2021 Programs
Sonoma County Forum offers an exciting array of speakers including leaders in business, education, health care, the arts, and local government. Our speakers provide an excellent way to gain knowledge of the community and learn about its vast resources.
Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, we have suspended our public meetings. Speakers will be presented via Zoom, until it is safe to resume public programs. The zoom sessions are recorded and can be viewed or downloaded from the 2021 program schedule (scroll down or click) for 3 months following the date of presentation.
Upcoming Speakers
March 2 |
Catherine Devriese and Una Glass, Sebastopol Center for the Arts |
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March 16 |
Vivien Straus, founder, The California Cheese Trail |

Vivien Straus, a longtime organic food and sustainable farming advocate, developed the Cheese Trail idea in 2010. The map is now in its eighth printing (over 460,000 distributed), has increased the visibility, sales and appreciation of local cheesemakers throughout the country.
A woman with a slight addiction to cows, Vivien grew up on her family’s dairy in Marshall. She ran away to Hollywood to become an actress until the cows wooed her back. She helped build her brother’s company Straus Family Creamery, serving as VP of Marketing. Later, she served as Public Relations Coordinator and led creamery tours for Cowgirl Creamery. Currently she manages the Straus Home Ranch as well as its vacation rental. Recently she completed a run of her one-woman show (writer and actress), E-i-E-i-OY! In Bed with the Farmer’s Daughter, is a MOTH StorySLAM winner, and is currently working on a new performance piece.
2021 Program Schedule
DATE |
Speaker |
Jan 5 |
Julie Tabsharani, Program Coordinator for the Juvenile Justice Center ( Zoom presentation) |
Jan 19 |
Phyllis Rosenfield, Exec. Director/President, Listening for a Change ( Zoom presentation) |
Feb 2 |
Caren McNamara, Conscious Container (Zoom presentation) |
Feb 16 |
"The Maker Movement: Fostering a Creative Culture for Open Innovation," Dale Dougherty, President of Make:Community. (Zoom Presentation) |
Mar 2 |
Catherine Devriese and Una Glass, Sebastopol Center for the Arts |
Mar 16 |
Vivien Straus, founder of the California Cheese Trail |
Apr 6 |
Meghan Ashley, curator, Hallberg Butterfly Gardens |
Apr 20 |
Iris Jamahl Dunkle, author/poet (poet laureate of Sonoma County 2017-18) |
May 4 |
TBA |
May 18 |
TBA |
Jun 1 |
TBA |
Jun 15 |
TBA |
July 6 |
TBA |
July 20 |
TBA |
Aug 3 |
TBA |
Aug 17 |
TBA |
Sep 7 |
TBA |
Sep 21 |
TBA |
Oct 5 |
TBA |
Oct 19 |
TBA |
Nov 2 |
TBA |
Nov 16 |
TBA |
Dec 7 |
TBA |
Dec 21 |
TBA |
Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month from 7:30-8:45 AM at Legends at the Bennett Valley Golf Course, 3328 Yulupa Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA.
Program Meetings are open to the public.