Speakers

Dr. Anna Marie is the CEO and Founder of Happy Whole You Wellness Center in downtown Bakersfield and a globally recognized leader in mindset, brain health, and whole-person wellness. Known as The Mindset Doctor, she has spent over 20 years helping individuals break through limiting beliefs and create meaningful, lasting transformation.

As a wife, mother, holistic health doctor, certified brain health expert, and mindset coach, Dr. Anna Marie blends natural medicine and neuroscience with practical mindset tools to support mental, emotional, and physical well-being. She is a published author of Stop Bullying Yourself! and is currently working on her second book.

Through Happy Whole You, her coaching, speaking engagements, and wellness programs, Dr. Anna Marie is passionate about destigmatizing mental health and empowering people locally and around the world to align their mind, body, and soul to create a balanced, confident, and empowered life.

The Bakersfield Marathon is organized by the Active Bakersfield Alliance

Katie joined the ABA in 2020.  By 2022 she was leading the way for securing sponsors that support the event. To date, she has helped raise over $1 million dollars, all going directly to offset event costs annually. She is on the board and slated to become President in 2028.

Katie is Operations Director at Sage Equities a commercial real estate firm that builds luxury apartments in downtown Bakersfield.  She is currently managing three new Apartment projects.

Katie has been in Bakersfield since 2009. She is married with 2 kids (11, 5)

 

Kelly Damian is a long-term resident, teacher and writer. Damian gained notoriety (and a lot of hate mail) when she started writing for Bakersfield Life Magazine. She penned her first essay about her mixed feelings on Bakersfield. Damien wrote that it was a tough place to arrive as an outsider. She shares her honest journey in our city and what it’s like after 14 years in the central valley.

Kelly is a full time writer specializing in creating standards-based curriculum for students. She was a classroom teacher for fifteen years. During that time Kelly worked with a wide range of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds.  She create engaging, rigorous lessons that appeal to students and address the new Common Core Standards.

 

Phil Rudnick is known locally as Kaptain Kindness - The Original Cowboy.

Here is a little bit about Phil, his life and his accomplishments: 

   • born in Bakersfield 1932

   • KCUHS/BHS  1950

   • U SC-Finance 1955

   • US Army 1955-57

   • USC-Law 1958-61

   •Karno and Rudnick 1961-65

   •CEO Family Businesses 1965-71

      • Kern Valley packing Company

      • Piute packing company

      • Rudnick trust feed Yard

      • Onyx Ranch

      • Rudnick cattle company

      • Rudnick truck lines

    • Law office of Philip Rudnick1971-2026

     • Rudnick Realty 1980-

    • Phil Rudnick Cattle Co 1975-99

    • Fleming Silver 1978-

    • Valley West Oldsmobile 1978-80

    • Secret Garden Farms 1979-2000

    • Cal Centre farms/logistics 1985-

    •201 New Stine Rd Office/Campus

    • jawbone Wind Energy. 2011-

    • Airport Valet Express.  2013-

    • Ace RV Storage 2022-26

    • Natures Cathedral  2024-

    •SolarKist Diamonds 2025-

    • Billionaires Garage 2026-

    •Cal Logistics/Xdock/Cold 2026-

    • Ghost Fencing 2026-

 

Dr. Stacy Pfluger currently serves as the 12^th President of Bakersfield College. Prior to this appointment, she was the Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Student Success at the Kern Community College District.

Before joining the Kern Community College District, Dr. Pfluger was the Provost at Southeast Arkansas College (SEARK College), where she held dual roles as Chief Academic Officer and Chief Student Affairs Officer. During her tenure at SEARK, she led the implementation of a retention strategy to improve student success by increasing the number of students completing all units attempted and introduced a primarily eight-week course schedule.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Pfluger spent 14 years at Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas, serving in a range of academic leadership roles including Lead Biology Professor, Associate Dean of Instruction for Science & Mathematics, and Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs. She has collaborated extensively with faculty across disciplines to support effective program review, curriculum development, distance education, and data-informed decision-making in academic assessment.

Dr. Pfluger holds a doctorate in education from Texas Tech University and a master’s degree in biology from the University of Notre Dame.

