Speakers

Tawakkol Karman, a Yemeni journalist and human rights activist, was the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize from the Arab world, sharing the prize with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee, for their non-violent efforts to promote peace and their struggle for women's rights. Karman led several protests against the dictatorial regime of President Saleh, calling for democracy and freedom of speech. She founded Women Journalists Without Chains and was imprisoned and persecuted for her actions. She came forward as a courageous leader during the Arab Spring in 2011 and was praised for her efforts to promote reconciliation between Shia and Sunni Muslims and between Islam and other religions. She serves on the boards of several key international institutions and organizations, including the Nobel Women's Initiative, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), and the Facebook and Instagram International Oversight Board. Her Tawakkol Karman Foundation plays an important role in development by building schools, fighting poverty, and supporting health institutions in Yemen.

Jeff Jimerson is the lead singer for Airborne, a Pittsburgh-based dance and rock band. He is best known as the primary National Anthem singer for the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins and has also performed for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers and the MLB’s Pirates. He sang the anthem during the 2008, 2009, 2016, and 2017 Stanley Cup Finals. In 2011, Bleacher Report named him one of the eight best National Anthem singers in hockey. He appeared in the movie “Sudden Death” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, and is an integral part of the B.E. Taylor Christmas Show, performing on Taylor’s album “One Nation Under God”.

David LaMotte has performed over 3,500 concerts, in all 50 U.S. states and on five continents. He has released 13 albums and four books. His song, “September Me,” from his current album, Still, hit number one on Folk Radio. LaMotte has been the keynote speaker at peace conferences in India, Australia, the U.S., and Germany. His TEDx talk, Why Heroes Don’t Change the World (2024), was selected as a TED Editor's Pick. His 2023 book, You Are Changing the World Whether You Like It or Not, is used in college courses in the U.S. and Australia. In 2004, he co-founded Senderos, a nonprofit that supports education and arts in Guatemala. LaMotte also served as clerk of the AFSC Nobel Peace Prize Nominating Committee. He attended the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia as a Rotary Peace Fellow, and now lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina, with his wife, son, an old dog, and four chickens.

Bryn Styles has served Rotary in a variety of capacities including as an RI director, a Rotary Foundation trustee, and was the aide to the RI President for 2021-22, Shekhar Mehta. He is a past chair of the Rotary Peace Centers and has a passion for Rotary’s peace programs. Bryn has been recognized with numerous awards including the Citation for Meritorious Service, the Service Above Self Award, and the Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award. Bryn and his wife, Randy, owned and operated their own pharmacies for 30 years and are proud parents of two children and five grandchildren.

Philip Muneer Flindt, a freelance photographer and DJ, tells stories through visual media, including photos, videos, graphics, and live video productions. He is the CEO and partner of an entertainment company that delivers DJs and sound and light productions for events. He has a bachelor’s degree in media production and management from the Danish School of Media and Journalism. Philip was a Rotary Youth Exchange student before becoming a member of the Rotaract Club of København, Denmark. He is the first Rotaractor to serve as a Rotary public image coordinator.

John Hewko is the General Secretary and CEO of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. He leads a diverse staff of 800 at RI’s World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA, and seven international offices. Prior to Rotary, he was vice president of operations and compact development for the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. government agency established in 2004 to deliver foreign assistance to the world's poorest countries. As an international partner with the law firm of Baker & McKenzie, he helped establish the firm's Moscow office and was the managing partner of its offices in Kyiv and Prague. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and sits on the Planning Commission for the city of Evanston, Illinois.

Katharine Hayhoe is an accomplished atmospheric scientist who studies climate change and why it matters. She is also a remarkable communicator who has received the American Geophysical Union’s climate communication prize, the Stephen Schneider Climate Communication award, and the United Nations Champion of the Earth award. She has been featured as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Foreign Policy’s 100 Leading Thinkers, and FORTUNE magazine’s World’s Greatest Leaders. Her TED talk, “The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it,” has more than 4 million views. She recently authored “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.” She serves as Chief Scientist for the Nature Conservancy. She is both a Paul W. Horn Distinguished Professor and the Political Science Endowed Professor in Public Policy and Public Law at Texas Tech University. She has a degree in physics from the University of Toronto and a master's and doctorate in atmospheric science from the University of Illinois and is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and the American Scientific Affiliation.

