Speakers

Speaker	Date	Topic
Shea Harden	Jul 25, 2025	Beyond Success: Securing Your Legacy and Preparing for Life's Uncertainties Ms. Harden has an extensive background working with aging seniors and adults facing terminal neurodegenerative disease diagnoses, including Alzheimer’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s Disease. Her expertise covers analysis of financial well-being, personal budgeting, bill payment, insurance coverage and claims, long term healthcare planning, trust administration, healthcare advocacy, ethical will creation, housing assessment, caregiving management, and social well-being. Prior to founding Elder Edge Consulting, Ms. Harden worked in finance, operations, business development, and strategy for international Fortune 100 companies, such as GE Medical Systems and AT&T, and various startup companies in Silicon Valley. Ms. Harden received a BA in Mathematics and Economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Stanford University. In addition, she has a certificate in gerontology, is a Certified Senior Advisor and a certified administrator for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly.
Bill Palmer	Aug 01, 2025	The Clubfoot Crisis: Simple Cure, Global Neglect The Clubfoot Fund was founded by Bill Palmer, inspired by his own struggle with clubfoot at a time when treatment was not as effective or defined as it is now with the Ponseti Method. As a coach and consultant, Bill has worked with organizations such as NASA Kennedy Space Center, the United States Air Force, Gilead Sciences, Land Rover, Sony PlayStation, Shell, US Veterans Administration, and L’Oréal. He has worked in 26 countries, and since 2022, he has served as a pro bono consultant and coach for the UK-based Global Clubfoot Initiative. Bill lives in Oakland with his wife Haiyan O’Connell, and their cat Leo. His adult children are in El Cerrito and Las Vegas, his soccer playing grandchildren are here in the Bay Area.
Sheila Tucker	Aug 08, 2025	What's New at the West Valley Stormwater Authority
Terry Downing & Briana Gallo, PRX Digital	Aug 15, 2025	Reasons to Promote Your Company Now More than Ever Terry manages the PRxDigital team tracking staff duties to ensure the absolute best quality campaigns are developed and executed for clients. Terry writes proposals and identifies potential new business opportunities. She oversees the firm’s entire roster of clients ensuring their goals and expectations are not only met but exceeded. Prior to joining the agency, Terry worked as development and outreach manager for Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley. She also worked for Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital, where she served as a parent mentor and conducted marketing and fundraising. Additionally, she founded and owned Video Estate video production company. Terry received a bachelor’s degree in radio/television from San Jose State University. Briana Gallo is a San Jose native and an expert marketer and strategist. Briana has been a part of the PRxDigital team for nearly five years, and as an Account Executive at PRxDigital, she oversees several clients and develops plans to enhance their brands and meet each of their unique needs. Her experience in public relations, social media, email marketing, event planning, and graphic design brings great value to PRxDigital clients. She has previously held marketing roles with HBO Max, tech startups, and Cal Poly Admissions. Briana graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo summa cum laude with a degree in Business Administration, concentrating in Marketing Management, and minoring in Spanish and Psychology.
Gene Zambetti	Aug 22, 2025	Saratoga Rotary Legacy Leaders Series GENE ZAMBETTI: Fifty years and counting! Editors note: Our club recently honored Ernie Kraule and Gene Zambetti for their 50 years of membership. Ernie Kraule’s story will appear in the September edition of the newsletter. This month features Gene Zambetti’s story. The years was 1973. The Vietnam war was winding down, the Watergate scandal was heating up, and The Godfather swept The Oscars. But most importantly, that was the year 24-year-old Gene Zambetti returned home to Saratoga after serving in the U.S. Army. He immediately went to work managing his father Peter’s dry cleaning business. Peter Zambetti, one of twenty-five charter members of the Saratoga Rotary Club, thought Gene was a little young to become a Rotarian, but Gene’s sponsors Bob Barbatti and Lou Leto felt he was up to the task. His membership became official in 1974. Incidentally, Peter made it a point to never sit at the same lunch table as Gene, believing the young man should establish his own identity in the club. The club was different in those days. “There were about 65 members, all men,” Gene recalled. Friday lunch meetings included a “smoker’s table”, and, indeed, several members lit up during lunch. “We had a liquor table, and for one dollar, you could mix your own drinks.”
Herb Ritter, District Governor, D. 5170	Sep 12, 2025	DG Herb's Rotary Vision for 2025-2026 Herb lives and breathes Rotary’s motto, Service Above Self. He has been a pillar in our District for over three decades—serving as Past Club President, Membership Chair, Conference Co-Chair, Assistant Governor, and now the District Governor for 2025–26. After retiring from a remarkable 32-year run in corporate Sales and Marketing leadership at Schneider Electric while launching his own ventures—One Commercial Properties and Ritter Vacation Properties. He has also been a visible leader in Pleasanton, serving as Past Chair of the Planning Commission, Parks and Rec Commission, and the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce. Herb is also a Board Member and Past President of Sunflower Hill, a nonprofit supporting adults with developmental disabilities. A third-generation Eagle Scout, devoted husband and father of 2, and holder of both a degree in electrical engineering from Washington State University and an MBA from St. Mary’s College. Herb proves that leadership is about leading with Vison and serving with your Heart and leaving your Mark.
Alison Davis	Sep 19, 2025	Letters Home from Stanford: Disability Oral History Project Alison (Al) Carpenter Davis is a writer, editor, and disability advocate drawn to hidden stories, the power of words to connect, and the commonality in being human. Her book Letters Home from Stanford, recently released in paperback, looks at the heritage, history, and shared experience of college students everywhere through 125 years of Stanford students' handwritten and electronic correspondence. For her work on this project, she was awarded the 2024 Susan W. Schofield Award. Al is at work on a memoir about her 50-plus-year journey with Crohn’s disease, and serves on the board of the West Valley-Mission Foundation.