Our Trainers

Elizabeth Lapp is the Senior Coordinator in the Club and District Training Department of the Leadership Education and Training Division. She is responsible for coordinating the development of training resources for club and district-level Rotarians and is the editor of Rotary Training Talk, a monthly online training newsletter. She has been working at Rotary for three years. Liz is currently getting her Masters in Public Service Management at DePaul University in Chicago.

Previously, Liz was the Resettlement Director at World Relief-Chicago, a refugee resettlement organization, for 5 years. She graduated from Drake University, located in Des Moines, IA, with a BA in International Relations and French and a minor in Political Science.

 

Brenda Cressey, a Rotarian since 1989 is currently a member of the RC of Paso Robles Sunrise, RI District 5240.  She served as District Governor in 2001-02 and continues to serve in a number of different leadership roles in her district, zone and at the Rotary International levels.

Brenda continues to serve as an advisor, leadership trainer and facilitator for her districts leadership program (PRLS) as well as Presidents-Elect and Governors-Elect Training events. She recently served a 2 year term as a Training Leader for the 530 incoming District Governors at the Rotary International Assembly in San Diego and will be a Keynote Speaker at the International Assembly in 2009. Brenda was her districts representative for the 2007 Council on Legislation and will serve once again in 2010. Brenda recently completed a 3 year term as the RI Regional Membership Coordinator for the 11 districts in Zone 24 and is currently serving a 3 year term as the zone 24 Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator. She also served as Office of the Chair of the Host Organizing Committee for the LA2008 RI Convention.

Brenda and her husband Dick are multiple Paul Harris Fellows, Major Donors and charter members of the Bequest and Paul Harris Society. They have one married son Gary and 3 healthy and active grandchildren. Brenda is the recipient of Rotary International's highest award, the “Service Above Self Award” and The Rotary Foundation’s, "Citation of Meritorious Service Award". Her Rotary Dream is to see the end of Polio in the very near future!

 

Barbara Risher/Welch was President of the Montebello Rotary Club in 1996-1997 and was the first woman President in the history of the club since its charter in 1924. She joined the Montebello Rotary Club in 1991 and has had perfect attendance ever since her induction. She is very proud of the fact that her father is also a Past President of the same club in 1973-74 and reached 46 years of perfect attendance.

Barbara has held numerous board positions within her club. At the district level, she has held the office of Assistant Governor, District Community Service Chair, RYLA Chair and committee, District Governor Nominating Committee Chair, fundraising committee, and District Governor for District 5300 in 2003-2004. Barbara is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a Rotary Foundation Benefactor and began the Paul Harris Society in District 5300 and has been a member since 2004. She is a PRLS recipient and Rotarian of the Year for 3 years. Barbara was the Rotary International Membership Zone Coordinator for Zone 24 for 2004-2006 and currently serving a 3 year term as Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinator for Zone 24. She has served on the faculty for the Governor Elect Training Seminar (GETS) for Zones 23 and 24 from 2005 to present, a trainer for the 2006 and 2009 Southern California/Nevada PETS Membership, and has been on the Zone 23/24 Institute committee for 2 years. Barbara was a member of the Host Organizing Committee for the RI convention in Los Angeles in 2008. During her Governor year she led the first district-wide service project to Puerta Vallarta to deliver containers of wheelchairs through the Wheelchair Foundation. Barbara has had the distinct honor of representing RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar at the District 6600 Conference in Ohio and RI President Wilf Wilkinson at the District 5830 Conference in Texas.

Barbara was raised in Montebello and lived there until 1992 when she and her husband and children moved to Seal Beach. She attended UCLA after high school, and eventually transferred to CSULA and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1981. Barbara works as an emergency room RN in Montebello, though her main profession is working in her family's funeral home, Risher Montebello Mortuary as a licensed funeral director.

Barbara is also involved in her community as a member of the Montebello Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and past Chairwoman. She was also the Chairwoman of the Montebello Chamber Ambassadors. Barbara is President of the Beverly Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, a Beverly Hospital guild member, and was a charter member of the Business and Education Partnership Foundation. Barbara also assists with her daughter's Girl Scout troops, and was an AWANA leader for her children's youth group at church.