Mark Daniel Maloney, 2019-20 RI President, is a principal in the law firm of Blackburn, Maloney and Schuppert, LLC, with a focus on taxation, estate planning, and agricultural law. He represents large farming operations in the Southeastern and Midwestern United States and has chaired the American Bar Association’s Committee on Agriculture in the Section of Taxation. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Alabama State Bar Association, the Alabama Law Institute, and is a past president of the Morgan County Bar Association.

Andreas was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1947. He grew up and went to schools in Rio de Janeiro and Hamburg. He studied Business Administration at LMU-University of Munich and received his diploma in 1975. Andreas has held various marketing and management positions in foreign trade companies such as Continental Grain, Geneva and Hamburg, and Müller & Sohn AG, Hamburg. Since 1984, he has held the position of managing director and major shareholder in Jacob Jürgensen Forest products, Hamburg, an international marketing and distribution company. Andreas and his wife, Cornelia, have eight children and 15 grandchildren.

Mário César Martins de Camargo will serve as president of Rotary International in 2025-26. De Camargo was president of Gráfica Bandeirantes and has been a consultant to the print industry in Brazil. He has served on the board of Casa da Esperança (House of Hope), a hospital sponsored by his Rotary club that serves 150,000 children with disabilities every year. De Camargo studied in the U.S. and Germany and holds degrees from EAESP-Fundação Getulio Vargas in business administration and Faculdade de Direito de São Bernardo do Campo in law.

Yun received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Syracuse University School of Architecture in the U.S. and an honorary doctoral degree from The University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He is the founder and CEO of Dongsuh Corp., which engineers and markets architectural materials, and the president of Youngan Corp., which operates in real estate and financial investment. He is involved in many civic organizations and has a special interest in the preservation of cultural heritage.

Stephanie A. Urchick is the Rotary International President. Her professional background is in the higher education, consulting, and entertainment industries. She received her doctorate degree in Leadership Studies from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has been recognized by The Rotary Foundation and numerous community and international organizations.

The Hunter Brothers are an award-winning Canadian country band composed of five brothers, Luke, J.J., Ty, Brock, and Dusty Hunter, who grew up on a family farm in Saskatchewan. Their debut single, "El Dorado," landed on the Billboard Canada Country chart in 2016. They have amassed an impressive list of awards including multiple Canadian Country Music Association Award nominations, two JUNO Awards for Country Album of the Year, and multiple Saskatchewan Country Music Association Awards. Their sound has been described as anthemic, fun, and saturated with harmonies, with all five brothers singing and playing instruments. Their third studio album, 'Been A Minute,' is a compilation of their signature harmonies and up-tempo hits. In 2023, they celebrated their first headlining national tour with multiple sold-out dates and a Platinum certification for "Lost."

Sanem Alkan, a senior impact officer at the Sobrato Organization, is renowned for her dedication to fostering growth of emerging ventures and family-owned businesses. Her career has spanned roles in management, technology, and philanthropy. With the experience she gained in risk management and as a wealth advisor at Marsh and Goldman Sachs she spearheaded several pioneering ventures including two hedge fund incubation platforms for JH Whitney; a multi-million-dollar revenue platform for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and a software company that was among the first to be featured on Facebook and Mozilla app marketplaces. She holds an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a BBA in Finance from University of Texas at Austin. She is an active member of Rotary, Board Director 2024-25 and President-elect of the Rotary Club of Mental Health and Wellness. She holds a global perspective from her formative years in Istanbul and a lifelong passion for sports.

Ignacio Gonzalez Mendez is an attorney with experience in corporate communications, social leadership, team management, and foreign languages. A member of the Rotary Club of Marta Colvin-Chillán Viejo in Chile, he has been involved in Rotary for more than a decade, including as a Rotaractor. He has served on various RI committees, has served as an RI president’s representative, and is currently on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Council. He is one of the youngest members to receive the Service Above Self Award. He is passionate about leadership and social innovation that drives him to take on strategic roles that create impact in areas of law and community.