2021 Conference Speakers
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The 2021 Conference Committee is building a list of informative and exciting speakers. Check below for individuals who will widen your horizon and provide more insight into your Rotary family.
More speakers will be added frequently. Check with us regularly to see the latest. Again, much more to come.
Judith Diment – “Rotary’s U.N. Family and Beyond”
A dedicated Rotarian based in England, Judith has played a major role for more than 20 years as a tireless advocate for polio eradication. She is currently Chair of Rotary International’s Polio Eradication Task Force and a member of Rotary International Polio Plus Committee (IPCC). She chairs the IPPC Grants sub-committee, which recommends grants to WHO and Unicef of up to $150 million annually.
Judith has a unique perspective on the dynamics and impact of Rotary Family through her work on polio and her involvement with other Rotary multinational initiatives.
She is currently Dean of the Rotary Representative Network to the United Nations, Rotary International Representative to the Commonwealth, Vice-Chair of the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery and a member of the International Advisory Board for the Commonwealth Centre for Digital Health. In 2016 she helped set up the Commonwealth Women’s Mentoring Program.
In December 2019, Judith was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth for services to charity..
Dr. Paul Dhillon – “Work, Life and Rotary”
Dr. Paul Dhillon with son Darragh
Dr. Paul Dhillon is a family physician, ER doctor, medical officer in the Armed Forces reserves, author, educator, manager of Canada’s Men’s Medical Soccer Team, husband, father… and Rotarian.
At Conference 2021, Dr. Dhillon will share how the concept of Rotary Family helps him find life balance while he pursues his multiple avenues for Service Above Self.
His journey has taken him to Sierra Leone during the Ebola epidemic to now the frontlines of the Covid pandemic here at home. As part of the BC Covid-19 response, Dr. Dhillon was recently Vancouver Coastal Health’s lead Medical Planner for the Vancouver Convention Health Centre, a 271-bed extension of VGH.
After completing his medical studies at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland he completed a Master's degree in Disaster Medicine and studied at the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Outside of his civilian career, he is a Reservist Medical Officer and Captain with 12 Field Ambulance, Canadian Armed Forces, in Vancouver
He has been recognized on multiple occasions by the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and the Canadian Medical Association for his leadership and educational endeavours.
A passionate educator he teaches across the country and is the author of multiple books including, most recently, the “Surprising Lives of Small-Town Doctors”.
Currently working at a medical clinic on the Sunshine Coast and at Sechelt Hospital, Dr. Dhillon credits our late District Governor Dave Hamilton for introducing him to Rotary Family nearly two decades ago.
Note: Video was recorded prior to the passing of District Governor Dave Hamilton.
Lorelei Higgins– “Peace in the Family”
As a Métis Canadian, Lorelei Higgins comes by her peacebuilding roots naturally. Lorelei’s Métis heritage can be traced from the Red River in Winnipeg, Manitoba where her great-grandfather came across to Canada from Kent, England, and met her great-grandmother – a Cree and Ojibwe community leader.
She is a Rotary Peace Fellow and Positive Peace Activator, a consultant with Mediators Beyond Borders International and a Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Program alumnus. Lorelei is also part of the inaugural class of Rotary Positive Peace Activators.
She has worked on community-based projects both locally and internationally centered on peace and conflict transformation, with a focus on Indigenous human rights.
Lorelei is passionate about creating bold, open spaces for building peace through cross-cultural learning and the establishment and nurturing of enduring, positive relationships. As Mrs. Canada 2020 and an ambassador for the Women In Need Society, Lorelei is leading efforts to increase female leadership in peacebuilding efforts locally and globally..
Dr. “Bowtie” Todd Jenkins - “Inclusion, Diversity and Rotary Family”
Dr. Todd Jenkins currently serves as the Senior Diversity, Inclusion, and Innovation Leader in Corporate America at a Fortune 400 company and as a Global Inclusion Trainer, Strategist, and Speaker with Bowtie Leadership, Inc.
He has worked as a consultant with major companies like Walmart, Google, Facebook, American Airlines, Deloitte, and with non-profits and entrepreneurs.
