Upcoming Events
Tue 6/11
Thinking Moms' Revolution: Taking Back Power in Healing Our Kids
Date: Tue, June 11, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Alison MacNeil, Co-founder and Author, Thinking Moms’ Revolution
Kim Spencer, Co-founder and Author, Thinking Moms’ Revolution
Megan Davenhall, Co-founder and Author, Thinking Moms’ Revolution
Christie Dames, CEO, TechTalk / Studio – Moderator
An Evening Affair with Dan Savage and Daniel Handler
Date: Tue, June 11, 2013Time: 7:00 PM
This program is sold out
Dan Savage, Author, American Savage; Sex Advice Columnist, "Savage Love"
In conversation with Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket, Author; Screenwriter; Accordionist
After decades of braving dirty fantasies, obscure sex questions and all things taboo in his bawdy advice column "Savage Love," Dan Savage has become America’s go-to sweetheart for everything from parenting trans children to legitimizing poly relationships. Now, fresh off the success of his Emmy-winning It Gets Better Campaign, aimed at the prevention of LGBT youth suicide, provocateur Savage is at it again in long form with his newest book, American Savage. Join us for a night of straight talk, scandalous insights and political banter - infused with some trademark Savage Love.
This event will be the first of a series of interviews hosted by Daniel Handler.
Location: The Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St.
Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6-7 p.m. premium reception (for premium ticket holders only), 7 p.m. program, 8 p.m. book signing
Cost: General admission: $25 non-members, $15 members
Priority seating with book: $50 non-members, $40 members (includes copy of book and priority seating).
Premium: $80 non-members, $60 members (includes book, priority seating, pre-reception with appearance by Dan Savage and Savage-approved gift bag).
Also Know: Thanks to our generous wine sponsors Bjornstad Cellars and The Right Blend.
Wed 6/12
Vitamin D: Its Role in Risk Reduction for Autism and Breast Cancer
Date: Wed, June 12, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Program 1: John J. Cannell, M.D., Director, Vitamin D Council
In the past few decades, prevalence rates of autism have skyrocketed, with recent reports finding that 1 in 86 American children suffer from autism. The cause of autism is poorly understood but clearly has both a genetic and environmental basis. Researchers are scrambling to further their understanding of autism and what causes it. In 2001, Dr. John McGrath suggested vitamin D plays a role in neural development. Six years later, Cannell theorized that vitamin D plays a role specifically in autism. Come learn about his theory and what all the research to date shows on the link between vitamin D and autism.
Program 2: Cedric Garland, DPH, Adjunct Professor, Family & Preventive Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego
Garland is a pioneering researcher on the role of solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation and vitamin D in reducing risk of several types of cancers, including breast, colon and ovarian cancers, as well as adult leukemia. He will review findings by his group and others that UVB and vitamin D are very effective in reducing the risk of breast cancer and increasing survival for those diagnosed with breast cancer. A recent study by his group found that women in the military with vitamin D levels of 40 ng/ml had half the risk of breast cancer occurring during the next three months than those with vitamin D levels less than 15 ng/ml. This study revealed that the effect of vitamin D on risk of breast cancer is experienced almost immediately. Though there are many risk-modifying factors for breast cancer, raising vitamin D levels appears to be the most efficient way to reduce risk, Garland says, and it has many other health benefits.
MLF: Health & Medicine/Science & Technology
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon autism program, 1:30 p.m. breast cancer program
Cost: $30 non-members, $12 members, $10.50 students (with valid ID). Price includes both events.
Program Organizer: Bill Grant
U.S.- Cuba Relations: Carlos Alzugaray, Cuba's Former Ambassador to the EU
Date: Wed, June 12, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Carlos Alzugaray, Cuba's Former Ambassador to the European Union; Former Director, Institute of Foreign Relations
Lisa Garcia Bedolla, Chair of UC Berkeley Center for Latino Policy Research & Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education — Moderator
Since Fidel Castro turned over power to his brother in 2006, Raul Castro has increasingly emphasized transforming the Cuban bureaucracy and economy in an effort to make the country more competitive in the international market. The Cuban government is allowing more space for small domestic entrepreneurs and encouraging foreign investment, especially in tourism and agriculture. While European, Asian and Latin American investors are increasingly exploring opportunities in Cuba, the U.S.-Cuba economic and political relations stagnate. What are the key issues? Will the countries resolve the situations of imprisoned American Alan Gross or the convicted intelligence officers the Cuban Five anytime soon? What’s next for the Cuban economy and U.S.-Cuba relations?
