Category: Speaker Announcements (Page 23 of 27)

Wednesday, January 31, 2018 

After a break of three years, Les de Villiers, Ph.D., will speak to us again. Dubbed the “Sultan of Safaris,” South African-born Dr. de Villiers is a former diplomat, wildlife expert and photographer. He immigrated to the United States in the late ‘80s and founded a consulting firm before moving into publishing and arranging upscale African safaris. Apart from several books on wildlife, he has authored more than a dozen books on African politics and economics. Last time, Dr. de Villiers’ talk was entitled “Gorillas in Our Midst”; this time, he will be speaking about “Animal Behavior.” After years of safari experience and with the help of stills and videos, Dr. de Villiers takes a look at natural animal behavior in the wild and asks the question: “Are we smart enough to know how smart animals are?” You will be fascinated and surprised at what he found by following lions, leopards, elephants, hyenas and a host of other creatures in Africa’s safari country. His conclusion: “If only humans could behave like animals, it would be a better world.”

Arranged by Sunil Saksena

 
Video: https://youtu.be/Y6EreRCgo5A

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Joseph Feuerstein, M.D., director of Integrative Medicine at Stamford Hospital and assistant professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia University, will talk about his book, Dr. Joe’s Man Diet. “This lifestyle and eating plan are proved to help men get their cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure under control, lose weight and regain their health without medication,” says Dr. Feurerstein. The diet has been used more than 15,000 times in the last decade at the Stamford Hospital Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness. In clinical studies, patients lost 15-20 pounds, lowered cholesterol by 20%, and reduced blood sugar and blood pressure in 10 weeks without cutting carbs or eliminating fat. The book offers a medication-free lifestyle makeover, explains common blood tests and hormone readings, and details exactly what to eat and when. It also provides 50 recipes. Dr. Feuerstein has worked as a physician at Greenwich Hospital and the Boyd Center for Integrated Medicine. He received B.S. and M.D. degrees in pharmacology from Kings College of London and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Cambridge. Dr. Feuerstein is a New England School of Homeopathy licensed homeopathic. He also received certification in clinical hypnosis from the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis and certification in integrative medical acupuncture from SUNY Downstate Medical Center. He served in the Israeli Navy as a combat physician in the Submarine Corps and in the Special Operations Command.

Arranged by John Wolcott

Provides a lifestyle makeover and meal plan tailored to help men lose fifteen pounds in twelve weeks, and includes recipes for such dishes as huevos rancheros, ancho pork and pinto bean stew, barbecue chicken coleslaw, sangria salmon, and devilish eggs

Video: https://youtu.be/GY2aI5NN89U

Margaret Gaffney Benedict, Ph.D., executive director of the Matthew Gaffney Foundation, will discuss her work helping high school and university-level students who are economically disadvantaged obtain an empowering college education. Most students are the first member of their family to attend college. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Benedict’s foundation has helped more than 100 students gain acceptance to top schools on the eastern seaboard. Many receive scholarships covering 75% -100% of their education. Students pay no fee for the Gaffney services. Her talk will include stories of students who now enjoy happy and productive lives. Dr. Benedict is a professional educator, with a doctorate in 16th century English literature from Lehigh University. She has been published in multiple professional journals and has presented her work at international educational symposiums. She is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association and the National Association for College Admissions Counseling.
Arranged by Tom Haack

Video: https://youtu.be/wY8I-LVZWGQ

Artist Alison Nicholls will talk about Africa’s painted dogs, one of the world’s most endangered predators. “They are an ancient and highly social species not closely related to any other living canid,” says Alison. “Relentlessly persecuted for decades – even within reserves and national parks – the dogs now are one of the most treasured sightings for tourists on safari, yet they remain highly endangered,” she says. Alison will explain how the dogs got their intriguing name; how they care for sick or injured packmates; where they live and why they are endangered; and how her painted dog artwork raises awareness of the species, as well as funds for their conservation. An artist inspired by Africa, she lived in Botswana and Zimbabwe for several years and periodically returns to sketch in the bush. She also works with African conservation organizations and leads art safaris for Africa Geographic. Alison is a signature member of Artists for Conservation and the Society of Animal Artists and is a member of the Explorers Club and the Salmagundi Club. To see her art and learn more, visit her website at www.artinspiredbyafrica.com.