When I was growing up, my grandparents taught me the importance of living on less
than you make, while also making the most of what you have — simple beliefs with a
truly fulfilling life lesson. I am thankful for the values they instilled in me and grateful
to be able to use them as a guide while helping people in my community.
Bakersfield, California, is a big city with a small-town feel, which is exactly why I have
enjoyed growing up here and making it my home. I am honored to be able to make a
difference in the lives of those around me and their families for generations to come.
The priority of my branch is to get to know your goals, hopes, dreams and what is
most important to you so we can work together for the long term to help you achieve
them. This approach allows you to gain control over your financial future and your
legacy. I also happily partner with your tax preparer and other professionals to make
sure we determine the most appropriate financial strategy — for you, your family and
your business.
In my spare time, I love to hang out with my husband, our cat and our two hound
dogs. You can usually find me watching reruns of "The Office" or reading, both for
pleasure and business.
Financial strategies can seem overwhelming and stressful. With the right financial
advisor to help along the way, it doesn't have to be.

Jay Schlosser is Executive Director of the Kern Council of Governments.  Prior to this, Jay was the Development Director & City Engineer for the City of Tehachapi

This follows a career in the private sector working as a civil engineering consultant on the Central Coast and in Bakersfield.  Much of his time in the private sector was spent advancing the City of Tehachapi.  Jay’s civil engineering career covers a broad range of technical subjects including water & wastewater, transportation, land development, CEQA and construction management.

Jay is a licensed civil engineer who grew up in Bakersfield (he’s a West High Viking) before earning his degree from UC Davis in 2000.  Jay is  married with two sons who are now off to college.  Jay enjoys backpacking in the Sierras with his sons and travelling to the National Parks (over 20 so far…) with the whole family.

Andrew A. Kao, MD is a board-certified ophthalmologist who returned to his native Bakersfield to practice ophthalmology at Empire Eye and Laser Center and Advanced Center for Eyecare in 2016. He was valedictorian from Stockdale High in 2001 and went on to graduate with honors from UC Berkeley. He received his medical degree from UC San Francisco. He next completed a fellowship in ocular pathology at the top eye hospital in the country, the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida.

 

Dr. Kao completed his residency at the longest running eye hospital in the US, the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, in Manhattan, NY, and was recognized as the top resident in his class. He then undertook a year-long fellowship in ocular oncology at UC San Francisco, where he learned to care for ocular surface and intraocular tumors, in addition to teaching cataract surgery to residents.

 

He enjoys providing the most advanced ophthalmologic treatment to his hometown, and has performed thousands of sight-restoring surgeries. He is also a volunteer surgeon, board president, and Chief Medical Officer at Advanced Center for Eyecare, a non-profit clinic that provides medical and surgical care to the underserved in Central California and beyond. He is also involved on the boards of the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Greater California Council of Scouting America. 

Andy Fiske was announced as the Director of Athletics at Cal State Bakersfield in September of 2026. He became the fifth Athletics Director in the history of the Roadrunners.

Fiske came to Bakersfield following five years serves as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs & Chief Revenue Officer at Sacramento State. As part of the senior leadership team in the Hornets' Athletics Department, Fiske provided strategic leadership, planning and oversight of revenue generation, and served as the sports administrator for football, men's basketball, and women's golf. During his tenure, Sacramento State experienced record growth in corporate partnerships, tickets sales, and philanthropic giving while securing the Athletic Department's largest corporate partnership. He also oversaw the marketing and community relations department.

Before joining Sacramento State, Fiske spent five years with Learfield, one of the nation's leading collegiate athletics sports marketing companies, serving as general manager for UC Davis Sports Properties. With the Aggies, he grew revenue by more than 80 percent, was instrumental in securing a long-term naming rights partner for the university's basketball facility, negotiated radio and television contracts, and developed and executed fully integrated digital partnership marketing campaigns.

Earlier in his career, Fiske served with a number of professional sports teams, including the Sacramento River Cats, the Sacramento Republic, the San Jose Sharks, and the Oakland Athletics.

A native of Sacramento, Fiske graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a bachelor's degree in industrial technology. He and his wife, Cathy, have three children.

With decades of experience at both professional and collegiate organizations, Fiske said he aims to rebuild Cal State Bakersfield upon the same foundational principles it once used to become great: