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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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank | Erick Garcia Luna | https://www.minneapolisfed.org/connect/speakers-bureau/request-a-speaker-form?pid=7c4b9852-f7ea-423c-8074-05b58ea7d4ac&person=erick-garcia-luna | Eagan Kick-Start Club | January 2025 | |||||
Science from Scientists: | Science from Scientists (SciSci) is working to help educators address these workforce needs and achievement gaps with its innovative during-school program to ensure that elementary and middle school science programs provide opportunities for ALL students to develop the understanding and skills they will need to function productively as problem-solvers in a scientific and technological world. | https://sciencefromscientists.org/minnesota/# | Eagan Kick-Start Club | January 2025 | |||||
Rick Love | Rick is an artist, professor, gallery director and more. | ricklove.com | Eagan Kick-Start Club | January 2025 | |||||
| Jack's Basket | Jack's Basket is a nonprofit organization that celebrates babies with Down syndrome by equip providers with communications, providing hope through the basket program, and changing the narrative around the diagnosis by sharing how our lives are better because of those with Down syndrome. | Carissa L. Carroll 651-456-8321 (w) 651-3008-0544 (C) carissa@jacksbasket.org | www.jacksbasket.org | Minnetonka Rotary Club | July 2024 | ||||
| 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. |
| 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/ | 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 | Minnetonka Eden Prairie AM | Aug 2023 | ||||
| Alzheimer's Association | Alzheimer's & dementia | Staff or volunteer educator from the Alzheimer's Association | 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 | 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 | |||||||
| 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.com, 952-224-0897 | Twin Cities Rotary Eco-Club |
2021
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| 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 |
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