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program
Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Birds of Paradise Lost: Andrew Lam on Literature, Immigration and SF
Date: Wed, June 12, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
This program has been cancelled
Andrew Lam, Web Editor, New American Media; Author, Birds of Paradise Lost
Program Organizers: Lillian Nakagawa and Cynthia Miyashita
Thu 6/13
From Closet to Corner Office
Date: Thu, June 13, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Selisse Berry, Founder and CEO, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
Tom Johnson, Vice President of Finance of Global Business Services, The Clorox Company
Scott Beth, Vice President of Procurement and Order-to-Cash, Intuit
Cynthia Martin, Former President of Global Consumer Services, Kodak
Hear from a power-packed panel as successful executives who happen to be gay or lesbian share their stories about coming out at work and the empowerment that can result from being open and honest and building a true culture of diversity and inclusion in corporations.
MLF: LGBT
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Julian Chang
Also know: In association with Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
Sat 6/15
Pandora's Promise
Date: Sat, June 15, 2013Time: 7:25 PM
Michael Shellenberger, President, Breakthrough Institute
In the wake of the Fukushima disaster, the U.S. is struggling to define its nuclear energy future. In California, nuclear power has traditionally played a substantial role the energy mix, but the San Onofre plant hasn’t produced power since January 2012, and many question the safety of the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant, which is near active fault lines. Proponents of nuclear, including PG&E, point out that the continued use of nuclear power will be essential to meeting the energy goals of the future.
By exposing the controversy within the environmental community, Pandora’s Promise asks whether nuclear could save our planet from a climate catastrophe, while providing the energy needed to lift billions of people in the developing world out of poverty. Join Climate One for a post-screening conversation on nuclear energy and the role it might play in achieving a cleaner energy future.
Location: Embarcadero Center Cinema, 1 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco
Time: 7:25 p.m. movie, discussion after
Cost: $10.50 general admission members and non-members, $8.25 senior. Click here to purchase tickets. If you'd like to help support the mission of Climate One, we welcome your donations below (please note that a donation does NOT buy you a ticket for the event. You must register separately).
Also know: The speakers and audience will be videotaped for future broadcast on the Climate One TV show on KRCB TV 22 on Comcast and DirecTV.
Mon 6/17
Power Choice
Date: Mon, June 17, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Shawn Marshall, Mill Valley Council Member; Executive Director, Local Energy Aggregation Network
Marcie Milner, Senior Regulatory Manager, Shell Energy North America
Hunter Stern, Business Manager, Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Rising interest in clean power is presenting electric monopolies with competition for the first time. Marin Clean Energy now gives consumers an alternative to PG&E, and San Francisco and Sonoma are preparing their own programs to offer consumers new options for powering their homes. Monterey and Santa Cruz counties are considering jumping on the consumer choice bandwagon, which is growing nationally.
In San Francisco, Shell Oil won the contract to deliver electricity generated from 100 percent renewable energy. But city supervisors are worried that the customer base is lacking. Opponents such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers claim that higher rates would burden the community and point out that such local efforts are not required to generate new clean energy. How could community choice change the shape of electricity supply in San Francisco and other communities? Join us for a discussion of disruption, innovation and consumer choice.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. networking reception
Cost: $20 non-member, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: The speakers and audience will be videotaped for future broadcast on the Climate One TV show on KRCB TV 22 on Comcast and DirecTV. Photo by Flickr user Galileo55.
How to Navigate Epic Estate Battles Before They Start
Date: Mon, June 17, 2013Time: 5:15 PM
This program has been rescheduled to September 5. Click here to register.
John E. O'Grady, Esq., Immediate Past Chair, The Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Section, The Bar Association of San Francisco
Attorney and mediator O'Grady will reveal the latest approaches to the age-old estate planning questions raised in film clips from familiar movies such as A Thousand Acres, Mommy Dearest and Zorba the Greek, which tap into the limitless depths of the human psyche. Join in a lively and enlightening session that opens the door for participants to fully explore their estate planning questions.
