District 7080 Annual Conference - Saturday, October 3rd 2026
Our agenda features outstanding speakers from around the world and across our district!
Martha Peak Helman
Marty represents Zones 28/32 on the Rotary International Board of Directors beginning July 1, 2026. Currently, Marty is a Rotary Foundation Trustee, with a term that runs until June 30, 2026. She has chaired the Fund Development Committee, the Area of Focus Major Gifts Initiative and the Large-Scale Programmatic Partners workgroup; under her leadership the Trustees have reviewed and are updating our donor recognition activities.
Marty served as International Training Leader at the 2018 and 2019 International Assemblies and as Training Leader Support at the virtual 2021 Assembly. She spoke in plenary at the International Assembly in 2024 and presented in breakouts at the Atlanta, Toronto and Hamburg International Conventions as well as at the virtual 2021 Convention. She was Trainer for Zones 28/32 in 2020 and 2021.
Marty served as International Training Leader at the 2018 and 2019 International Assemblies and as Training Leader Support at the virtual 2021 Assembly. She spoke in plenary at the International Assembly in 2024 and presented in breakouts at the Atlanta, Toronto and Hamburg International Conventions as well as at the virtual 2021 Convention. She was Trainer for Zones 28/32 in 2020 and 2021.
Marty served on The Rotary Foundation’s Peace-Major Gifts Initiative and its predecessor committees for six years, culminating in the chairmanship in 2020-21 and again in 2025-26. Marty served as president of the Otto and Fran Walter Foundation, a small humanitarian non- profit that inked the gift for the naming rights to fund a new Rotary Peace Center in the Middle East/North Africa region. Consequently, she served on the site selection committees for the Peace Center just opened at Bachesehir University in Istanbul, as well as the new Asia center that is scheduled to open in 2027 in Pune, India.
Back in District 7780, Marty and her late husband Frank joined the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club in 2003; she was club president in 2006-07, and in 2012-13 she served as District Governor. That year, Annual Giving in the District rose 25 percent, and it increased another 33 percent while she was District Foundation Chair (2015-18). In 2016, Marty wrote and implemented the first online Grants Management Seminar in the Rotary world to be made available via RI’s Learning Center.
Marty is an Arch Klumph Society member, a member of the Paul Harris and Polio Plus societies, and she and Frank were charter members of the Legacy Society of the Rotary Foundation.
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Valarie K. Wafer
Valarie Wafer joined Rotary in 2005 in order to fuel her passion for making an impact that matters. Prior to serving as Rotary International Director 2020-22 and Rotary International Vice-President 2021-22, Valarie was District Governor of RI district 7070 covering the Greater Toronto Area in 2013/14. Now residing in Burlington, her home club is the Rotary Club of Burlington-Lakeshore, in District 7080.
Valarie has served Rotary in a number of international roles. She was an International Trainer, a member of the Host Organizing Convention Committee Toronto 2018, Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator, representative of the Rotary International President, and chair of Rotary International's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force.
During Valarie’s tenure as a Rotarian she has participated and led many initiatives including a recent mission to Kosovo with Gift of Life International. She has also served as the Vocational Training Team leader to Australia in 2010 focusing on youth mental health, a National Immunization Day in India in 2012, and has traveled to Kenya and Tanzania to audit long-term Rotary Foundation grant activity.
In her non-Rotary life, Valarie had a 27-year career as a restaurant owner in Toronto. The brand, Tim Horton's, is the most recognized and iconic franchise in Canada. The Wafer’s operation was best known for its inclusive hiring practices and accessibility, especially in the area of employment.
Valarie and her husband, Mark — who became a Rotarian after Valarie recruited him during her year as club president — are Paul Harris Fellows, Bequest Society members, and Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation. In 2012, Wafer received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, in recognition of her leadership with the Economic Case for Inclusion in Canada, an inclusive hiring initiative that was adopted by provincial and federal governments.
