Rotary Area of Focus Speakers
District Speaker Resources

District 5950 Speaker Referral - When you have an outstanding speaker, please share! 

  • Members contribute recommendation of speakers who have already presented at a Rotary meeting (recommendation)
  • The focus is on information speakers (vs. donations, sales, or political endorsement)
  • To add a name send referrals to alexa@rotary5950.org along with additional helpful speaker guideline tools.
  • Simple protocol: if you use one, leave one!
 
 
Organization
Topic
Speaker Contact Information
Speakers Media Links
Referral Club
Date Added
Thumbs Up

Bringing awareness to mental health and providing support and resources to all.

THUMBS UP is all about EMBRACING those struggling and breaking the stigma around mental health.

CONNECTING, SUPPORTING and ENCOURAGING one another to talk about their feelings and challenges and to “KEEP MOVING FORWARD”.

We want to EDUCATE and TEACH about mental illness, the warning signs of suicide, what you can to do help others who struggle, and community awareness initiatives.

Katie Shatusky
Executive Director
763.772.5912

 

 
Minnetonka Rotary Club February 2024
Sergeant Shortbread Mark spent pretty much his entire adult life in the military, 23 years to be exact, until I retired in 2015. In those 23 years, he spent precisely 2.3 minutes in the kitchen baking. Now he owns and operates Sergeant Shortbread and was Voted Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2022! Mark shares his entrepreneurial story.  Mark Rosen
https://sergeantshortbread.com/
 

Sergeant Shortbread

Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55346, United States

(612) 704-2448

 

 

Minnetonka Rotary Club November 2023
Buddha Birdie The mission of Buddha Birdie is to help spread joy one bird at a time through illustrations and the children's book, Little Birdie Buddies of Minnesota. Leadership & Following your passion. 
Heather Boschke
Artist & Author

linkedin.com/in/boschke
heather.boschke@gmail.com

Minnetonka 
Eden Prairie AM
Aug 2023

Alzheimer's Association

Alzheimer's & dementia

Staff or volunteer educator from the Alzheimer's Association 

 mnnd-info@alz.org

alz.org/mnnd

Rotary Club of Edina (Noon)

Aug 2023

Tony Travel Biz

Tony Sasso is the CEO of his own Travel Agency, Tony's Travel Biz.
Tony spent 20-years in the United States Air Force, and also worked for Northwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines where he trained the next generations of pilots.
Tony has been involved in Community Theater in the south suburbs for the last 15-years.
Tony is a regular blood donor with the Memorial Blood Center of Minnesota.
Tony truly believes in the value of family vacations and will show you the pictures to prove it.
Tony Sasso
651-587-7297   

 

Eagan

August 2023

Downhills Don't Come Free by Jerry Holl (Book about a bike trip

Author/ Adventurer/ Professional Keynote Speaker/ Leadership 
 
Jerry Holl is a professional storyteller highlighting the lessons learned from his solo and unsupported bicycle journey from Alaska to Mexico as a 57 year old novice distance cyclist. He is inspiring, entertaining, educational, and 100% authentic.
Jerry Holl
holljerry@gmail.com
 
 
 
www.facebook.com/jerry.holl.16
 
Linkedin.com/in/jerry-holl-58707b52

 Minnetonka

June 2023

Future Anglers of Minnesota (FAM)

We are a nonprofit organization designed to mentor kids through fishing. We want to teach the youth of today all about fishing, but more importantly we want to teach them about life through fishing. We want to fuel their fire to fish and provide them life lessons along the way.  Teaching them the importance of hard work, determination, dedication, commitment, and patience in life through our time on the water with them.
 
Jake Kuchenmeister
(763)-360-3435
  Minnetonka April 2023
 
Strive Community Publishing and Strive Bookstore  
 
Strive Publishing & Bookstore, a social enterprise that centers, values, and empowers Black narratives in literature for equity and social justice.
Strive Publishing's mission is to publish African American picture books and young adult novels with stories from the African American communities that are contemporary and relatable. 
Mary Taris
Mary at 763-270-5738,  mary@strivepublishing.com
Minneapolis University Rotary Club April 2023
Colin Christensen

 Building a three sentence pitch.

training mentors. 

