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. Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month at 8am at the Epicenter, off of Piner Road, west of Coffey Lane in Santa Rosa.

Scroll below for information about upcoming 2025 speakers.
For biographies of past speakers, by year, click here.

Upcoming Speakers

Oct. 16, 2025

Breast Cancer Update: Empowering Knowledge, Inspiring Hope

Kathleen Mott

What part does genetics play in breast cancer?  What are the signs of breast cancer and what are the latest advancements in research and treatment of breast cancer?  Join Kathleen Mott, a board-certified nurse practitioner specializing in women’s health and an advanced practice nurse in genetics, as she discusses the importance of early detection, treatment options, and genetic testing to support those affected by breast cancer.  A registered nurse since 1972, Kathleen received her graduate degree in Nursing from UCSF with a subspecialty in Genetics/Genomics.  She was responsible for developing the Cancer Risk Assessment Program in the breast imaging department at St. Joseph Health Medical Group.  She then went on to provide risk assessment, counseling and genetic testing for cancer patients in St. Joseph’s Breast Surgery Department. Prior to retiring in 2022, Kathleen provided cancer genetic services for the Martin O’Neill Cancer Center at Adventist Health/St Helena.  Today, she continues to offer genetic counseling and testing through her private practice, North Bay Cancer Risk Assessment Services.

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November 6, 2025

Gary Greenough, Pacific Coast Air Museum

Gary Greenough

The Pacific Coast Air Museum in Santa Rosa, CA, showcases a diverse collection of historic aircraft, including military and civilian planes. Located at the former Sonoma County Airport, it offers interactive exhibits, educational programs, and flight-related events. The museum preserves aviation history while providing a hands-on experience for aviation enthusiasts and visitors of all ages. Throughout its 26-year history, the Pacific Coast Air Museum has gained a reputation for being a family-friendly community resource where learning is fun, where the past is preserved, where Veterans can share memories and knowledge, and where people can meet to enjoy each other’s company whether they know nothing about flying or are seasoned aviation experts.  Join us as Gary Greenough, Public Information Officer for the museum, discusses the museum’s exhibits and upcoming events, and answers any questions you may have.
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November 20, 2025

Noel Barnhart:  Food Photography

Noel Barnhart

Noel Barnhurst has honed his skills for capturing distinctive food images over the past 35 years. His goal is to produce photographs that match the highest expectations of clients in a collaborative, positive environment. Noel is recognized for his ability to shoot with available light, which enables him to bring out the subtle details and natural beauty of food. His studio includes two commercial kitchens, full-service technical services and client work facilities.

Noel's images are used in packaging, advertising, on-line display, cookbooks and editorial illustration worldwide.

As part of his commitment to his craft, Noel has taught night courses at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco for the last 13 years.

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December 4, 2025

College Graduates Who Change the World: How 10,000 Degrees Supports Sonoma County Students

Katrin Ciaffa

​10,000 Degrees®  mission is to achieve educational equity by supporting students from low-income backgrounds to and through college to positively impact their communities and the world. As a leading California college success nonprofit, they reach more than 12,000 students annually across eight Bay Area counties with comprehensive wraparound support, including financial aid counseling, near-peer college and career coaching, and scholarships. 100% of students come from low-income backgrounds, 93% are Black, Latinx, Indigenous, People of Color, and 92 % will be the first in their family to attend college. Katrin Ciaffa joined 10,000 Degrees in April 2020 as Regional Director for Sonoma and Napa County. ​She has over twenty-five years of experience in the North Bay non-profit sector. Prior to joining 10,000 Degrees, she held leadership roles with Buckelew Programs, a regional behavioral health non-profit

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2025 Program Schedule

	Speaker
Jan. 2	Kelly Lister, Educational Services Consultant with CORE​ Equity and Science of Reading​​
Jan. 16	John Guariglia, Santa Rosa Police Department, "Avoiding Frauds and Scams"
Feb. 6	Book Exchange (members only)
Feb. 20	Allison Goodwin, CEO, Redwood Empire Food Bank
March 6	Kevin Marx and Callie Charleton, Engineers Without Borders
March 20	Kent Porter, Pulitzer Prize Winning Photographer
April 3	Sasha Ponomareva Sonoma County Water Agency
April 17	Karen Wise, Executive Director of the Museum of Sonoma County
May 1	Alan Butler, The Petaluma River- A Sketch Journal and Brief Historical Overview
May 15	League of Women Voters: Future of the Electoral College
June 5	Dr. Anish Shaw, Compassionate Solutions for Mental Health Care
June 19	David Laurice, Bird Rescue
July 3	Merith Weisman, Go Local
July 17	Drew Rose, Positive Images
August 7	Inga Aksamit, author of Between Worlds: An Expat's Quest for Belonging
August 21	Alethea Larsen, The Living Room
Sept. 4	Nicole Tai, GreenLynx
Sept. 18	Angela Del Grande, Head Teacher, Plumfield Academy
Oct. 2	Darren Lashelle, NorCal Public Media
Oct. 16	Kathleen Mott, Genetic Testing for Cancer
Nov. 6	Gary Greenough, Pacific Coast Air Museum
Nov. 20	Noel Barnhurst, Food Stylist and Photographyer
Dec. 4	Katrin Ciara, 10,000 Degrees
Dec. 18	Holiday Party (members only)