Month: June 2024

Program, Bruce Hudson, “Seven Secrets to Exceptional Photography,” June 27, 2024

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Master Photographer Bruce Hudson.

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.

Bruce Hudson, Master Craftsman Photographer
Bruce Hudson, Master Craftsman Photographer

Master Photographer and Rotarian Bruce Hudson understands what it takes to deliver (craft, produce) an exceptional photograph. For the last 41 years he has photographed over 1200 weddings and thousands of families, high school seniors, and business portraits. Bruce recently created a program that shares the seven secrets for producing high impact quality images whether you have a fancy expensive camera or iPhone. During his program you will learn how to look for the best lighting opportunities, powerful composition techniques, foolproof tricks for making your subjects look great, and get the most out of your camera. After learning Bruce’s Secrets, you will come away with a newfound confidence to take fabulous pictures themselves, and an appreciation for the Art of Photography.

Seattle area native and Rotarian Bruce Hudson has led a colorful life. As a professional musician and educator, he had the opportunity to play with such greats as Bob Hope and Seattle’s own Kenny G! As a nationally recognized Master Photographer, Bruce has photographed Presidents, Governors, and celebrities such as the Mariner’s Randy Johnson, music legend Marvin Hamlisch, finance guru Dave Ramsey, Monkeys drummer Micky Dolenz, and Mega-Marketing consultant Dan Kennedy.

He and his late wife Sue opened Hudson’s Portrait Design in 1982 and have been a proud part of the Renton community for 40 years.

As a much sought after speaker and educator to the professional photography world, Bruce has spoken on behalf of Fuji Film USA as well as other industry leading vendors in all fifty states, Canada, New Zealand, and Puerto Rico.

In addition to photography, he enjoys golf, scuba diving, skiing, travel, cooking, fine wine, and spending quality time with his family. He has a passion for cooking, traveling and fine wine.  All in all, he has a passion for people and teaching the art of photography.

Program: Arpita Dacy, Mrs. Universe America, “Women’s Empowerment through Leadership Examples,” June 20, 2024

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Mrs. Universe America, Arpita Dacy.

The program will be presented in-person and on Zoom on Thursday morning informally beginning 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 in-person meeting will be at the Wedgwood Community Church at 8201 30th Ave NE, Seattle.

The meeting will also be available via Zoom. You can click here to join the Zoom meeting.

Arpita Dacy is the embodiment of female empowerment, dedication, and perseverance. She believes in leading by example and aims to be a good role model for women and youth through her journey. She is a devoted mother of a 7-year-old daughter, a Senior Tech Leader at Amazon, University of Washington Alumna degreed in Electrical Engineering, Professional Mentor, Motivational and STEM Speaker, Global Beauty Awards Nominee in multiple categories, and the National winner of the most esteemed pageant of Mrs. Universe America 2023-2024 hosted by internationally acclaimed and several award winning non-profit AmPowering. Arpita will be competing in the Mrs. Universe worldwide competition later this year in South Korea representing our WA state and America. Arpita is passionate about community engagement and is actively involved with various organizations to advocate for women’s issues and to promote cultural inclusivity, diversity and equity. She plans to use all her platforms to continue to motivate females to pursue their passions and create a greater impact in society.

Program: Gabriela Chavarria, “What’s Happening at the Burke Museum,” June 13, 2024

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Burke Museum Executive Director Gabriela Chavarria.

The program will be presented on Zoom only this Thursday morning. The Zoom line opens 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.

Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.

Dr. Gabriela Chavarria is the executive director at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Washington. Prior to joining the Museum, she was the vice president and chief curator of the Science Division at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Previously, Dr. Chavarria served as senior science advisor to the Director and forensic science branch chief at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon. She spent many years bringing science and advocacy expertise to positions at Defenders of Wildlife, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, and the Natural Resource Defense Council. Dr. Chavarria sits on numerous boards including the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and Defenders of Wildlife. She recently became an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow. Dr. Chavarria earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the National University of Mexico and her master’s and doctorate in organismic and evolutionary biology from Harvard University.

Program: Bruce Balick, Professor Emeritus, UW, “Learning from Aliens,” Sept. 19, 2024

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Professor Bruce Balick for a talk entitled ‘Learning from Aliens.”

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.

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: Virginia McKenzie, “Rotary Club of the Pacific Northwest Ending Sex Trafficking,” June 6, 2024

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Virginia McKenzie speaking on Sex Trafficking.

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

Virginia McKenzie has been a Rotarian for seventeen years and has built a reputation for innovation.  Originally a member of Seattle #4 Rotary, she started the Young Rotary Leaders Committee and helped recruit over 100 new members to the club, all under the age of 35.  Next, she launched Seattle City Rotaract, a community based Rotaract Club with our beloved Devon Ahud as Charter President.  Most recently, Virginia has chartered the Rotary Club of the Pacific Northwest Ending Sex Trafficking.  This is a single cause club where all of their speakers, projects and grants are focused on a single area.  Tune in to learn about the plight of sex trafficking in our local area and what you can do to help.

Program: Leah Bostwick, “Parks & Public Spaces: Vehicles for Restoring Equity,” September 12, 2024

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Leah Bostwick of the Seattle Parks Foundation.

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.

For the past two years, Leah Bostwick, BSc/MSc, has sat on the Development team at Seattle Parks Foundation, a local non-profit and fiscal sponsor serving historically under-resourced communities in Seattle and King County. Since 1999, Seattle Parks Foundation has partnered with community to champion thriving and equitable parks and public spaces, assisting with over 260 community-led projects. They envision a city where all people feel welcomed and invested in our parks and public spaces, leading to healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities. As Manager of Grants and Institutional Engagement, Leah builds relationships with foundations, corporations, and other institutions to cultivate time, talent, and treasure, providing diverse community groups with the resources needed to successfully execute their park and public space projects.