Events

The Value of Service through Rotary: Camp Venture, Duke Rotaract, and Beyond

Justin Dodds is a Chico native, Camp Venture alumnus, and graduate of Pleasant Valley Senior High School (2018). He graduated magna cum laude from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science in economics (2022) and recently completed a Master of Healthcare Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2024). While at Duke, he was a charter member of the Rotaract Club of Duke University and later served as vice president and president. He is starting his career in healthcare administration this summer as an Administrative Fellow at Sutter Health, where he will be supporting Sutter Davis Hospital and Sutter Amador Hospital. Justin is grateful for the impact of Rotary in his life and looks forward to joining a Rotaract or Rotary club in the near future.

Name:  Julie Kistle

Title:      Director, Facilities & Construction Chico USD

Professional Background:

Julie Kistle has twenty-five years of hands-on experience in the construction industry and has specialized in public works.  She began her career in marine engineering and construction before transitioning to building construction and eventually specializing in K-12 educational facilities.  Julie is a proven Construction Manager with a focus on managing budgets and expectations, controlling costs and delivering successful projects.  She has been with the Chico Unified School District for the last fourteen years.  In her current role, she manages a large General Obligation Bond program and is overseeing the design and construction of phased capital projects.  She is very proud of the fact that she is a C.A.S.H. Leadership Academy graduate.  Julie works closely with the Chico Unified School District Board of Education, administrators, teachers, community stakeholders, and others to ensure safe and adequate school facilities are available for the students of Chico.

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Beth is a Chico native who attended Parkview Elementary School before moving to Durham for Middle and High School.  She earned her undergraduate degree in Nashville, TN at Lipscomb University, majoring in Public Relations with minors in Communications and English.  In addition to her studies, she was also a Division I basketball athlete.

After college, Beth worked for international non-profit Operation Smile as the regional development manager for California.  Eager to get back to her athletic roots, Beth worked at the University of San Diego with their women’s basketball program while getting her masters in Organizational Leadership.  She worked for women’s basketball programs at Old Dominion University, University of Denver as well as the College of William and Mary before closing out her collegiate athletics career at the Atlantic 10 Conference as the Director of Administration.

Beth moved back to Chico in 2018 with her wife (Karsen) and two kids (Roman and Logan).  As the CEO of their home and all activities, Beth is now heavily involved as a volunteer at Rosedale Elementary and will be the 2024-25 PTA President. She also boasts a head coach title in all the sports they play. 

As the Co-Chair of Chico Citizens for Safe School Facilities, Beth looks forward to connecting with the Chico community to educate and motivate our collective investment in the future of our schools.

Ronnie Cockrell  

Passionate Educator and Mentor

Ronnie Cockrell is a dedicated member of the Chico Unified School District (CUSD), specializing in agricultural welding. With over two decades of hands-on experience, Ronnie has played a crucial role in shaping the district’s Ag welding program, ensuring students gain practical skills and industry knowledge essential for their future careers.

As a committed mentor in the Future Farmers of America (FFA), Ronnie has guided numerous students to success in local and national competitions. His passion for agricultural education and student development is evident in his tireless efforts to create a supportive and engaging learning environment. Ronnie's mentorship extends beyond the classroom, as he actively fosters leadership, responsibility, and a love for agriculture in his students.

Beyond his professional life, Ronnie is an avid fisherman who enjoys the tranquility and challenge of the sport. His deep connections within the fishing community reflect his love for the outdoors and his commitment to preserving natural resources. Ronnie's unique blend of skills and passions makes him a respected figure in both educational and recreational circles, continuously inspiring those around him.

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Info to follow

 I grew up in the Bay Area and graduated from Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton in 1997.  Came up to Chico to attend the University and received a degree in Manufacturing Technology in 2002.  Briefly work at Sierra Nevada Brewery on the bottling line.  Started at Sel-Tech in 2003 as the Quality Assurance Manager.  Worked my way up to General Manager by 2008, and purchased the shares of the company in 2018 along with Jason Teixeira.  I grew up in manufacturing as my Dad owned Quality Plastics in the Bay Area.  Came up to Chico with my girlfriend Melanie from High School.  We married in 2004 and had our first daughter, Ashley, in 2007.  Our second daughter, Haley, was born in 2010.  We had both girls at Feather River Hospital in Paradise.  I enjoy riding my dirt bike, fishing, backpacking, and camping with the family.  We enjoy our getaways at the family cabin in Lake Almanor.

