Events

Executive Director of the Museum of Northern California Art (monca). 

I was born in Michigan, have lived in St. Louis and San Francisco where I was an art educator for 36 years. In Ann Arbor, MI, I was also director of the State Street Art Fair for seven years and worked as an education director at Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis. Before moving to Chico in 2006, I taught art and was the Diversity Mentor at Piedmont High School in the Bay Area. I am currently President of the Inspire School of the Arts and Sciences school board. 

Married to Richard Macias . . . no children just thousands over 36 years of teaching!

Anita Barker is in her 21st year as the Executive Director of Athletics for Chico State’s 13 intercollegiate athletics programs and has been a member of Chico Noon Rotary since 2005.

 Despite losing the entire 2020–21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barker succeeded in keeping the athletic department intact and reinforcing the department-wide concept of “Wildcat Family,” resulting in another successful year in 2021–22. Twelve of Chico State’s 13 NCAA-sanctioned sports programs reached postseason play, culminating with Chico State winning the CCAA Hiegert Commissioner’s Cup—awarded to the conference institution with the best overall athletics performance in a given academic year—for the sixth time in the last 10 years.

Barker’s efforts have resulted in several well-deserved individual honors, including National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Division II West Region Athletic Director of the Year awards in 2009 and again in 2019.

Anita has worked in the Chico State athletic department since 1990, when she was hired as an assistant athletic trainer. She began working in athletic administration in 1995, when she was appointed the assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator. In 1997, she was promoted to associate athletic director.

Anita graduated from Ohio Northern University in 1985 and received her master’s degree from the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1987. She has worked at all three divisions in the NCAA.

Anita and her husband Scott, the Wildcats’ head athletic trainer, have two children, Luke and McKena—both former Chico State athletes

Andrew (Andy) Forristel graduated from California State University, Chico in 1991 with degrees in Management Information Systems and Finance.  He began working at Bi-Tech Software, a local company founded by Gary and Judy Sitton, as a Software Consultant.  As the company grew, Andy’s role and positions evolved to where he become Vice President of Client Services.

Feeling the draw to law enforcement, in 1996 Andy joined the Chico Police Department as a Reserve Police Officer, working uniformed patrol and other assignments, when not at his “day job.”

In 2003, Andy left Bi-Tech Software and reported to Quantico, VA to attend the FBI Academy.  Upon completion of New Agent Training, Andy was assigned to the Los Angeles Field Office, where he worked as a Special Agent investigating bank robberies and gangs.  In 2007, Andy transferred to the Sacramento Division, Chico Resident Agency (RA), where he worked cases spanning all programs and violations which the FBI has jurisdiction.  During his career Andy has served on the Attorney General’s Protection Detail, been a firearms instructor, SWAT medic, pilot, behavioral analysis unit coordinator, an employee assistance peer, and continues to serve on the FBI’s national Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team.

In 2018, Andy promoted to Supervisory Senior Resident Agent, managing and overseeing the FBI offices located in Redding, Chico, and South Lake Tahoe; an area of responsibility which encompasses 17 of California’s 58 counties.

Andy has been married to wife Terra, a therapist, since 1992.   Their son Riley is a graduate of Pleasant Valley High School and California Baptist University.  Riley is married and an officer in the United States Marine Corps, currently training to be a pilot.  Daughter Maci also graduated from Pleasant Valley High School and California Baptist University.  She currently lives in Dayton Beach, Florida where she works as a Jr. High school math teacher.

For the past 15 years, founder and CEO of SheBuilds, Stefanie Olson, has helped hundreds of clients reach their goal of home ownership. Her company prides themselves on providing stylish quality homes, 5 star communication and outstanding follow through. Stefanie has an eye for detail and extensive construction knowledge, she holds her General B contractors license as well as her real estates license and enrolled agents license and is an extremely involved mother of her three kids.  Her favorite part of the build process is breaking ground and seeing something go from nothing to a place where people create memories. Her mission along with building homes is to empower women to enter the construction industry or just feel comfortable changing their own light fixture. She Builds is a movement and something Stefanie hopes will outlive her.  Please check her out on Instagram at Shebuilds.homes to see all the team is doing. 

