Events

Each district governor crafts, a message for his or her year and delivers it to each of the clubs in the district. It's always interesting to see what our new district leadership has in mind for the coming Rotary year.

Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire, who has spoken to us before,  is a structural biologist and immunologist who serves as President and CEO of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. Renowned for pioneering work on the molecular structures of deadly viruses—including Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, and measles—she has revealed how viral proteins function, adapt, and can be targeted by therapeutics. Her career spans groundbreaking discoveries such as the first complete structure of human IgG, the Ebola virus glycoprotein, and the architecture of viral replication factories inside cells. A champion of global scientific collaboration, she directs major international consortia to accelerate treatments for viral hemorrhagic fevers and COVID-19, and leads innovative programs to counter herpesviruses. Her leadership blends high-impact research with a commitment to uniting scientists worldwide against emerging infectious threats

Dr. Miguel Reina-Campos is an Assistant Professor at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, where he leads the Laboratory of Tissue Immune Networks. A biochemist from Barcelona with expertise in cancer cell biology and immunology, his research centers on tissue-resident CD8⁺ T cells: specialized immune sentinels embedded in organs such as the liver and colon. By uncovering how these “professional survivalists” adapt to different tissue environments, his lab aims to harness their strategies to strengthen cancer immunotherapies and potentially address autoimmune diseases. Using advanced tools like spatial transcriptomics and CRISPR, Dr. Reina-Campos seeks to reveal the hidden lives of immune cells and collaborate across disciplines to accelerate life-saving treatments.

Vice Admiral Robert Thomas retired from the U.S. Navy in January 2017 after 38 years of Naval Service. He then accepted an appointment as a Senior Research Fellow with the University of California’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC). He is also a full time faculty member at UC San Diego’s Graduate School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS). Vice Admiral Thomas’ last operational tour was in command of the U.S. 7th Fleet from July 2013 to September 2015. His final assignment before retiring was Director Navy Staff in the Pentagon. Vice Admiral Thomas graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He holds a Master of Arts in National Security Studies from the National War College in Washington, DC.

Come hear what Charles has to tell us. Maybe he will tell us about his key role in the rescue of Jessica Lynch from Saddam Hospital in 2003.

 CHARLES HARTFORD WORK

• 2022 - now  Private Wealth Advisor, Senior Vice President, Hartford Group at Rockefeller Capital Management @ Rockefeller & Co., Inc.
• 2009 - 2022 Wealth Management Advisor, Senior Vice President @ Merrill Lynch
• 2012 - 2016 Sales Manager @ Merrill Lynch

 CHARLES HARTFORD EDUCATION

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce  Master's Degree 1998 - 2000

University of Kentucky  Master's Degree1997 - 1999

United States Military Academy at West Point Bachelor's Degree 1985 - 1989

As the Area C Superintendent, Mitzi Merino, overseas the K – 12 schools in La Jolla, University City, Mission Valley, and Point Loma.

Mitzi Merino graduated from San Diego Unified, which is the same public school system she has helped lead as an area superintendent for the past 15 years. She began her career as a teacher before serving as an elementary school principal for 10 years. She is equity driven and focused on designing professional learning for school leaders, developing systems and structures for monitoring student learning, supporting principals through job embedded coaching and feedback, and putting support for student learning at the heart of her work.

Diego Project Heart Beat is the City of San Diego's Public Access Defibrillation/CPR Program managed by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

Project Heart Beat has one main goal: to save lives through early defibrillation. San Diego Project Heart Beat's objective is to make Automated External Defibrillators (AED) as accessible as fire extinguishers throughout our community.

Partners in San Diego Project Heart Beat are San Diego Fire Fighters Local 145, the County of San Diego, the American Heart Association and AED Brands, LLC.

AED Advocate Karen McElliott has lived in San Diego since April of 1972. She attended Colorado State University and has served on and chaired various organizations and task forces within her community focusing on health, education, and land use issues. Karen McElliott was appointed to the Division of Medical Quality in 1992 by Governor Pete Wilson, Karen served as President of the Division of Medical Quality from 1993 to 1995. She served as Secretary, Vice President, and President of the Medical Board of California from 1996-2000. She is a former public member of the California Board of Podiatric Medicine where she served as President in 1991

About Dr. Trey Ideker

Professor Jack A Gilbert earned his Ph.D. from Unilever and Nottingham University, UK in 2002, and received his postdoctoral training at Queens University, Canada. From 2005-2010 he was a senior scientist at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK; and from 2010-2018 he was Group Leader for Microbial Ecology at Argonne National Laboratory, a Professor of Surgery, and Director of The Microbiome Center at University of Chicago. In 2019 he moved to University of California San Diego, where he is a Professor in Pediatrics and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Associate Vice Chancellor for Marine Science, and Director of both the Microbiome and Metagenomics Center and the Microbiome Core Facility. Dr. Gilbert uses molecular analysis to test fundamental hypotheses in microbial ecology.

