Speakers

My passion for wrestling began at age 8 where I started wrestling Freestyle and Greco in Clovis, California. At a young age I understood the value of hard work, determination, and grit that this sport takes to be successful. Throughout the years I have won multiple state championships and regional championships. My most influential coach is Steve Terapelli, I trained under him in junior high and high school. Wrestling was the corner stone in my coordination and athletic development. Throughout high school, I was a multi varsity sport athlete playing baseball, football, and wrestling. In college, I was a 4 year starter playing football at California Lutheran University.

Lessons I have learned from wrestling translated into my military and professional career. I served in the United States Marine Corps and am currently the lead training instructor for the Department of Homeland Security in Southern California. I am passionate about coaching and teaching youth about the beautiful sport of wrestling. I know the lessons that I have learned from wrestling help molded me into the person I am today.

Project 8 seeks to help young athletes become more capable, coordinated, athletic, and mentally tough. My goal for all the kids I coach is to be able to deal with adversity on and off the mat. I know the life skills they learn in the room will translate into their everyday lives.

At Project 8, we have athletes of all ages and skill levels. We provide a safe, fun, and hardworking environment for all of our athletes to thrive in. Esprit de Corps is our motto, as one, we are a team and a family.

Mike Dutra – A Life of Service, Leadership, and Community

Mike Dutra joined the Rotary Club of Westlake Village in 2017 and quickly became an integral part of the club’s leadership. He served as Club President in 2021–2022—leading the club to earn the prestigious Gold Award—and currently serves a second term as President. Over the years, Mike has held various leadership roles, including Vocational Service Chair, Membership Chair, and Marketing Chair. He also serves as District 5240’s Interact Chair, helping to inspire and guide the next generation of Rotarians. Among his Rotary accomplishments, Mike is a proud Paul Harris Fellow and a Master PRLS graduate.

Deeply committed to community service beyond Rotary, Mike has served on the board of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA for over 15 years and is a three-year board member of the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce. Within the Chamber, he co-leads the Spark Networking Group and was honored as Volunteer of the Year in 2019.

Professionally, Mike is the owner of Candu Graphics in Westlake Village and brings more than 35 years of experience in the printing industry, holding positions ranging from Graphic Artist to General Manager. While he initially joined Rotary to promote his business, service has since become his true calling.

Mike’s passion for giving back is rooted in personal experience. Raised in Venice, California, as an “at-risk” youth in a single-parent household, he was positively shaped by the support of organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, the LAPD Youth Foundation, and caring mentors, teachers, and coaches. Later in life, as a single father of three, organizations like the YMCA played a vital role in supporting his family. These life-changing experiences have inspired a lifelong dedication to serving others.

Mike and his wife Cindy live in Newbury Park, CA, and share a blended family of five adult children (ages 30–33) and two energetic grandchildren. When he’s not working or volunteering, Mike enjoys playing golf, traveling, and cracking jokes—whether they land or not.

Congratulations, Mike, on your continued leadership. We look forward to hearng from you as our Rotary District 5240 Governor 2025–26.

What began as a summer job at America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College has evolved into a 30-year adventure for Zoo Development Coordinator Mara Rodriguez.

“In 1992, I started my career at the Zoo. I established the Junior Safari Summer Camp and was the one and only counselor that first year of camp,” Mara says. “They hired me the week after graduating from the Exotic Animal Training and Management [EATM] program. When summer camp ended, I transitioned into working as a zoo instructional aide.”

Her devotion to the Zoo and the college’s EATM program have earned Mara a dual honor: She has been named Ventura County Community College District 2022 Classified Employee of the Year and Moorpark College’s.

“A lot of people think it is crazy that I have worked here my whole life,” she says. I think it’s crazy too, and I love it!”

Her career flourished, and Mara continued to accomplish professional goals. Six years after earning her associate degree, she became a lab technician, working closely with some of the Zoo’s more famous four-legged inhabitants, including Ira the Lion and Bengal tigers Neil and Karma.

Two years ago, Mara began her most recent role, where she raises funds for the Zoo and its animals. Her coworkers admire her enduring commitment to the Zoo’s mission, animals, high standards and others.

She believes her personal relationships as well as her encounters with animals will benefit her in her job. These interactions—coupled with her innate curiosity—clearly drive her success.

Her colleagues and her work’s creative aspects also inspire her to prevail and bring her immense gratification.

Jeff Devoll is the executive director of StudentReach, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing the potential of students worldwide. He has spoken to over 1,000,000 people from 40 states and 40 countries, engaging in various capacities such as speaker, trainer, facilitator, and mentor. Devoll's work includes organizing expeditions to assist schools and needy individuals globally, mentoring over 3,000 students through mentoring and coaching programs, and leading more than 50 construction projects. His expertise extends to exploitation prevention programs, collaborating with the FBI, NFL, local law enforcement, and national NGOs. Devoll is also the author of "21 Days - A Student's Guide to Becoming Awesome" and co-creator of the CONNECTED Life Coaching program, which focuses on cognitive, social, physical, and directional health as essential for life success.

