John Hewko
Rotary International General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer

Rotary’s general secretary and executive team oversee a staff of more than 800, who serve Rotary members from our world headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA, and seven international offices. The general secretary is a member of the Rotary International Board of Directors and The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees. John Hewko has served as Rotary International’s general secretary and chief executive officer since 2011. A charter member of the Rotary Club of Kyiv, Ukraine, Hewko lives out Rotary’s mission, whether inside or outside the office. He’s immunized children against polio in India, represented Rotary at the World Economic Forum, and bicycled 104 miles (167 km) with Rotary members in Arizona, USA, to help raise over $50 million for polio eradication. "It’s an honor to go the extra mile in serving this great organization. I see Rotary as the original social network formed to exchange ideas and resources so we can transform lives. We’re a bold NGO that believed it could end a disease, and we’ve stuck to the cause for over three decades. That thought inspires me every morning.".

 
 
 
 
 
Kenneth C. Howell
Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator, Zone 27
 
Ken is a fourth-generation Idahoan, raised on the family farm in Wilder, Idaho.  Ken attended the College of Idaho, and the University of Idaho College of Law, earning his law degree in 1984. Upon graduation from law school, Ken joined the firm of Hawley Troxell Ennis & Hawley, LLP.  He currently is co-chair of the firm’s banking practice group, and his practice is focused on banking and finance law, real estate law and governmental regulation of the financial services industry. Ken has served on the boards of Idaho Public Television, the Downtown Boise Association, the Arid Club and as a trustee of his alma mater, the College of Idaho.  During his tenure of service on each these boards, Ken served as President or Chairman.  Ken has served as a trustee at the College of Idaho for 20 years.  He has also served as a board member for the Idaho State Board of Veterinary Medicine, the Boise Philharmonic, the Ada County Humane Society and Feed the Gap, Inc. He joined the Rotary Club of Boise (Downtown club) in 2002.  He served as President of his club in 2008.  In 2012, he was honored with the club’s “Rotarian of the Year” award.  From 2011 to 2014, he served as chair of the Annual Program Fund committee for the District.  He has served on the board of directors of the Greater Boise Rotary Foundation, and as its chairman in 2012.  He is an instructor in the District Leadership Academy and is a Bob Gibb fellow in the Greater Boise Rotary Foundation.  Ken is a Major Donor, Paul Harris Fellow, and a member of the Bequest Society and the Paul Harris Society. After service as District 5400 Governor in 2015-2016, Ken has held several Zone-level appointments as GETS/GNTS trainer at Zone Institutes, End Polio Now Zone Coordinator and currently serves as the Zone 27 Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator. Ken is a woodworker, PADI Divemaster, amateur electronics technician and inveterate tinkerer. Ken is married to Bernadine Marconi, and they live in Boise with their large garden, a house in a perpetual state of remodel, and four very fortunate cats.
 
 
Lisa Herring
PDG Rotary District 5840
 
Lisa Herring previously served as the Rotary Public Image Coordinator for Zone 21b and part of 27, which covers all of Texas and Oklahoma. In this role, Lisa was responsible for working with District Governors, Club Presidents, Rotarians and the staff of Rotary International to help promote the image and brand of Rotary throughout the area. Lisa has been a professional in public relations for over 15 years with tremendous experience in institutional rebranding. Lisa’s Rotary journey began as a member of the Interact Club at Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas. Lisa served as president of the Rotary Club of Junction Texas in 2006-2007, a position both her father and husband have also held. Lisa has spent over twelve years serving on the District Youth Exchange Committee, and served as the 2010 Group Study Exchange Team leader between South Texas and Metro Manila, Philippines. As the first woman to lead a Group Study Exchange (GSE) team to Metro Manila, Lisa’s passion for Rotary was reenergized with the intense level of service provided by Filipino Rotarians. Lisa was able to see firsthand how impactful Rotary and the Rotary Foundation can be in the lives of everyone and was told by numerous elected officials that the Philippines and the world needed more Rotarians to help address the ills of the world. Lisa served as District Governor for Rotary District 5840 during the 2012-2013 Rotary Year. Aside from her Rotary career, Lisa is an accomplished facilitator and trainer with over a decade of engagement and involvement leadership within the university educational structure, as well as expertise in fundraising, development of donors and volunteer management. Lisa has served as RI Presidents Representative, Zone 21b-27 Governor’s Nominee Trainer, District 5840 Public Relations Chair, a Rotary Leadership Institute Facilitator, Lone Star Presidents-Elects Seminar Trainer and continues to share her passion for Rotary daily. Lisa and her husband Alan have 3 children: Rebecca, Samuel and Elizabeth. Both Rebecca and Samuel participated in the Rotary Youth Exchange program and the Herring family has hosted over a dozen Youth Exchange students to date. One of Lisa’s greatest passions is helping children with disabilities.
 
