greatvalleycenter

2014-07-23T15:11:00.002-07:00

American Leadership Forum – Great Valley Chapter Announces Class V Fellows

Modesto, CA – The Great Valley Chapter of the American Leadership Forum (ALF) today announced the members of their Class V year-long leadership program.

The Class V Fellows include the following:

From Stanislaus County: Wanda Bonnell, California State University, Stanislaus; Tom Bower, Foster Farms; Mathew Francis, Pacific Rim Advisory Group, Fred Just, Kaiser Permanente; Kelly McMurray, The McMurray Group at Morgan Stanley; Mike Moradian Jr., Peace of Mind Pest Control Inc.; Leng Power, Disability Resource Agency for Independent Living; Vicki Trask, Stanislaus County Office of Education.

From San Joaquin County: Glen Barnes, First Baptist Church of Lodi; Shannon Ding, AT&T; Lewis Gale, University of the Pacific; Katherine Nance, Stockton Police Officer’s Association; Matt Weber, Downy Brand LLP; Sothea Ung, Asian Pacific Self-Development and Residential Association; Moses Zapien, Stockton City Council.

From Merced County: Isabel Cabral-Johnson, Hilmar Unified School District; Kyle Hoffman, University of California, Merced; Ric Ortega, Grassland Water and Resource Conservation Districts; See Lee, Hmong Movement Organizing for the Next Generation; Don Ramsey, Feet Changing Lives; Wendy Spencer, Building Young Leaders; Lisa Wegley, Mercy Foundation-Mercy Medical Center.

Each year, 20 to 24 established leaders representing a variety of sectors are nominated from the tri-county region of San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced to participate in the year-long, national-caliber leadership development program. The program consists of intensive monthly seminars on topical issues and participants develop civic engagement initiatives that address actual regional needs. The mission of the program is to build stronger communities by joining and strengthening diverse leaders and by promoting collaborative problem solving within and among the region.

“The Great Valley Chapter of ALF is building a diverse network of community leaders who develop skills, trust and profound relationships to work collaboratively on the many issues facing our region and for many, the year-long ALF Fellows program is a transformational experience,” said Kenni Friedman, ALF Great Valley board chairman. “We’re excited about this next class of Fellows. They come from very diverse backgrounds but share a passion for servant leadership and bettering our communities.”

The Great Valley Chapter of ALF joins 2 other chapters in California – Silicon Valley and Mountain Valley (Sacramento) – and serves the 3-county region of Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin in the Northern San Joaquin Valley of Central California. The fifth class of Fellows began their program in June and will complete in May, 2015. The program is funded through a combination of organizational sponsorships and tuition payments.

About the American Leadership Forum – Great Valley Chapter.

The Great Valley Chapter of the American Leadership Forum (ALF) joins and strengthens established leaders from diverse backgrounds to improve the greater Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Merced County region. ALF’s focus is to improve the social, economic, and political fabric of the Greater Central Valley region through shared commitment to collaborative action by uniting boundary-crossing leaders from a diversity of sectors throughout the central valley region, strengthening their leadership capacity through deepening relationships and transformative experiences. For more information, contact Kathy Halsey, Senior Director, at kathy@greatvalley.org or 209-523-5103 ext. 111.

Valley agribusinesses invited to explore global exporting opportunities

2013-06-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Agribusinesses in the San Joaquin Valley are invited to attend a free seminar to learn how to export to foreign markets. The Exporting in a Global Market seminar will be offered in four locations: Kerman on June 17, Livingston on June 18, Delano on June 20 and Oakdale on June 21. Each seminar will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and lunch will be provided.

Organized by the California Centers for International Trade Development (CITD) at State Center Community College District, these one-day training seminars will cover all aspects of the export cycle. The purpose of the workshops is to enhance the competitive strength of rural California businesses in the metropolitan and international marketplaces, as well as improve the economic condition of the rural communities within specified project areas.

Seminar registrants must be rural agribusinesses that have been in operation for at least one year. They must have an employer identification number (EIN) and have a product to export.

Agribusinesses selling new and used agricultural equipment and technology, irrigation equipment, “green” environmental technology and agricultural food products would benefit from attending the seminar and expanding into the global marketplace. Companies must register in advance however, there is no fee to participate.

The seminar will be led by Dennis Lynch, a 32-year veteran of international trade and a consultant and trainer for the Centers for International Trade Development.

He will explain the benefits of exporting products overseas and how to develop “export readiness” skills in order to succeed in a global marketplace. The seminar will also provide a look at California’s top exports and markets, as well as where to find sources of marketing research to develop knowledge of business practices and opportunities.

Summit planned to help brand and promote San Joaquin Valley for tourism

2013-05-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Great Valley Center is pleased to present the first San Joaquin River Valley Travel and Tourism San Joaquin River Valley Travel and Tourism Economic Summit on Wednesday, May 22, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock.

The one day session, themed “Let’s Build Something Together,” will include a series of speakers and presentations on how the region can come together as a whole to brand and market the San Joaquin Valley and its abundance of resources to capture more visitor spending.

Local government officials, business leaders, and area representatives of the travel and tourism industry are encouraged to attend the Summit. The first 150 registrations are free, and registration after that will be $25. Click here to register online.

The San Joaquin Valley, crisscrossed with rivers, delta waterways, lakes and reservoirs, offers a vast array of outdoor recreational activities, including rafting, fishing, house boating, water skiing, and bird watching. The Valley, often referred to as the “bread basket of the world,” is a leader in agricultural commodities, and the many farming and ag-related operations offer a growing opportunity for agricultural tourism.

Additionally, the Valley offers a plethora of festivals, rodeos, car shows, concerts and other visitor entertainment opportunities.

The Summit program will include a panel discussion on agricultural tourism. There will also be several presentations emphasizing the economic impact of travel and importance of pursuing tourism for regional economic development. Active interaction between event attendees and presenters will be encouraged, with an opportunity at the end of the program for an open discussion on how to move forward.

