Speakers

Christine L. Peterson is executive editor of The Bakersfield Californian, Tehachapi News and Bakersfield Life and their websites. She was appointed to her current position in July 2019. She has held a variety of editing and reporting roles since joining The Californian in 1997. Christine has been the newsroom operations manager, web editor, growth and economy news editor, city editor, assistant city editor and a copy editor, and has been an education and public safety reporter.

Before coming to Bakersfield, she was a reporter at The Orange County Register and its community publications for two years. She graduated from Santa Clara University in 1995. She enjoys judging high school Virtual Enterprise competitions and providing feedback to students in the We The People program.

The Internet has become our way of life. With all the conveniences and opportunities it offers, comes risk of becoming a victim of various cyber crimes. Keeping yourself and your family safe is not an easy task but there are a few things that you can do to lower your risk.

Over 20 years experience working for Bay Area's tech companies building marketing systems and online shopping platforms. Early DOTCOM casualty. Concerned Internet user. Guardian of the data. Cybersecurity professional, currently working at Instacart, trying to keep your groceries from getting hacked.

Holly Arnold is the  new executive director if the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra.  Arnold is the former CEO of the Kern chapter of the American Red Cross and most recently was the director of community relations at Hall Ambulance.

"Holly looks forward to working with Music Director Stilian Kirov to enhance concert experiences as well as strengthening the youth outreach through educational programs and collaborations,” the orchestra said in a news release.

Did you know Rotary has a partnership with Toastmasters?  Toastmasters and Rotary partner to help members grow professionally and make a difference in their communities | Rotary International

Shonna Shearson has been involved with Toastmasters International for nearly two decades. She earned the esteemed title of Distinguished Toastmaster and has served as an Area Governor along with nearly every club officer position at one time or another. She continues her membership in the Speak Up! Toastmasters Club in Bakersfield to keep her public speaking skills sharp and to give back through mentorship of others. Shonna is the Senior Vice President of Operations at Valley Strong Credit Union. She has been married to her husband, John, for 25 years; they have two grown sons. Shonna is also a Rotarian and a current member of the Rotary Club of Bakersfield Twilight.

Husband, Father, Attorney, Philanthropist & Author The Life and Trials of the Gentleman Pirate, Major Stede Bonnet

Author Jeremy Moss brings to life the golden age of piracy through the vivid life story of one of the least likely, yet most interesting, pirates, Major Stede Bonnet. Using his book, The Life and Tryals of the Gentleman Pirate, Major Stede Bonnet as a backdrop, Moss re-creates the life and times of some of history’s most famous pirates, including the infamous Blackbeard.

Awash with myth-busting history, Moss tells the story of the real pirates of the Caribbean, sharing accounts of their daily life, social issues, natural disasters, political intrigues, bloody battles, and, of course, buried treasure, walking the plank, flying the Jolly Roger, pirate-speak and much more, all while lessons-learned from the research, writing and publication process

Tom Day will cover the events leading up to Russia's 2014 annexation of the peninsula, and outline the truce called Minsk II that Putin, Merkel, and others reached a year later.

The talk will be illustrated and presented via Zoom. Mr. Day is a retired software engineer with extensive experience in Toastmasters.

Tom is a retired software engineer.  He worked on satellite control software for many years, and on the original Palm Pilot for a few. He is a New England Yankee with roots back to 1630. He's been interested in Russia, Georgia, and Armenia for fifty years. He lives with his wife in Stevenson Ranch, Santa Clarita, Los Angeles.

Jennifer Jensen is the Founder and Executive Director of Global Family Care Network. She leads Global Family’s network in 9 countries with over 300 team members. Global Family’s Daughter Project is a comprehensive and evidence-based effort towards the prevention, intervention, and restoration of young victims of human trafficking and exploitation. She has lived and worked in 5 countries, spending time in many others, to develop and launch locally imagined, asset based and sustainable efforts to protect children and preserve families in at risk communities around the world. Through her efforts, almost 200,000 children have been protected through community-based clubs and over 1500 cared for in trauma shelters, restoring the vast majority with their families. She has led the development of an education for prevention platform in the USA, PreSEHT.com, the creation of a girls’ empowerment curriculum now translated into six languages, and oversees a model shelter for underage victims of commercial sexual exploitation in Kern County, California. Recently, she was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the first ever Private Public Partnership Advisory Council to End Human Trafficking. She is married to her husband of almost 30 years, Clark, and mother to daughter, Charity, and son, Courtland. 

Capt. Brian Schiff is a captain for a major US airline and is type-rated on the Airbus A320, Boeing 727, 757, 767, DC-9 (MD-80), CL-65, LR-JET, and G-V. Schiff’s roots are deeply planted in general aviation where he has flown a wide variety of aircraft. 

     He holds several flight instructor ratings and is recognized for his enthusiasm and ability to teach in way that simplifies complex procedures and concepts. He has been actively instructing since earning his flight and ground instructor certificates in 1985. Schiff also has been an FAA-designated examiner. 

     He attended San Jose State University, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and his Masters of Science Degree in Aviation Safety from the University of Central Missouri. He regularly conducts seminars about aviation safety and techniques to student and professional pilots alike.