Prior Meetings

Here are some highlights from our recent meetings.

Olha Podvalna Summary

Olha Podvalna was the guest speaker at the Minneapolis Rotary Club’s June 5, 2026 meeting. She is a psychotherapist from the Ukraine, and her topic was “Dealing with Uncertainty: Challenges of clinical practice in an active war zone.” She focused on the difficulties of providing psychological support, while working in a war zone, to those living in the on-going war in Ukraine. She has been in private practice for 1 1/2 years, providing telehealth and also volunteering; in addition, she spent 1 year doing clinical work remotely while in Portugal.

Her presentation included many before and after photos--what various places, rural and urban, looked like before Russian bombing and the destruction after Russian missile strikes. Her own home town, 10 miles from the border with Russia, has been attacked. She queried: what do residents think and feel when their town suffers destruction? She described the conflicting thoughts residents have when they hear an air raid siren. Do you run to shelter or do you try to carry on your life activities? Are you worried about injuries or death for yourself, your loved ones, or your neighbors if you choose the latter? All of this leads to great amounts of stress and anxiety, especially when one has been woken several times in the night by air raid sirens and is thus sleep deprived.

She also spoke of how therapists also need to recognize that they themselves are under many of the same stresses as the clients they are seeking to help. This can be especially challenging, regardless of whether the therapist is working remotely (e.g., from another country) or is in the country. This led to a short discussion of clients preferring therapists who are in the same situation as themselves: those who have fled Ukraine wanting a therapist who also has fled and thus may have a better understanding of their issues and stresses, or those who have remaining in Ukraine and wanting a therapists who also has remained and know the trials of staying in the country.

Olha’s presentation concluded with a description of night curfew--dark, no lights, emptiness. But in one town, the residents built a small outdoor structure, with light and color, to bring joy and beauty to the residents of the nearby apartment buildings. Yet there is always the worry; will this attract a bomb?

Sara Dziuk Meeting Summary

Sara Dziuk, President and CEO of Junior Achievement North, spoke on May 29^th. Sarah has been the CEO for six years. JA itself has been in the community for 73 years and the North region is the largest region geographically serving Minnesota, North Dakota, and Western Wisconsin.

Sara began her presentation by acknowledging and applauding mentors. Mentorship is at the heart of what Junior Achievement (JA) does to create learning experiences for young people and help educators meet their classroom goals.

She asked everyone to think back to elementary school and the job we wanted to have. Most would say that the jobs they wanted then were informed by what they saw every day; the professions their parents were in or teachers who played an influential role in their lives. What JA does is expose young people to so much more than what is close to them. JA wants students to see opportunities and know what is available to them.

Junior Achievement North does its work with the assistance of 8,000 volunteers every year. One of their most successful programs is BizTown. It’s an in-person experience that provides an opportunity to run a city, understand the importance of voting, do budgeting, and learn about important life lessons like managing credit cards. It is a learning accelerator where students come to understand resiliency and develop persuasion skills.

Another important initiative is the 3DE model which helps develop essential competencies such as critical thinking, creativity and innovation, communication, collaboration, cultural agility, and self-direction. It has proven results – 22% less absenteeism, 34% increased graduation, and 56% higher college enrollment. And it has driven educator engagement as well, with participating teachers having a 96% retention rate.

Junior Achievement North receives the largest Club 9 grant of the year at $15,000, which allows them to work with students across Minneapolis schools. The Rotary Club of Minneapolis thanks Sara Dziuk for her presentation and is grateful to be supporting an organization that is truly making a difference.

Justice Sarah Hennesy

Posted by Rolf Sonnesyn

Justice Sarah Hennesy of the Minnesota Supreme Court spoke on May 15th. Justice Hennesy was elevated to the Minnesota Supreme Court two years ago. She is still impressed by the probity exhibited by her colleagues on the court. The justices take their responsibilities very seriously. The justices participate in a conference during which they express their perspectives about the case the court is about to decide. Justice Hennesy observes that the justices' different perspectives result in better informed decisions.

Justice Hennesy described the process by which most justices arrive at the Minnesota Supreme Court. They are initially recommended by the Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection. It is a nonpartisan body. The Commission uses rigorous criteria to ensure the Commission recommends people who possess integrity, knowledge of the law, and good temperament for the state’s highest court. The governor then decides whom to appoint.