Summit sponsors to date include Imagen Public Relations, Fresno/Clovis Convention & Visitors Bureau, Condor Earth Technologies, Inc. and Modesto Convention & Visitors Bureau, and additional sponsors are invited!

Click here to download a sponsorship form. Businesses and organizations providing sponsorship support and will be rewarded with visibility on the Summit program and web page.

For more information on sponsorships or the Summit, contact Linda Hoile, Great Valley Center, linda@greatvalley.org or (209) 522-5103.

AgEE program offers energy efficiency resources Merced County farmers

2013-04-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

Agriculture is a huge economic engine for the San Joaquin Valley, with annual gross production values in excess of $25 billion dollars. As with all industries, to be sustainable and remain economically profitable, it is becoming increasingly important for farming operations to find ways to reduce energy consumption, costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The new Agricultural Energy Efficiency (AgEE) Internship Program will provide a strategic energy resource for agricultural operations in Merced County.

The program, which kicked off in April, is offered through a partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the Great Valley Center (GVC).

The goal of the initiative is to provide information and technical assistance to local farmers on energy efficient solutions that may help to reduce energy costs, improve sustainable practices, and build capacity within Central Valley communities.

Five college interns have been hired – four are University of California, Merced students and one is a student from Merced College. The interns are being trained to augment the work being performed by PG&E’s Energy Solutions and Service team. Duties will include building relationships with agricultural customers while matching available resources with each customer's operational needs.

Major objectives of the program include promoting energy efficiency, building local presence, workforce development, and fostering a long term relationship between the utility and its customers.

“In order for energy efficiency and climate action to take shape on a regional scale, a broad cross section of community stakeholders must be involved in crafting solutions to preserve the Central Valley,” said Bryce Dias, the program manager who oversees the AgEE program and GVC’s other energy and climate initiatives.

AgEE is just one of the energy and climate strategies on which GVC is working.

Green Communities, another collaborative effort implemented by PG&E, ICLEI and the GVC, provides GHG emissions inventories for budget-strapped local governments, assisting them to quantify and address GHG emissions. The Great Valley Center will soon be hiring seven additional college interns for a third round of Green Communities this spring. The program, dedicated to providing innovative energy efficiency and climate change solutions for governments and communities, has completed 25 projects to date in the San Joaquin Valley.

These programs are funded by California utility customers and administered by PG&E under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. Click here for more information on GVC's Energy and Climate Initiatives.

Tour offers overview of Central Valley water issues

2013-03-15T14:48:00.002-07:00

Of the many challenges facing the Central Valley, water issues are perhaps the most pressing. Water has helped transform the Valley into one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. However, issues with water supply, water quality, farmland conversion for urban growth, and environmental restoration are creating big challenges that affect the economy and quality of life in the region.

The Water Education Foundation's 2013 Central Valley Water Tour, scheduled for April 17-19, provides a comprehensive overview of these challenges and the efforts to deal with them. This 3-day, 2-night excursion travels the length of the San Joaquin Valley, giving participants a clear understanding of the State Water Project and Central Valley Project.

The field trip offers participants a firsthand look at the water facilities, rivers and regions critical in the debate about the future of water resources. Issues of water supply, water quality, environmental restoration, flood management, groundwater and water conservation are addressed by a wide-range of speakers representing different viewpoints.

Tour stops will include the Kern County Water Bank, the San Joaquin River, Terminus Dam, Mendota Pool, Friant Dam, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge and San Luis Reservoir. Issues of growth, water supply, flood management, groundwater banking, wetlands, salmon restoration and agricultural supply and drainage are discussed on this tour, which begins and ends at the Sacramento International Airport.

The tour is a great opportunity for water policy makers, water board managers and directors, locally elected officials attorneys, consultants, and anyone interested in Central Valley issues.

The tour costs $695 per person for a single occupancy room, $625 if four or more are registering, and $595 each for two people sharing a room. Reservations are on a first-come-first-served basis. The tour is sponsored by the Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region; California Department of Water Resources and Bowles Farming Company.

More information and tour registration is available online.

Green Communities completes successful Round 2 of emissions inventories

2012-12-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

24 Local Governments Served in the Central Valley!
The Great Valley Center has completed Round 2 of the Green Communities program, which to date has assisted 24 local governments in the Central Valley with the development of municipal Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventories. The inventories help governments to assess their “carbon footprint” as a starting point for GHG emission reduction.

Coverage Map: Round 1 is blue, Round 2 is red

The program is funded by California utility customers and administered by PG&E under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. Green Communities provides local governments with the tools to begin reducing GHG emissions in response to statewide policies and recommendations, and provides fiscally strapped governments with the necessary resources to take the first step. A collaborative effort between Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA, and the Great Valley Center, the Green Communities Program provides support to local governments and communities in pursuing their GHG emission reduction goals.

"If it wasn’t for this program we would not have the resources to have completed this project," said Erika Durrer, Senior Planner for the City of Manteca.

Under the program, GVC staff and interns from local universities were sent to local government offices to collect data, calculate the data into emission figures, and report the results back to the local governments. The staff and interns received intense training by ICLEI representatives, who also provided the tools and software critical to the development of these inventories.

The inventories help governments analyze and track GHG emissions, transportation, fuel use and waste production, and identify opportunities to reduce local energy consumption. In addition to revising development patterns, city and county governments can identify ways to reduce GHG emissions from vehicle fleets, landfills, wastewater treatment plants and administrative buildings. As an added benefit, local governments that become more energy efficient tend to reduce operating costs associated with energy consumption.

"We were able to have our 2010 inventory done, which showed improvement,” stated Elisa Moberly, a Management Analyst II with San Joaquin County. “The inventories help us to see what areas need work, especially by department, which will be very helpful as we proceed."

Program Accomplishments

Round 2 of the Green Communities program included participation by 11 cities and three counties, representing a 40% increase in outreach from Round 1. During the extent of Round 2, a total of 671,864 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) were inventoried, a tremendous increase from the 108,747 metric tons of CO2e inventoried in Round 1.