Butte Film Festival- Bio to follow

Conrad Kramer joined the Mendocino Land Trust in 2020. Conrad’s background includes leading land trusts in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, California’s Colorado Desert, and the heartland of the United States where he has worked to conserve and protect critical wildlife habitat, prime agricultural lands, important open spaces, and rural communities. His background includes many years of leading ecological restoration efforts, demonstrating sustainable commercial scale agriculture, and expanding outdoor recreation opportunities. He holds a BS Degree in Public Affairs from Indiana University. Conrad’s wife, Lisa, is an environmental scientist with California State Parks specializing in reforestation. They have two sons, recent college graduates, who also call California home

Kristy Bird MaKieve, MBA, CAE, is the founder, CEO and GME Administrator of Healthy Rural California in Chico. Healthy Rural California is accredited as a Sponsoring Institution for Graduate Medical Education.  Our first cohort of Community Psychiatry Residents will matriculate in June 2024. We have submitted an application for accreditation to launch an Integrated Behavioral Health Family Medicine Residency by 2025. Kristy is also the Executive Director of Butte-Glenn Medical Society, the Lost Sierra Medical Society and North Valley Medical Association in Redding, now representing healthcare leaders in 10 counties.  Kristy is passionate about workforce education and training as a key solution to access to care and mental health care in underserved, rural areas. Kristy worked at UC Davis for almost a decade helping launch the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and supporting the dean of medical education. In 2015, Kristy was the lead staff person who helped secure $15 million in funding to establish Behavioral Health research and policy centers at UC Davis and UCLA, where she became interested in system-wide solutions to the growing mental health crisis. Best described as a meandering path of interesting work, Kristy’s career started teaching art to people who are blind, teaching English in Japan, running Japanese language lessons at the Japan Society of Boston, launching a graphic design staffing service in Sacramento before running a statewide education program for the California School Boards Association in Sacramento. Kristy earned her MBA from UC Davis Graduate School of Management in 2015. Kristy earned her BA from Barnard College of Columbia University in New York. She was born in Berkeley, California but grew up on Long Island, New York where she was often asked if she was from California. Kristy moved to Sacramento in 1997.

Club Event

Lynda Gizzi is the Marketing and Development Manager at Valley Oak Children’s Services (VOCS), where she focuses on increasing community awareness and support for the nonprofit’s programs and services. With a strong background in event management, social media strategy, public relations, and communications, Lynda brings a dynamic approach to connecting with local leaders and organizations.

Before joining VOCS, she specialized in event management and social media for local businesses, helping them strengthen their brand presence. Prior to that, Lynda served as the Public Information Officer for the City of Chico, where she managed crisis communications, public relations, and community engagement and outreach efforts.

Her career began in television, working with companies such as Disney and ESPN, where she gained invaluable experience in special events, production, and audience engagement. Lynda now leverages this diverse background to foster meaningful relationships between VOCS and the broader Butte County community, with a focus on improving the lives of children and families through increased support and resources.

Bios: Dustin Vaught is a dedicated film producer and actor with over 20 years of experience in the film industry, both in front of and behind the camera. Known for his work on numerous independent films, Dustin is also the Chair of the Board for the recently formed Butte County Film Commission. He is passionately committed to transforming Chico and Butte County into a thriving hub for filmmaking and filmmakers.

Mahina Gannet is a small business owner in downtown Chico and freelance project manager in the music and hospitality industries. With a background rooted in music festivals, international touring, and restaurants, Mahina brings a diverse yet individualized approach to any project.

Stephen Clark is the Deputy Director of Airport Commercial Development for the Sacramento County Department of Airports with over 17 years in aviation, including 13 in senior leadership roles. He started as a ramp agent and progressed to supervisory roles at several major U.S. airlines. As Director of Marketing and Technology for an aviation support provider, he helped grow the company into the largest privately owned entity in its category. He then served as Director of Business Development at Gerald R. Ford International Airport before coming to Sacramento to lead the airport’s first ever commercial development team. In this role, Stephen oversees real estate, business development, concessions, air service development, and marketing activities. A Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives, he holds a degree in aviation science from Utah Valley University.

Mike Wiltermood grew up in nearby Lincoln, Calif., and began his career in 1986, when he graduated from Brigham Young University with a master’s degree in health care administration. He has over 35 years of professional experience and came to Chico as Enloe Medical Center’s Chief Operating Officer in 2007. He was named President and CEO in 2009. In this capacity, he serves as an ex-officio member of the Enloe Foundation Board of Directors and the Enloe Medical Center Board of Trustees.

Mike is a member of Chico’s Noon Rotary Club, a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served on several trade association boards. He is currently on the California Hospital Association’s Board of Directors.