Currently, he is enrolled at Harvard University, completing post-doctorate studies as a Harvard Fellow. Dr. Jenkins also serves as a faculty member for the Executive Institute on Inclusion and on the Diversity Business Journal Review Board.
Dr. Jenkins is a proud Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow from the Rotary Club of Fayetteville, Arkansas. He has recently been appointed to serve on the first Rotary International Committee - DEI Taskforce to align Rotary's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion assessment, strategy, goals, and initiatives.
Today he is known as Dr. "Bowtie Todd" for his inspirational talks to audiences backgrounds throughout North America, Asia, South America, and Europe.
Dr. Jenkins is a proud Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow from the Rotary Club of Fayetteville, Arkansas. He has recently been appointed to serve on the first Rotary International Committee - DEI Taskforce to align Rotary's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion assessment, strategy, goals, and initiatives.
Today he is known as Dr. "Bowtie Todd" for his inspirational talks to audiences backgrounds throughout North America, Asia, South America, and Europe.
Dr. Todd Jenkins is a proud husband, author, servant leader, and conversationalist who believes in his philosophy - "bowtie" it all together, serve and simply be a gift unto the world!
Neal McDonough– “Family B4 Hollywood”
Neal McDonough is one of those multi-talented, award-winning actors whose many characters names may be more familiar to many than his real name.
He played Lieutenant Lynn "Buck" Compton in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, Deputy District Attorney David McNorris on Boomtown, Sean Cahill on Suits, Robert Quarles on Justified, William Parker in Mob City, and Dave Williams on ABC's Desperate Housewives.
He played Lieutenant Lynn "Buck" Compton in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, Deputy District Attorney David McNorris on Boomtown, Sean Cahill on Suits, Robert Quarles on Justified, William Parker in Mob City, and Dave Williams on ABC's Desperate Housewives.
He has also appeared in films such as Star Trek: First Contact, Minority Report, Walking Tall, The Guardian, Flags of Our Fathers, Red 2, The Marine 3: Homefront, Traitor, The Hitcher, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Proud Mary, and as Dum Dum Dugan in various Marvel Cinematic Universe films and TV series.
At home, though, he’s best-known as “Dad”. Neal has thrived in Hollywood as both an actor and a father by putting family first throughout his career.
Martin Scott – “Peace in the Family”
Martin is a landscape architect-turned-peacebuilder. He is a Founding Member of Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) and former Co-Leader of the Rwanda Team; working with survivors of genocide and sexual abuse to develop training in Trauma-Informed Mediation. Martin is currently the Global Partnerships Manager and Co-Founder of the Peace Conversation Program which is system for addressing intra-group conflict through dialogue and facilitation skill building.
In his free time, Martin designs Restorative Justice programs in schools for students and educators, is a volunteer mediator for the Juvenile Courts’ Victim/Offender Program, facilitates community dialogues and training for the Los Angeles Police Department and the Institute for Non-Violence LA, and works in prisons system with the Truth Project to help rehabilitate men- including violent crime and sex offenders.
A 2017 Rotary International Peace Fellow, Martin received a certificate in Conflict Resolution from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and is completing a Master of Arts in Peacebuilding, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution from California State University.
Johrita Solari – “Rotary”s International Family”
Vice President Rotary International, 2020-21
Rotary Club of Anaheim California, USA
Johrita Solari was selected as Vice President of Rotary International by RI President Holger Knaack.
A Rotarian since 1993, She is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Anaheim, California, USA. She currently represents Zones 26-27 on the RI Board of Directors.
Johrita is board chair and chief visionary officer of Solari Enterprises Inc., a property management company with 300 team members specializing in affordable rental housing. The company was inspired by Rotary’s guiding ethical principles. Johrita says the Four-Way Test hangs in the company’s lobby, and every team member sees it as they come into work.
During Johrita’s second year as director, her daughter Gianna will serve as a district governor, making it the first time in Rotary history that a mother and daughter have served in these two leadership roles simultaneously.
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