Join Us for Our Club Assembly 

This is an important opportunity to hear directly from our Club Directors about the exciting year ahead. They will share updates on their areas of focus, upcoming projects, and how members can get involved.

This will be the first of our quarterly Club Assemblies, giving us a regular chance to align on priorities, celebrate progress, and collaborate across committees.

We encourage all members to attend, hope to see you there! 

Dena Jenson has 27 years of experience in executive leadership positions in the nonprofit sector and frequently serves as a speaker on leadership development, organizational capacity and business development needs.  She now has the great honor of serving as the Director of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership (CNL) at California Lutheran University.  Once an initiative of the Ventura County Community Foundation, where it was founded in 1991, the Center for Nonprofit Leadership provides training, technical assistance, and access to resources that reflect its, strengthening the leadership of nonprofit organization serving the region.

She most recently served as an independent consultant specializing in organizational development, interim executive leadership, transition management, performance assessment, strategic planning, board development, nonprofit governance and leadership development at the staff and board levels.

For ten years, Dena served as the Vice-President and Director of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership (CNL) at the Ventura County Community Foundation. The Center produced over 200 workshops, seminars and technical assistance events annually, providing critical support and capacity-building opportunities for the board and staff members of Ventura County nonprofits.

Prior to joining VCCF in 2005, Dena served as program and public policy director at the Perinatal Advisory Council, a nonprofit, maternal and child health organization that provides education, technical assistance and support to hospitals and health care organizations in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. With specialized training in public policy from the University of Southern California (USC), she has experience directing policy and advocacy activities including navigating the legislative and budgetary processes as well as conducting mission-aligned bill monitoring and analysis.

She has an MPP from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from CSU Long Beach.

Dena has served on the boards of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Santa Barbara / Ventura Counties Chapter and California Association of Nonprofits (CAN).  She lives in Ventura with her husband Jim.

Sheriff James “Jim” Fryhoff grew up in Pasadena, California.  Jim was a police cadet with the Pasadena Police Department prior to moving to Ventura County. Jim relocated to Ventura County when he joined the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office in 1990.

Jim has worked a variety of assignments with the Sheriff’s Office, including detention services, patrol, special enforcement, investigations, and crime prevention.

He also served as the Adjutant for two sitting Sheriffs. He was the Assistant Chief in Thousand Oaks, Chief of Police of Ojai and area Captain for the Ojai Valley, Thousand Oaks Chief of Police, and Operations Commander for Detention Services Division which oversees the Pre-Trial Detention Facility, Todd Road Jail, Court Services Bureau, Juvenile Justice Center, and the East Valley Courthouse and Jail.

In addition to Jim’s primary assignments listed, he has worked in numerous collateral assignments. Collateral assignments are duties that exist within the Sheriff’s Office but do not require a full-time position. It is through collateral assignments that Sheriff’s Office members can accomplish so much and give back to the agency and support their community. Jim was a bicycle patrol officer, air unit crew chief, press information officer, explorer advisor, reserve deputy coordinator, field training officer, and served as the manager for our peer support team.

Jim is married to his wife, Traci. They have two daughters, Vanessa and Savannah.  Jim received his bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University in Vocational Education with an emphasis on adult learning theory, a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in Administrative Leadership, and graduated from the FBI National Academy Session 261 in September of 2015. Jim is a two-time Deputy of the Year recipient and received the Medal of Valor in 1997.

Jim is excited to usher in a new energy to the Office of the Sheriff and is excited to lead the over 1300 employees and numerous volunteers within the Sheriff’s Office.

Our event co-chairs will be sharing a few words about a very special and heartfelt event coming up in our community: Johnna’s High Tea Party.

This cherished event honors the memory of Johnna, a young woman who courageously battled cancer and passed away on March 21, 2009. Throughout her journey, Johnna was lovingly supported by a women’s cancer support group that affectionately called themselves “Hany’s Hair Em”—a nod to their beloved doctor, Dr. Hany Khalil, and their shared experiences with hair loss during chemotherapy.

To carry forward the spirit of that support, Johnna’s mother, Maryann Fiore Hopkins, created the High Tea Party as a way to give back to the community that stood by her daughter. Since then, the event has raised vital funds for the Marcelle Erian Cancer Foundation, founded by Dr. Khalil in 2011, which continues to provide counseling, supplies, and direct support to cancer patients in need.

The co-chairs will now share more about this meaningful event and how you can be a part of making a difference in the lives of local families impacted by cancer.

https://www.johnnasteaparty.com/