Larry Gerston will recap the 2024 Election results, providing insights into the political landscape, highlighting key victories and shifts in voter sentiment. He’ll also delve into the impact of the pivotal swing states and the role of emerging demographic trends in shaping the election outcomes. Finally, he’ll discuss the broader implications for policy and governance, emphasizing how the results may influence America's political direction in the coming years.

Larry Gerston is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at San Jose State University where he taught for over 50 years. He has also appeared regularly as the political analyst at NBC Bay Area television for 44 years. Larry has written 14 academic books, the latest of which is Trumpism, Bigotry and the Threat to American Democracy, and more than 150 op-ed articles. In recent years Larry has also become an award-winning author of children's books. And as a sought-after motivational speaker, Professor Gerston speaks several times each year on civic engagement and political empowerment.  Larry has a unique ability to passionately put complex issues into an understandable perspective. When not teaching or writing, he consults in media training, crisis management, and strategic thinking.  

President Heather Lerner called the 5,458th meeting of the Rotary Club of San Jose to order at 12:15. She thanked the military committee for handling the greeting line. Red Badgers with traveling mics were Ryan Sebastian and Vivian Tran.

Rukhsana Khan, known as Roxy, comes from an immigrant Pakistani family and grew up in Gridley, California, as the only sister among five brothers. Her family worked in the fields until her father became a labor contractor and her mother opened a small Pakistani grocery store. As their businesses flourished, her family acquired a peach farm and her family inherited a rice farm, allowing Roxy to grow up in a close-knit community of just 7,421 people.
In 2012, while managing US Bank in Gridley and pursuing her college education, Roxy began her Rotary journey with the Gridley Rotary Club. She engaged in various community projects like highway clean-up and serving on the Rotary Scholarship committee. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Business Management with a minor in Marketing, Roxy transitioned to the non-profit sector as the marketing director for a foster agency. This role opened many doors for her; she served on the Orchard Hospital Foundation Board as Finance Chair, ran for city council and unfortunately lost, and held a two-year position on the Gridley Planning Commission, she was also the Vice President of the Gridley Quota Club.
After helping the foster agency grow, Roxy relocated to the Roseville office to manage operations and build community relations, which led her to join the Roseville Rotary Club. There, she contributed to initiatives like Miles for Smiles, a dental program for low-income families, chaired the Book Buddies program, and led marketing efforts for the Taco Throwdown fundraiser.
Due to serious health challenges, Roxy was requested to slow down and joined the Roseville Passport One Club as their Marketing Chair. Although she is not a stranger to the Bay Area through family connections, this is her first time living there. Roxy currently serves as the Director of Individual Giving at Bill Wilson Center and runs a small marketing business, White Rose Marketing, where she specializes in helping small business owners overcome social media marketing challenges.
She visits her mom in Gridley almost every weekend and enjoys spending time with her family. She enjoys frequent trips to Disneyland, reading, and anything that may spark her interest.
 

I’ve built a career dedicated to leadership in organizational transformation across the high-tech and healthcare industries. After completing my B.A. and M.S. education in computer science at Texas A&M University, I began as a software engineer and evolved into senior roles, including engineering lead, product manager, multiple management levels, and eventually, CIO and CTO of multi-billion-dollar companies. Along the way, I thrived in both corporate and startup environments, developing strategies, driving product innovations, and transforming business models and processes.
Originally from La Paz, Bolivia, I moved to the U.S. as a teenager when my family relocated to Houston for my mother’s cancer treatment. My journey in the U.S. continued through educational and professional opportunities, culminating in a career in Silicon Valley. My work has spanned prominent technology companies, consulting ventures, and leadership roles, including a transformative stint at Omnicell, where I transitioned into healthcare, overseeing product development, manufacturing, and I.T. Inspired by this diverse leadership experience, I pursued a Ph.D. in Organizational Systems from a psychology school in San Francisco, Saybrook University.
After over a decade with Omnicell, I transitioned to academia, joining Carnegie Mellon University and Presidio Graduate School to teach leadership and digital transformation courses. This academic role quickly became a true passion, allowing me to mentor and guide the next generation of leaders. Concurrently, I took on the role of Chief Transformation Officer at a healthcare staffing company, a position that enriched my perspective on integrating technology in non-technical settings. This latter experience has provided invaluable insights that I now bring into the classroom.
Today, I’m taking a much-needed break from corporate demands, focusing on teaching, mentoring, and volunteer work. My wife, Kimberly, recently retired from her career in special education, and we enjoy family time with our children and grandchildren. Joining the Rotary Club of San Jose, thanks to the sponsorship of Mike Conniff, has been a wonderful addition to our lives, and we look forward to contributing to this vibrant community.