Rotary 2023 Birthday Party!!!

Come one, come all!  On January 24, 2023, we will be celebrating the unveiling of the new President Elect, Elect!  It will be held in the evening, so no noon meeting that day.

Bar opens at 5:30pm for spirits and gathering.  Spouses are welcome and encouraged to attend.  The dinner will be $17.00 for each person attending.

Little Birdie told me a lot of fun is in store, so please come and enjoy!  Rumor has it the 19^th Hole will be a blast!

Four!!!!!!

Bio for John Cowan

Guest Speaker for Tuesday, January 31, 2023

John Cowan retired after 36 years of teaching science. In Chico Unified School District, John taught at Bidwell Junior High School, Pleasant Valley High School, but the majority of his time at Fair View High School. John was Teacher of the Year at Anderson Valley High School in Boonville, California in 1986, a Rotarian Educator of the Year in 2011, and the CUSD/CUTA Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2021.

While a member of the Chico Area Flyfishers (CAF) for many years, John only stepped up to a more active role in CAF and fly fishing after retiring. His motivation for being more involved is not just to perfect his skills in fly fishing, but to contribute to the various community service, educational, and conservation projects that CAF is involved with.

John has a son, Eli, who is an engineering student at Cal Poly, SLO. He is also knows many Rotarians through the various social and community service projects with his girlfriend, Robin Bicocca.

Emily graduated from Chico State with her MSW in 2009. Shortly after, she joined the YFC team as a part time case manager at the 6th Street Center for Youth. She worked her way up to full-time, then Program Coordinator. In 2015 she started the HEART Program where she was program manager. Since 2018 Emily has been supervising HEART and the 6th Street Center. Emily is passionate about working with the unhoused and runaway youth population. She loves everything to do with Halloween and enjoys reading, hiking, kayaking, and hanging with her cat, Mama.

6^th Street, a program of Youth for Change, has been operating in downtown Chico since 2008. We are a daytime service center for homeless and runaway youth between the ages of 14 and 24 years old.  6^th Street provides crisis intervention, 18 beds of Transition and Master Lease housing, basic needs such as food, clothing, shower and laundry, and assistance accessing social services. 6^th Street also provides outpatient mental health services, including therapy and counseling services, brief family counseling, conflict mediation and family reunification. For more information, please visit our website www.6thstreetcenter.org

Daniel Mauldin is the Head Coach of the North State Composite High School Mountain Bike Team and a Financial Advisor with Ameriprise Financial. In 2010 he was asked if he would like to help coach a High School Mountain Bike Team and he said, “Heck No! Who would want to work with kids?” The following year he agreed to help and fell in love with the program, he has been coaching ever since. In 2016 he moved to Chico from the Bay Area. He met his soon to be lovely wife and her two boys, they were married in May of 2021. In 2019 he took over as Head Coach of the North State Composite MTB Team and co-leads the team with Kelly Haight as the Team Director. 

North State Composite is a high school and junior high school mountain biking team comprised of students from all over Butte County. They have had exponential growth of the team and this year have 120 young athletes and over 60 Licensed coaches across two managed teams. Their mission is to build strong Body, Mind, Character, and Community through the inclusive sport of interscholastic cycling. If you've ever been in Upper Park on a Tuesday or a Thursday night and saw a bunch of kids wearing black and blue jerseys, then you've meet some of their athletes. 

Leader in California’s legal cannabis retail sector, co-founding California’s most trusted cannabis retailer. Since 2018, Dodd has created Southern California’s leading retailer and highest equity retail brand, launching more new stores in California’s most competitive markets than any other retailer.

Under Dodd’s leadership, Sweet Flower has won California’s most competitive and most stringent limited license processes, and has been recognized for the strength of its community engagement and its industry leading diversity and inclusivity program.

Dodd is an experienced, hands-on operator and entrepreneur, driving Sweet Flower to over 100% annual revenue growth and assembling a best-in- class leadership team. Experienced cannabis industry founder, serial entrepreneur, M&A and corporate development expert, marketer and brand strategist.