Government staff showed great support throughout the program. For instance, Round 2 employee commute survey responses were obtained from 3,778 current employees, more than 8 times the number of Round 1 employees participating in the survey.

A large portion of the program was performed by university interns who were offered training, tools, and resources to assist local government staff with the development of inventories. Throughout the process, interns were able to build green job skills and experiences, as well as establish professional relationships within local government organizations. Of the 13 interns retained through the entirety of the program, 100% rated the program above average, 92% indicated that their knowledge of GHG emissions had improved as a result of the program, 85% indicated that they expect this experience to help them pursue career goals, and 23% indicated that they obtained a job or promotion as a result of participating in this program.

“Having completed this internship, I continue to use the knowledge I learned in the classroom, and in my daily life,” reports Kyle Joel Sierra, a Round 2 intern from California State University, Bakersfield. “Although this internship is heavily focused on GHG emissions, it will show future employers and graduate programs my interest in the environment and my working knowledge regarding the matter.”

Next Steps

The Great Valley Center is planning to continue working with our partners to present energy efficiency and climate solutions to communities in the Central Valley. While astounding progress has been made over the last two years, there is still much work to be done. The GVC plans on expanding our focus from local government operations alone to working with local governments and community stakeholders to assess and address emissions at a community-wide scale.

The next step is to conduct community emissions inventories. Like the local government operations inventories, these will establish a baseline emissions level for each community. Taken together, the baseline inventories inform the target-setting and strategy stages by providing detailed information on sources and quantities of emissions. The long-term emissions monitoring strategy is simplified in the ICLEI Five Milestone Process model.

With continued support from our partners, Great Valley Center plans to continue offering GHG emissions inventory services in 2013, and to get local governments started on energy action plans, climate action plans and other projects to help communities take the next crucial steps in addressing emissions: setting targets and selecting strategies for reduction.

To get involved, contact your local government or visit the Green Community program's “How to Get Involved” page.

Great Valley Center hires new President/CEO

2012-11-29T09:38:00.001-08:00

Great Valley Centeris pleased to announce that at the conclusion of an exhaustive search, it has selected Dr. Benjamin T. Duran as its new President and Chief Executive Officer.

“We look forward to the outstanding leadership experience in the Central Valley Ben Duran brings to the Great Valley Center organization,” said Kathy McKim, GVC board chair and AT&T’s Vice President of External Affairs. ”We’re confident he will have tremendous impact on the region.”

Although Duran, a lifetime valley resident, officially begins his new position January 1, 2013, he has already begun meeting with GVC staff and helping the organization settle into its new offices in Modesto.

“The chance to lead the Great Valley Center came at the perfect time in my life," Duran said. He served as Superintendent/President of Merced Community College District from January 1998 until retiring in December 2011. "This new position gives me the opportunity to continue to serve communities in the Valley and to help create the next generation of leaders here in the Valley."

Duran says he was drawn to the position because of the work the Great Valley Center has done in the past and the quality of the team. “We look forward to joining Valley communities and local policy makers to bring positive change to our region,” he added.

Duran will lead the GVC at a pivotal time in the organization’s tenure. Going forward, the GVC has refined its mission to better focus its leadership programs on the needs of the Central Valley’s Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties.

Duran earned a BA degree from California State University, Stanislaus, an MA degree from Chapman University and a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California. He spent 40 years as an educator in Merced County, first as a high school teacher in Le Grand, before becoming vice principal of Le Grand High School from 1976 to 1980 and then assistant director of the county’s migrant education program. He returned to Le Grand in 1983 as superintendent of schools, a position he held until 1991 when he became vice president for administrative services at Merced College.

During his career at Merced College, he chaired the Community College League of California’s 2010 Commission on the Future, and served as president of both the California Community Colleges (CCC) Chief Executive Officers Board of Directors and the CCC Economic and Workforce Development Program Advisory Committee.

His community involvement has included serving on the Greater Merced High Speed Rail Committee, Merced County Regional Arts Council, Mercy Medical Center Board of Directors, Merced School Employees Federal Credit Union Board of Directors, UC Merced Foundation Board of Directors, CSU Stanislaus Community Advisory Board, GVC Board of Directors, and the Center for Public Policy Studies.

Forum set to explore crucial role of education in the San Joaquin Valley

2012-10-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

What is happening currently within the education community of the San Joaquin Valley? What are the challenges and opportunities? What does the future of higher education look like and how does it play a pivotal role in the Valley and in California?

An interactive forum on education and how it will shape the future of the San Joaquin Valley and the state as a whole will be held on Thursday, November 8. Topics will cover a broad range including life-long learning and professional development; the current state of K-12 education, and the future of and access to higher education.

The event is sponsored by California Watch (a project of the Center of Investigative Reporting); University of California, Merced; Campaign for College Opportunity; Merced Sun Star, and Merced College. All the conversations are open to the community and public engagement is encouraged.

The first panel discussions will be held 2 – 4:30 p.m. and will cover the state of K-12 education; developing pathways to sustainable futures and the role education plays in economic development in the San Joaquin Valley. These conversations will be held at Merced College’s Business Resource Business Center, 3600 M Street in Merced.

The second part of this event will begin with a reception held 5 – 6 p.m. at UC Merced’s California Room, 5200 Lake Road in Merced. The reception will be followed by two panel discussions held 6 – 7:30 p.m., beginning with a conversation on the return on investment for education in California and key findings from the report “California’s Economic Payoff: Investing in College Access & Completion.”

A second panel will follow with a discussion on the dynamics facing colleges in California and how UC Merced and other colleges in the San Joaquin Valley provide an opportunity to continue to invest in education as a key driver for the state.

Speakers will include Hans Johnson, a senior fellow and Bren policy fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, Phil Bronstein, executive chair of the board of the Center for Investigative Reporting, and Kim H. Tran, policy director for the Campaign for College Opportunity.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the changing face of education and how it is a deciding factor in our Valley’s future. To register to attend click here. More details, including maps and parking information, will follow your confirmation of attendance. Questions may directed to Kristin Crawford at kcrawford@cironline.org.

