Events

DVA Secretary-designee JAMES BOND will share his personal story growing up in Madison, serving in the military, his journey coming out, and success not only as DVA Secretary but as a father and husband.  He will include a brief overview of WDVA, successes and challenges of serving Wisconsin veterans and the growing mental health challenges faced by returning veterans.

Loneliness and social isolation are on the rise in the U.S. and are now recognized as public health concerns. The pandemic has both exacerbated the problem and heightened awareness of the consequences. In KRIS KRANOWSKI's presentation, you'll learn more about the issue as it impacts older adults and people with disabilities and community responses that range from national efforts to state initiatives to address the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in Wisconsin.  Kris is executive director of the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging. 

You've likely heard of Esports, either as a player yourself, a parent or grandparent of someone under 18 (98% in that age demographic play video games) or even just in passing - perhaps around the industries project growth to $3.5B in revenue by 2025.  But what you may not have heard, is how it's exploding right here in the state of Wisconsin. Come learn from a Wisconsin based organization, the Milwaukee Esports Alliance (www.mkeeesports.com) about what's going on, what you need to know and how to get involved. Game on!

January is a perfect time to get involved in Madison's winter activities, and on January 3, ERIC KNEPP will talk about how Rotarians can do just that!  Eric was named Madison Parks Superintendent in 2014.   

NAM KIM is Professor of Anthropology at UW-Madison and the current Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies on its campus.  His presentation will offer perspectives of “becoming American” against a backdrop of refugee displacement and resilience. It highlights a family’s journey from the distant shores of Asia to the US, fleeing war-torn environments during the height of the Cold War. Described are the family’s experiences in displacement and resettlement, interwoven with pathways to new homelands and identities.

MAUREEN BUSALACCHI is the Director of the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project (WisAPP) at the Medical College of Wisconsin Comprehensive Injury Center. Her presentation will cover alcohol use in Wisconsin and injuries and death due to excessive alcohol use. She will also discuss solutions to reduce excessive use, tools and policies for a healthier Wisconsin and impacts of the dry months and sober curious trends.

Early care and education is foundational for our youngest children while allowing parents to maintain meaningful, gainful employment. Meanwhile, despite serving as the “workforce behind the workforce,” the child care sector has suffered from decades of no public investment, prompting challenges that were further exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic. Importantly, Wisconsin’s women’s labor force participation also has dropped to historically low rates last seen in the 1980s. Wisconsin Early Childhood Association Executive Director RUTH SCHMIDT will give a child care landscape overview and detail a series of local and state efforts to address these widespread challenges. Importantly, the presentation will make the case that short-term initiatives to address the crisis are merely stopgaps that need to be complemented by advocacy for significant investment of state revenue.

LISA JOHNSON is CEO of BioForward Wisconsin, and DANIEL BIANK is vice president of Regulatory & Government Affairs for Accuray.  They will discuss Wisconsin's existing biothealth technology leadership and how the WI Tech Hub will enable Wisconsin to embrace its role as a world leading center for personalized medicine innovation. 

In 2023, Minnesota became the third of Wisconsin's four neighboring states to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, after Illinois and Michigan did so prior to the COVID-19 pandemic; Wisconsin is also one of just 12 states to not have a comprehensive medical marijuana program. ARI BROWN is senior research associate for the Wisconsin Policy Forum, and his presentation will center around two reports produced by the Wisconsin Policy Forum: the first - written in 2023 - looks at how the rollout of recreational marijuana has gone in Michigan and Illinois given their adjacency to Wisconsin. The second - written in 2019 - looked at the intricacies of medical marijuana laws in place around the country at that time and considered questions of eligibility, access, and taxation to arrive at considerations for Wisconsin's state-level policymakers. What does access to marijuana in Wisconsin look like today, and what could it look like in the future? 

BLAKE ROBERTS CRALL is Madison Forward Fund Program Manager for UW-Madison's Insititute for Research on Poverty.  Her presentation will provide an overview of the Madison Forward Fund, research findings to date from basic income programs across the country, and how Madison's innovative program is helping to grow the basic income movement in Wisconsin and beyond. 