MLF: Grownups
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 4:45 p.m. networking reception, 5:15 p.m. program
Cost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: John Milford
Also know: In association with San Francisco Village
Latinas in Business: Inspirational Strategies for Success
Date: Mon, June 17, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Sandra R. Hernández, M.D., Chief Executive Officer, The San Francisco Foundation
Aida Alvarez, Former Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; Member of President Clinton’s Cabinet
Noni Allwood, Vice President and Senior Fellow, Center for Talent Innovation
Rose Castillo Guilbault, President, Community Safety Foundation; Author, The Latina’s Guide to Success in the Workplace
Lyanne Melendez, Reporter, ABC 7 Television, San Francisco – Moderator
By 2050, one in four American workers is projected to be Latina. Yet members of this group are currently among the lowest-paid employees with some of the fewest opportunities in the workplace. Several of our speakers say that Hispanic women need to challenge the inequities in their cultural ideology that hamper workplace success. Come hear inspirational strategies for achievement that apply to Latinas and all women.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:15 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: Sponsored by Wells Fargo
Tue 6/18
Sea Surge
Date: Tue, June 18, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Brian Fagan, Author, The Attacking Ocean: The Past, Present and Future of Rising Sea Levels
Meg Caldwell, Senior Lecturer in Law, Stanford University; Executive Director, Center for Ocean Solutions, Woods Institute for the Environment
With more than 40 percent of the world’s population living in coastal areas, the impacts of climate change and human exploitation on the world’s oceans is becoming increasingly hard to ignore. Sea levels are rising and endangering important infrastructure and homes. Coral and shellfish are struggling to survive as the waters undergo acidification caused by increased levels of absorbed CO2. Hundreds of years of increasingly efficient fishing techniques have left the oceans’ natural biodiversity severely depleted. What role do oceans play in the world’s economy? How will the changes be felt and how will they be adapted to? Is there anything we can do to slow the tide? Join us for a conversation on the impact of a changing climate on the Earth’s oceans.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. networking reception
Cost: $20 non-members, $48 non-members with book, $12 members, $40 members with book, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: The speakers and audience will be videotaped for future broadcast on the Climate One TV show on KRCB TV 22 on Comcast and DirecTV.
Jonathan Alter: The Obama Presidency
Date: Tue, June 18, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Jonathan Alter, Columnist, Bloomberg View; Author, The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies; Twitter: @jonathanalter
Joe Tuman, Professor of Legal and Political Communications, San Francisco State University; Political Analyst, CBS 5 Television, San Francisco - Moderator
Alter uses his unmatched access and deep knowledge of politics and history to produce an unparalleled account of America at the crossroads. Peering behind the curtain at the White House and the presidential campaigns with exclusive reporting and rare historical insight, Alter reveals the twists, turns and high-stake political decisions of the Obama presidency. Alter also examines Obama's adversaries, providing fresh details about the Koch brothers, Grover Norquist, Roger Ailes and the online haters who suffer from what Alter calls “Obama Derangement Syndrome.” Alter takes us inside what he calls the GOP “clown car” primaries as well as Obama’s disastrous preparation for the first debate. We meet Obama's analytics geeks working out of "The Cave" and the man who secretly videotaped Mitt Romney's infamous comments on the "47 percent." Don't miss a chance to hear the famed journalist deepen our understanding of Obama’s presidency, the 2012 election stakes and the future of his second term.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. networking reception
Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: Photo by Kristopher Long
Wed 6/19
Governors Ritter and Whitman: Risk and Resilience
Date: Wed, June 19, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Bill Ritter Jr., Former Governor of Colorado
Christine Todd Whitman, Former Governor of New Jersey; Former Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Hurricane Sandy and the devastating Colorado fires of 2012 underscore the idea that climate disruption is amplifying natural disasters, if not causing them. Sandy and other disasters last year caused more than $100 billion in damage. Politicians are grappling with who bears those costs and whether and how areas such as the Jersey Shore should be rebuilt.
What lessons do the fires and storms of 2012 present for other states? What does climate science say about the probability of similar disasters? Join a conversation with two former state chief executives about learning from recent disasters and marshaling political will to confront the climate reality.
Location: Montgomery Room, Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St., San Francisco
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. networking reception
Cost: $25 non-members, $15 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: The speakers and audience will be videotaped for future broadcast on the Climate One TV show on KRCB TV 22 on Comcast and DirecTV.
Sir Ken Robinson: Revolutionizing You
Date: Wed, June 19, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Sir Ken Robinson, Speaker; Advisor on Education in the Arts; Author, The Element and Finding Your Element
Ninive Calegari, Co-founder, 826 Valencia; Co-author, Teachers Have it Easy: The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America’s Teachers; Producer, American Teacher
TED Talks rock star Robinson's 2006 talk about revolutionizing educationby having it nurture rather than undermine creativity is the most viewedin TED¹s history. He is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources in education and in business. Robinson works with governments and educational systems in Europe, Asia and the United States, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies and some of the world¹s leading cultural organizations. He was a professor of education at the University of Warwick in the UK and author of The Element and its new follow-up, Finding Your Element, a practical guide to self fulfillment by converging your natural talents and personal passions.
Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing
Cost: General admission: $25 non-members, $15 members, $7 students (with valid ID); Premium (priority seating with copy of Finding Your Element): $55 non-members, $40 members.