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Diego Cameiro, Cello
Maestro Diego Cameiro is a renowned speaker, a cellist, conductor, and dedicated humanitarian. Carneiro’s work serves as a powerful reminder that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the active creation of harmony across borders.
Carneiro is a distinguished Rotary Peace Fellow, a title that reflects his deep commitment to using his talents for global stability.
In 2024, Diego spent three months as a Rotary Peace Fellow at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, where he launched a global initiative called Orchestrating Peace through Music. As part of that initiative, he is now at work on a new composition for solo cello entitled Paths to Peace, to be premiered at the annual Rotary International Convention in Calgary in June 2025.front lines of global challenges, where he uses the universal language of music to bridge divides, heal trauma, and give
He is the founder of Amazon Art, an organization dedicated to using cultural exchange and music as tools for social transformation. His projects often bring him to the frontlines of global challenges, where he uses the universal language of music to bridge divides, heal trauma, and provide a voice to the marginalized. Whether performing in remote Amazonian communities or international concert halls, his work fosters the empathy and understanding essential for lasting peace aligning perfectly with Rotary’s February focus on building stronger, more peaceful communities.
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Shannon Lynn Carter
Shannon’s career trajectory and her commitment to service were profoundly influenced by her nearly three years in Ukraine. Her time there was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated a rapid 48-hour evacuation. During her service as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer, Shannon recognized Rotary's transformative potential and formed valuable connections through Rotary District 2232 in Ukraine. With district support, she played a key role in piloting a unique program that combined the Peace Corps and Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program, as well as implementing several USAID grants to support community-based youth development initiatives.Before her evacuation, Shannon was honored to receive an International Master's Fellowship from Rotary International, which allowed her to earn her first Master’s Degree in Project Management at the Peace Studies and International Development Center at the University of Bradford in England. However, uncertainty about her evacuation delayed the start of her program, prompting her to apply to the University of Michigan School of Social Work, where she was accepted and later deferred for 2 years. Shannon graduated from the University of Bradford in the fall of 2022 and earned her second Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Michigan six months later, in the summer of 2023.
Additionally, she was awarded two more fellowships: the Paul D. Coverdell Fellowship and the Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies Fellowship. In total, she completed two accelerated Master's degrees on two continents in under 2.5 years, along with four graduate fellowships that provided approximately $120,000 in graduate school funding. Currently, Shannon works as a licensed mental health therapist in Michigan, serves on the board of the NGO Partnering for Peace, and is a Rotarian with the Clarkston Rotary Club.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking in the mountains, mentoring, and she recently competed in the nationwide beauty pageant Petite USA as Ms. Michigan Petite.
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Dr. Shirley-Pat Gale, PhD
Shirley-Pat Gale (Nih tse digh) is a woman of mixed heritage and Tl'esqox na whelh deni heelen (adoptee of the people of Tl'esqox).
She brings 20+ years of leadership, community planning and development, fund development, grant writing, project management, facilitation, teaching, and mentorship. Shirley-Pat is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Steveston and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award in 2012 for outstanding volunteerism with the Write to Read Project BC (writetoreadbc.org).
She has built strong and meaningful relationships with each Indigenous community or Nation that she has had the privilege and honour of working with across the Pacific Northwest as well as non-Indigenous organizations, communities, and governments. In 2022, she was awarded a PhD from The University of Edinburgh. Shirley-Pat helps Indigenous and Settler communities, organizations and government move forward, making positive change with transformative action rooted in respect and woven into creating strong relationships.
She brings a balanced approach in co-creating inviting, productive, creative, and collaborative spaces in the Pacific Northwest.
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Amb. Matthias Lüttenberg
Matthias Lüttenberg has been the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Canada (Ottawa) together with his spouse Tjorven Bellmann since September 2024.
After completing his civilian non-military national service and studying law at the Universities of Passau and Aberystwyth (United Kingdom), he obtained an LL.M. eur. (European Business Law) from the University of Passau and passed the Second State Examination in Law in Munich in 2002.
