A nationally known artist and farmer, Paul Buxman’s approach to painting the San Joaquin Valley and discovering sustainable farming methods is sure to influence and inspire.

Climate change, land use, renewable energy, transmission, green building, and biofuels are policy areas of interest to the California Energy Commission.

Panama is an advisor for Karen Douglas, the Chairman at the CA Energy Commission where he advises her on climate change, land use, renewable energy, transmission, green building, and biofuels policy. He serves on the City of Sacramento’s Planning Commission and the County of Sacramento’s Environmental Commission. He is a board member on and Vice-President of the Northern California Chapter of the United States Green Building Council and the Humboldt Bay Center for Sustainable Living. He previously worked for the California Conservation Corps on vocational environmental education and the Division of the State Architect where he ran the Sustainable Schools program. He is a graduate of Humboldt State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Restorative Development and a Masters of Science in Community Development from UC Davis.

Genoveva Islas-Hooker, is the Regional Program Coordinator for the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program (CCROPP). CCROPP addresses environmental and policy level factors that contribute to the escalating incidence of obesity in the central California counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare.

Genoveva’s experience in public health spans over 18 years in both public and private sectors. As a Health Educator, she has worked in the arenas of HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention as well as Diabetes Prevention and Control. In addition she has taught at the Junior College level and lectured within the CSU system. In the Health Care arena, she has worked in Medical Managed Care system and supervised Cultural and Linguistic Services.

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Sam Pierstorff is a poet, professor, husband, and dad. He runs a poetry slam in Modesto, SLaM on RyE, and a prominent literary small press, Quercas Review Press. He's the former Poet Laureate of Modesto (2004-2008) and co-organizer of The Ill List, a poetry slam invitational.

Businesswoman and author, Lynda Resnick will share the story of how she took the unfamiliar pomegranate and created the popular and trendy POM Wonderful health drinks at the Great Valley Center’s annual conference May 6-7.

In today’s global economy, Central Valley agriculture is facing higher levels of competition from overseas markets. With her marketing savvy, Resnick successfully elevated San Joaquin Valley pomegranates from a seasonal fruit to a novel line of juices and teas, demonstrating the innovation needed to keep Central Valley agriculture at the industry’s leading edge.

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Reading and Beyond started with 30 children and a few volunteers 10 years ago now serves more than 600 students a day.

Luis Santana has a Masters degree in Social Work and extensive experience in administration, community organizing, counseling, outreach and recruitment, and professional development. He has worked as a missionary coordinating street outreach and mental health counseling efforts in South America.

In 1999, Luis joined a group of concerned citizens and established this organization and became its first Executive Director; a position he still occupying. Under his leadership Reading and Beyond was established and has flourished becoming a major force for Building Foundations for Children and Families.

Luis has served as Chairman of the Fresno County Local Childcare Planning Council, member of the Voluntary Preschool Master Plan for Fresno County, he has served as a Board member for the United Way of Fresno County, representing the nonprofit sector, served on the Preschool Leadership Council of the League of Women Voters of Fresno, is a founding member of the Central Valley Latino Rotary Club and former member of the East Fresno Kiwanis Club.

An entrepreneur in rural America, Diane Smith gives compelling insight into subjects ranging from emerging technologies and rural connectivity to venture funding.

Diane Smith is a co-founder and CEO of Auroras Entertainment, an IPTV and advanced media services company. From 2005 to 2007, Smith led Auroras’ evolution from concept to start-up through a merger to become Avail Media, Inc. The company now has more than 50 employees and significant funding from top tier venture capital firms. Smith continues her leadership as Avail Media’s President for Strategy and Business Affairs. From 1988 to 2002, Smith was a senior executive with ALLTEL Corporation. During that time, she managed teams of public policy specialists to maximize the company’s opportunity for success in the rapidly changing local exchange and wireless industries. In 1994, she co-founded the Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance, an organization that successfully advocated for independent telephone company interests in the years culminating with the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Earliler, Smith was at Sprint from 1983 to 1988 representing the start-up long distance company before state and federal agencies and legislative bodies, in the first years of emerging long distance competition. She is a member of the State Bars of Montana and Virginia. Smith lives in Whitefish, Montana with her husband David and 13-year-old daughter Ally.

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