TOGETHER, WE
TRANSFORM
TOGETHER, WE
CONNECT
TOGETHER, WE
INSPIRE
TOGETHER, WE
SAVE LIVES
TOGETHER, WE
FIGHT HUNGER
TOGETHER, WE
EMPOWER
TOGETHER, WE
MENTOR
Attend a meeting
Join us on a Wednesday convenient to you and experience the fun and friendship of the Rotary Club of San Jose!
Contact our Executive Director, Leslee Hamilton for more details and to RSVP at (408) 297-6101.
Join us
Fill out an application and join community leaders. Become a member of the Rotary Club of San Jose.
Take action
“Service Above Self”
Rotary is a service organization of business and community leaders united worldwide. Rotarians are making a positive impact in our local and global communities.
The Rotary Club of San Jose
Benefiting the community and our world through action, integrity, service, and fellowship.
The Rotary Club of San Jose is the largest, most active and well-known service organization in the community. We are a leadership organization working together to make a difference. Our members include local business, nonprofit, professional and civic leaders. We form lasting friendships through our shared Rotary experiences including weekly meetings with interesting speakers, committee meetings and projects, social events and group service projects within our community and internationally.
Diversity & Inclusion
Having a diverse and inclusive Rotary Club means we value and welcome individuals of all ages, cultures, ethnicities, and races to our Club. We invite younger people, women, and minorities who support Rotary’s values, ideals, and mission to join our members in service to our community, and we strive to give all members equal opportunities to serve as leaders within our Club.
Service is the life blood of our Club, and it all happens through our Committees
The Speaker for May 6: Daniel De Santo
RC San Jose's Global Health Impact through Rotaplast
.jpg)
Meet Daniel DeSanto, an accomplished leader and researcher in global health, whose career and educational journey spans continents and fields of expertise. Beginning as Operations Manager at Rotaplast International, where he organized over 45 surgical clinics providing free surgical care to thousands of people worldwide, Daniel's drive to make a difference led him to earn a Master of Science in Public Health for Development from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Grounded in his commitment to global health, Daniel went on to work as an epidemiologist at South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases, where he evaluated a national program to reduce deaths among people living with advanced HIV and explored the impact of TB/HIV stigma on health-seeking behavior across nearly every province in the country. After five years, Daniel returned to the United States, where he lectured at San Jose State University and contributed his expertise to Partners in Health USA before returning to Rotaplast International as Executive Director.
Lunch Order for May 6th Meeting
.png)
Scott's Seafood will provide lunch ($30*) at Wednesday's meeting.The buffet lunch menu includes:
Starters: Iceberg Lettuce Salad (VGT), Roasted Red Pepper
Entrees: Blackened Snapper, Spaghetti Meatballs and Vegetarian Ravioli (VGT)
Sides: Sauteed Zucchini (VGT)
Important note: If you have a prepaid pack, you still need to register, so we have enough food.
*Rotary is underwriting the Service Charge and Sales Tax. Your lunch reservation is non-refundable once the order is placed on Monday at noon.
Spring BBQ
.png)
Please use the QR code or click here to purchase your tickets.
Last chance to register for the early bird price. In order to receive the discount, payment must be made today.
Cake Baking Contest
.png)
Fun and Friendship Hike
.png)
Neurodiverse Youth Empowerment Celebration & Awards Ceremony
.png)
Brian Adams' Annual Mini Masters
Rotary Golf Outings
.png)
The Meeting Summary for April 29, 2026
The 5,520th meeting of the Rotary Club of San Jose was called to order at 12:12 p.m. on April 29, 2026 by President Matt Braker. He thanked the Leigh Weimers Awards committee chaired by Stephanie Bielanski-Fehr for greeting members in the lobby and for doing great things as a signature project of Rotary.
Jim Salata, a longtime supporter of downtown San Jose and countless Rotary projects, had resisted becoming a badge-wearing member for years. But Wednesday, President Matt proved that resistance was futile: He named the builder and historic preservationist an honorary member, presenting him with a challenge coin and an official membership pin.
A violent smash-and-grab last September in East San Jose further inflamed public anger. An SUV was smashed into Kim Hung Jewelry and the 88-year-old owner was assaulted, triggering a stroke. Fifteen suspects, including the owner’s assailant, were arrested and many have been linked to other robberies. Rosen praised San Jose PD for the investigation and pledged these people will not be quickly released.
Rosen then described strategies to help prevent these crimes – such as decorative but effective barriers outside stores to block vehicles from smashing doors. A Google grant made connections available to link merchants’ security cameras to a police surveillance system when a crime is called in. That won’t prevent break-ins but will speed up the police response to stop thieves at the scene.
The DA also discussed the challenge of how to handle juveniles who commit horrific crimes, like the recent arrest of a 17-year-old for the rape and murder of a toddler. Rehabilitation is generally accepted as the best approach to juvenile crime, but in horrific cases like this, Rosen sees his office as the advocate for the victim and preventing future violence. The office also tries to deal with disproportionate incarcerations of black and Latino suspects, but Rosen notes that minorities are also disproportionately victims of crime, at 60 percent. Prevention again is the focus.
President Matt adjourned the meeting at 1:15 to the tune of Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison–a nod to the DA’s visit.
.jpg)
Respectfully submitted by Barbara Marshman, Meeting Summaries Committee
To see all pictures, click here thanks to Jorge Taborga, Photography Committee.
Video is available here.
New Member Ted Lopez
Sponsored by DeAnna Pursai
Ted Lopez is the Managing Director of Christmas in the Park, San José's beloved 46-year-old holiday tradition. What started as a single decorated tree in 1980 has grown into the largest free outdoor holiday celebration on the West Coast, drawing over 1,000,000 visitors annually and generating $20M+ in economic impact for downtown San José. Ted leads CITP's operations, sponsorship development, and the organization's new Community Investment Campaign — a STEAM education pipeline funding paid internships, scholarships to SJSU, and post-graduation fellowships designed to keep San José's homegrown talent in the community. He is passionate about using one of the city's most iconic traditions as a platform for workforce development and civic investment.
Calendar
DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS
Speaker: Daniel DeSanto, Executive Director, Rotoplast International
RC San Jose's Global Health Impact through Rotaplast
May 6th 2026 at 12:15 pm
More info
Speaker: Summit Center Dark due to Spring BBQ
See you at the BBQ!
May 13th 2026 at 12:15 pm
More info
Speaker: Matt Moreles, Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters
2026 — Your Voice, Your Values, Your Vote
May 20th 2026 at 12:15 pm
More info
Speaker: Dr. Lerone Martin, Martin Luther King, Jr., Centennial Professor
The Young King: We know who Martin Luther King, Jr. became, but who was he at the beginning of his life? How did his youth inform his outlook and his approach to activism and service?
May 27th 2026 at 12:15 pm
More info