We've been honored to host an impressive cohort of speakers at our monthly luncheons. Here's a video recording of our latest speaker:
Here's a look at who's joined us recently:
2024
Jan - Scott Myers-Lipton, Professor Emeritus, San José State University
Feb - Lala Wu, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Sister District
Mar - Aisha Wahab, California State Senator
2023
Jan - Guy Marzorati, KQED Politics Reporter & Producer (VIDEO)
Feb - Peter Fiekowsky, Climate Restoration (VIDEO)
Mar - Rob Means, Move to Amend Silicon Valley (VIDEO)
Apr - Alex Lee, California State Assemblymember (VIDEO)
May - Chad Raphael, Professor of Communications, Santa Clara University (VIDEO)
June - Dr. Lawrence Rosenthal, Founder & Chair, UC Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies
July - Annual Meeting (No speaker)
Aug - Susan Ellenberg, President, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
Sept - Maria Noel Fernandez, Executive Director, Working Partnerships USA (VIDEO)
Oct - Dr. Ana Malinow, Professor, University of California San Francisco, Ret.
Nov - Mohan Gurunathan, Engineer, Entrepreneur, Activist (VIDEO)
Dec - 3rd Annual Holiday Party w/ the Peninsula Democratic Coalition
2022
Jan - Ash Kalra, State Assemblymember*
Feb - Erin Zimmerman, Climate Reality Project Silicon Valley Chapter* (VIDEO)
Mar - David Blume, Founder & CEO, Blume Energy (VIDEO)
Apr - DA Candidates Forum w/ Sajid Khan & Jeff Rosen (VIDEO)
May - Brent Turner, Open Source Voting Advocate (VIDEO)
June - Local Councilmembers Karina Dominguez, Mason Fong, & Lucas Ramirez
July - Annual Meeting (No speaker)
Aug - Jimmy Panetta, U.S. Congress
Sept - Dr. Bill Gould, Former Chair, National Labor Relations Board
Oct - Gail Pellerin, Candidate, State Assembly District 28* (VIDEO)
Nov - Dr. Terry Christensen, SJSU Professor Emeritus (VIDEO)
Dec - 2nd Annual Holiday Party w/ the Peninsula Democratic Coalition
2021
Jan - Jon Nichols, National Affairs Correspondent, The Nation* (VIDEO)
Feb - Dave Cortese, California State Senator* (VIDEO)
Mar - Steven Smith, PhD, Professor of Political Science, Washington University in St. Louis* (VIDEO)
Apr - Eric Swalwell, U.S. Congress* (VIDEO)
May - Delaine Eastin, Fmr. State Superintendent of Public Instruction* (VIDEO)
June - Marc Berman, State Assemblymember* (VIDEO)
July - Annual Meeting (No speaker)
Aug - Peter Drekmeier, Tuolumne River Trust
Sept - Jean Cohen, Executive Officer, South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council
Oct - Aaron Eckhouse, Regional Policy Director, California YIMBY (SB9 & SB10)
Nov - Jeffrey Buchanan, Public Policy Director Working Partnerships USA (Redistricting)
Dec - Holiday Party w/ the Peninsula Democratic Coalition
2020
Jan - Sam Liccardo, Mayor of San José
Feb - Lori Stone, Northern California Innocence Project
Mar/April - Canceled due to COVID-19
May - Marc Berman, State Assemblymember*
June - Zoe Lofgren, U.S. Congress*
July - Annual Meeting (No speaker)
Aug - Ro Khanna, U.S. Congress*
Sept - Jim Hightower, Radio Host & Blogger*
Oct - Jacqueline Cabasso, Executive Director, Western States Legal Foundation* (VIDEO)
Nov - Dr. Terry Christensen, SJSU Professor Emeritus*
Dec - Virtual Holiday Party*
* Online meeting held via Zoom
2019
Jan - Dave Cortese, County Supervisor
Feb - Councilmembers Karina Dominguez, Mason Fong, Ellen Kamei & Lucas Ramirez
Mar - Rod Diridon, Sr., Former County Supervisor
April - Otto Lee, Democratic National Committee Member
May - Jeff Rosen, District Attorney
June - Shannon Bushey, Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters
July - Annual Meeting (No speaker)
Aug - Ann Ravel, Former FEC Commissioner & County Counsel
Sept - Susan Ellenberg, County Supervisor
Oct - Dr. Mark Jacobsen, Stanford University
Nov - Anna Eshoo, U.S. Congress
Dec - Holiday Party
2018
Jan - Mary Hughes, Founder, Close the Gap CA
Feb - Fiona Ma, California State Board of Equalization
Mar - Betty Yee, California State Controller
April - Eleni Kounalakis & Jeff Bleich, Candidates for California Lieutenant Governor
May - Dave Jones, California Insurance Commissioner
June - Dr. Terry Christensen, SJSU Professor Emeritus
July - Annual Meeting (No speaker)
Aug - Teresa Castellanos, Santa Clara County Office of Immigrant Relations
Sept - Ken Yeager, County Supervisor
Oct - Kathleen Wortham, Silicon Valley Leadership Group & Angelica Ramos, National Women's Political Caucus of Silicon Valley
Nov - Garrick Percival, SJSU Political Science Professor
Dec - Jerry Hill, State Senator
2017
Jan - Kimberly Ellis, Executive Director, Emerge California
Feb - Jennifer Thomas, President, San José Teachers Association
Mar - Ann Ravel, Federal Election Commission
April - Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, Executive Director, Somos Mayfair
May - Zahra Billoo, Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area
June – James Eggers, Director, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
July - Annual Meeting (No speaker)
Aug – Raul Peralez, San José City Council
Sept - Ben Field, Executive Director, South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council
Oct – Delaine Eastin, Former State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Nov - Joe Simitian, County Supervisor
Dec – Marc Berman & Ash Kalra, State Assemblymebers (Moderated by Assemblymember Evan Low)
2016
Jan - Jesse Simons, National Chief of Staff, Sierra Club
Feb - Sally Lieber, Former Assemblywoman
Mar - Magdalena Carrasco, San José City Council
April - Fiona Ma, State Board of Equalization
May - Jeff Rosen, District Attorney
June - Larry Gerston, SJSU Political Science Dept.
