen

Ken Sommer

georgemark.org

Ken Sommer has approximately 40 years of experience working for Bay Area nonprofit organizations in fundraising, marketing and communications, public relations, and special event production.

He currently serves as Director of Advancement for George Mark Children’s House.  His previous work experience includes positions with Children’s Hospital Oakland, Glide Church and Foundation, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation.

Ken grew up in the Bay Area and was a resident for 50 years, before recently relocating to Davis, CA in 2023; he is married to Emily and has two sons, Benjamin and Nathaniel.

Bertha Nevárez

www.calicocenter.org

Bertha started working at CALICO in January 1999. Since her start, Bertha has conducted almost 5,000 forensic interviews! Bertha works closely with all of our partner agencies and answers all of CALICO’s after-hours and weekend pages. In addition, Bertha facilitates Spanish peer reviews for Spanish-speaking forensic interviewers throughout the state. Before CALICO, Bertha worked for Alameda Alliance providing psycho-social case management to HIV+ clients. She also was the HIV Testing Coordinator for two hospitals and five clinics and an HIV Outreach Coordinator.
 
Favorite Childhood Book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Riding my bike around the neighborhood for hours.
Current hobby: Traveling around the world and her current favorite place is anywhere!

Rowell Ranch Rodeo - Joint Meeting with the Hayward Rotary

The Rotary Club of Castro Valley will meet jointly with the Rotary Club of Hayward on Tuesday, May 7th, at Redwood Canyon, 17007 Redwood Canyon Road in Castro Valley for the Clubs'  Annual Rowell Ranch Rodeo lunch.

Chief of Police Bryan Matthews

www.hayward-ca.gov/your-government/staff/chief-of-police

Bryan currently serves as the Chief of Police for the Hayward Police Department (California), a department of 333.5 employees (197 sworn and 136.5 professional staff). He began his law enforcement career in 1999 and has served his hometown, the City of Hayward, for over 24 years. Over the course of his career, he has worked a variety of assignments, including Patrol, Training, Gang Investigations, SWAT, Community Policing, Internal Affairs, Emergency Preparedness, and as the department’s liaison with the community for policy innovation and alternative response models.

Bryan earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from California State University, Hayward and his Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Columbia Southern University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the California POST Command College, and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program.

Tales of Life, Media Production, and Community

www.linkedin.com

Born in Sri Lanka, I spent my formative years alongside my parents and older sister, where my father, a professor at Kandy University, instilled in me a love for learning and exploration. In 1964, our family embarked on a new chapter, relocating to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. Prior to our move, we traversed London and Europe during my father’s sabbatical, cultivating a seasoned traveler within me.

Settling in Albuquerque, my father secured a permanent position at California State University, Hayward, igniting my educational journey. I attended St. Clements Catholic school for my grammar years and later Moreau Catholic High School for my teenage years. Pursuing my passion for visual arts, I earned my degree in Photography from Chabot College before advancing to California State University, Hayward, now East Bay, where I obtained my BA in Mass Communications.

My career trajectory began at the forefront of innovation, thanks to opportunities at the Alameda County District Attorney's video unit, where I worked part-time, marking the inception of my journey in video production. Transitioning to the US Navy base at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, I established and managed the West Coast Video Center, playing a pivotal role for over 15 years until the base's closure. Concurrently, I undertook the responsibility of Computer Training Manager, spearheading the retraining of thousands of employees to ensure their transition to the digital era.

Subsequently, my tenure extended to the Department of Justice, where I served as the Senior Sector Computer Manager for the Livermore sector of the US Border Patrol and the FBI, demonstrating my commitment to national security. However, personal tragedy necessitated a shift to the private sector, leading me to Bio-Rad Labs as a LAN Computer Administrator.

Following a brief stint at an Immigration Law firm, I transitioned to Bank of America's computer division before embarking on entrepreneurship. Together with my son and former colleague, we founded Clearwater Filmworks, a video production company that collaborated with Hollywood studios and facilitated behind-the-scenes work for movies and TV shows.

Recognizing an opportunity to support education and industry simultaneously, I intervened to preserve the Chabot Studio, eventually transforming it into the Public Access Media Center, serving our community with expanded services and technological advancements. My commitment to excellence led to integration with Comcast's Universal NBC, propelling me into a new era of high-definition production and multimedia distribution.

Continuously evolving, I aspire to expand my services further, including commercial production, motion pictures, and digital streaming platforms, while fostering a nurturing environment for aspiring professionals through hands-on training and community engagement. My journey is defined by innovation, collaboration, and a steadfast dedication to empowering both my industry and my community.

The Philosophy and Value of 4-H

www.palomares4h.com

Andrea Sullivan is one of the Community Leaders for the Castro Valley Palomares 4-H Club. Born and raised in the Central Valley, she was an active participant in 4-H during her youth and as an adult saw the value it added to her life. In 2007 she married her husband Pat and moved to Castro Valley. They bought a small ranch in Palomares Canyon where they are raising their two teenage daughters. Both girls are very involved in 4-H and Andrea is thrilled with all the knowledge and skills they have gained.