Arranged by Tom Lom

Video of her talk:
https://youtu.be/NOLx1SOE1QM
Alison’s paintings will be on exhibit:

Here are some of the great conservation groups Alison works with:
African People & Wildlife (Tanzania): https://africanpeoplewildlife.org/
Painted Dog Research Trust (Zimbabwe): http://www.painteddogresearch.org/
Painted Dog Conservation (Zimbabwe): http://www.painteddog.org/
Cheetah Conservation Fund (Namibia): https://cheetah.org/
Cheetah Conservation Botswana (Botswana): http://www.cheetahconservationbotswana.org/

Mark Albertson, historical research editor at Army Aviation magazine, will talk about “NATO Then and Now.”

Video of his talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP2nNhHalFY

Jon Zagrodzky will talk about the upcoming 2018-2019 budget process, focusing on possible scenarios and the effects of state-level budget challenges on Darien’s finances. He will also comment on broader governance issues, both for Darien and the state of Connecticut. There will be as much levity and irreverence as a discussion of these topics permits. Jon is chairman of the Darien Board of Finance, an elected seven-member board responsible for the town’s $140 million annual budget; he has been in office as a board member since 2008. He also serves as a member of Darien’s Town and Police Pension boards and the Public Works Garage Building Committee. He was president of the Darien Historical Society from 2011 to 2015. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Forman School, a Litchfield (Conn.) high school that specializes in children with learning differences. Jon is chief operating officer for Rhône Group LLC, which he joined in April 2017. Rhône is a middle-market private equity firm with offices in New York and London. He is responsible for finance, operations, human resources, administration, information technology and business planning. Prior to joining Rhône, Jon served as chief administrative officer at Oak Hill Capital Partners, and, prior to that, he was an associate principal and later director of financial planning and analysis at McKinsey & Company. Jon earned a B.A. degree in economics and Romance languages from Washington & Lee University and an M.B.A. degree from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Arranged by John Wolcott

Video of his talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXygTzD2AfE

Dave Pressler, Connecticut photographer, artist and designer, shares a dynamic presentation, “Australia, All Over – Down Under,” documented during his adventures on that continent. Recorded through his visual awareness are Australia’s dramatic land and water forms, wildlife, unique botanicals, ancient aboriginal rock art, creative architecture and some humorous items from contemporary culture. His core message is “learning to look in order to see,” encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to become visually conscious of the world around them. So bring an open mind … and don’t forget to come with your eyes wide open. Dave holds a degree in industrial design from Rhode Island School of Design, where he studied with the famed photographer Harry Callahan. Dave has exhibited widely in Fairfield and Westchester counties and judged numerous photography competitions, including the Westport Y’s Men’s Senior Center’s Annual Photography Expo. He is a member of the Connecticut Association of Photographers, as well as a former board member of the Norwalk Camera Club. He is currently vice president of ART/PLACE Gallery in Fairfield; founder and
member of the Curatorial Committee of Fairfield Public Library’s Bruce S. Kershner Gallery; guild member and former trustee of the Silvermine Arts Center in New Canaan; and artist member of the Center for Contemporary Printmaking and the Westport Arts Center. Dave is also a board member and host of the Connecticut Symphonic Winds ensemble performances at Roger Ludlowe Middle School. He has been involved with the American Museum of Natural History in New York City; the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago; and the Hudson River Museum in Westchester County, N.Y. His professional career has been in corporate identity and branding, product and package design, advertising and exhibition design.
Arranged by Andre Guilbert

