Rotary Leadership | Southtowne

2026 – 2026 President | Sylvia Ryan

Sylvia’s journey with Rotary reflects her passion for service, global connection, and community engagement. As President of the Eugene Southtowne Rotary Club, she leads with gratitude and optimism under the theme “The Magic of Rotary: United for Good.”

A self-employed travel agent, Sylvia’s international experiences have strengthened her belief in Rotary’s power to unite people and create lasting change. As Southtowne approaches its 50th anniversary, she is focused on deepening fellowship, expanding outreach, and honoring the club’s legacy—demonstrating that when united for good, their impact is boundless.

Southtowne Leadership

Sylvia Ryan

President

Sylvia Ryan | President

Sylvia's journey with Rotary has been shaped by a passion for service, international connection, and community engagement.

Patric Miller

President-Elect |
Director of Service Projects

Patric Miller | President-Elect | Director of Local Services | Southtowne Foundation Board Member

With more than 40 years of marketing, multimedia production, and internet services management for broadcasters, Patric is enjoying his retirement!
Finding purpose through Rotary, he finds satisfaction in helping our local community through service projects and fundraising.

Deanna Rivera

Director of Public Image & Public Relations

Deanna Rivera | Director of Public Image & Public Relations

Deanna has been a Southtowne Rotarian for 15 years and has hosted, maintained, and continually updated our website. She leads our communications and public image committee and is now the District 5110 Public Image Chair for 2025-26.

Karen Fretwell

Immediate Past President

Karen Fretwell | Immediate Past President

Renee Yandel

Secretary

Renee Yandel | Secretary

Renee Yandel is the Executive Director at HIV Alliance. She is the board Secretary and has been a Rotarian since 2017.

Travis Misfeldt

Club Learning Director

Travis Misfeldt | Club Learning Director

Grace Widdecombe

Director of Resources

Grace Widdecombe | Director of Resources

Grace is a real estate investor and founder of the Oregon Real Estate Investors Association, dedicated to empowering investors through education and networking. She joined Southtowne Rotary in 2011 and now serves as Director of Resources. Her husband, Greg, proudly calls himself a "Spouse of Rotarian" (SOR).

Linda Anderson

Club Executive Secretary

Linda Anderson | Club Executive Secretary

Linda joined Rotary in 2014 and has served in several key roles, including Head Start Chair, Community Services Director, Board Secretary, and Director of Engagement. She has completed Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) training and has been actively involved in a wide range of community projects, including Downtown Languages, Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB), Fairfield Elementary, and the Youth House.

Glen Brigham

Director of Membership

Glen Brigham | Membership | Past President

Glen has been a Rotarian since 2011 and has served one term as club president. He has been involved in several projects, including playing Santa Claus at local events.

Anita Weiss

Director of International Projects

Anita Weiss | Director of International Services & Polio Plus

Anita M. Weiss received her doctorate in sociology from UC Berkeley and retired as professor emerita of Global Studies at the University of Oregon in August 2023. Her research has focused on social development, gender issues, and political Islam in Pakistan. She has published eight books and is currently writing a new book, "Khuda ke Piyares [the dear ones of God]: Finding Faith and Community in Local Shrines in Urban Pakistan." Her website is at: https://blogs.uoregon.edu/anitaweiss . She serves as the Director of International Services and the Polio Plus representative for Southtowne Rotary.

Kathi Hoffer

Rotary Foundation Chair

Kathi Hoffer | Rotary Foundation Chair | Past President

Kathi moved from Southern California to Eugene in 1994 to teach in the University of Oregon’s Communication Disorders Department and work at the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center. She became active with Rotaplast, joining more than 25 medical missions between 2000 and 2017 to provide cleft lip and palate surgeries abroad.

She has two daughters, two stepsons, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. In Eugene Southtowne, she has served as international director, TRF chair, President, and now Assistant Governor for the District.

Wendy Wescott

Chair of Happy Hour Satellite Club

Wendy Wescott | Chair of Happy Hour Satellite Club

Doug Mozan

Director of Youth Services

Doug Mozan | Director of Youth Services | Past President

Doug has been with Southtowne since 2009 and recently retired after a 30-year career in law enforcement. In his second career, Doug helps Outbound Rotary Youth Exchange students travel all over the world. Doug served as Southtowne's president from 2015 to 2016.

Randy Bernstein

Treasurer

Randy Bernstein | Treasurer | Past President

Randy spent a long, successful career as a teacher, principal, and school district director. Having joined Southtowne Rotary 20 years ago, he is an active participant in serving the greater Eugene community in many ways.

Bob Berry

Chair of Springs Satellite Club

Bob Berry | Chair of Springs Satellite Club

District Leadership

Chris Waugh | District Governor 2025-2026

Southtowne’s own Christine (Chris) Waugh will serve 5110 as District Governor in 2025-2026. Upon selection in fall of 2022, Chris has been training, preparing, and learning all of the important facets of carrying out this role.

“District 5110 is like a big organization,” Chris said, “with 61 clubs, 3 satellites (2 are part of Southtowne Rotary Club,) 4 Rotaract Clubs and 15 Interact Clubs. Covering more than 60,000 square miles, we have almost 3,000 members.”

Her duties during her governor year will be oversight of all of the District committees – Administration, Finance, Membership, Public Relations, Training, Data Management, Youth Services, Finance, Foundation, Grants, Assistant Governors, Events, Youth Exchange, and Friendship Exchange (among others.)

The fun part, according to Chris, will be visiting every single club – from Lakeview to Lincoln City, and from Prineville to Brookings, and dipping into Northern California to visit Scott Valley (Fort Jones) to Tulelake. Big clubs and small, all with People of Action carrying out Service Above Self.

Chris joined Rotary in Newport in 1987. She was the first woman president there in 1992-93. In 2015, she moved to Cottage Grove to “retire,” but that didn’t suit her. In 2017, she joined Southtowne Club where she served as president in 2020-21 “the COVID year.”

During a visit to Newport in 2019, she heard about satellite clubs, so she worked with some Southtowne members who moved to the Springs At Greer Gardens and started a satellite there. After COVID ran its course, she identified a number of community members who were interested in service but couldn’t make Southtowne’s regular weekly meetings, so the Southtowne Service Network satellite was formed.

Kathi Hoffer | Assistant Governor 2025-2026

Past President Kathi Hoffer has been elected to serve as Assistant Governor for the five Eugene area Rotary clubs. Starting July 2025 she will serve in this capacity for Eugene, Eugene Delta, Eugene Emerald Valley, Eugene Metropolitan, and Eugene Southtowne Rotary clubs.

As Assistant Governor, Kathi will support, inform and strengthen the clubs, as well as serve as a liaison to the District Governor Line. She will meet regularly with the clubs, and with the 5 surrounding clubs with their AG, Gary Manly of Cottage Grove.

“District 5110 is lucky to have Kathi serve in this capacity,” District Governor Chris Waugh said, ” and since I know her well, I was very happy that she agreed to take on this important role.”

Want to Learn More About Southtowne?

Join a network of community leaders, professionals, and volunteers creating positive change, locally and globally.
Get involved with Southtowne Rotary Club and take action that matters.

Learn More About Southtowne