He joined the Foreign Service in 2003. After his first assignments abroad in Pristina (Kosovo) and London, he worked in the Political Directorate-General of the Federal Foreign Office, the Political Section at the German Embassy in Tel Aviv and then again in the Political Directorate-General of the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin.
In July 2014, he transferred to the Federal Chancellery, where he was responsible for bilateral relations with the countries of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe as well as Central Asia and the South Caucasus (with a focus on Ukraine and the Western Balkans) for seven years, being Head of Division since 2018.
In June 2021, he became Deputy Head of the Political Directorate-General of the Federal Foreign Office as Director for Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus.
He is a recipient of the Order 3rd Class of Ukraine, the Nazir Torekulov Medal of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Non-Article 5 NATO Medal.
He and his wife have three children.
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Daniel Tisch Echevarria
As President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, one of Canada’s largest business advocacy organizations, Daniel Tisch is a leading national voice on business and public policy issues.
Daniel has held senior executive and governance roles in the private, public and non-profit sectors. He is known globally as an expert in corporate communications, public policy, community engagement, crisis and reputation management.
From 2003 to 2023, Daniel was the CEO, majority owner and driving force in building Argyle Communications (now Changemakers) into Canada’s largest management-owned corporate communication, stakeholder engagement and reputation advisory firm. Under his leadership, the firm advised a long list of marquee clients and grew to $40M in revenue, 175 employees and ten North American offices by 2023.
Earlier in his career, Daniel held senior communications roles in the Canadian government, including serving as Senior Policy Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the latter role, he was a member of the Canadian delegation to the G7 Economic Summit.
Daniel has spoken to business audiences on every continent, lectured at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business since 1996, and contributed to leading public relations and marketing textbooks. He appears regularly in print and broadcast media, including weekly commentary on CBC Radio and Global News during the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections. In 2021, Daniel was named one of the world’s “top 100” social media influencers on public relations.
Born in Spain to a Latin American family and raised in Toronto, Daniel speaks English, French and Spanish. He holds two degrees from Queen’s University — a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies and a Master of Business Administration.
Daniel is a certified corporate director, with an ICD.D designation in corporate governance from the University of Toronto. Daniel has served as vice chair of the Queen’s University Board of Trustees, and a board director at private and public organizations including ChangeMakers, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Toronto International Film Festival and CivicAction. He has been involved with Scouts Canada for 25 years, leading a youth group in midtown Toronto.
In 2025, Daniel was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his contributions to his community, the province and the country.
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Mayor Berry Vrbanovic
Mayor Berry Vrbanovic was born in Zagreb, Croatia, and moved to Canada as a young child. Coming from an immigrant family himself, Berry understands the challenges and issues facing the thousands of Canadians who have made Kitchener their new home.
Berry attended St. Jerome's High School, and graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a BA in political science and a diploma in business administration. Prior to entering municipal politics, he worked in our city clerk's office and the information technology division.
Berry's outgoing and personable style contributed to his ability to successfully serve as a city councillor for six consecutive terms of council, from 1994-2014. During that time, he helped bring important community initiatives to life, such as the fire station at Ottawa Street and River Road, the Grand River-Stanley Park branch of the Kitchener Public Library and the Stanley Park Community Centre. He also co-founded the Chicopee Outreach Program (COP), a unique mentoring program linking at-risk youth with police, fire and community mentors.
Berry Vrbanovic was first elected as Mayor of the City of Kitchener in 2014, and was re-elected in 2018 and 2022, with an outpouring of community support. He remains committed to improving the quality of life for residents in Kitchener and throughout the Region of Waterloo.
In addition to serving on all of our regular standing committees, Berry is also an appointee and active participant on many boards and committees, including the Mayor's Advisory Council for Kitchener Seniors (MACKS), Enova Power Corp. board of directors, University of Waterloo board of governors, Wilfrid Laurier University board of governors, Kitchener Housing Inc. board of directors, Centre in the Square board of management, and the Downtown Kitchener BIA board of directors.
