A Deep Focus on Public Safety: Or how not to get distracted from my mission by Millennials, Moo Deng, and Mean Tweets
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen is a nationally recognized leader in criminal justice reform. Mr. Rosen's changes to one of the largest prosecutorial offices in the country include: reducing the jail population, diversion programs for non-violent offenders, expungements for low level drug crimes, prison reform, and promoting the highest ethical prosecution standards. This, all while keeping crime at its lowest rate in decades, by vigorously and successfully prosecuting murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, domestic violence abusers, child molesters, corporate polluters, and those who commit fraud against the elderly.

Mr. Rosen received his undergraduate degree from the University of California in Los Angeles, where he majored in Philosophy and graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He received his law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law, where he served on the Moot Court Board and taught English to immigrants.

Mr. Rosen joined the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office as a prosecutor in 1995. During this time, he successfully prosecuted some of the most complex and high-profile criminal cases including drug trafficking, burglary, rape, child molestation, gang violence, and murder. In his last remaining case before taking Office as District Attorney, he obtained first degree murder convictions and life sentences against the defendants whose murder-for-hire scheme resulted in the slaying of Los Gatos businessman, Mark Achilli.

Since arriving in Santa Clara County, Mr. Rosen has served as president of a large synagogue, taught trial advocacy at Santa Clara University Law School, and trained police officers in report-writing. Mr. Rosen has two daughters with his wife, who serves as a Superior Court Judge for the State of California. He enjoys playing sports, reading, and cheering for the Green Bay Packers.

An admirer of President Harry Truman, DA Rosen believes, "The buck stops here."
 

Remember the story we ran in February about a park-naming opportunity for long-ago member Bill Kee? Great news: “Bill Kee Park” is the name recommended by the SJ Parks Commission and will be voted on by the SJ City Council on Tuesday. 

We heard from his daughter Gerrye Wong, "I am thrilled that the San Jose Rotary is supportive of their once member some 90 years ago who was one of the first, if not THE first Chinese to be invited into the San Jose Rotary. ... I remember how proud he was to be asked, and said his friend historian Clyde Arbuckle was the one who encouraged him to join the city clubs and assimilate into the community which was not accepted that much in the white community at that period of discrimination (1943) and prejudice against all Asians."

Gerrye Wong, co-founder of the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project, provided a pamphlet on her father's history. Contact the office for a copy if interested. 

Per Vice Mayor Pam Foley's office, the park naming (7.1 on the agenda) should be heard around 1:45-2:00 pm on Tuesday, April 28. Leslee will be there and hopes other members can attend. 

President Matt Braker called the 5,519th meeting of the club to order at 12:12, and thanked the Interact/RYLA Committee for handling the greeting line.

 

 

Sponsored by Karyn Sinunu-Towery

I live in Naglee Park, downtown San Jose, and have been there since the earthquake in 1989.  I came to San Jose for law school at Santa Clara University in 1978.  After graduating I worked as a research attorney for the Superior Court and then for three years at the local law of Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel.  At that point the scales fell from mine eyes and I became a deputy district attorney for Santa Clara County for the next 38 years.  I tried over 150 jury trials, including homicides, gang attacks, sexual assaults, drugs, fraud, et cetera, et cetera.  My life was a cheap detective novel.  I retired in 2023 and returned to a love of reading and travel, with a bit of bike riding, gardening and walking my dog Lola.  In the last year I cruised the Rhine river, hiked around Banff in the Canadian Rockies, toured Costa Rica (bedbugs!) and visited NYC.
 

Sponsored by Ron Zraick

I’m a proud parent to two wonderful kids, Theodore, who is five, and Penelope, who is three, who keep life busy, meaningful, and fun. I grew up in Laughlin, Nevada, right along the Colorado River, where community, service, and enjoying life went hand in hand.
I’ve been involved in service organizations in one way or another since 2007, and while this is my first experience with Rotary, its values feel very familiar to me. I try to approach life holistically: work shouldn’t prevent us from serving our communities, service shouldn’t stop us from having fun, and nothing should ever get in the way of spending meaningful time with family. I’m excited to be part of Rotary and to serve alongside people who believe in creating balance while making a positive impact.
 

Sponsored by DeAnna Pursai

Ted Lopez is the Managing Director of Christmas in the Park, San José's beloved 46-year-old holiday tradition. What started as a single decorated tree in 1980 has grown into the largest free outdoor holiday celebration on the West Coast, drawing over 1,000,000 visitors annually and generating $20M+ in economic impact for downtown San José. Ted leads CITP's operations, sponsorship development, and the organization's new Community Investment Campaign — a STEAM education pipeline funding paid internships, scholarships to SJSU, and post-graduation fellowships designed to keep San José's homegrown talent in the community. He is passionate about using one of the city's most iconic traditions as a platform for workforce development and civic investment.