Video of his talk: https://youtu.be/l7cjqbdMWag

Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Claudia Connor will talk about the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI), the populations it serves and programs it delivers: refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and services for survivors of human trafficking and torture. Claudia will also address the impact national-level changes in refugee admissions and immigration policy have on CIRI’s clients. She is president and CEO of CIRI, formerly known as the International Institute of Connecticut). She has close to 30 years of program management, advocacy, and legal and strategic leadership experience in the nonprofit sector in the United States, Africa and Southeast Asia. Prior to joining CIRI in 2015, Claudia worked at Save the Children on the Strategic Foundation Partnerships team. Previously, she worked at the International Rescue Committee as a senior technical advisor in the Governance & Rights Unit, regional director in U.S. Programs supervising refugee resettlement offices across the country, and director of National Refugee Resettlement Programs. Overseas, Claudia was a consultant with UNICEF, the Carter Center, Save the Children UK and Population Services International, among other agencies, working on issues such as child trafficking, child soldiers, women’s rights, juvenile justice and the impact of HIV/AIDS. Before moving overseas in 1998, Claudia was a senior trial attorney for the Legal Aid Society in New York. She has a B.A. in history from the University of North Carolina and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Claudia lives in Norwalk with her husband and three sons.
Arranged by John Wolcott
Wednesday, December

Video: https://youtu.be/Hao2aSmb7Gg

Don McGran will talk about personal cybersecurity, identity theft, scams and frauds, as well as personal crime prevention and safety. The presentation is based on what is presently occurring in the greater Darien area. His law enforcement career, coupled with private bank security experience, enables him to provide audiences with the most timely and current information possible. Don has presented more than 100 times to groups of various ages, income brackets and walks of life throughout Fairfield County. He is a 30-year-veteran of the Ridgefield Police Department, retiring in 2011 as a major. Don is a graduate of Western Connecticut State University with a bachelor of science in justice and law administration and has completed graduate studies at Western Connecticut State University, the University of New Haven and the University of Virginia. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 189 and has been employed as security advisor for Fairfield County Bank for the past six years.
Arranged by Sunil Saksena

Video: https://youtu.be/nTUtTR_f_pE

A video of another talk on security by Don McGran

https://vimeo.com/277808551

Tips mentioned in the talk:

Use fraud resistant pens for writing checks.

Don’t put sensitive mail in outside mailboxes.

Detailed instructions: How to freeze and thaw your credit
with each agency
EQUIFAX CREDIT FREEZE
 Credit freezes may be done online or by certified mail – return receipt requested.
 Check your state’s listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a
reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
 Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the
attachments you must include.
 If your PIN is late arriving, call 1-888- 298-0045. They will ask you for some ID and
arrange for your PIN to be sent to you in 4-7 days.
 Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your Equifax credit freeze by snail mail, online or by
calling 1-800- 685-1111 (N.Y. residents dial 1-800- 349-9960).
 Info on freezing a child’s credit with Equifax can be found here.
 If requesting a freeze by mail, use the following address:
o Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA. 30348

EXPERIAN CREDIT FREEZE
 Credit freezes may be done online; by certified mail – return receipt requested; or by
calling 1-888- EXPERIAN (1-888- 397-3742). When calling, press 2 then follow prompts
for security freeze.
 Check your state’s listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a
reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
 Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the
attachments you must include.
 You can also freeze a child’s credit report. The information contained at this link is
applicable for all three credit bureaus. You must first write a letter to each bureau to learn
if your minor child has a credit report and if so, then you can proceed to freeze it.
 Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your Experian credit freeze online or by calling 1-
888-397- 3742.
 Info on freezing a child’s credit with Experian can be found here.
 If requesting a freeze by mail, use the following address:
o Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX. 75013

TRANSUNION CREDIT FREEZE
 Credit freezes may be done online, by phone (1-888- 909-8872) or by certified mail –
return receipt requested.