As a member of Waterloo regional council, Berry sits on all three regional standing committees, as well as the economic development committee and the King Victoria Transit Hub steering committee.
Berry is also Co-President of United Cities & Local Governments, President Emeritus (2011-12) of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and a past member of FCM's Green Municipal Fund Council.
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Margaux McDonald
Margaux McDonald is a Canadian diplomat with expertise in facilitating strategic business opportunities across North America and Asia. As Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner in Chicago, she leads a team committed to deepening commercial ties between Canada and the United States through trade, investment, and innovative partnerships. Previously, Margaux served as Head of the Afghanistan Task Force, Canada’s Senior Trade Commissioner to Pakistan, and Chief of Staff to Canada’s Chief Trade Commissioner.
Margaux’s experience spans public, private, and not-for-profit sectors: prior to joining the Canadian public service, she was a Director at the Broad Institute, a renowned biotech institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a Presidential Management Fellow at Harvard University. She holds Master’s degrees in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School and in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University.
Margaux is the Chair of board of the Canadian Lung Association, and serves as a
Director on the board of the Trans Canada Trail.
Director on the board of the Trans Canada Trail.
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Ronald (Ron) Denham Ph.D
Founding Chair and Chair Emeritus, WASH Rotary Action Group
(Still fondly known as “WASRAG” by many of its members.)
Ron Denham grew up in Yorkshire, England, where his early education included a B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, and, amongst other things, a lifelong love of cricket. He moved to Canada in the mid-fifties. A subsequent MBA and positions in a variety of diverse organizations led him to a long career in the management consulting
profession. As a Senior Partner and Vice Chair of KPMG Management Consulting, Ron directed the international consulting practice, playing a major role in development projects in Peru, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Senegal, Cuba, and many other countries.
profession. As a Senior Partner and Vice Chair of KPMG Management Consulting, Ron directed the international consulting practice, playing a major role in development projects in Peru, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Senegal, Cuba, and many other countries.
Throughout Ron’s busy career he still found time to be active in the community and in his profession, including Appointment as Professor in the Faculty of Administrative Studies, York University, Toronto; Elected as Trustee of the North York Board of Education, Chairman of the Ontario Region of the Engineering Institute of Canada; and
President of the Institute of Management Consultants of Ontario.
Ron Denham, Chair Emeritus, WASH-RAG, and a passionate Rotarian for over sixty years joined the Welland club in 1957 and moved to the Toronto-Eglinton club in 1964. His many Rotary achievements include President in 1973-74, District Governor of District 7070 in 1993-94. He is a Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation, a member of the Arch Klumph Society, and recipient of the “Service Above Self” Award in recognition of his contribution to Rotary, his vocation and the world community, as well as the “Citation for Meritorious Service” by The Rotary Foundation.
When RI President Glenn Estess Jr. appointed Ron to the position of General Coordinator of the Water Resources Task Force in 2004, he may not have envisaged just how far this would lead. Building on his engineering expertise and strong consulting skills, coupled with his empathy and compassion for the plight of world’s poorest peoples, Ron launched WASRAG – the Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group - in 2007. Originally Chair of the group, Ron is now Chair Emeritus and leads the group’s Professional Resources Team, advising on all aspects of sustainable WASH projects.
Ron has served in many positions in Rotary and is currently a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Major Gifts Adviser for The Rotary Foundation. He is also a member of the
USAID/Rotary Steering Committee overseeing WASH programs in Ghana, Uganda and Madagascar. WASH in Health Care Facilities, an emerging area of desperate need in
the developing world, has become a focus of his recent efforts.
In his “spare” time, Ron is an avid reader, loves to ski and play the occasional game of golf, and keeping track of his three children and eleven grandchildren!
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The 2026 Annual District Conference offers an energizing agenda that’s packed with information and insights. Our goal is to inspire members to find new ways of working together within Rotary, so we can build even stronger communities locally and across the world.