Contact to discuss other topics

Colin Christensen
    April 2023
Find your Conversation Peace
"Calm & Collected Communication"
Dr. Jody Janati
https://findyourconversationpeace.com/
Burnsville Breakfast Rotary
January 2023
Miss Southwest MN  Positive Body Image Melissa Paakh www.melissapaakh.com
St Louis Park
 Prior to 2020
Metropolitan Airports Commission Overview of airport renovations
Alan Howell, MSP Sr. Airport Architect 
612-726-8132
Alan.howell@mspmac.org
  Burnsville Breakfast – Carol McDonald Prior to 2020

Innocent Technologies

Teaching students of color

The Innocent Classroom
Alexs Pate
Jess-Oper. Dir
612-968-3211
jess@innocenttech.com

http://innocentclassroom.com/
Eden Prairie AM - Jeanne Zetah Prior to 2020
MN Lyme Association Lyme Disease (MN hidden epidemic)
Heather Farrier
hdmfarrier@gmail.com 
763-639-9662
  Burnsville - Barb Zorn July 2016
MN Zoo History and mission of the MN Zoo
Beth Burns,  VP of External Relations
952-431-9431
beth.burns@state.mn.us
  Burnsville Breakfast - Carol MacDonald 8/24/16
ShelterBox USA disaster Relief, Innovation

Scott Colesworthy

Tim Connelly

612-237-8445
Scott@colesworthy.net
(507) 272-3493 tim@mncottages.com

www.shelterboxusa.org

   
Way to Grow “Making sure all children are born healthy, stay healthy, and are prepared for school.”
Kim Bowman
kbowman@mplswaytogrow.org
  Excelsior (noon) Rotary Club November 3, 2020
International Wolf Center Wolf Conservationism
Misi Stine
mstine@wolf.org
  Minneapolis Rotary Club  August 16, 2019
Gayle Noakes How to Hold Meetings and Build Enthusiasm
Gayle  Noakes
612-791-8981
gayle@gaylenoakes.com
gaylenoakes.com
www.linkedin.com/in/gayle-noakes
Burnsville Breakfast Rotary
Aug 2020
Minnesota Dept of Health  Indoor Air Hazards - Radon, Mold, Carbon Monoxide
Daniel Tranter
Supervisor Indoor Air Unit
651-201-4618
daniel.tranter@state.mn.us
Review the presentation from the Golden Valley Club https://youtu.be/EAQX-JdNMvM     
Charles Goldstein “Raising the Curtain for Your Second Act!”
Charles Goldstein
952-261-6571
cgoldstein01@gmail.com
  St. Louis Park Rotary Club  
GoYoGo Fitness Maintaining Health in a Period of Uncertainty

Yolanda Hunter, ownergoyogofitness@gmail.com

612-220-0004

14525 MN-7 #330, Minnetonka, MN 55345

Here is the link to the clubrunner meeting https://portal.clubrunner.ca/3873 description and FB post: https://business.facebook.com/latest/posts/published_posts?asset_id=367764517905&nav_ref=pages_classic_isolated_section_inbox_redirect Wayzata Feb 9 2022

Waste Reduction and Recycling by Henn. Co. Waste Reduction and Recycling specialist

The importance of recycling and expanding to include organics. She describes different ways collected organics can be reused. Mallory AndersonMallory.Anderson@hennepin.us    Golden Valley Rotary Club 2021
Reflections of a Recovering County Commissioner She talked about what she learned about Hennepin County and public service as a Hennepin Co. Commissioner and mayor of Minnetonka  Jan Callison, former Henn. Co. CommissionerJanCallison@comcast.net. 952-261-6428   Golden Valley Rotary Club 2021
“Urban Agriculture – Growing Food and Security on Our Own Turf” Pillsbury United’s work to alleviate hunger through food recovery and redistribution efforts and how urban agriculture helps meet growing demand for nutritious, affordable food.  
Ethan Neal – Director of Food Systems with Pillsbury United Communities
Direct: 612-455-0389 / Cell: 507-581-6377.
 pillsburyunited.org Golden Valley Rotary Club 2021
How Rotary can lead the fight to end human trafficking Every 4 seconds another person falls victim to human trafficking. How can you identify when it is happening and what can your club do about it?
The Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking
president@endHTrotaryclub.org
 https://endhtrotaryclub.org The Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking 2021
It's time to move from awareness to action This presentation will focus on exploring the opportunities to make significant impact - in your personal, professional, and community efforts.
Ashleigh S. Chapman, Founder/CEO, AFRJ & Altus
ashleigh@engagetogether.com
https://engagetogether.com The Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking 2021

 

The Ebike Revolution

Electric bikes are poised to revolutionize transportation across the United States, and rapid adoption in Europe and Asia has reduced car dependency along with corresponding fossil fuel consumption and environmental harm.

Devin Gawnemark, Powerbikes.comdevin@powerbikes.com952-224-0897

 

Twin Cities Rotary Eco-Club

 

 

 

2021

 

 

Leveraging SAFE as a partner in Ending Human Trafficking

SAFE is an alliance of businesses, philanthropists, law enforcement, the justice system, and nonprofits who have united as a movement to combat sexual exploitation. SAFE was pioneered in Washington state and is being replicated across the country.

 Kari Norman / Heather Tuininga
 knorman@ncfgiving.com
 
heather@jerniganfoundation.org
https://safeinwashington.com The Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking 2021