Rotary International Foundation Update on Afghanistan.

Steve Brown is a longtime member and past president of the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club and served as District Governor of Rotary District 5340 in 1995–96. His dedication to Rotary extends globally: he served as a Trustee of The Rotary Foundation from 2010 to 2014 and was Vice Chair in 2012–13. He has received some of Rotary's most prestigious honors, including the Citation for Meritorious Service, the Distinguished Service Award, and the Service Above Self Award.

Steve and his wife Susan are members of The Rotary Foundation’s Arch C. Klumph Society, Chair’s Circle, and Bequest Society. He currently serves as Vice Chair of Rotary’s Countdown to History Committee, which works to raise major gifts to support polio eradication efforts worldwide.

He is especially well known for leading his club’s impactful educational initiatives in Afghanistan. Beginning in 2002, Steve spearheaded the construction of a girls’ school in Jalalabad. That initial effort grew into a major educational campus that now serves nearly 9,000 students, both girls and boys, in daily shifts. The campus also includes the Steve Brown International Learning Center, a women’s dormitory for university students, a faculty training center, and a large auditorium.

Beyond Afghanistan, Steve has helped lead numerous international projects, including clean water wells and the innovative Hippo Fence project in Africa, as well as vocational and economic development initiatives such as a Somali sewing center.

Chuck Dick will be introducing Steve, whose work continues to exemplify Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self,” with a focus on education, sustainability, and global collaboration.