Mike’s wife, Kelly, has a master’s degree in art education and taught K-12 in Washington state before moving with the family back to California. Mike and Kelly have four grown children and four grandchildren.

About Chief Billy Aldridge

Chief Billy Aldridge was born and raised in Monroe, NC where he graduated high school before joining the US Air Force and served for nearly eight years. He attended the Yuba College Police Academy in 2001 and began his law enforcement career with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office in September 2001.

Chief Aldridge has been married to Rosemary for 25 years and they have two boys Matthew (21) and Caden (16). 

In February 2005, Aldridge joined the Chico Police Department. He has worked as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Crime Scene Investigator, Mobile Field Force Team Member, Use of Force Instructor, and Street Crimes Detective. Aldridge was promoted to Sergeant in December 2009, Lieutenant in April 2015, Captain in March 2020, and Chief of Police in December 2022.

Chief Aldridge holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice management and a master’s degree in organizational management with a specialty in human resource management. He holds Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced certifications as well as Supervisory and Management level certifications.

Aldridge is a graduate of the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (SBSLI), Executive Leadership Institute at Drucker School of Management, and the POST Executive Development Course. Chief Aldridge currently serves as the Board Chair for the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF).  Chief Aldridge is a proud member of the Governing Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of the North Valley.  He is also an active member within the Chico Rotary Club.

https://rotary5160.org

See Dan's statement on the District 5160 web page

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) owns and operates Lake Oroville and its associated facilities, for the purpose of flood control, water storage and delivery, power generation, recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement, and water quality management for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

This presentation will focus on DWR’s environmental and recreation activities at the Oroville Facilities including the Feather River Fish Hatchery, the Feather River Fish Monitoring Station, the Feather River Floating Classroom Program, Feather River salmon spawning gravel improvements, along with DWR’s bald eagle management program and upcoming environmental habitat improvement projects. DWR also implements a Fuel Load Management Program to reduce the risk of wildfire in the Oroville area.

Eric See is an Environmental Program Manager and has worked at DWR’s Oroville Field Division, located near Oroville Dam, for over 31 years. He leads a team of environmental scientists and civil engineers to implement these programs in coordination with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, CalFire, and several other government agencies.

Eric and his wife, Christiane Wear, live in Chico where they raised their 2 daughters. Madison is a Chico State graduate who was recently married, and Merced is currently enrolled at Colorado State University, Boulder. When Eric isn’t working, he enjoys flyfishing, duck hunting, and spending time with his family at their cabin on the North Fork Feather River, above Lake Almanor.

Jason Black is the owner and President of MTECH, Inc., a Chico-based manufacturing company that designs and builds a line of fire and rescue equipment called QTAC. Originally a custom plastic fabrication shop, MTECH is now a product-based company that sells QTAC fire “skids” – mobile tank and pump systems – for side x sides and trucks, as well as complete fire and rescue trucks for agencies like Cal Fire and Butte County Search and Rescue.

Black has lived in Chico for 27 years, is married and has two children. His journey started as a motorcycle racer, test rider and magazine editor. After a short stint in the dot com industry in the late 1990s, Black decided to partner with his dad in what was at the time a one-man manufacturing company. His dad retired fully in 2019, and today MTECH employs 54 people and continues to grow. Outside of time with his family, Black enjoys motorcycle riding and mountain biking.

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION:

The presentation discusses MTECH’s beginnings as a small, one-man shop, and some of the hurdles and challenges that occurred along the way to it becoming a respected builder of fire and rescue equipment.

www.qtacfire.com

SUZANNE BRAGDON, BIO

Suzanne Bragdon is a retired city manager, aspiring screenwriter, and proud Rotarian. She has been a Rotarian since 2003 and has served in multiple positions, including club president, assistant district governor, and membership ambassador.

A member of the Fairfield-Suisun Club, 9kSuzanne is passionate about the stories of transformation and impact that Rotary creates, such as helping impoverished students achieve their dreams and supporting international service projects.

She served as the District Governor for Rotary District 5160 during 2022-2023 and continues to be actively involved in a variety of Rotary activities focusing on peace, homelessness and the Rotary Experience.   This past June, she was selected to serve as a *Rotary Positive Peace Activator for 2024-2025.

Suzanne's husband, Kirk, is an artist, and their daughter, Stephanie, works in the communications field with a focus on education. She and her boyfriend are avid travelers, and have plans underway for a second year-long experience living like locals through South America and Europe.

Brandon Keith - update on the first half