Blueprint Planners’ Toolkit to be discussed at next Valley Futures Forum

2012-10-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

The next Valley Futures Forum will focus on the San Joaquin Valley Blueprint Planners’ Toolkit, an online resource developed specifically to address strategic planning for long-range growth of Valley cities and counties. The Forum will be held on Thursday, October 18, 5 – 6:30 p.m. in Forum 102 on the East Campus of Modesto Junior College. The Forum is free and open to the public.

The Toolkit was developed several years ago as part of the implementation of the San Joaquin Valley Blueprint Planning Process. The Toolkit provides a comprehensive resource for Valley planners, community members, and decision-makers, and it includes tools to address planning challenges, and facilitate change by incorporating Blueprint principles and concepts into local plans, policies, ordinances, and processes. Used over time, the tools can promote patterns of growth and development that preserve open space and farmland, maintain resources for future generations, enhance distinct communities, and provide more travel choices.

The presenter will be Ted Holzem, Senior Project Manager with Mintier Harnish, who served as the principal design and content manager for the Planners’ Toolkit and is the current Toolkit administrator. Ted will provide guidance on how to use the Toolkit’s collective ideas, resources and planning tools and instigate change in community planning.

Ted has been a planner in both the public and private sectors since 2001. He specializes in land use planning, public policy, planning law, public outreach and meeting facilitation, and management of multi-disciplinary consulting teams. He has managed many types of planning projects, such as regional plans, general plans, specific plans, climate action plans, and municipal services reviews.

Ted has worked with a diverse array of clients, from rural agricultural counties and small rural communities to large urban cities. A native of Tulare County, he has focused on planning projects throughout the San Joaquin Valley for over a decade. Ted is also a specialist in climate change and sustainability policy, which he has addressed in planning documents and as a panelist at local, state, and national conferences.

You are invited to attend this informative presentation on October 18!

Connecting Californians for Reform summit offered at the Great Valley Center via Skype

2012-09-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

The American Leadership Forum and Reviving California invite you to the 4th Annual Community Summit - Connecting Californians for Reform. Join regional leaders, community members, students, journalist and elected officials across the state on Friday, October 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in on of seven locations statewide that are hosting the Summit simultaneously via Skype.

In Modesto, participants will gather in the Community Room at the Great Valley Center, 201 Needham Street, to hear topic experts discuss specific ballot measures and how their outcomes will affect democracy in California. Presentations will be followed by interactive small group dialogues with the opportunity to share highlights between venues. Dejeune Shelton, Senior Fellow with the Great Valley Chapter of the American Leadership Forum, will moderate the Modesto session.
“This is the second year we’ve incorporated Skype technology to connect disparate regions around the state,” said Anu Natarajan, Program Director for Reviving California. “Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype in the past year has enabled us to not only harness Skype technology, but also Microsoft’s evolving technology platforms for civic engagement.”

Featured Summit presenters include:

Betty Yee, Board member, California Board of Equalization
Joe Mathews, Contributing Writer, LA Times; Editor, Zócalo Public Square; Senior Fellow, New American Foundation; Co-author, California Crackup: How Reform Broke the Golden State and How We Can Fix It
Yolie Flores, President & CEO, Communities for Teaching Excellence & former board member of the Los Angeles Unified School District
Mike Genest, Chairman, Capitol Matrix Consulting & former Director,
California Department of Finance
Bob Brownstein, Policy Director, Working Partnerships USA & ALF Senior Fellow
Michele Siqueiros, Executive Director, Campaign for College Opportunity

The Summit is free and open to the public. Although there is no charge, space is limited, so participants must pre-register. To register for the Modesto location, contact Linda Hoile at the Great Valley Center, 209-522-5103 ext. 140 or email linda@greatvalley.org. Check-in is at 8:30 a.m. and the program starts promptly at 9 a.m.

This year’s event features a social media sharing section in which the public is encouraged to use the Twitter hashtag #CALReform to Tweet questions and comments prior to the Summit. Day-of participants will be asked to do the same, in addition to sharing photos and highlights via twitter.com/revivingca and facebook.com/revivingca. For more information go to www.alfsv.org

Reviving California is a project of the Common Good Collaborative, powered by American Leadership Forum – Silicon Valley. Since 2008, Reviving California has played an active role in the state’s fiscal and governance reform efforts by focusing on educating and engaging the diverse population of Silicon Valley. The goal is to replace political rhetoric with authentic conversations, move beyond the blame game, reward integrity in the political process and create the conditions for individuals, networks and communities to engage in democracy. For more information, visit www.alfsv.org/revivingca

Summit Partners include the three American Leadership Forum chapters - Silicon Valley, Mountain Valley (Sacramento region) and Great Valley (Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties); Coro Center for Civic Leadership-San Francisco and University of San Francisco; Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good; Inland Empire Economic Partnership; San Diego Foundation and UC San Diego, and Southern California Leadership Network.

ALF’s “Hillside Garden Party” fundraiser set for October 6

2012-08-28T11:27:00.001-07:00

The American Leadership Forum – Great Valley Chapter invites you to the 2012 Hillside Garden Party – an evening of captivating conversation, wonderful wines and brews, and delectable delights by Greens Catering. The fundraiser will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 6, and individual tickets are on sale for $75. It will be held at the same venue as last year’s party, in a beautiful, countryside garden setting in Modesto.

The focus of this year’s event is to raise scholarship funds for leaders of non-profits and smaller organizations who do not have the means to participate in ALF without financial support. Scholarship funds raised last year are currently supporting several participants in the ALF-Great Valley Chapter’s Class III, which began this year-long transformational leadership development program in June.

Multi-level sponsorship opportunities are also available, from $500 for a “Supporting” sponsorship” which includes admission of ten guests, up to a “Uniting” sponsorship for $10,000 that includes admission for 20 guests.

Purchase your tickets or sponsorship today and help us unite and strengthen our valley’s leaders to address our region’s challenges and serve the public good.