He cofounded the Earth Microbiome Project and American Gut Project. He has authored more than 450 peer reviewed publications and book chapters on microbial ecology. He is the founding Editor in Chief of mSystems journal. In 2014 he was recognized on Crain’s Business Chicago’s 40 Under 40 List, and in 2015 he was listed as one of the 50 most influential scientists by Business Insider, and in the Brilliant Ten by Popular Scientist. In 2016 he won the Altemeier Prize from the Surgical Infection Society, and the WH Pierce Prize from the Society for Applied Microbiology for research excellence. In 2017 he co-authored “Dirt is Good”, a popular science guide to the microbiome and children’s health. In 2018, he founded BiomeSense Inc to produce automated microbiome sensors. In 2021 Dr Gilbert became the UCSD PI for the National institutes of Health’s $175M Nutrition for Precision Medicine program. In 2023 he became President of Applied Microbiology International, and won the 2023 IFF Microbiome Science Prize.

An opportunity to  socialize with your fellow members and their  + ones; perhaps enjoy an adult beverage!

As President and CEO, Betsy Brennan leads the Downtown San Diego Partnership, a member-based organization whose mission is to promote an economically prosperous and culturally vibrant urban center. The Partnership proudly serves more than 400 member businesses, representing thousands of residents, employees, and Downtown property owners. Ms. Brennan and her staff are also responsible for administering the Clean & Safe Program, a $9-million property and business improvement district of the City of San Diego, which offers enhanced maintenance and safety services throughout 275 blocks in the heart of Downtown San Diego.

Ms. Brennan obtained her Juris Doctor, with a specialization in land use, at the University of San Diego (2003). During her time in law school, she participated in the University of San Diego’s Land Use Clinic and interned for a Commissioner of the Board of the Port of San Diego. After law school, Ms. Brennan served as Chief of Staff for the City of San Diego’s first-ever City Council President, Scott Peters, and was integral in the transition to a strong-mayor form of government, as well as in the establishment of the roles and policies for the San Diego City Council (2002-2008).

Ms. Brennan has a proven track record of leading civic engagement, grassroots community involvement, external relations, economic development, and innovative programs for institutions such as the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina (Vice President of Development, 2016-2018), Tahoe Forest Health System in Lake Tahoe (Executive Director, Foundation, 2015-2016), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Chief of Staff to the President, 2011- 2015), and San Diego State University (Chief of Staff to the President, 2008-2011).

Ms. Brennan holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Politics and Spanish from the University of Richmond in Virginia (1998). She is a proud graduate of several regional and statewide leadership programs – including LEAD San Diego (Impact Class of 2006 and Influence Class of 2018) and Leadership CA (2011) – and has served on several local nonprofit boards of directors, including her current positions on the boards of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, University of San Diego School of Law Board of Visitors, and the Columbia Community Foundation.

Ms. Brennan is also a member of Lambda Alpha International, a highly honorary and selective group of professionals who have distinguished themselves in various disciplines that relate to the use and re-use of land. Ms. Brennan has received several noteworthy acknowledgements of her community commitment, including San Diego Business Journal’s “500 Most Influential Business Leaders” (2019), San Diego Magazine’s “50 People to Watch” (2008), San Diego Metropolitan Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” (2010), and San Luis Obispo Tribune’s “Top 20 Under 40” (2013). She especially appreciated receiving SDSU’s Associated Students Presidential Leadership Award for her collaborative style and dedication to working alongside students to better serve SDSU and for her excellence in service to the greater San Diego community (2011).

Ms. Brennan, her husband, Eli, and children are grateful to enjoy living in and discovering San Diego.

Fary Moini has been a member of the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club since 1999.  She is a dual citizen of Iran and the USA, with some family members residing in Iran. Accordingly, she visits Iran from time to time to stay in touch with her family.  In the spring of 2023, Fary made such a visit, but it resulted in a surprising turn of events. Club member Steve Brown became aware of the situation upon Fary’s scheduled return. 

Steve and Fary will share their respective stories about what transpired including what was involved with Fary’s return to the US, later than planned. Many people and countries were involved.

Professionally, Fary Moini received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Tehran and worked as the Director of Nursing, at the Iranian Medical Center in Dubai UAE, managing over 350 nurses and technicians across two hospitals, and overseeing clinical operations staffing training and quality of care standards   

She has a long history of International Service with Rotary, serving as a Rotary Foundation Volunteer 

 November 2002 to Present. Jalabad Afghanistan, Rotary Completed 26 humanitarian missions to Afghanistan.

Supporting education, women’s health, and community development initiatives.
Facilitated life-saving medical care by sending children with congenital heart disease to India and Israel for surgery.
Provided full-time care for one child during a three-month stay in Israel.

Diplomatic and Medical Coordination
Arranged and assisted a meeting between Afghan Ambassador H.E. Tahir Qadiry and the Chairman of Sanjeevani Pediatric Cardiac Center in India for further training of Afghan specialists (July 28, 2018).

Steve Brown was a partner in the law firm of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps from1972 until his retirement several years ago. A Rotarian since 1986, he has served the Rotary Foundation as trustee 2010-14 and vice chair in 2012-13. He has served as member of various committees at Rotary headquarters. Since 2002, he has been working as a volunteer on projects in Afghanistan through the current time. 

