Novato Speaker Series

01/10/2026

Please join us at Novato Speaker Series "Drivig Ukraine", 7pm, Thursday, January 22nd, by Novato Sunrise Rotarian Christian Thwaites, at the Jonas Center, College of Marin.

Christian has volunteered to deliver front line vehicles to Ukrainian Military and Aid Organizations the last two years. He has also worked with a specialist ambulance company that transports critically ill adults, children and infants across Ukraine. He will discuss the three trips to Ukraine in 2025 including an eight week stay in Dnipro, close to the southern front in Zaporizhzhia, his visits to the Superhuman centers, specializing in rehabilitation and treatment of the many Ukrainian amputees in Lviv and Dnipro.

In this talk, Christian, ex-CEO of an investment Management company, will share his volunteer mission insights, life in Ukraine - personal stories about the Ukrainians, soldier and volunteers he met, Ukraine’s resilience amid war scenarios, modern warfare, and thoughts about Russia/Ukraine economy and their journey towards peace.

Go to www.NovatoSpeakerSeries.com for tickets, and/or join our email list.

Please share this with your family and friends! Hope to see you there.

08/28/2025

We are excited to announce the 2025-2026 Novato Speaker Series is here! Here is a first look of the awesome line-up and the opportunity to purchase season tickets!

Our first event is with Mike Robbins, bestselling author and renowed national speaker, on "Embracing Change: Thriving Through Uncertainty", 7pm, Thursday, October 23rd, at Jonas Center, College of Marin IVC Campus.

With decades of experience from pro baseball to Silicon Valley, and an expert in teamwork, leadership, and emotional intelligence; Mike's thoughtful and interactive talk centers on how to navigate change and achieve deeper trust, better collaboration, and greater results. Mike’s clients include Google, Microsoft, Genentech, eBay, NBA, Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, GAP, and the San Francisco Giants.

Purchase Season Ticket for all four events for $100/adults and $40/ students. Single event tickets are also available.

Please visit our website www.NovatoSpeakerSeries.com to learn more. We hope to see you at all our events and please share this with friends and family! Please contact Sylvia Barry at [email protected] with any questions.

(The NSS is a co-sponsored project by Rotary Club of Novato Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise and Rotary Club of Ignacio)

07/13/2025

The Novato Speaker Series, a community project sponsored by the four Rotary clubs in Novato, is finishing up its second successful season with San Francisco 49er great and 4-time Super Bowl Champion Keena Turner! We would love to have you, your team, your family and friends join us!

In addition to his 11 years of playing football, all with the 49ers, Keena’s been in their front office for 28 years and currently in his 7th year as Vice President and Senior Advisor to the General Manager. He looks forward to answering questions about his playing and advising ;). Bonus! He will also stick around after for autographs and pictures! What a great gift for a 49er faithful!

Date: Thursday, July 24th
Time: 7pm
Place: Jonas Center on the IVC Campus in Novato
Tickets: $30 adult/$15 student

To buy tickets, visit our website at www.novatospeakerseries.com or scan the QR code!

Please share this with your family, friends, teams and colleagues. We'd really appreciate it! We hope to see you there!

The Monthly Novato Speaker Series is an ongoing program that brings together a diverse range of speakers from various fields and backgrounds to share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives with the community.

04/01/2025

Join the Rotary Clubs in Novato for another unique program that seeks to enlighten, inform and enrich our community.

Don't miss Eric Schmitt, Senior Correspondent for the NY Times and award winning journalist, share his first-hand reporting and entertain questions on U.S. national security, foreign policy and counterterrorism under our new administration.

Thursday, April 24th, 2025, at 7 PM at the Jonas Center on the IVC Campus.

Buy an In-Person or Live video stream ticket today!

We hope you come and join us and tell your friends

https://www.novatospeakerseries.com/

03/07/2025

The Novato Speaker Series is proud to have as its third speaker in our 2nd season, Eric Schmitt, an award winning journalist for the NY Times. Eric has covered US national security for four decades for the Times with a particular focus on U.S. military affairs and counterterrorism issues overseas.

Since the time we made arrangements with Eric to speak, a great deal has happened; most notably a new President has taken office. This change in office has brought a new approach and drastic changes to foreign affairs and, as such, Eric requested a change to his talk to, "A New World Order under President Trump". We weren’t about to refuse him.

Eric adds, "With counterparts from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North and South America, President Trump has shown a willingness to use American power in a way that most of his modern predecessors have not. His favorite blunt instrument is not military force but economic coercion, mainly tariffs." We will soon see how this plays out in the coming days and weeks and Eric will share with us his reporting.

Come join us for an informative and timely talk, Thursday, April 24th, 2025, at 7 PM at the Jonas Center on the IVC campus.
Buy an In-Person or Live video stream ticket.