Click here to download information on sponsorships and purchasing tickets. For more information contact Kathy Halsey at kathy@greatvalley.org or (209) 522-5103, ext. 109.

Class III begins transformational leadership development journey

2012-08-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

The challenges facing the San Joaquin Valley are daunting. We struggle with high rates of unemployment, housing foreclosures, obesity and asthma, as well as low average household income and low educational attainment levels. The rapid population expansion of the last decade has placed increasing pressures on transportation, air quality and water resources. We must address these challenges and many others to effect a positive outcome for our communities.

Solving these complex problems, however, is further complicated by diverse ways of thinking and approaches to dealing with issues. Our culture, how and where we are raised, and our life experiences all effect how we think and solve problems. Unfortunately, these differences many times get in the way of collaborative problem solving. The need for inclusive, effective and cooperative leadership between government, business, education and non-profit community leaders has never been greater.

To address these needs the Great Valley Center joined with community leaders in 2008 to begin the American Leadership Forum (ALF) Great Valley Chapter, understanding that ALF recognizes, respects and embraces these differences and uses them to promote collaborative problem solving within and among communities.

The chapter seeks to build a diverse network of leaders in San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced Counties who are equipped and motivated to address our area’s pressing issues.

Over the course of a year, ALF Fellows come together for an intense, national-caliber training on how to solve problems and work together to tackle challenges facing our communities and region. Most participants say it is life-changing and the single best program for developing and refining their leadership skills.

A key factor in class selection is representation from a broad spectrum of organizations, backgrounds and cultures – involving a cross section of leaders who might not ordinarily interact. This builds understanding and valuing of diversity and creates bridges of relationship and trust within the network of leadership.

How does our region benefit?

Led by ALF national facilitators Kevin McCarthy and Kristen Jacobsen, the 22 leaders selected as Fellows for Class III began their year-long, leadership development journey in June. During their training they will establish relationships built on trust and cooperation; be armed with new skills in dialogue, systems thinking and community leadership for taking on complex issues; learn to appreciate diverse views, and identify resources to turn dialogue into action.

The ALF program strives to motivate “servant leaders” to a lifetime of active public engagement and to become catalysts for positive community change. In addition to their leadership positions on the job, the Senior Fellows serve as board members and as volunteers in a variety of community organizations – spreading their new insights and skills out to their communities.

The transformation that Fellows report taking place within them during the program eventually translates in to transformational change for our region.

Great Valley Center and UC Merced release new environmental indicators report

2012-07-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

Report reveals some progress in the Central Valley, though many environmental challenges remain

The Central Valley environment is getting healthier, but not fast enough. Its air quality is still among the worst in the nation, according to a report released today.

The Great Valley Center and the Sierra Nevada Research Institute at the University of California, Merced, jointly produced "The State ofthe Great CentralValley: Assessing the Region Via Indicators – The Environment2006-2011.” The report tracks a variety of environmental indicators within the Central Valley and shows mixed results.

The good news is there has been a reduction in the level of a number of key air quality indicators, a recharge of watersheds to near normal levels, a slowing in the loss of prime agricultural land to urbanization and an increased restoration of wetland habitats.

The Central Valley's depressed economy has dramatically slowed the use of prime land for new homes and commercial space. It has also given local and regional governments time to prepare and begin using blueprints to improve urban housing density and transportation choices.

However, the Central Valley has many red flags when it comes to the environment.

The number of days ozone levels were above state and federal air quality standards has increased overall since 2005, and almost all counties in the region are not meeting the one-hour and eight-hour air quality standards for many days each year. The percentage of the Valley’s population at risk for respiratory problems because of poor air quality outpaces other California regions.

The level of nitrates in drinking water has increased because farmers are using nitrogen-based fertilizers and planting nitrogen-fixing cover crops. Poor soil drainage has caused damage to fragile ecosystems. A great deal of energy is being used to move waste materials to landfills, presenting an opportunity for more recycling. Many counties have not reduced their waste production or energy consumption. In some cases, the numbers have increased beyond the proportional rise in population.

Gathering the data for this year’s report was challenging because of state and local budget cuts that limited the collection of information and the monitoring of air, water, species diversity, habitat conservation and resource management. Among the five recommendations for future action: Increase data gathering and improve sharing information, and support renewable energy sources for sustainable growth.

The report tracks environmental indicators as they relate to carbon monoxide, ozone and particulate matter; water quality and levels in our watersheds; pesticide use, soil drainage and land use; species of concern, fish, birds and wetland habitats; and waste production and energy consumption. The data sets, which underlie and correlate with many of the other assessments of regional well-being, are grouped in sections describing air, water, land use, species and habitat, and resources and energy.

Included in the report are profiles of half a dozen successful efforts to conserve and build capacity for the future.

“We included stories of environmental best practices to show that there are organizations and individuals working hard to make a positive impact in our Valley,” Great Valley Center Executive Director Dejeuné Shelton said. “Some of these successful programs could serve as models for similar environmental initiatives in other areas of our Valley.”

A highlight of the report is a public policy essay by UC Merced engineering Professor Roger Bales, director of the Sierra Nevada Research Institute, on the need for a sustainable water supply to meet the growing needs of the expanding Central Valley population with the additional stresses of climate change.

"The State of the Great Central Valley: The Environment (Third Edition)" is part of an ongoing regional initiative of the Great Valley Center (GVC) to track conditions in one of California’s fastest growing regions: the 19-county Great Central Valley. The data presented in the report were gathered by the Sierra Nevada Research Institute, and present a snapshot of information providing tools for measuring the community well-being of the Valley. This third edition revisits indicators introduced by the GVC in 2001 and revised in 2005, and includes several new ones. Past reports can be viewed on the GVC'sIndicators Report Series website.

“No More Silence” child abuse prevention video debuts in Merced

2012-07-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

If your child suffers sexual abuse, it is more likely than not that someone your family knows has committed the abuse. A new DVD “No More Silence,” produced by the Great Valley Center in partnership with Merced County Office of Education/Early Care and Education Department, addresses important facts that parents and guardians should know to help protect children from abuse.

