This year’s Teacher of the Year is Kristen Portalea. With a passion for mathematics and a 14-year commitment to teaching and inspiring students, Ms. Portalea has made an incredible impact here at Rockville High School. She has worked with all variety of students and works especially hard to support students with IEPs and our Emergent Multilingual students.

Her nominator summed up her dedication wonderfully, “Kristen goes above and beyond in helping her students learn math and find a place to belong. She is incredibly creative and resourceful when reaching even the most reluctant learner. When students were worried about highlighting the wrong thing in their notes, Kristen got them erasable highlighters. When students were struggling to keep different formulas straight, she color coded the formulas and created a laminated note sheet for them. Every student feels welcome in her class and she helps any student who needs it, even if they aren’t her current student.

She’s always keeping the class active and fun, whether that means having hot chocolate as they practice equations or fun coloring sheet that cover the concepts.”

Lasse V. Syversen is a seasoned business leader and entrepreneur with a background in executive roles at General Electric, Olivetti, Honeywell Bull, and Dell. He is the owner of Ritmarine Ltd, Bloksberg Inc, and Flagship Trade Net, focusing on trade technology and strategic consulting.

A graduate of INSEAD with a Master’s in Change Management, Lasse is known for leading business transformations and currently serves on 10 corporate boards. His career blends corporate expertise with entrepreneurial drive, making him a respected voice in strategy and innovation.

Glen Fields is the Founder & CEO of BDA and Head of Operations at BrandStar, leading a 50+ person team and specializing in ad buying, analytics, and marketing strategy. With a background in government contracting and over a decade in digital marketing leadership, Glen combines precision and creativity to deliver high-impact results across industries.

A University of Maryland alum and proud Terp, he’s also a devoted family man, competitive athlete, and motorsports enthusiast.

Jake Matysek, President of the Potomac-Bethesda Rotary Club and a financial advisor, specializes in strategies that maximize charitable impact while optimizing tax benefits. In his upcoming talk, he will share practical insights on how Rotarians can give more effectively, enhancing their philanthropic efforts and support for meaningful causes.

Michael Lukpetris is a seasoned training and organizational development leader with over 30 years of experience in nonprofit and government sectors. With a servant-leader approach, he specializes in workforce engagement, communication, and crisis and change management. He has delivered impactful training for the American Red Cross, GSA, and the U.S. Army, and has led leadership development programs across sectors.

Michael holds multiple certifications, including ICF Associate Coach (ACC), Trauma-Informed Professional Coach, and Energy Leadership Master Practitioner. He’s a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and holds degrees in Social Work, Program Management, and Business Analysis. Originally from San Diego, he now lives in Gaithersburg, MD with his wife and daughter.

This week at the NBRC meeting, we’re excited to hear from Melissa Richards, who joined Rotary Club of North Bethesda in 2004, as she delivers her classification talk. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about Melissa’s professional journey in the education field.

Bring your coffee or breakfast and join us via Zoom this morning for our Club Assembly!

We’ll get updates on Charter Night, the Professional Service Award, and other important club business. See you there!

We’re excited to welcome Malaika Wande, our RYLA 2025 student, to share her incredible experience at the RYLA Awards Camp. She’ll talk about connecting with inspiring peers and mentors, her group’s $1,000 top prize win, and their plans to support their chosen partnership.

Malaika will also share photos from the event and discuss what’s next for RYLA participants. Don’t miss her inspiring story at our next Rotary meeting!

This week at the NBRC meeting, we’re excited to hear from Kent Mason, one of our charter members, as he delivers his classification talk. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about Kent’s professional journey and contributions to our club!

This morning’s meeting will be Zoom-only.

The President will share insights on Club life, including upcoming events and initiatives. Plus, Nick will deliver an engaging 3-minute talk—you won’t want to miss it!

We look forward to seeing you online and staying connected.