Eric Schmitt is Senior correspondent for NY Times and Member of The Council on Foreign Affairs. He has covered every conflict involving the U.S. military since the 1991 Persian Gulf war and has shared in four Pulitzer Prizes. He is co-author of “Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America’s Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda.”

We hope you come and join us and tell your friends!

Warm regards, Novato Speaker Series Team!

01/05/2025

Join us to hear the "Exciting Results with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope" by Alex Filippenko, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, Richard & Rhonda Goldman Distinguished Professor in the Physical Sciences, U.C. Berkeley.

Perfect for a student, stargazer or lifetime learners. The event starts at 7pm at the Jonas Center at the College of Marin Indian Valley campus. Buy single event ticket, or buy the remaining series of events at a discount! See flyer!! Buy tickets online now! https://www.novatospeakerseries.com/
Here is Professor Filippenko's Bio https://astro.berkeley.edu/people/alex-filippenko/

Feel free to pm us with questions.

10/24/2024

Last call for “Midnight at the Oasis” – Maria Muldaur in Concert and Conversation with Paul Liberatore at 7pm, tonight, 10/24 at the Jonas Center in College of Marin.

Maria Muldaur, a multi-nominated Grammy Award American Roots Artist will perform with her band. She will then sit down with Paul Liberator of Marin Independent Journal, award winning Bay Area Journalist, and Music & Pop Culture Columnist, to have a conversation about her esteemed career and the amazing artists she met through the years.

Other than single event tickets, today is the last chance to order the Season Ticket for discounted price at $100 for four events and $40 for students - see flyer for our amazing lineup for the year!

Please visit our website www.NovatoSpeakerSeries.com to learn more. We hope to see you at all our events and please share this with friends and family!

10/03/2024

We are excited to announce the 2024-2025 Novato Speaker Series is here! Here is a first look of the awesome line-up and the opportunity to purchase season tickets!

Our first event is “Midnight at the Oasis” – Maria Muldaur in Concert and Conversation with Paul Liberatore, on October 24th.
Maria, a multi-nominated Grammy Award American Roots Artist will perform with her band. She will then sit down with Paul Liberator, award winning Bay Area Journalist, and Music & Pop Culture Columnist, to have a conversation about her esteemed career and the amazing artists she met through the years.

Please see flyer for all four events which will be held at Jonas Center on the IVC campus from 7pm – 8:30pm on the dates shown. New this year is the Season Ticket where you can purchase tickets for all four events for $100 for adults and $40 for students. You can also purchase single event tickets if you desire.

Please visit our website www.NovatoSpeakerSeries.com to learn more. I hope to see you at all our events and please share this with friends and family! Please contact me with any questions.

(The NSS is a co-sponsored project by Rotary Club of Novato, Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise, Rotary club of Novato Evening, Rotary Club of Ignacio, and the Novato Historical Guild)

04/19/2024

Against All Odds: Stories of Triumph and Human Compassion
Get your tickets now.
https://novatospeakerseries.com

02/09/2024

Be sure to pick up your tickets for Felecia Gaston, NSS Feb Speaker.

11/20/2023

Meet Heidi Kühn: Visionary, Founder, and CEO of Roots of Peace 🌍✨

Heidi Kühn's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. After conquering her own battle with cancer, she founded Roots of Peace with a mission: turning Mines to Vines. Her farmer-focused development model has transformed war-torn lands worldwide, impacting over one million farmers across ten countries.

🏆 Heidi's Achievements:

- World Food Prize Hall of Laureates Winner
- Recipient of Multiple Awards, including the Jefferson and Skoll Awards
- Forbes 50 Over 50 List Honoree in 2021
- Honorary Doctorate from the American University of Afghanistan
- Advisory Council Member of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

🎤 Don't miss the chance to hear Heidi speak at the Novato Speaker Series on Dec 21st! Learn more about her incredible journey and the impactful work of Roots of Peace.

👉 https://rootsofpeace.org/

Join us in applauding Heidi for her visionary leadership and dedication to cultivating peace and prosperity through agriculture.
Reserve your spot now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heidi-kuhns-social-justice-story-replaces-land-mines-with-grapevines-tickets-748539099597?aff=oddtdtcreator

11/16/2023

🌍 Join us on December 21st, 7:00 PM, at the Bill and Adele Jonas Center, Novato, for an inspiring evening with Heidi Kühn, Founder of Roots of Peace. 🌱 Let's plant the Roots of Peace on Earth together! 🚀 Save the date and spread the positive vibes.

Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heidi-kuhns-social-justice-story-replaces-land-mines-with-grapevines-tickets-748539099597?aff=oddtdtcreator

Join us on Wednesday, December 21, 2023, for the Novato Speaker Series with Heidi Kühn - get your tickets now!