The English version of the video is posted to the Great Valley Center website and the Spanish version will be uploaded in the coming weeks.

Local child care providers were the first to view the video on June 5 during a session of the Early Care and Education Training Institute in Merced. GVC secured funding to produce the video as part of a year-long child abuse prevention program funded by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families. GVC also hopes to provide training in some migrant education classrooms in Merced County this summer as part of the program.

“People want to believe that if they keep their kids away from ‘strangers’ that they will not suffer sexual abuse but the sobering fact is that is not true,” said Jami Westervelt, Senior Director of Programs and Operations at Great Valley Center. “It is important that parents know that and that there are resources for help.”

In addition to facts and abuse resources, the video also features vignettes showing parents what actual conversations with children might look like around the sensitive subject. Parents of older children have the option to replay the vignettes and view them with their children as they feel appropriate.

Great Valley Center produced Spanish and English versions of the video, using both female and male actors to portray parents and children. The actors in the example conversations also represent a variety of ethnic backgrounds to enable families to relate to those portrayed in the video.

In planning the collaborative project, GVC met with local agencies including MCOE, Merced County Human Services Agency and Valley Crisis Center to develop program content and all provided video development assistance. The partnership with MCOE was vital to the video, with the staff contributing heavily to the production, including MCOE Caring Kids Program Manager/Behavior Support Specialist Monica Adrian who led script development and narrated the video. The MCOE Merced Educational Television program (METV) produced the video.

Green Communities intern hired as a program coordinator

2012-06-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

Caldean “Dean” Biscocho is proof that an internship can help you land a job. Selected as an intern for the Green Communities program in November, he has been gathering and analyzing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) data for the City of Tracy over the past five months. In June, Dean was hired by Great Valley Center as a full time program coordinator within the Green Communities program.

He now assists interns and local governments in collecting and analyzing GHG data, preparing final reports for agencies. These reports provide a carbon emission baseline for local governments, helping in their efforts to reduce emissions and improving energy efficiency.

Dean graduated from University of California, Davis in 2011 with a degree in Civil Engineering and a minor in Construction Management. He worked as an undergraduate research assistant for the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies, focusing on California environmental policy. He was deeply involved in the campus civil engineering community, becoming club president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) UC Davis Branch.

“As president of ASCE, I oversaw the administrative responsibilities of the club. This helped me develop as a professional,” reports Dean. “We were responsible for the project competitions for our civil engineering students, with the top two regional teams advancing to the national competition. It was an exceptional experience.”

Dean also served as an intern for the Development and Engineering Services Department of the City of Tracy, where he learned about the Green Communities program sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Company. After he expressed an interest, PG&E connected him with the Great Valley Center, where he was eventually selected as an intern.

Dean intends to work further into the civil and environmental engineering arenas, hoping to obtain a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering.

“The people who work in the environmental sciences and engineering community have a worldly mindset that I aspire to,” Dean explains. “I enjoy the learning involved with reanalyzing how we live as Californians and Americans. The Great Valley Center radiates the mentality of giving back to the community in a sustainable way. This provides motivation for people like me, who grew up here, to stay here and contribute to the valley.”

Dean speaks Tagalog and visits family in the Philippines. He also has roots in the Central Valley, and currently resides with his family in Tracy. Part of a musical family, Dean plays piano and dabbles in music composition.

When asked what advice he would give to college or graduate students considering an internship experience, Dean responds, “Go for it, but take it as seriously as possible. It will only be as rewarding as you make it.”

The Great Valley Center welcomes Caldean “Dean” Biscocho to the staff team!

Park leaders learn to guide strategic change at National Parks Institute

2012-05-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

The third National Parks Institute, a 12-day seminar organized collaboratively by University of California, Merced, National Parks Service (NPS) and Great Valley Center, came to a successful conclusion on April 28. The NPI seminar, which migrated from Fort Baker in Marin County to UC Merced and wound up in Yosemite National Park, brought together 27 leaders in park and protected area management, including 16 from around the U.S. and 11 from countries around the world.

Under the theme of “Leading Strategic Change”, participants tackled topics ranging from the affects of climate change on national parks to exploring how to build value to the park visit experience in order to compete for scarce resources.

Thomas Lovejoy, Professor of Biology at George Mason University and chief biodiversity advisor to the President of World Bank, spoke to the group during a public plenary lecture at UC Merced. Lovejoy pointed out, "We have twice as much biologically active nitrogen in the world today than is natural, and the consequences are many dead zones in our oceans."

The NPI class also heard presentations from Stanford University Professor of Management and author Charles O'Reilly; Keshav Varma, Program Director for World Bank's Global Tiger Initiative; UC Merced Professor of Technology Management Erik Rolland, and dozens of other experts from the NPS, universities, and community and partnership organizations. They also heard from past seminar participants who were inspired by their NPI experience to instigate new park programs and initiatives. To view a video of some of this year's speakers click here.

Each class member brought an “individual challenge case” to discuss with their colleagues, and during the seminar they worked on action plans to address their challenges. Watch brief videos of some of the participants as they discuss challenges they are currently facing in their parks and why they wanted to attend NPI: Tom Leatherman, Sula Jacobs, Stan Austin, and Judy Forte.

NPI’s third class left with fresh strategic planning and leadership skills and examples of successful partnerships and programs from parks around the country and the other side of the globe. Class members also gained a broader understanding of some of the complex issues faced by their colleagues, and established a network of new contacts.

Steve Thede, Deputy Superintendent of Badlands National Park, said of his experience, "The NPI helps the NPS (and part of the international community) move forward in our thinking, understanding and capacity, with the promise of much more in the future. Without opportunities such as this, we won't take the time, nor have the benefit of the expertise of those who shared with us, to see how what we do fits into the bigger picture...and how we can take more strategic and effective actions."

Read more about the 2012 National Parks Institute through UC Merced or NPS Digest.

