Nancy started by commenting that spouse PE and PP Irwin is having nose surgery and won’t be here to make faces. Nancy’s grandfather told her if your initials spell something it’s good luck—hence, Nancy Ellen Wolfberg, NEW.
So who is Nancy? She has a background in education and grew up in LA. Her dad was a management consultant and a musician. Her mom was an artist. She attended UC Berkeley during the free speech era, then transferred to UC Santa Cruz where she earned a BA in Oriental Studies.
She started out teaching in Watts, while she earned her lifetime teaching credential at night and on the weekends. She taught there for two years and then took the Montessori training and taught in Santa Monica for two years.
She went on to earn her MA in Education at SF State. While working on her MA, she was the Director of a Parent-Education PreSchool for low income parents and children. She did that for 5 years and also taught at Solano Jr. College – Child and Human Development and Creative Arts for Children.
She then landed a job at IBM where she experienced incredible training and exposure to different cultures. She was then offered a job with an ultimate media company start up, composed of IBM and Universal Studios. This was the start of multimedia and AI. She went from there to Sony working with Lucas films and did more AI work. As Nancy worked with The Defense Language Institute in Monterey to simulate reality in different languages and different locations. This was used to train diplomats and spies. On the consumer side, this became the foundation for the Rosetta Stone.
She was then recruited by Wilson Learning to lead the Western half of the United states in the first soft-skills training on multimedia. She spent 10 years there developing expertise in leadership development and training, sales development, customer service, and assessment and selection. She was a strategic account manager for a number of global accounts and coached new hires.
At this point Nancy started her own company, Wolfberg and Associates. She works with clients in 4 main areas: Innovation, Leadership, Disruptive Change and Agility . She thinks one of the biggest challenges in the workforce today is “psychological safety.” Psychological safety has 4 stages – the ability to be yourself, the ability to learn without punishment, the ability to contribute your best and get recognized and the ability to challenge. If a leader is adept at creating this kind of culture, real and sustained innovation can occur. How to make people comfortable and feel safe needs to be part of the hiring process and takes time. Leadership is key and is her passion.
Nancy started her art journey with some guidance from artist Sue Grimm and by studying the masters. It used to take a long to complete a work, now the work goes much faster and her office is now half art studio. She shared some of her artwork with us—oils, watercolors, collage an amazing mask and a dance. Nancy started painting at 60. She feels painting has enabled her right brain to be fully used which has made big picture thinking more immediate. .
Nancy is a world traveler; it’s in her DNA as her parents were as well. She gave a plug for Ginger’s ability to coordinate great travel adventures. She’s been to Italy, Alaska, China, where she taught for awhile, Peru, Europe, Israel, Australia, New Zealand and Africa—so far.
She met Irwin at a jazz club. He asked her to dance. He called the next morning, and they spoke for three hours. They broke up at 6 months, got back together and got married at the Bach. They’ve been married 40 years. Their daughter, Mira, was adopted 36 years ago. Saulie, their grandson, is 11 and the light of Irwin’s life.
Her final question was "How can I contribute to Rotary? " Nancy is experienced in working globally and developing leaders. She has worked in conflict resolution, education and training. She would like to help young people prepare for the future of AI by adopting the “Tomorrow Mind” – having the skills of prospection, resilience, innovation and creativity, social connection and meaning and mattering.
CLUB MEETING, February 8, 2024
Pledge of Allegiance Ralph led the pledge.
Inspirational Thought Mitone recommended watching Blue Zones. It features centenarians and highlights the things that contribute to their longevity. Those things include, among others, community and a sense of purpose.
Guests Liz acknowledged guests Larkin, Dennis and Marla. She also congratulated Rose who was able to drive herself today.
Busy Bee Awards
Member News
Liz, introduced Flat Stanley. He is a very flat doll sent by her from Granddaughter. He is staying with her for a month. Liz will need to report back to her granddaughter (there are forms) on all the adventures he shares while he is in Liz’s care.
John and Larkin got to visit the Candy Store, a former Packard Showroom. It was spectacular, with new and old cars. The Candy Store is not open to the public, it’s owned by a car club. Several people knew Larkin, but John…not so much.
Mitone was happy that Phil headlined at the SF Punchline—many Coastsiders were there.
Announcements
Who Could This Be? Veterinary phlebotomist? It could only be Kevin.
Next Week Judith from coastside Hope will be out speaker.
Feb. 22, we will have a potluck at the library honoring community volunteers.
Marble Game - 