Darren Kew (Ph.D. in International Relations, Tufts

University, 2002) is Dean of the Joan B. Kroc

School of Peace Studies, at the University of San Diegop, where he is also a

professor. He studies the relationship between

conflict resolution methods – particularly interfaith

and inter-ethnic peacebuilding – and democratic

development in Africa, Northern Ireland, and the

United States. Much of his work focuses on the role

of civil society groups in this development. He has

also been a consultant on peace and democracy

initiatives to the United Nations, USAID, US

Institute of Peace, the US State Department, and to

a number of NGOs, including the Carter Center. He

monitored the last seven Nigerian elections and the

2007 elections in Sierra Leone, and in 2023-24 cofacilitated

a working group of religious leaders

focusing on religion and peacebuilding in Belfast,

Northern Ireland. Professor Kew was asked by the

British and American governments to join an

influential international commission requested by

the Nigerian government in 2010, which contributed

to a major overhaul of its election system. He is

author of numerous works on Nigerian politics and

conflict resolution, including the book Civil Society,

Conflict Resolution, and Democracy in Nigeria

(Syracuse UP, 2016), and his articles have

appeared in International Negotiation, the Journal

of Democracy, and Current History, among others.

Scott Wahl was promoted to serve as the City ofSan Diego’s 36th Chief of Police on June 7, 2024.Chief Wahl oversees the police department for the eighth-largest city in the nation.

Chief Wahl is a fourth-generation San Diegan who grew up in the Clairemont community. He has adeep love for San Diego and the San Diego PoliceDepartment, which both he and his father, a 34-year veteran, have been proud to be a part of.

Chief Wahl’s vision for the San Diego Police Department is to build an inclusive organization that is reflective of the city we serve and worthy of our community’s trust and collaboration.

Chief Wahl has risen through the ranks since joining the San Diego Police Department on April 13, 1998. He has worked many of the department's patrol commands, investigations and specialized assignments such as legislative affairs, critical incident management, operational support, establishing a new division to address neighborhood quality of life issues, and managing large-scale events and conferences, among others.

Chief Wahl received his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from San Diego State University in 1995 and his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from National University in 2005. He has taught as an adjunct professor for the San Diego Regional Police Academy and Ashford University.

Chief Wahl has received numerous awards and commanding officer citations throughout his career.

In his spare time, Chief Wahl enjoys running, fishing, golfing and spending time with his wife and four kids.

Everyone seems to think that science and religion have been in conflict since Galileo, but historians have shown that to be largely mythical.  Moreover, common wisdom has it that contemporary religious people are in conflict with science.  But, is that true?  

John H. Evans is the Tata Chancellor’s Chair in Social Sciences, Professor of Sociology, Associate Dean of Social Sciences and Co-Director of the Institute for Practical Ethics at the University of California, San Diego.  He has been a visiting member at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ, a post-doctoral fellow at Yale University and has held visiting professorial fellowships or honorary professorships at the Universities of Edinburgh, Muenster, Ben Gurion, and Queensland.  He is the author seven books and 65 articles and book chapters.  

He has focused his research on a number of overlapping areas, all of which concern the foundational humanistic questions behind scientific and technological development.  

He is an expert on the ethics of human gene editing, and more generally in the ethics of science and technology Following this research interest he co-directs the Institute for Practical Ethics at UC, San Diego. 

He is also a leader in the sociological study of the relationship between religion and science, an area in which he co-leads a small scholarly network and a 2.9 million dollar re-granting project. 

A number of his research projects are sociological studies of the public’s views of the foundational questions in technology such as “what is a human?” and “what is enhancement?”  He has a long time interest and expertise in explaining the forms of argument that are dominant in the field now called bioethics.  

Joe LaCava is the San Diego City Council President and District 1 Councilmember (representing areas like La Jolla and Pacific Beach), in office since 2020. A Democrat, civil engineer, and environmentalist, he focuses on infrastructure, housing, and budget management. He is currently navigating a $110 million budget deficit in 2026.

Councilmember LaCava is honored to represent the residents and businesses of San Diego City Council District 1 where he is currently serving his second term. Councilmember LaCava was unanimously elected by his colleagues as the President of the City Council and chairs the Council's Rules Committee. He continues his work on the Environment Committee and is First Vice Chair on the SANDAG Board of Directors.

In 2024, he served as chair of the Board of Directors for San Diego Community Power and the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority, and chaired SANDAG's Regional Planning Committee.

He is a San Diego native and San Diego State University graduate. He has lived in District 1 since 1983 with his wife Lorene, a retired kindergarten teacher, where they raised two daughters.

President LaCava is a licensed civil engineer bringing extensive experience on land use, housing, infrastructure, climate change, and the environment. Prior to his election in 2020, he served on nearly 30 civic boards, planning groups, and commissions. The combination of technical expertise and community engagement makes him an effective leader on policies, legislation, and budgets that meet the needs of his district and all San Diegans.