Greg E. Podd, C.P.A., P.F.S.
Rotary International Vice President 2015 - 2016
Rotary International Director 2014 – 2016
 
Greg is a C.P.A. (Certified Public Accountant) and a P.F.S. (Personal Financial Specialist) having operated his own practice since June 1979. During his professional tenure, he has written four professional continuing education courses and has been a keynote speaker at five national conferences.  Greg has taught many courses as a guest professor at Arizona State University in the Master of Taxation program and has made presentations to over 20,000 Certified Public Accountants and Chartered Accountants from the United States and foreign countries. He was also the President and owner of a very large metal fabrication firm for the telecommunication industry and an international healthcare software development firm. Greg became a Rotarian in May 1982 and is a member of the Evergreen Rotary Club.  He served a six-year term as a member of the Rotary International Investment Committee and a three-year term as the Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator for Zone 27. He also served a three-year term as a member of the Rotary International Finance Committee and as a Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinator where he chaired the Rotary International Presidential Membership Conference in Phoenix, Arizona – January 2009.  Greg also chaired the Zone 21b & 27 Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico – September 2010. He has also served as a Rotary International Training Leader at the International Assembly in San Diego – January 2010 and 2011 (where Pam and Greg served as the Hospitality Host) and as a Rotary Foundation Future Vision Training Leader – January 2013. Greg and Pam also served as the Assistant Chief Sergeant at Arms at the International Assembly – January 2012.  Greg has also served as a Rotary Foundation Major Gifts Advisor where he established his District’s Million Dollar Dinner raising over $3,100,000 for the Rotary Foundation in one night.  He was the Group Study Exchange Leader to District 3790 – Philippines in February 2006. Greg has served as the President’s Representative for Rotary International for many years and was his District’s representative to the Rotary International Council on Legislation – 2007. Greg is an International Rotary Leadership Institute Vice-Chair of America West and established the “Rocky Mountain Division” and the “Lone Star Division” training seminar for all Rotarians in the western part of the United States. During the Rotary year 2014 – 2015, in addition to his duties as a Rotary International Director, Greg chaired the Rotary Audit Committee, the Rotary Board Council on Legislation Advisory Committee, and the Service Above Self Award Selection Committee. He also served as a member of the Rotary Board Programs Committee, Council and Board Committee and Rotary International District Governor / Director Allocation Committee.  Greg and Pam also served as the Rotary International Director – Elect trainers for the Rotary year ending 2015 and 2016.  During the Rotary year 2015 – 2016, Greg served as the Vice President of Rotary International and a member of the Executive Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Council and Board Committee and the Workgroup to examine Rotary’s current International Convention model.  During the Rotary year 2016 – 2017 he served as a member of the Rotary International Election Review Committee, the Rotary International Board Governance Committee, and the Vice Chair of the Rotary International Operations Review Committee.  In 2017 – 2020 he is serving as the Assistant Moderator and Moderator for the Regional Leader Training Institute and the Vice Chair of the Rotary International Operations Review Committee.  Greg is the recipient of the “Service Above Self Award” and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service Award.  Greg and his wife Pam have been married for 45 years, and have three beautiful children; Kyle (Jessi), Melanie (Matt) and Bryan and four very special grandchildren; Carter, Madison, Payton and Vivian.  All members of the family are Paul Harris Fellows with Greg and Pam being Multi Paul Harris Fellows, Paul Harris Society Members, Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member, Bequest Society Members, and Major Donors.  In addition, Greg and Pam are both Arch C. Klumph Society Members.
 
Peace Scholars Muyatwa Sitali and Jeanette Kroes
 
Muyatwa Sitali is a development policy and advocacy specialist who has worked for UNICEF, World Bank, Oxfam and Jubilee Zambia in multiple sectors and countries including Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, United States and Zambia. Currently he works for UNICEF hosted Secretariat of the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Partnership where he is involved in initiatives for mobilizing and engaging partners in almost 70 countries. Sitali has more than 12 years of experience and is interested in development finance, multi-stakeholder partnerships, peace and development, and the connections between humanitarian and development programming. He has a Master of International Development Policy from Duke University, a graduate certificate in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the University of North Carolina and a Bachelor of Science, Forestry from the Copperbelt University.
 
 
 
Jeanette Kroes is a Senior Criminal Intelligence Analyst for INTERPOL (the International Criminal Police Organization) based in Lyon, France.  She grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota and obtained her Bachelor's Degree from St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) with a triple major in Economics, French and Religion. Thanks to the generous support of Rotary District 5610, Jeanette was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar (University Al Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech, Morocco 2000-2001) and a Rotary Peace Fellow (Political Sciences Institute, Paris, France 2003-2005).  In 2006, Jeanette began working at the Office of the INTERPOL Special Representative to the United Nations (New York, NY) establishing partnerships and programs for crime prevention and criminal justice in areas such as trafficking in human beings, crimes against children, and illicit arms trafficking.  She has been working as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst at INTERPOL's Headquarters in Lyon since 2010 supporting law enforcement authorities across the globe to prevent and combat transnational organized crimes and terrorism by identifying fugitives, criminal networks, and emerging crime trends and threats.