Speakers

Rick Anthony became the Director of the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks on September 1, 2010. He achieved his Certified Park & Recreation Executive Certification (CPRE) in June, 2019.

Prior to becoming Director, he served as Special Assistant to the County Executive working as a community liaison between communities, local governments and the County Executive’s Office.

Mr. Anthony has served as a football coach and commissioner of the Edgewater Athletic Club where he spearheaded the merge of three athletic organizations into one entity, South River Youth Athletics and was named the first president of that organization just before accepting his current position.

He is a certified arborist through International Society of Arboriculture and a Maryland Tree Expert. He and his wife started their own tree care service; Arborquest and ran it for 8 years until they sold it in 2010.

Mr. Anthony previously served in the Air Force and worked for the County for over 10 years as a Pre-trial investigator and House Arrest Coordinator. On May 3rd, 2021, Mr. Anthony was hired as the new Director of Recreation and Parks for the City of Bakersfield, returning to his hometown after being away for 30 years

Kern County Bees provides affordable live bee removal and bee keeping services to the Kern County area. What differentiates us from other businesses is our affordability, honesty, and experience. Live bee removal provides a sustainable alternative to the pest control companies who often poison our little pollinators. Spraying bees not only harms our pollinators, but it leaves behind all the wax, pesticide, and honey. This can further damage your home or business and could potentially lure in more bees. We take pride in our ability to truly connect with our customers and provide the exceptional, compassionate service they deserve. 

Ted King is a lieutenant at the Bakersfield Police Department, and is assigned to the Special Operations Division where he serves as the Special Operations Group Commander.  He has over 20 years of combines military and law enforcement experience, including SWAT, Robbery-Homicide, Gang Unit, undercover operations, and federal taskforce officer positions.  He has a private consulting company that works with businesses to assess physical security, vulnerabilities, emergency planning, and critical incident management.  Ted is a US Army veteran, holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in emergency management.

Kaelyn Peterson is the Executive Vice President, Public Affairs for the Greater Bakersfield Chamber and serves as Executive Director for BAKPAC, the Chamber's political action committee. Kaelyn is a Kern County native, born and raised in Bakersfield. She received her bachelor's degree from the prestigious University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and her MBA, (Master in Business Administration) from Cal State University, Bakersfield. Kaelyn began her career in Sacramento, CA working for then Bakersfield Senator, Jean Fuller, in the California State Capitol. While in Senator Fuller's office, she saw firsthand how hard our local legislative representatives work for their constituents to fight bad Sacramento legislation. This led Kaelyn to move back to Bakersfield in 2018 to begin working for the Chamber. In her role, Kaelyn runs the Chamber's comprehensive advocacy and public affairs platform, where she works to promote business friendly policy and the local, state and federal levels. She also oversees the political arm of the Chamber, which works to elect pro-business candidates to office. Kaelyn is married to her husband, Brent, and has two golden retrievers, Maverick and Millie.

Craig Harrison has been an inspirational speaker, author, and community leader for over 35 years. His insights, ecumenical spirit, and positive attitude have influenced many people on their journey of self-discovery.

Craig Francis Harrison graduated from Bakersfield High School, and UCLA, where he obtained a degree in Business and Economics with a minor in Psychology. He entered the Seminary at St. Johns and received a Masters Degree in Divinity.

Craig Harrison has legally adopted multiple children and 19 grandchildren, who have enhanced both his life and ministry.

He is a sought-after speaker and has donated many hours to numerous philanthropic organizations in Bakersfield, including Rotary, Kiwanis, Bakersfield Museum of Art, Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, Friends of the Children, Jim Burke Dream Builders, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Catholic Charities. Craig has also served on the Boards of the Bakersfield Art Museum, the Wheeler Foundation, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

In 2020, Craig Harrison formed Transition Ahead, LLC, allowing him to help others achieve the best version of self through healing. He has performed countless workshops on grief, trauma, and living in peace; and is the author of “Angel Girl,” written in memory of an 11-year old girl who passed away from cancer, and “Pax et Bonum,” a tribute to his beloved Assisi, Italy. He is currently writing two new books.

Craig Harrison’s daily reflection, “Coffee with Jesus,” and weekly Sunday video, “The Message,” bring spiritual inspiration to thousands.

Paul leads the City’s Economic and Community Development Department whose responsibility includes job
creation, business assistance, homeless services, affordable housing, tourism promotion and neighborhood
vitality programs.