Barbara and Greg were married in 1982 and have 4 children, Nathan, Zachary, Kaylie and Jenna ranging in age from 11-20 years. They have traveled to 9 Rotary International conventions, and Nathan had the privilege of riding on the Rotary Rose Float as a RYLA student in 2004. As a family they enjoy snow skiing, water skiing, wakeboarding and scuba diving. She also enjoys playing tennis, running, kickboxing and being a soccer mom.

 

Don Clinebell is a Charter Member of the San Clemente Sunrise Rotary Club. He was the Founding Chair of the Avenue of Community Service for the Club. Donald is founding Chair of the San Clemente Sunrise Rotary's multiple award winning middle school tutoring and mentoring program for at-risk kids (7th Inning Stretch) and an energetic Club Song Leader. He is also a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and member of the Paul Harris Society.

Donald was President of San Clemente Sunrise in 1995-96. During his tenure, membership grew by a full 50% and the club won seven District-wide awards: Best Club, Membership, Club Service, Community Service, International Service, Medical and Polio Plus Projects, Club Newsletter; and two International Awards: Model Youth Program, and R.I. President's Citation for Outstanding Achievement. During his tenure, San Clemente Sunrise earned a reputation as "the Club that cannot help but sing - the Club that sings in three-part harmony."

In District 5320, Donald was an Area Representative, in 1996-97; District Awards and Recognition Chair, 1997-98, and Youth Services Director, 1998-99. In 2001-2002, he served the District as an Assistant Governor. This year Donald returns for his twelfth year as an Instructor/Trainer at the Southern Calif./Nevada PETS.

Donald is a frequent keynote speaker at District and multi-District events. He is much in demand as a keynote and motivational speaker, and master of ceremonies, both in and outside Rotary. http://www.clinebell-law.com/Speaking.htm

A lawyer since 1976, Donald is a former Deputy Attorney General for the State of California. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Pomona College and UCLA School of Law. He is the founding and managing partner in The Clinebell Law Firm, business lawyers and paralegals with offices in San Clemente and Irvine, California. In addition to his other interests, Donald is an accomplished pianist and baritone.

Donald has lived in San Clemente, CA since 1980 and is the proud father of two children, Brennan and Tessa.

 

Rob Weinberg has a 28-year history of creating unique marketing solutions and profitable results for a wide range of clientele. As a 10-year veteran of Madison Avenue and owner of a New York City advertising agency, he acquired a reputation as a dynamic conceptual thinker. An inspirational presenter and author and well known throughout district 5340, he is regularly sought after for consulting, writing and speaking engagements.

Now president of the MarketBuilding Team, a strategic consulting firm based in Rancho Bernardo, CA, Mr. Weinberg has a broad background in creating and implementing anything that is marketing related to help businesses fulfill their potential. Mr. Weinberg is the author of two books:
• REMOVING THE MYSTERY FROM MARKETING and
• STREETWISE INTERNET BUSINESS PLAN

You can find him on the internet at www.marketbuilding.com. He also publishes a free marketing advice column at www.askmrmarketing.com.

 

Phyllis Nusz, A native Californian, received both her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Speech Communication with a minor in Choral Music from the University of the Pacific, in Stockton, California.  She was a member of the certificated staff at Bakersfield Community College, in Bakersfield, California, for 21 years where she served as a Professor of Speech Communication, Speech Department Chairman, Assistant Director of Student Activities, Academic Senate President, Community Development Program Director and Executive Secretary for the Bakersfield College Foundation and it’s six sub groups.  She has a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Nova Southeastern University, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with a dissertation in the field of Leadership/Management Training.

Phyllis is the owner of PJ Enterprises, specializing in fund-raising, meeting planning and communications skills.  She has served at the international level of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International where she was the director of their annual Leadership/Management Seminar at the University of Texas, in Austin, Texas.   For the last several years she has led the professional women’s honor society in establishing an international Literacy Task Force for the purpose of working with Rotary International on collaborative literacy projects around the world.  She was honored with the Chi State Distinguished Public Service Award in 2002.   She is also listed in Who’s Who In America, Who’s Who In Higher Education, Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who In The West.