Also know: Photo by Cindy Gold
Your Network Is Your Net Worth
Date: Wed, June 19, 2013Time: 6:30 PM
Porter Gale, Author, Your Network Is Your Net Worth
In Conversation with Guy Kawasaki, Founder, Alltop.com; Author; Formerly Chief Evangelist, Apple
In today’s world, your network is your greatest asset. The most powerful currency in this interconnected new economy might not be money but connections. Relationships are key to success, wealth and happiness, and technology is further transforming the game of networking. In her new book, Your Network Is Your Net Worth, Gale lays out a how-to guide for increasing your net worth by strengthening those relationships and connections. Join us to learn the art of cultivating valuable relationships and how networking can help you meet your goals and beyond.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. reception and book signing
Cost: General: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID); Premium ( reserved seating and premium reception with speakers. Limited to 65 guests): $45 non-members, $30 members
Thu 6/20
North Beach Walking Tour #12
Date: Thu, June 20, 2013Time: 2:00 PM
Join another Commonwealth Club Neighborhood Adventure! Explore vibrant North Beach with Rick Evans during a two-hour walk through this neighborhood with a colorful past, where food, culture, history and unexpected views all intersect in an Italian “urban village.” In addition to learning about Beat generation hangouts, you’ll discover authentic Italian cathedrals and coffee shops.
Location: Meeting Spot is Washington Square Park at Saints Peter and Paul Church (Filbert & Powell). Transportation to Washington Square Park is either the 30 bus or the 41/45 - all of which stop right in front of the park. Our guide will be on the steps of the church. The official address is 666 Filbert, between Columbus and Stockton. Please meet at 1:45, depart by 2. Parking Lot option: North Beach Garage, 735 Vallejo Street (between Powell and Stockton)
Time: 2-4 p.m. tour
Cost: $45 non-members, $35 members
Also know: Limited to 20 people. Must pre-register. Tours operate rain or shine.. Photo by Flickr user Clemson.
Fri 6/21
Mineta National Policy Summit on Transportation Finance: Catching up with the Rest of the World
Date: Fri, June 21, 2013Time: 9:00 AM
Keynote: Ray LaHood, U.S. Transportation Secretary
Introduced by Norman Y. Mineta, U.S. Secretary of Transportation (retired)
Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Ph.D., Director, Mineta Transportation Institute's National Transportation Finance Center
Flora Castillo, Chair, American Public Transportation Association
Malcolm Dougherty, Director, California Department of Transportation
Mortimer Downey, Former US Deputy Secretary of Transportation
Time: 8:15 a.m. check-in and continental breakfast, 9-11 a.m. program
Cost: FREE
Also know: Underwritten by the Mineta Transportation Institute
Mon 6/24
Middle East Discussion Group
Date: Mon, June 24, 2013Time: 5:30 PM
Make your voice heard in an enriching, provocative and fun discussion with fellow Club members as you weigh in on events shaping the face of the Middle East. Each month, the Middle East Member-Led Forum hosts an informal roundtable discussion on a topic frequently suggested by recent headlines. After a brief introduction, the floor will be open for discussion. All interested members are encouraged to attend. There will also be a brief planning session
MLF: Middle East
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. program
Cost: FREE
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel
Anita Raghavan: The Billionaire's Apprentice
Date: Mon, June 24, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Anita Raghavan, Former Reporter, Wall Street Journal; Winner, Overseas Press Club Award and the New York Press Club Award; Former London Bureau Chief, Forbes; Contributor, New York Times Dealbook and Forbes
Raghavan crisscrosses the globe to uncover the story of Rajat Gupta¹s meteoric rise from Delhi¹s hyper-competitive Indian Institute of Technology to the inner sanctum of corporate America as head of McKinsey & Co., and his tragic fall in 2012, when he was convicted on insider trading charges connected with an investigation of one of the world¹s largest hedge funds, The Galleon Group. Raghavan peels back the curtain on the recent rise of Indian emigres (and children of emigres) up through the ranks of the United States' most influential companies.
MLF: Asia Pacific Affairs
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: D. Lai
Also know: Photo by Glen Davis
Brian Michael Jenkins: How Safe Is America Today?
Date: Mon, June 24, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Brian Michael Jenkins: How Safe is America Today?
Director, Mineta Transportation Institute’s Transportation Safety and Security Center; Author, When Armies Divide: The Security of Nuclear Arsenals During Revolts, Coups, and Civil Wars
Dr. Gloria Duffy, President and CEO, The Commonwealth Club - Moderator
One of the world’s foremost authorities on terrorism offers his take on current domestic challenges and on the latest developments in international terrorism, in Syria and other parts of the Middle East. What could and should the U.S. do to prevent further tragedies like the Boston Marathon bombing? How active are terrorist groups within the United States? What can both the government and citizens do to keep our country safe?
Location: Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)