 Check your state’s listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a
reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
 Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the
attachments you must include.
 Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your TransUnion credit freeze online or by calling 1-
888-909- 8872.
 Info on freezing a child’s credit with TransUnion can be found here.
 If requesting a freeze by mail, use the following address:
o TransUnion LLC
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
o

INNOVIS CREDIT FREEZE
Innovis Credit Freeze Options

 You can request a Security Freeze or manage an existing Security Freeze:
 Online: Submit the Security Freeze Request Online form. (Innovis.com)
 Phone:
 1-800- 540-2505
 Mail: Complete the Security Freeze Request by Mail form.
 Walk in: 875 Greentree Road, 8 Parkway Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15220

PERSONAL SECURITY TOOLS
1) HIYA APP- BLOCKS SCAMMERS CALL
2) TRUECALLER APP- FREE CALLER ID/BLOCKS SPAM CALLS
3) HACKED? APP- WINDOWS 10- DETECTS IF YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS
BEEN BREACHED.
4) Dmachoice.org- stops junk mail
5) www.optoutprescreen.com – 888-5OPT- OUT removes you from the list
provided to credit card companies and insurance companies for
unsolicited offers
6) mywot.com- internet safe search tool
7) mcafeesiteadvisor.com- internet safe search tool
8) nomorobo.com- stops robo calls.
9) Charitynavigator.com- research legitimate charities
10) Informeddelivery.usps.com – email of mail you receive each day

 Don McGran
 Security Advisor
 Fairfield County Bank
 94 Danbury Rd.
 PO Box 2050
 Ridgefield, Ct. 06877-0950
 203 431-7348
 FAX 203 438-5406
 CELL 203 648-6726
 donald.mcgran@fairfieldcountybank.com

Art Gottlieb

Art Gottlieb will continue his discussion of the Korean situation, speaking of the rising tension today between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). These two countries have reached the highest level of military and political brinkmanship since the negotiated ceasefire of the Korean War some 65 years ago. With Kim Jong un, North Korea’s leader intent on developing a nuclear arsenal capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, the Trump administration has initiated a dramatic policy change in this region, demonstrating that the decades-old approach of “strategic patience” has ended. Art will explore recent developments between these adversarial nations, as well as the other governments directly and indirectly involved: China, Iran, South Korea and Japan.
Arranged by Tom Lom

Video: https://youtu.be/IvO-MDTuSWA

Art Gottlieb

Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Art Gottlieb will talk about the Korean War. Initially described as a “police action” in reaction to North Korea’s invasion of South Korea on June 25, 1950, the Korean War was an undeclared military action, the first authorized by the United Nations. Often referred to as the “Forgotten War,” this still unresolved conflict saw Seoul change hands no less than four times before the signing of a contentious armistice on July 27, 1953. Art served as a professional curator of naval history and technical director of exhibits at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City. He has worked with veterans of all services creating exhibits accurately and illustrating the history of 20th-century warfare. He has helped recover scores of artifacts from warships slated for demolition. He coordinates with all branches of the armed services to preserve historic ships, aircraft and armor from around the world. Art also serves as a counselor and certified senior advisor in Norwalk. He uses his professional talents to address the needs of aging veterans and their families and offers pro bono counseling services to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. He served as an auxiliary officer of the United States Coast Guard for 17 years and, for four years, was commander of Flotilla 7-w, 1st District (Southern Region), Sector Long Island Sound North.
Arranged by Tom Lom

Video:https://youtu.be/4puvjwV5dKo

Rick Delfosse will talk about the “Norwalk Islands: Their Formation, History, Secrets, Stories and Navigation.” From the Ice Age and the formation of Long Island Sound by the retreating glaciers, the Indians and early settlers to the oyster industry, hotels, bordellos and Prohibition speakeasies, the islands represent a rich history. The islands played an integral part in the development of Norwalk and the local region. Public islands, private sanctuaries and posh retreats all are right off the Norwalk coastline. Come and discover their history, along with navigation and anchorages, tips and tricks around the 25+ islands. Rick is the business manager at Rex Marine & Norwalk Cove Marina and is a Coast Guard captain. He also is a National Safe Boating Council close quarters and open water boat handling instructor, Connecticut and New York certified safe boating instructor, and a U.S. Sailing certified instructor. He conducts on-the-water courses and classroom seminars on coastal cruising and boating skills. The owner of a 43-foot pilot house cutter and an AquaSport powerboat, he has extensive cruising and one-design coastal and offshore racing experience.
Arranged by Sunil Saksena

Video: https://youtu.be/56lIssHteTg