CPUC increases size and scope of broadband deployment grant program

2012-03-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently enhanced the size and scope of the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF), increasing available grant and loan funds from $100 million to $225 million to build broadband infrastructure throughout the state. This implementation of Senate Bill 1040 adds $100 million to the CASF Broadband Infrastructure Grant Account and $15 million to the CASF Broadband Infrastructure Revolving Loan Account. CPUC’s decision also increases the maximum size of a CASF grant award from 40 percent matching to 70 percent matching of project costs for unserved areas and 60 percent for underserved areas.

CASF is funded by a surcharge paid by end-users and collected by the telecommunications providers in California. The goal of CASF is to bring high-speed broadband Internet service to unserved and underserved communities in California to spur job creation, economic growth, and social benefits.

The CASF program aligns with the goals of the San Joaquin Valley Regional Broadband Consortium (SJVRBC) by providing opportunities to ensure that all consumers in the state have access to the Internet. SJVRBC may be able to provide support and resources to providers applying in the San Joaquin Valley. For more information, contact Christine Nutting at cnutting@csufresno.edu.

The application deadlines for the CASF Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program and the Revolving Loan Program are May 15, 2012, for unserved areas, and September 11, 2012, for underserved areas not previously funded by the CASF and hybrid projects that cover both unserved and underserved areas. The Revolving Loan Program will provide supplemental financing for provider projects also applying for CASF grant funding. Click here for an online copy of the CPUC decision.

California Connects program in Marysville featured in news article

2012-02-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

Parents learning how to monitor their children’s school progress and homework assignments online; people finding access to websites with useful health and weight loss information – these are just some of the 47 community members who are benefitting from their recent completion of the California Connects basic Internet training in Marysville.

CA Connects trainer Alejandra Beltran and the Sutter County Library, a program partner providing computers and class space, offer training in Spanish and Punjabi. They recently held a graduation ceremony for some of the students completing the training, which was featured in a recent article in the Marysville Appeal Democrat. Click here to read the article and see photos!

California Connects continues to expand – adding trainers and partnerships

The Great Valley Center recently hired bilingual community trainers in Tulare, Merced, Stanislaus, Placer Mariposa. A list of current trainers is available on the GVC website along with information on available trainer openings. Training will take place in 18 counties designated in the CA Connects grant through June 2013.

CA Connects, a digital literacy program targeted at increasing Internet use among low income and Spanish speaking adults, works through partnerships with local training sites. Four new partners recently signed on to assist. Hamilton Elementary School in San Joaquin County began hosting classes on February 14, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Prusso Child Development Center in Merced County starts classes March 5, 1:30 to 4:30 pm.

New Stanislaus County training locations include Hughson Family Resource Center and Ceres Unified School District - Project YES, with training schedules yet to be determined for both sites. GVC welcomes additional partnerships with community agencies, educational institutions and governmental organizations in all 18 counties served by the grant. For more information on CA Connects or community partnerships contact Program Manager Desiree Holden at desiree@greatvalley.org or (209) 522-5103 x136.

San Joaquin Valley Regional Broadband Consortium receives funding approval

2011-12-01T13:32:00.001-08:00

The San Joaquin Valley Regional Broadband Consortium (SJVRBC) has received final approval for funding from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). After CPUC finished its initial review of the 15 regional consortia grant applications filed in August, seven consortia, including the SJVRBC, not only met the grant qualifications but earned the highest scores. The full commission voted to approve a formal funding resolution on December 1, 2011.

The SJVRBC is under the umbrella of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley and is being administered by the Office of Community and Economic Development at Fresno State, with assistance from the Great Valley Center. The SJVRBC will be working diligently during the next three years to focus on accelerating the deployment, accessibility, and adoption of broadband within the eight counties of the San Joaquin Valley.

The SJVRBC requested California Advanced Services Fund consortia funding of $150,000 in Year 1 with an intention to renew for the same amount in Years 2 and 3. The San Joaquin Valley Regional Broadband Consortium represents Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare Counties.

SJVRBC's goals are:

Expedite the provision of broadband access in all areas of the San Joaquin Valley;
Promote accessibility and adoption of broadband in targeted underserved communities and populations (e.g., develop and implement a plan to ensure high school students graduate with basic computer literacy skills);
Expand and replicate successful model programs to increase broadband access and bridge the digital divide;
Accelerate deployment of broadband infrastructure through Telemedicine and Telehealth technology (e.g., develop and implement a plan to connect health clinics with medical centers); and
Work with neighboring regional consortia to ensure the development of cohesive infrastructure.

The SJVRBC is represented by members of the public-private sectors including telecommunications providers and industry associations; government, economic development corporations, and business development centers; local educational agencies and institutions of higher education; health delivery organizations, community-based and nonprofit organizations; and accessibility advocates. The consortium membership brings years of experience in a variety of areas that will enhance the ability of the SJVRBC to meet its goals. Namely, that have successfully increased utilization by residents through digital literacy programs, pursued funding for deployment, built upon existing infrastructure for Telemedicine/Telehealth, and expanded digital literacy programming.

The Consortium will convene in December to discuss next steps, goals of the work groups, and develop a meeting schedule for the next year.

For additional information on the SJVRBC, contact Christine Nutting, Associate Director for the Office of Community and Economic Development, California State University, Fresno, at (559) 294-2230 or cnutting@csufresno.edu.

GVC is seeking bilingual trainers for Merced and Stanislaus Counties

2011-11-22T12:34:00.001-08:00

The Great Valley Center is seeking bilingual applicants for two California Connects community trainer positions which have just opened up. A trainer is needed for Merced County, as well as an additional trainer for Stanislaus County.

These are full time positions that pay $15 per hour and applicants must be able to speak and write fluently in both Spanish and English. Trainers provide free Internet classes targeted at area residents who are not currently connected online and Spanish is the primary language for many of these community members.

Trainers positions are still available in several other counties covered by the program grant. A California Connects community trainer job description is available on GVC's website.

