Speakers

Director, Total Fleet Force Manpower and Personnel (N1)

Ms. Lynn C. Simpson assumed duties Director, Total Fleet Force Manpower and Personnel, U.S. Pacific Fleet in June 2014. As the N1, Simpson serves as the principal advisor to the Commander on all matters relating to the more than 130,000 personnel (active duty, reserve, civilian, and contractor) employed throughout the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet area of responsibility.

Rebecca Schwarz is the Mission Impact Coordinator for YWCA La Crosse where she works to ensure that the mission is embodied in the programing at YWCA La Crosse and advocates for social justice in the community.  Rebecca is passionate about community education and collaboration. Prior to joining the YWCA La Crosse, Rebecca worked in Social Services for nearly 20 years, working with foster families, homeless youth, youth in the criminal justice system and teen parents. Working in social services taught her that for real change to happen, we need to work for system change but we also need people who are lifelong learners and who  are willing to confront all forms of oppression.

"Electrification” initially pointed to the extension of electrical service to people who lacked it. In the United States, the federal government established the Rural Electrification Administration to bring electricity to rural residents and farms through the creation of rural electricity cooperative companies and the construction of power generation and distribution systems.

In the 1930s, only 10% of rural dwellers had electric service, and 9 of 10 farms likewise were power-less. By 1945, that had been reversed with an estimated 9 out of 10 farms electrified.

In moving electrification beyond the basic (and binary) question of haves and have-nots, Efficient Electrification looks to an Integrated Energy Network to help achieve the most efficient use of energy, the cleanest production, delivery and use of that energy, and measureable benefits to consumers, workers, drivers (electric vehicles), and others.

Macy will recall her experience in Taiwan as our outbound youth exchange student.  The Neader family has a rich youth exchange history with La Crosse Rotary as Cameron was our exchange student to Denmark and Turkey.   Ashlyn was our exchange to Austria and India.  

When not hunting or fishing, Jon Steffes is an elementary teacher in La Crescent, Minnesota.  Besides teaching fourth grade and his involvement with summer athletic programs and the school’s foundation, Jon enjoys writing novels.  His second book is called Wings in the Wind:  The Armistice Day Storm of 1940.  Wings in the Wind uses Jon’s father as the main character, following Bob Steffes through the blizzard that killed dozens of duck hunters in the Mississippi River bottoms in November, 1940.  Jon will discuss the blizzard, Wings in the Wind, and his other works during the program.