Apply Now for the RISE Program: Deadline is Monday, April 1, 2024

Rotary District 5030 is launching the next cohort for RISE (Rotarians Inspired to Succeed and Engage)!  We’re encouraging clubs to use this program to attract and engage members by offering advanced leadership training and an experienced member from another club. The program cost is $150 per participant and each club can have up to three members in the program. The deadline for application is Monday, April 1, and the application form is here

Last fall, we had seventeen members in our pilot session and our exit survey rated the program 4.7 (out of 5) stars. Two-thirds of the participants reported that participating in RISE had already helped them to advance in their career and/or their club.

Testimonal: “I think the RISE program is a valuable tool, both for those early in their professional or Rotary careers with limited leadership experience, and for those later in their careers as a litmus test to reflect on whether one’s leadership habits have been as productive as one hoped.”-Mark Ward, President-Elect, West Seattle Club.

Each club can have up to 3 members per training cohort. There is a Spring session and a fall session.

Program: Mike Pellicciotti, “State Finances and Long-Term Policy,” March 28, 2024

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti.

The program will be presented on Zoom on Thursday morning with the Zoom line opening at 7 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required, and the program is free.

The meeting will be available via Zoom.  Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7 a.m.


State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti

Mike Pellicciotti (Pelleh-chee-otti) was elected the 24th Treasurer of Washington in 2020. As Washington’s chief financial officer, Mike is dedicated to increasing government transparency, protecting Washington’s financial health, and leading policies that best serve our state’s working families and retirees.

Before being elected State Treasurer, Mike was an assistant attorney general and served North Pierce and South King Counties in the Washington House of Representatives. There he led efforts to increase penalties for corporate crime and get “dark money” out of politics. 

As State Treasurer, Mike is leading good government reforms and policy proposals to reduce financial barriers for all Washingtonians. Last year he was selected as a Rodel Fellow, the bipartisan recognition of America’s 24 most promising elected leaders.

He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and received his Master’s in Rural Development as a United States Fulbright Scholar. His law degree is from Gonzaga University. Mike is a lifelong fan of Gonzaga Basketball.

Program: Bruce Balick, “Our Favorite Places for Great Photography Close to Home,” March 21, 2024

Bruce Balick will lead a discussion of club members as we share our favorite places to photograph inside and within 100 miles of Seattle.  

The program will be presented in person and on Zoom on Thursday morning with the Zoom line opening at 7:00 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required, and the program is free.

The in-person meeting will be at the Wedgwood Community Church at 8201 30th Ave NE, Seattle. Doors open at 7:00 a.m. and the program begins at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting will be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7:00 a.m.


Bruce Balick is a is a tremendous photographer. Professionally, Dr. Bruce Balick is Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington in Astronomy. He joined the UW Astronomy Department in 1975. Subsequently he served as its chair, became active in faculty governance, and participated in the design of new instrumentation for Hubble. Since his retirement in 2014, Balick continues to publish research papers using data from the Hubble Space Telescope and to supervise astronomy undergraduates in research and public outreach. He is a coauthor on a research paper based on one of the newly released images from the James Webb telescope.

Program: Tim Nagel and Griffin Armour, “Outdoors for All: Mission, Programs, and the Future,” March 14, 2024

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Outdoor for All.

The program will be presented on Zoom on Thursday morning with the Zoom line opening at 7 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required, and the program is free.

The meeting will be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7 a.m.


The Outdoors for All Foundation transforms lives through outdoor recreation.  Founded in 1979 in the Pacific Northwest, Outdoors for All is a national leader in delivering adaptive and therapeutic recreation for children and adults with disabilities. Each year more than 3,000 individuals exercise their abilities thanks to the training and support of more than 850 volunteers. Outdoors for All enriches the lives of individuals with disabilities and families and helps them to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Outdoors for All’s programs include snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross country and downhill skiing, cycling, mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, youth and adult day camps, yoga, military programs, weekend excursions and custom events.

Tim Nagel is fueled by a deep passion for expanding the realm of outdoor recreation and sports for individuals with disabilities. Living with a physical disability has served as a catalyst for Tim to explore numerous opportunities. His journey began on the wheelchair basketball courts of Dallas, Texas, where he honed his skills and passion for adaptive sports. Tim earned a B.S. and M.S. in Sport Management at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and contributed as an Assistant Coach for the wheelchair basketball program. Post-college, he embarked on a career in adaptive recreation, dedicating himself to impacting the outdoor recreation landscape for youth, adults, and veterans with disabilities. Tim has resided in the Pacific Northwest since 2019. In his free time he likes to ski, mountain bike, paddleboard, camp, and travel. Tim is enthusiastic about continuing to make a meaningful impact in the local PNW community.

Griffin Armour was born and raised in the Seattle area but has spent several years living in South America. He is the Development Manager at Outdoors for All and focuses his time on growing individual and grant contributions to the organization. Some random things he loves include skiing, the Talking Heads, chess, Mount Rainier National Park, and the films of Ingmar Bergman. Griffin takes great pride in contributing to an organization that makes a profound difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Program: Walter Impert, “Tax and Estate Planning in 2024 and Beyond,” March 7, 2024

Here Walter’s handout “Practical and Taxwise Estate Planning:”

Walter Impert provides individuals and families with practical advice on how to incorporate their values and goals into a thoughtful and carefully considered estate plan.

Walter is a Partner at Dorsey & Whitney in the Tax, Trusts and Estates practice group. His practice focuses on all aspects of wealth management, including estate planning, business organization and succession planning, charitable organizations, estate and trust administration, and estate and trust litigation.

Walter served as a member of the firm’s Policy Committee (Board of Directors) and serves as a Senior Vice President and Director of the Dorsey & Whitney Trust Company.

Walter received his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Law (J.D., 2002). He was Managing Editor of the UCLA Law Review. His BA was awarded by Occidental College (B.A., Economics, 1996) with College Honors and Department Honors. He is a Phi Beta Kappa member.

His Professional Achievements include:

  • Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Past Chair of Seattle Chapter
  • Seattle Estate Planning Council, Member
  • College Success Foundation, Board of Directors
  • Seattle University Planned Giving Committee

Walter has been honored as:

  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America©, 2018-2022
  • Recognized by Chambers High Net Worth (HNW) for Private Wealth Law – Washington, 2017-2021
  • Listed as a “Rising Star” by Washington Super Lawyers, 2008-2012

Walter can be reached at impert.walter@dorsey.com, (206) 903-2439