Events

Alexander Nguyen was appointed city manager of Oxnard, California in July 2018, to complete the City’s turnaround, address material financial audit findings, tackle the homeless crisis, revitalize the downtown, advance the Ormond Beach restoration efforts, and make progress on the City Council’s priorities for improving the quality of life for the entire community. Nguyen’s administration has cleared the material weakness findings from prior financial audits, and the City of Oxnard has opened a year-round 110-bed homeless shelter and approved a new homeless solutions center with a 110-bed shelter, admin & clinical offices, and 56 permanent supportive housing units.

Nguyen negotiated a $25M trust fund from an energy company to pay for the dismantling of the Ormond Beach Power Plant. He also successfully introduced Oxnard’s Sunshine Ordinance which provides for publication of all City Council meeting materials 12 days prior to a Council meeting, as well as the voter-approved campaign finance reform measure (Oxnard’s first) and the voter-approved 1.5% sale-tax measure that generates needed revenue to provide quality programs and services. 

Nguyen has 25+ years of municipal experience in three distinct branches of local government, including from the California cities of Oakland, Alameda, and Riverside. In Oakland, he served two years as Chief of Staff for a City Council office and 11 years as Chief of Staff for the elected City Attorney, where he was also co-creator and Executive Director of the Neighborhood Law Corps. The program won local, state, and national awards for government innovation, and continues to operate today.

In Alameda, Nguyen served as Assistant City Manager and led the turnaround of the Public Works department, which became only the second of its size in the Bay Area to gain professional accreditation. He also led the effort to build the city’s first dedicated Emergency Operations Center, along with a new fire station.

In Riverside, also as Assistant City Manager, Nguyen led the effort to fund and design a new Main Library and City Archive in the downtown. He also led the city’s Office of Homeless Solutions, which developed Riverside’s homeless policy and Housing First Plan, implemented in March 2018. Nguyen also stepped in as interim museum director for one year and successfully salvaged the Riverside Metropolitan Museum’s accreditation, which had been denied the year before by the American Alliance of Museums. His responsibilities in Riverside also included Police, Fire, Parks & Rec, and Citizens Police Review Commission.

Nguyen began his professional career in social work, and is committed to volunteering. He served on the Board of Directors of Oakland’s Family Violence Law Center for 10 years, with four years as president. He recently served as Secretary of the Board for Thrive Networks, an international non-governmental organization that works to improve the health and well-being of underserved communities in Asia through evidence-based programs in the areas of water, sanitation, hygiene, and education. Thrive Networks’ programs have impacted over 1 million people living in poverty over the last 30+ years.

He speaks English, Vietnamese, and enough conversational Spanish to get into some good trouble!

What is RYLA?

Each year, thousands of young people take part in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program worldwide. Young people are chosen for their leadership potential to attend an all-expenses-paid camp to discuss leadership skills and to learn those skills through practice. Rotary clubs and districts select participants and facilitate the event’s curriculum.

It’s gonna be a Rotary Family Fun Day at Kimball Park in Ventura!

Sign up for the West Ventura County Rotary Club Information Booth

JUNE 28TH - Booth from 11AM – 6PM!  Set up at 10AM

Reach out to sukisir@msn.com or text 805-760-1084 to sign up!

Pick a 2 hours shift that works for you:  10A- 12N; 12N- 2P; 2P- 4P; 4P-6P

Bring your family & have some fun sharing Rotary's mission of serving in the community!

Mini carnival & petting for the kiddos  

Reggae Music all day! Bring your locs & wear your itesgreen & gold y’all! 

300 cars with nothing but clear builds, fresh paint & flawless chrome

A classic pin up contest with gorgeous dolls

100 super cool vendor booths including our own Rotary booth!  

Will Roary Bear make an appearance?

Many Thanks to the @CityofVentura & @IndustryHorror

Event Director:: Davina DeCant

Benefiting Autism Works/Industry Horror and all our friends and neighbors on the spectrum

Our very own member Rob Leatherwood will be speaking on VCCAR’s efforts to support affordable housing in Ventura County.

Biography:

Rob Leatherwood is the Director of Government Affairs for the Ventura County Coastal Association of REALTORS® (VCCAR), where he leads legislative advocacy, political strategy, and public policy initiatives on housing, land use, and economic development throughout Ventura County. With more than a decade of experience in government affairs, Rob has worked for both Texas REALTORS® and the Texas Funeral Directors Association, managing lobbying efforts, grassroots advocacy, and legislative campaigns at the state and local levels. He also serves as Chair of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee (PAC) Board, helping guide candidate endorsements and business advocacy efforts in local elections. A frequent speaker on housing policy, advocacy, and civic engagement, Rob also hosts The Legislative Lens Podcast, where he interviews policymakers and policy experts to provide practical insight into housing, governance, and public affairs in Ventura County. He is currently pursuing an MBA at Pepperdine University's Graziadio Business School, where he is expanding his expertise in strategic leadership, organizational management, and public sector decision-making.

Running Toward a Healthier Future: My Journey in Medicine and the Fight Against Diabetes

Honoring a Legacy Through Medicine, Marathon Running, and Service

Program Bio

Rachel Spellman is a second-year medical student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago and a UCLA graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. Her grandfather, a physician who lived with diabetes, became her greatest inspiration and sparked her passion for medicine, public health, and compassionate patient care. His dedication to serving both his patients and family continues to motivate Rachel to pursue a career devoted to improving the health and well-being of others.

After completing the Los Angeles Marathon, Rachel is now training for the 2026 Chicago Marathon as a member of Team American Diabetes Association. As part of her marathon journey, she is raising funds to support diabetes research, education, and advocacy. She aspires to become a cardiologist and make a meaningful impact in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, particularly among people living with diabetes.

In her presentation, Rachel will share her journey into medicine, the influence of her grandfather's legacy, and the connection between diabetes and cardiovascular health. She will also discuss how marathon running has become a meaningful way to honor his memory while supporting the American Diabetes Association's mission to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of all people affected by it.

SAM MONROE

BRANT GERKENS

Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme

1900 W 5th St., Oxnard, 93030

Dr. Ana DeGenna’s path into education wasn’t one she expected. With an undergraduate degree in economics, she originally imagined a future in public policy. But a substitute teaching job led her to the classroom, where she discovered a deeper purpose. What started as a temporary role quickly became the foundation of a career in public education.

Through those early classroom experiences, she recognized the broader impact of public schools — not just on students, but on the communities they serve. She saw how thriving schools contribute to thriving neighborhoods, and how education is deeply intertwined with opportunity. Teaching led to school leadership, and over time, she became a principal and eventually superintendent.

Her journey represents a full-circle experience. Dr. DeGenna arrived in the United States from Ecuador as a young English learner and was once a student in the very district she now leads. The support she received as a newcomer shaped her path, and over the years, she has served Oxnard students as a teacher and principal. Now, as superintendent, she works to ensure that the same opportunities that shaped her are available to every student who walks through the district’s doors.

Oxnard, she says, is a district with a strong sense of identity. Cultural and linguistic diversity are not just present, they are celebrated. Even through political shifts, Oxnard has remained committed to biliteracy and multilingualism, a value upheld not only by educators but by the families and communities they serve.