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 2026 speakers.
For biographies of past speakers, by year, click here.

2026 Speakers

April 16, 2026

Doris Duncan,  "Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue: Programs, Partnerships and Community Impact"

Doris Duncan

After a fifteen-year career in education, Doris Duncan became involved in wildlife rehabilitation in 1997 at the urging of her young daughter. To support her daughter’s dream, she and her daughter volunteered together at various wildlife centers in northern California. In 2000, Doris was hired as the first employee of Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue and was subsequently promoted to Executive Director. She has served as a board member for the California Council for Wildlife Rehabilitators and the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee – an appointment by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. She is currently a member of Oiled Wildlife Care Network and International Bird Rescue Center’s Oiled Wildlife Response Team. In 2004, Doris launched a pilot wildlife exclusion service – “A Wildlife Exclusion Service.” (AWES) She now mentors other wild rehabilitation centers to start their own exclusion services. Doris especially enjoys hands-on work including wildlife rescues, oil spill response, designing and building wildlife enclosures, and working with other professional and passionate people in the field. 
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May 7, 2026

Jennielynn Holmes, "Catholic Charities Immigration Program: Challenges, Opportunities, and Impact"

Jennielynn Holmes

Jennielynn Holmes serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities of Northwest California.  In this presentation she will highlight Catholic Charities’ Immigration Program and how it serves as a vital lifeline for immigrant individuals and families who are seeking to maintain or achieve lawful status through established legal pathways in an increasingly complex and intimidating immigration system. She'll discuss the current challenges facing these communities—including shifting policies, legal backlogs, misinformation, and heightened fear—while identifying opportunities to expand impact through trusted, affordable legal services, partnerships, and community education. She'll outline the level of assistance needed to meet rising demand, emphasizing the importance of community engagement in protecting our local immigrant neighbors. A Santa Rosa native, she earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis, and her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco

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2026 Program Schedule

	Speaker
Jan. 15	Emily Lynn Cornelius, 6th Street Theatre: "Connecting Community Through Local Theatre"
Feb. 5	Heloisa Heinen, Exec. Director, CASA: "Improving the Lives of Vulnerable Foster Children"
Feb. 19	Michelle Harris, Owner/President, Santa Rosa Growlers: "Making Santa Rosa the Hub of North Bay Hockey"
March 5	Firuze Gokce, "Resonating Depths: Acoustic Intelligence and Art"
March 19	Mimi Enright, "​“An Introduction to the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County and How it Can Benefit Your Home Garden”"
April 2	Jenn Del Rosario, Sonoma County Office of Education: "SchoolsRule Sonoma County!"
April 16	Doris Duncan, "Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue: Programs, Partnerships and Community Impact"
May 7	Jennielynn Holmes, "Catholic Charities Immigration Program: Challenges, Opportunities, and Impact"
May 21	Sgt. Matt Crosbie, Santa Rosa Police Department
June 4	Rayeanna Schneider and Jackie Winquist, Lears Fetanyl Awareness Foundation
June 18	Sara Paul, co-founder, Watch Duty
July 2	Membership Mixer, no public program
July 16	Floranne Fanti, Canine Companions Northwest Region
August 6	John Alden, Executive Director, Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review & Outreach
August 20	Phoebe Schenker, Reuse Alliance
Sept. 3	Jennifer Roberts, Community Education Specialist & Project Manager, Resilient Landscapes Coalition
Sept. 17	Evelyn Mendez, Registrar of Voters
Oct. 1	TBA
Oct. 15	TBA
Nov. 5	TBA
Nov. 19	TBA
Dec. 3	TBA
Dec. 17	Holiday Party (members only)