California Connects' hands-on trainings cover basic use of Internet search engines, email, Facebook and broadband access. The training helps participants understand how they can use the Internet as a valuable tool to search for a job, get health information, learn English, apply for college, or connect to friends and family. The goal of the three-year, federally funded California Connects program is to provide Internet understanding and broadband access to over 61,000 California residents.

The Vida en el Valle newspaper featured the California Connects training being conducted in Riverbank on the front page of the November 16th Modesto edition, with the article appearing on their website in both Spanish and English as well. The Riverbank News also covered these training opportunities in October.

The success of the classes in Stanislaus County has been made possible though a partnership with CASA Del Rio Family Resource Center and Riverbank Unified School District. Stanislaus County community trainer Jose Urzua, pictured here with participants Maria Uristu (L) and Dora Fierro (R), has completed several classes with more scheduled in December and January.

Additional information on California Connects is available online or email Desiree Cervantes Holden, Program Manager.

Green Communities program concludes successful first round

2011-11-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

The Great Valley Center’s Green Communities program, a collaborative effort with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability USA, has completed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories for ten local governments in Stanislaus and Merced Counties. During the first round of the program, Great Valley Center (GVC) staff and interns were trained and sent to local governments to essentially measure the “carbon footprint” of each government. Results were delivered individually to the participating local governments as a starting-point for reducing GHG emissions in future operations.

Green Communities is funded by California utility customers and administered by PG&E under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. The program is intended to provide support to local governments and communities in pursuing their energy efficiency and GHG emission reduction goals. It is clear that many local governments find it difficult or impossible to achieve such goals alone.

Donna Kenney, Community Development Director at the City of Livingston stated, "As the only Planner employed by the City of Livingston, I had neither the training nor the time to conduct a local government operations (LGO) greenhouse gas emissions inventory for the city."

The Green Communities program provided the City of Livingston with the tools, training, and resources necessary to complete the inventory, as well as GVC staff and intern support to limit impacts on city staff-time.

"The experience was painless and cost-free and I would recommend it to all cities in the Central Valley," Donna Kenney concluded.

The nine local governments from Stanislaus County that partnered with the GVC during this first round of the Green Communities program have since obtained funding through Proposition 84 to continue with GHG emission reduction efforts at a regional level. Proposition 84, also known as the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006, authorizes over $5 billion in general obligation bonds to fund a variety of environmental and infrastructure improvements in California, including a Sustainable Communities and Climate Change Reduction element.

Government partners sought for second round of Green Communities

Of course, with the successful close of this round of the program, GVC is now actively looking for other local governments to assist over the next several months. You can expect to see us working in the following Central Valley regions in the near-future: San Joaquin County area, Merced County area, and west Kern County area.

To learn more about the Green Communities program accomplishments or how to get involved
please contact Bryce Dias, Program Associate, at bryce@greatvalley.org.

California Connects offers community trainer job opportunities!

2011-10-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

The Great Valley Center is seeking full time, bilingual trainers for the California Connects program. A community trainer is needed for each of the following counties:

Amador
Colusa
El Dorado
Mariposa
Nevada
Placer
San Joaquin
Tulare
Yuba

Please help us spread the word on these job openings!

The full time positions are paid $15 per hour. Applicants must be able to write and speak fluently in Spanish. Specifically targeting the Spanish-speaking community, trainers provide hands-on training on how to use the Internet. This can dramatically impact the lives of those they train, opening their eyes to the world of learning and services available through use of the Internet. This free training can help members of the community learn to search for a job, get health information, apply for college, or connect to friends and family.

To view a job announcement click here.

For more information on the CA Connects program and community partnership opportunities visit www.greatvalley.org/caconnects or www.caconnects.org.

The Great Valley Center looks forward to bringing you additional news on California Connects in the near future!

California Connects is underway!

2011-10-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

The implementation of California Connects is well underway. California Connects is a program to increase Internet use for California residents not yet connected. The goal of this three-year program is to provide internet understanding and broadband access to over 61,000 California residents!

The program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration for Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and administered by the Foundation for California Community Colleges in partnership with the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office.

The Great Valley Center is responsible for the implementation of community trainers on the ground in 18 counties: Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Nevada, Placer, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tulare, Tuolumne and Yuba.

We are accomplishing this through hiring, preparing and equipping each for success. These trainers work in their designated county, showing residents how to use the Internet and set up an email account. They explain broadband and where to find public access computers.

Additional community partnerships are still available!

The success of this program is dependent upon leveraging existing resources in the Valley and establishing mutually beneficial partnerships. We are seeking community agencies, educational institutions and governmental organizations to partner with in this initiative. Partnership may consist of providing a location with computers for holding trainings, helping us reach targeted audiences or publicizing the digital literacy training opportunities. For more information on community partnerships contact Desiree Holden, at (209) 522-5103, ext. 136 or desiree@greatvalley.org

For more information visit www.caconnects.org and www.greatvalley.org/caconnects

The Great Valley Center looks forward to bringing you additional news on California Connects in the near future!

Video: UC Merced's National Parks Institute Executive Leadership Seminar - 2011

2011-05-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

Twenty seven executives in park and protected area management from around the world convened in April 2011 for the second National Parks Institute, a 12-day intensive seminar on leadership, innovation, and organizational renewal.

View a video created by UC Merced about the 2011 National Parks Institute.

The National Parks Institute was created by University of California, Merced, with help from the Great Valley Center the National Park Service.

Video: CA Connects Launch, March 23, 2011

2011-04-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

The official launch of California Connects was held March 23, 2011 at American River College. The launch also streamed live online and was viewed by community partners in the Central Valley and California community college Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program students throughout the state.

Watch the Video

California Connects is a three-year program that will increase digital literacy and broadband access in underserved communities throughout the state by deploying community college Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program students and representatives from the Great Valley Center to teach members of the community how to access and navigate the Internet for educational, health, and economic purposes. Funded by a $10.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), California Connects is administered by the Foundation for California Community Colleges.

For more information visit www.caconnects.org