For over 35 years, Paul Saldana has worked as an economic development profession in diverse communities,
geographic environs and at various levels of local economic development.  He’s assisted hundreds of
businesses with their expansion and location needs resulting in the creation of hundreds of jobs and millions
in recurring revenue to local governments, schools, and special districts.  Paul’s focus on strategic doing and
performance outcomes led two organizations to achieve designation as an Accredited Economic
Development Organization by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the only individual
in California to earn this distinction. His prior work at a regional economic development corporation earned
the was named a 2020 Economic Development Organization of the Year by IEDC, which also recognized
the organization for their innovative COVID-19 response. 

Paul’s experience working in city and county government offers him the experience to communicate the
intricacies of the planning and permitting process to perspective businesses.  He has led community vision
projects, general and specific plans, annexations, and supervised planning, building inspection, code
enforcement and capital improvement programs.  From Main Street programs to redevelopment, Paul’s
experience at community level economic development is extensive.  He has managed business recruitment,
global trade and business assistance for the two-county regional economic development corporation and has
established and managed Small Business Development Centers, including providing direct business
counseling and training to countless number of businesses.

Paul earned his status as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and is the longest tenured CEcD in
California. He holds an MBA from Crown College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business (with
distinction).  Paul is completing his EdD in Organizational Change and Administration from California
Baptist University.  He has served as Chairman of the California Association for Local Economic
Development and currently serves as a member of the Accreditation Committee for IEDC. Paul serves as an
faculty member for Fresno Pacific University, instructing graduate and undergraduate students in corporate
finance and economics.

Paul believes that “all communities need a person or an organization that wakes up every day charged with
improving the health of the local economy” 1 [1] and as a consummate economic development professional, he
focuses his work daily on promoting the community as a location for new businesses and helps those
businesses locate, grow, and expand.

Lauren Skidmore is a pragmatic leader and visionary collaborator, with years of experience working with diverse private and public sectors. As a bridge builder, Mrs. Skidmore has a deep passion for facilitating change and advocacy for all communities in greater Kern County, particularly those who are the most vulnerable. 

Mrs. Skidmore was the District Director for Assemblyman Vince Fong of the 34th Assembly District, where she advocates for the broad interests and need of the Assemblyman’s constituents. Prior, Mrs. Skidmore served as the Director for Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government, where she elevated the organization’s impact in government transparency and efficiency. 

As a fifth-generation cattle rancher, Mrs. Skidmore is keenly aware of the impact of small business owners which propelled her to create innovative programs like the Bakersfield Young Professionals, while working as the Communications Manager for the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce.

Mrs. Skidmore is actively involved in numerous leadership organizations and committees including Bakersfield College Foundation, Kern County Planning Commission, and Kern County Employee Retirement Association

Mrs. Skidmore is a wife and working mother of two children. She earned a B.S. in Business Administration (Management) from California State University, Fresno, and a Master’s of Science in Community Development from Kansas State University.

Barry Zoeller is Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, at Tejon Ranch Co.  He is responsible for all corporate level communications with the company’s various constituencies, including the financial and investment community.  In addition, he is the chief spokesperson for the company.

Zoeller has been with Tejon Ranch Co. since 2004, and previously was Executive Director of the Kern County Board of Trade.  Prior to that, he served as News Anchor/News Director for KERO-TV, the ABC television affiliate in Bakersfield.

He has been involved in numerous non-profit boards and community organizations, including the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, Camp Keep, Vision 2020, CASA (serving two terms as board president), Bakersfield Museum of Art, Kern EDC, Bakersfield/Kern County Branding Initiative, and is currently a trustee of the Kern County Museum Foundation.

Barry recently authored “Words of Refuge,” a devotional journal chronicling his Facebook posts during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic.  It’s available for sale on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GTBZJ52.

3201 F Street, Bakersfield, CA 93306

www.dreamcenterbakersfield.com for more information

GOP Political Consultant and  Media Commentator on KGET TV 17;   KERN

Radio 1180 AM/96.1 FM "The Ralph Bailey Show" Mondays 4-4:30 pm.

 --Former chief of staff for 20 years to Cong Bill Thomas ; former chief of

 staff to  State legislator  Shannon Grove.

--Campaign management :  Shannon Grove, Kevin McCarthy, Cynthia Zimmer

District Atty ;Karen Goh for Mayor- Bakersfield, Chad Louie

 for Judge (Kern Co) ;  city council and county supervisor races;

Adjunct professor at Taft College, Kern County  --  Political

 Science

Elected member Kern County Republican Central Committee- 2018-present

Member, Bakersfield Downtown Rotary  2000-present

Graduate:  UCLA; Raised in the Coachella Valley -- Indio High School grad

 2  daughters - Margaret, patent law  attorney in Los Angeles ;

 Madeline, Junior at Baylor University, Waco , TX.