Andrea looks forward to sharing her passion for 4-H and it’s philosophy of providing youth with learn-by-doing educational experiences, developing skills that will benefit them for life, creating and building future leaders and being of service to others.

Meetings and Activities leading up to the 2024 Castro Valley Car Shpw on June 15, 2024.

The Story of the Castro Valley Car Show

castrovalleycarshow.com

dolphingraphics.com

Ken Carbone, former Chair of the Castro Valley MAC with over 25 years of service in community governance, was born and raised in Castro Valley.

Naturally, Ken has been part and parcel of countless projects and events, with the 15+ year annual Castro Valley Car Show perhaps taking the cake among the most popular and iconic community highlights.

Currently, Ken is the principal at Dolphin Graphics, a company that specializes in the "Branded Message." He also consults for several international companies desiring to expand their companies to the United States, specifically the Silicon Valley. In the past, he donated his time to work with the former Alameda County Redevelopment Agency for the re-design of Castro Valley Boulevard as well as secure Trader Joe's in Castro Valley.

In his free time, Ken enjoys outdoor activities, mountain bike riding, aerial photography and restoring classic cars. His greatest adventures usually occur while traveling the globe with his wife Hannah.

Castro Valley Car Show - Bag Stuffing

castrovalleycarshow.com

The club will prepare event bags for the 16th Annual Castro Valley Car Show.

Year in Review

President Chris Carr will provide a review of his year as President of the Rotary Club of Castro Valley. 

Demotion of 2024 President Christian Carr on June 25

Rowell Panch BBQ Area - Gourment Dinner by CANYONS BBQ

$40 Adults & Kids free

RSVP to jab@bhp-law.com OR with the RSVP link below.

Question:  510.816.9110

Please join the Club to celebrate and honor the work of President Chris Carr.

  You may pre-paid at lunch on June 11 or 18 or at the event by cash or check.  We are currently working to setup credit card payments.

Please RSVP by June 18 to ensure a meal.

You will also receive an invitation by snail mail this week.

Chabot College in the Community

www.chabotcollege.edu

Dr. Cooks will describe Chabot College and its great value to our community.

Jamal A. Cooks, Ph.D., President of Chabot College. He served as Vice President of Academic Services at Chabot since 2022. Before that, he was a professor and associate director for the Educational Leadership doctoral program at San Francisco State University. He taught in the K-12, California State University and community college systems. In 2017, he received the National Council of Teachers of English’s Halle Adolescent Literacy Educator Award.

You’re Cordially Invited to the Rotary Club of Castro Valley Evening Social Mixer

Join us at JP's Family Restaurant & Sports Lounge for an evening of networking and camaraderie. Mix and mingle with our Rotarians and learn more about the Castro Valley Rotary Club.

About Us: The Castro Valley Rotary Club is a humanitarian service organization that brings together business and professional leaders to provide community service, promote integrity, and advance goodwill, peace, and understanding worldwide. We are a non-political and non-religious organization.

Event Details:

• Date: 07/16/2024
• Time: 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
• Location: JP's Family Restaurant & Sports Lounge, 3600 Castro Valley Blvd, Castro Valley, CA 94546
• Admission: Members - $20.00 | Non-Members - $30.00

Enjoy hors d'oeuvres and a no-host bar with us! We also have a surprise planned for the evening that you won’t want to miss.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Club Assembly

Tuesday 23^rd will be an important Club brainstorming session discussing which projects and services we want to accomplish as a Club and then creating goals to achieve those desires.

Backpack Assembly Project

Wednesday 24^th is a back-to-school Club service project. The Club has purchased (via Heidi and Club budget) school supplies to insert into 125 backpacks donated by LDS (Mormon) Church. The Club members and the LDS teen youth group will form an assembly line to fill the backpacks with supplies, which will then be donated to CVUSD (100) and Redwood Christian Schools (25). 

The Club will also be donating additional gift cards for the Family Outreach center at the CVUSD District office to support underserved students and their families.

Collaborating Organizations & One Million Meal Goal!

www.riseagainsthunger.org

Jay and Justin will provide an overview of Rise Against Hunger, the 2023 Impact Report, Four Pathways to End Hunger through the November 2023 South Africa Trip, and how Rotary Clubs worldwide have contributed to our joint success in ending world hunger. In addition, the Patel family has made a goal to "unite the community" by packaging one million meals and inviting the Castro Valley Rotary to attend their 51st Event on August 10, 2024, where we will package 15,000 meals in two hours!

Jay is a CPA and grew up in San Francisco. He has a BS in Accounting, an MBA, and over 30 years of business experience in accounting, finance, real estate, and software development. In the summer of 2023, Jay joined the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business as a professional faculty member. Jay and his wife Nimisha have a daughter (graduate school) and a son (undergraduate). Jay is a volunteer with Rise Against Hunger and a National Board Member. He has set an ambitious goal with his family to “unite the community” by packaging one million meals for Rise Against Hunger. To date, they have reached 92% of their goal.

Justin is the Events Manager for the Rise Against Hunger Northern California branch and has been a part of the team for over 4 years. Starting his career in the culinary arts, he eventually found that relief work was his calling. Being an active volunteer for food banks and community centers at a young age, he realized that he wanted to serve not only locally, but the global community as well.