July - Annual Meeting (No speaker)
Aug - Eric Swalwell, U.S. Congress
Sept - Cindy Chavez, County Supervisor
Oct - Marc Berman/Vicki Veenker (AD24 Forum)
Nov - Terry Christensen, Political Science Chair Emeritus, SJSU
Dec - Holiday Party
2015
Jan - Larry Stone, County Assessor
Feb - LaDoris Cordell, Independent Police Auditor, City of San José
Mar - Kathleen Krenek, Executive Director, Nextdoor Solutions to Domestic Violence
April - Jim Beall, State Senate
May - (No lunch)
June - Joe Simitian, County Supervisor
July - Larry Gerston, SJSU Political Science Dept.
Aug - Sam Liccardo, Mayor of San José
Sept - (No lunch)
Oct - Cindy Chavez, County Supervisor
Nov - Jennifer Loving, Executive Director, Destination: Home
Dec - Holiday Party
2014
Jan - (No lunch)
Feb - Dr. Bill Gould, Former Chair, National Labor Relations Board
Mar - Betty Yee, State Board of Equalization
April - Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
May - Derek Cressman, Candidate for Secretary of State
June - Larry Gerston, SJSU Political Science Dept.
July - (No lunch)
Aug - John Laird, State Secretary of Natural Resources
Sept - Derecka Mehrens, Executive Director, Working Partnerships USA
Oct - Dave Cortese, County Supervisor
Nov - Terry Christensen, Political Science Chair Emeritus, SJSU
Dec - Holiday Party
2013
Jan - Ann Ravel, Chair, California FPPC
Feb - Leland Yee, State Senate
Mar - Mary Hughes, Executive Director, Close the Gap
April - John Laird, State Secretary of Natural Resources
May - Bob Wieckowski, State Assembly
June - (No lunch)
July - Mike Honda, U.S. Congress
Aug - Terry Christensen, Political Science Chair Emeritus, SJSU
Sept - Ben Field, Executive Director, South Bay Labor Council
Oct - Jerry Hill, State Senate
Nov - Mark Stone, State Assembly
Dec - Holiday Party
2012
Jan - Jerry Hill/Sally Lieber (SD10 Candidates Forum)
Feb - Paul Mitchell, CEO, Redistricting Partners
Mar - Darrell Steinberg, State Senate President Pro Tempore
April - Jim Beall/Joe Coto (SD15 Candidates Forum)
May - Rich Gordon, State Assembly
June - Terry Christensen, Political Science Chair Emeritus, SJSU
July - Jeff Rosen, Santa Clara County District Attorney
Aug - (No lunch)
Sept - Cindy Chavez, Executive Director, South Bay Labor Council
Oct - Bill Monning, State Senate
Nov - Joe Simitian, County Supervisor
Dec - Holiday Party
2011
Jan - John Chiang, State Controller
Feb - Drs. Kate Forrest & Barry Kendall
Mar - Fred Keeley, Former State Assemblyman
April - LaDoris Cordell, Independent Police Auditor, City of San José
May - Bill Monning, State Assembly
June - Ash Kalra, San José City Council
July - Dave Jones, State Insurance Commissioner
Aug - (No lunch)
Sept - Bill Gould, Former Chair, National Labor Relations Board
Oct - Paul Fong, State Assembly
Nov - Anna Eshoo, U.S. Congress
Dec - Holiday Party
2010
Jan - Dave Cortese, County Supervisor
Feb - Terry Christensen, Political Science Chair, SJSU
Mar - Jim Beall, State Assembly
April - Jeff Rosen, Candidate for District Attorney
May - Larry Stone, County Assessor
June - Rod Diridon, Sr., Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute
July - Ira Ruskin, State Assembly
Aug - (No lunch)
Sept - Neil Struthers, Executive Director, Building & Trades Council of Santa Clara and San Benito Counties
Oct - Josh Becker, CEO, Lex Machina
Nov - Terry Christensen, Political Science Chair, SJSU
Dec - Holiday Party
2009
Jan - John Burton, Former State Senator
Feb - Poncho Guevara, Executive Director, Sacred Heart Community Service
Mar - Joe Simitian, State Senate
April - Mike Honda, U.S. Congress
May - Joe Coto, State Assembly
June - Ken Yeager, County Supervisor
July - Anna Caballero, State Assembly
Aug - Peggy Moore, Political Director, Organizing for America
Sept - Bill Lockyer, State Treasurer
Oct - Cindy Chavez, Executive Director, South Bay Labor Council
Nov - Anna Eshoo, U.S. Congress
Dec - Holiday Party