ALISON PRANGE is the Chief Operating Officer of the MKE 2024 Host Committee.  She will explain the MKE 2024 Host Committee's role in welcoming a major global event to Wisconsin and how the convention will impact the state. She looks forward to sharing information with the audience about planning efforts and what to expect while the convention is in Milwaukee.

Last summer, the hit Bravo reality cooking competition “Top Chef” filmed its 21^st season in Madison and Milwaukee. Cap Times food editor LINDSAY CHRISTIANS will go behind the scenes of the upcoming season, which is set to premiere in March. She’ll talk about how “Top Chef” came to the state, why it matters and what it means for the state’s culinary scene. Note: This will be a spoiler-free talk!

ANJA WANNER is the Enid H. Anderson Professor of English at UW-Madison. A syntactician by training, she teaches classes on the structure and history of English and grammar in use. She has published five books on topics like the use of the passive voice in scientific writing and the relationship between syntax and genre. Her favorite word is ‘serendipity.’  In her Rotary presentation, she will illustrate that we cannot understand English spelling if we believe that it is mainly about matching sounds to letters. She will discuss how grammar, history, politics, language contact and human error are contributing to the joys and vexations tied to the English spelling system.

SCOTT MOSLEY is CEO of StartingBlock, Madison's Startup Hub.  He has a background in strategy and operations who applies a multidisciplinary background and partnership development expertise to accelerate growth.  BEN CAMP is co-founder of RehabPath, an online platform that aims to provide in-depth, unbiased information that helps people make educated decisions during a crucial time in their lives.   In their Rotary presentation, they will talk about the journey of founding and growing a tech startup in Madison and their place in the startup ecosystem.

SAMANTHA RUBIN is general manager of the Madison Mallards. As a Florida native, she grew up playing softball and was the captain of her high school softball team. She is entering her third year with the Mallards, and is the first female General Manager in Mallards history, as well as the first General Manager ever of Madison Softball.  She will talk about the opportunity softball is providing to collegiate athletes and why the Mallards decided to bring a team like this to Madison. 

JIM LATTIS is director of the UW Space Place and a native Madisonian.  He manages the historic Washburn Observatory and teaches course in introductory astronomy and its history as well as leading many trips focused on astronimical tourism.  He will talk about the last total solar eclipse to crss the United States for the next 20 years or so.

KEN MAYER is a professor of political science at UW-Madison and a frequent expert witness in voting rights, election administration, and redistricting litigation around the country in both state and federal courts, and has been active in supporting academic freedom and free speech rights at the UW and other universities. The 2024 presidential election has shaped up as almost all observers expected – a rematch between Biden and Trump.  Mayer will place this election within the framework of the goals of the presidential nomination process and explore different forecasts of the general election.  To put it another way:  How did we get here?  And where are we going?

ARMANDO IBARRA is a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor in the School for Workers |Department of Labor Education and Chican@ and Latin@ Studies at UW-Madison.  He has garnered much attention for his work from peers and professional associations. But if you want to find him, look in a classroom or a community space.  He will be in these spaces teaching traditional and adult students on working-class history and contemporary issues these communities face. In all his endeavors, he models what folks say in solidarity circles: “We make the road by walking.”

Local governments always want to innovate to address the needs of their residents, but they need thought partners who can do that with them in a collaborative fashion. With the Wisconsin Idea as a guiding light, UW-Madison has talent that can be better leveraged to help these communities tackle their most complex issues.  UW-Madison's UniverCity Alliance managing director and fellow Rotarian GAVIN LUTER will discuss Wisconsin's efforts in collaboration and highlight many examples of innovative practices happening as a result of the partnership. One of those partnership is with Stoughton Mayor TIM SWADLEY who will talk about the partnership to build the Innovation Center Stoughton.

Our club's Annual Rotary Youth Awards Program honors Madison high school students for their scholastic achievements and contributions to the Madison community by receiving Rotary certificates and cash awards.