Throughout her career, comedian Stephanie Blum has brought audiences into hysterics with her take-no-prisoners approach to stand up. As a mother of three and former school psychologist, this street-smart Brooklyn native has a strong opinion on just about everything, especially parenting, marriage and her most guilty pleasure, pop-culture.

She inspires audiences with her highly acclaimed one-woman stage show, When I Cough, I Wet Myself and contributes her humorous writing talent to Child Magazine, Parents Magazine, The Hot Moms Club and The Comedy Thesaurus.

Stephanie was crowned New York’s Funniest Female, chosen for HBO’s U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, and recognized by The New York Times as “a woman with a sitcom life” consisting of her mentally ill brother and hypochondriac father. Look for her new book and solo show coming in the Fall.

Stephanie Blum holds a New York State license in School Psychology. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, from the State University of New York at Oneonta and a master’s degree in education and Certification in School Psychology from Brooklyn College.

Stephanie currently lives in L.A. with her husband and three children.

Shirley Grace – Rotary District Governor 2012-13

Shirley is a proud member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Fresno which she joined in March of 2001. Her Clubs projects continue to inspire her passion for hands on service. As such, she travels to Mexico each July with their “Project Nino” team of doctors, nurses, and dentists to provide health care services to over 4,000 children. 

Shirley has also traveled to India four times for various projects.  She has participated in three Polio National Immunization Day’s there and has fostered over 30 Matching and Global Grants with partners in that Country. Shirley served as the leader of her Districts first Vocational Training Team in 2014, training over 1,000 teachers of special needs children. In March of 2014, she also traveled to Zimbabwe to assist in delivery of 550 wheelchairs.  While there she also visited the Matau Primary School, the site of the largest matching grant the prior year, a canteen which now feeds over 1,700 students each day.  She returned in July of 2017 with, yet another mobility project and another 100,000 Global Grant is currently being implemented for the village of Matau Artisan Center, including vocational training and women and community empowerment.

Shirley enjoys serving as a keynote speaker wherever Rotary or other organization’s take her and she served District 5230 as the District Rotary Foundation Chair (2015-18) and was their Council on Legislation Representative in 2016. She has served as a Training Leader at the International Assembly for two years and at Zone 26-27 for many years for Governor Elect Training and Membership. Shirley was Chair of the Zone 25-26 Zone Institute in November of 2017 and Co-Chair the following year.  She is currently serving as Rotary Regional Foundation Coordinator for Zone 26, 2022-2025.

With a commitment to Rotary Grants, she has personally fostered over fifty International, District and Rotary Grants during the past thirteen years resulting it numerous successful local and international projects.

Shirley is a Major Donor Level 2, Paul Harris Society and Bequest Society member and enjoys raising funds for Polio Plus by participating in the Ride to End Polio each November in Tucson. Over the last 8 years she rode 474 miles and raised over $400,000 with her District and was awarded the Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World in 2016-17.  In April of 2018 she was also awarded the Citation for Meritorious Service from The Rotary Foundation.

Born and raised in Fresno California, Shirley Grace attained her Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University Fresno with a degree in Music Performance and a master’s in public administration.  She retired at 50 from the Fresno County Sherriff’s Department where she was the Information Technology Manager.

Shirley and her husband Dick Jackson, have seven children, eighteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren.  They live in Pismo Beach and are enjoying retirement.

Wade Nomura – Rotary District Governor 2011-12

Wade Nomura is tireless in his efforts to support both local and international humanitarian causes, having worked on more than 200 charitable projects and been on 50 international project missions benefiting over 2 million people, including an NID to India, where he has a special passion, having had polio as a child.

Wade is the Regional Organizer of Cadres for North America, past Technical Coordinator for Water Sanitation and Hygiene, and Community and Economic Development in English and Spanish speaking countries, and on the Long-Term planning committee for Cadres.

Wade is the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Rotary Action Group’s (WASHRAG) Operations Chair Elect and Technical Officer. For HANWASH, he is on the Steering Committee and Grants Committee Chair.

Wade has received Rotary International’s highest individual award the Service Above Self award and Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and their highest individual award, the Distinguished Service award.

Wade is a Charter member of the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning, and District Governor in 2011-2012. He is also the Multidistrict PETS Alliance Executive Director, a Rotary Rose Parade Float Director and past 2 times chair, Leadership Training Director, and Rotary International Presidents Representative (10 times).

Wade is the former Mayor and spent 28 years volunteering for the City of Carpinteria, California. In addition to many other local projects, he was the General Coordinator of Tomol Interpretive Play Area, a $1m partnership between his Rotary Club, the community, local, state and federal governments.  In 2011 he was selected as Carpinterian of the Year.

Wade is also the President of the Carpinterian Boys and Girls Club Foundation, Vice Chair of Unite to Light, on the California League of Cities Racial Equity and Diversity Taskforce, the President of the Santa Barbara Junior Golf Tour, and The President of the Santa Barbara Japanese American Citizens league.

A regular keynote and workshop presenter, Wade focuses on topics including building better sustainable projects, leadership, performance improvement, Civil Rights and more. He produces and hosts the TV show Rotary, Serving Our Community (www.WeAreRotary.TV)

Wade was also a multiple BMX National Champion, Hall of Famer and designer of the Nomura Racing bike, an icon among the avid BMX collectors.

Recently Wade coauthored his biography Creating Destiny, with his wife Debbie Nomura, who is also a Rotarian.