The Education Committee hosts ED TALKS to invite community leaders and informed professionals to share their knowledge and experience with members.
When available and authorized by the presenter, members may access ED TALK presentation materials below. Links to presentations are below (if available).
Please note that the presenter’s information does not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of Impact 100 Redwood Circle.
2024 ED TALKS
January: Education
Topic: Equity in Education and its Impact in Sonoma County
Speaker: Dr. Bay Jones, Equity Director for Rincon Valley Unified School District, and Founder/CEO of BEE – Beyond Equity in Education (https://beeqed.com/)
May: Education
Topic: Restorative Practices to Increase Students Safety and Engagement.”
Speaker: Gustavo Mendoza, Wellness and Engagement Coordinator of Santa Rosa City Schools
July: Education
Topic: Roseland: Honoring Heritage, Building Tomorrow.
Speaker: Al Lerma, Mitote Food Park Operations Manager and former Community Economic Development professional of Sonoma County
2023 ED TALKS
April: Arts and Culture
Topic: Build Bridges
Speakers: Kristen Madsen, Executive Director and Samantha Kimpel, Program Officer of Creative Sonoma, a division of the Sonoma County Economic Development Board
July: Changing Harm to Harmony:
Topic: Youth violence, trends, solutions, and the local scene.
Speaker: Larry Younger, Juvenile Probation Officer
October: Environment
Topic: Tackling Climate Change
Speaker: Misti Arias, General Manager of Sonoma County Agriculture and Open Space District
2022 ED TALKS
February: Arts and Culture
Topic: Looking at Art Through a Social Justice Lens.
Speaker: Malinalli Lopez Arriguin, Arts Professor, SSU
April: Health and Community Betterment
Topic: A Portrait of Sonoma County – From Framework to Action.
Speakers: Oscar Chavez Assistant Director, Human Services Sonoma County and Lindsay Franco, Analyst Office of Equity and Social Justice
August: Environment
Topic: Climate Action & Resiliency, County of Sonoma, Priorities for the Climate and Sonoma County.
Speakers: Barbara Lee, Director
October: Health
Topic: The Opioid Crisis in Sonoma County
Speaker: Melissa Struzzo, MPH, CADC, Dept. of Health Services.
2021 ED TALKS
January: Community Betterment:
Topic: Economic Recovery Plan: business, workforce and community recovery due to COVID and fires- Resilience.
Speaker: Sheba Person-Whitley, E.D. of Sonoma County Economic Development Board
April: Environment
Topic: Regional challenges, bringing all impacted parties to the discussion.
Speaker: Dr. Claudia Luke, Director of SSU Center for Environmental Inquiry and Sustainability Program Manager
June: Health
Topic: Trauma-informed care; ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences study. Speaker: Elizabeth Vermilyea, PhD
October: Education
Topic: It Takes a Village for Kids to Succeed; Let’s Move Beyond 20th Century Education.
Speaker: Laurie Fong, MA Educational Leadership, President of the Santa Rosa Board of Education
2020 ED TALKS
January: Education
Topic: Ways to Uproot Poverty and Reduce Long-Term Monetary and Societal Costs.
Speaker: Kellie Noe, Sonoma County Upstream Investments Policy Initiative of Sonoma County Human Services Department
June: The Grants Process
Topic: Greatest areas of needs for philanthropy.
Speaker: Karin Demarest, VP for Programs, Community Foundation Sonoma County
August: Community Betterment
Topic: Safety net support programs, needs/gaps, Covid impact on delivery.
Speaker: Oscar Chaves, Assistant Director of Sonoma County Human Services
October: Health
Topic: Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services; Increase in Demand for Behavioral and Health Services.
Speaker: Bill Carter, Behavioral Health Division Director of Sonoma County Department of Health Services
2019 ED TALKS
May: Environment
Topic: Urban sprawl, land management policies, greenhouse gas emissions, plastics, impact of 2017 fires.
Speaker: Karen Gaffney, Conservation Planning Program Manager, Sonoma County Agriculture Preservation and Open Space District
June: Arts and Culture
Topic: Community Vitality with Thriving Arts and Culture Scene.
Speaker: Kristen Madsen, Executive Director, Creative Sonoma
October: Health
Topic: Community Health.
Speaker: Judy Coffey, retired CEO, Marin and Sonoma Service Area of Kaiser Permanente