Her community activities include membership in the California Lutheran University Foundation; University of California at San Francisco Heritage Circle; Nova Southeastern University Century Foundation; University of the Pacific Alumni Association; Children’s Museum of Stockton; founding family of the Emanuel Lutheran Church of Lodi; Teens Kick-Off Advisory Board; Nob Hill Association; and Olympic Club. She was honored with the President’s Award as the founder of the Mentor Program for the Golden Gate Chapter (San Francisco) and went on to create the same program for California’s Capital Chapter (Sacramento) of the National Society of Fundraising Executives.

Honored by the Rotary International Board of Directors with the highest award given to an individual Rotarian for their lifetime humanitarian work, she is a recipient of the RI Service Above Self Award. Phyllis has served as President of the North Stockton Rotary Club (1997-1998); District Governor (2001-2002). She has attended eleven Rotary International Conventions and has served in over 30 District, Zone and International committees that include: being the designer of her District’s 1999-2000 ACTION 2000 membership campaign, which had a goal of 17% net for the year; served as the 2004 Far West PETS General Chairman and continues to serve as a member of the Executive Committee since 1999; served as Centennial GSE Team Leader to Romania; has completed a three-year term as a TRF Major Donor Advisor for Zone 24, which was recognized in 2005-2006 with the highest total annual giving record in the world at $19 million; is serving as Vice Chair during her third year of a three-year term as a member of the RI Fellowships Committee; is serving her fourth year as a member of the Past Officers Reunion (POR) Executive Committee; is a member of the Executive Committee for the 2007 President’s Membership Conference (San Jose); is a member of the Rotary Fellowship of Musicians, Fellowship of Convention Goers, and was recently elected to a two-year term to serve on the Board of Directors of the Blindness Prevention Rotary Action Group. She has worked on projects for Afghanistan; Uganda; Mexico; Romania; Honduras, and the Philippines. A multiple Paul Harris Fellow and a charter member of RI Foundation Bequest Society (Level Six); Phyllis was the founding chairman of The Paul Harris Society of District 5220. Her late mother, Esther E. Nusz of Lodi, was a Paul Harris Fellow, Benefactor, Major Donor, charter member of the RI Foundation Bequest Society (Level Six) and was an Honorary Member of the Lodi Rotary Club.  Her late father, Fred H. Nusz, was made a Paul Harris Fellow in memoriam.

 

George E. Chaffey
With a Rotary philosophy of "Have Fun", George was Governor of District 5160 in 1997-98, and is a Charter Member of Lamorinda Sunrise. Having lived in West Africa and Mexico, he and his wife, Carol, are very involved in international programs, hosting exchange students from Argentina, Denmark, Switzerland, Brazil, Russia, Germany, Japan, Colombia, and Slovakia. George pioneered innovative GSE programs. Carol traveled to Ghana and India for polio NID, wheelchair and Rotaplast projects. Both are Paul Harris Fellows, Benefactors and Bequest Society members.

A frequent Far West PETS instructor, George was 1999 General Chair and 2001-03 Instruction Chair. He trains District Governors in the U.S. and Canada (GNATS/GETS), and was Chair during 2002-04 and again in 2008-09. He was General Chair of the 2007 "Power of One" Rotary Institute (Western U.S. Zones 23-24).

George attended U.C. Berkeley, marched in the Cal Band, and graduated from Boalt Hall. Carol graduated from U. C. Santa Barbara with her teaching credential. As Peace Corps volunteers in Liberia, West Africa, George taught law and Carol taught elementary school. Upon returning, George directed a legal services program and then joined Littler Mendelson, a nationwide employment law firm representing employers, now one of its experts on affirmative action matters. Carol taught elementary school, retired in 2002, but continues with substitute assignments.

George is a bad golfer and a good pilot. An avid member of the "Flying Rotarians" (IFFR), he flies a 1948 Luscombe - "stick and rudder" flying to tail dragger aficionados.