Justice Hennesy emphasized the goal of the court is to follow the law without regard for partisan politics. Judges are not supposed to be swayed by public opinion trends. The judiciary is the safeguard of the law. It is important that the rule of law maintain stability so citizens and businesses can plan and invest. The rule of law is vital to a robust business and cultural climate.

Justice Hennesy also emphasized the significance of separation of powers. Society suffers when one branch of government oversteps its boundaries. The judiciary must be independent; judges must be unafraid to make decisions that accord with the law.

She invites people to observe an oral argument in front of the Minnesota Supreme Court and to tour the judicial building.

The Rotary Club of Minneapolis thanks Justice Hennesy for her presentation and her dedication to service on the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Speaker Summary Wendy Meadley

Wendy Meadley is CEO and principal visionary of Expo 2031 Minnesota USA, America’s first A1 International Horticultural Exposition & Future Living District. Expo 2031 Minnesota USA has been approved by the International Association of Horticultural Producers and by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Between now and 2031, expositions are also planned for Yokohama in 2027 and Thailand in 2029-2030.

Expo 2031 will run from May to October, 2031 on a 130 to 160 acre site in Dakota Country. The exact location is a closely held secret that will be revealed in the next 60 days. A consortium of architects led by SRF Consulting Group will ensure that the physical foundation for Expo 2031 reflects the best of Minnesota. Partners have been recruited in eight different areas and the leaders of each area constitute a council that will be meeting quarterly in 2026.

Expo 2031 will add a number of permanent buildings, including a hotel, convention center, pavilion, and broadcast center as well as many structures built just for the Expo. Included in these temporary structures will be five biodomes that will allow visitors to experience five different climactic zones—an arid zone, a tropical zone, a temperate zone, a continental zone and the north star zone celebrating Minnesota’s living identity.

The official theme for Expo 2031 is Human/Nature—Where Humanity and Horticulture Meet. Expo 2031 is planning for over four million visitors during the May to October run. When asked about transportation for visitors, Wendy noted that they are working to build on the transportation system used for the Minnesota State Fair. (After the meeting I asked her what was going to happen to that model during the actual run of the State Fair to which she responded that was one of the many things that keep her awake at night.) She also noted that many of the transportation providers for the State Fair take a vacation pointing out the difficulty of extending a system that works for 12 days to one that works for six months.

For more information about Expo 2031, check out the web site at Expo2031.org

Speaker Nicki Vincent

Nicki Vincent, founder and CEO of NV Brands is a networking expert. She is best known for her nearly three decades leading ACG Minnesota to become one of the most respected middle-market business communities in the region. Middle-market businesses are those with revenue between $10 million and $1 billion which constitute 46 million employees and nearly 40% of GDP.

She was a Rotary exchange student in Costa Rica and a former member of the Shoreview Rotary Club. Her exchange experience helped her develop her networking and people relationships skills.

Nicki shared the importance of networking and that the day you need a network is not the day that you start to build it! Initially you should define your story by outlining the experiences that shaped your skills and your future plans. Then, pick 3 to 5 words that are your attributes. These should give others a quick sense of who you are. It can be helpful to ask friends how they would describe you.

Next develop an elevator pitch, simply 20 seconds of who, what, and why we are to easily share. Essentially this becomes our brand and should reflect our authentic self.

Get organized and seek out and participate in targeted communities or events where you can meet people who may be helpful in achieving your objectives. You should also consider how you can be helpful to others. The quotation "People don't remember what you say as much as they remember how you made them feel" is very true when it comes to networking and interactions with others.

Tactically, have an email signature that reflects some of your attributes and, if you still have an AOL email address, retire it. For our networking and business purposes and go with another more contemporary address such as Gmail.

Her “N.I.C.K.I.” Framework:

Navigate the right rooms
Invest in the relationships
Create strategic introductions
Keep the network alive
Inspire growth

Networking Tips and Tricks:

Prequalify meetings/events
Get attendee list in advance
Arrive early
Look for ribbons on nametags
Use buddy system
Be organized
Strategically circle the room
Master the art of triangulating
Initiate networking meetings
Send thank you notes
Follow up and follow through

Set goals for your networking such as to make one strategic connection. In communications and subsequent interactions, remember details that show you listened. Be flexible with paper as well as digital business cards. Find someone who can be your “Nicki.”