Speakers
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▶Colleen Adair Fliedner · Author & Historian
Schedule time to be announced
Colleen Adair Fliedner · Author & Historian
Schedule time to be announced
Award-winning author and historian Colleen Adair Fliedner explores the history and legends of Griffith Park and Griffith J. Griffith as described in her book “Fascinating True Tales from Old California.” Griffith tried to murder his wife, went to prison, and afterward left property to the City of Los Angeles — envisioning a park for the “plain man,” an observatory on Mount Hollywood, and a Greek-style outdoor theater. Who was Griffith — philanthropist, visionary, or something else? Colleen unpacks the history and the name that still defines the park.
▶Dave Lehman · JPL Project Manager
Schedule time to be announced
Dave Lehman · JPL Project Manager
Schedule time to be announced
Dave Lehman worked at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for 40 years as a Technical Manager for the Mars Pathfinder Attitude and Information Management Subsystem. He was also Project Manager for Deep Space One, the lunar explorer Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL), and the Mars Odyssey mission. Dave traces humanity’s journey to the Red Planet — from Mariner 4’s pioneering flyby through today’s orbiters and rovers — and how these missions shape our understanding of Mars.
▶Dave Lopez · KCBS Channel 2 News ReporterKeynote
6:45 pm · Marina Ballroom A
Dave Lopez · KCBS Channel 2 News ReporterKeynote
6:45 pm · Marina Ballroom A
Dave Lopez covered every major story in L.A. and Orange County for 48 years on KCBS Channel 2, including William Bonin, the Freeway Killer, who confessed to him in jail, the O.J. Simpson murder trial, and the L.A. riots. He is the author of It’s a Great Life If You Don’t Weaken: Family, Faith and 48 Years on Television.
▶Jerry Rishe · Immigration (INS) Attorney
Schedule time to be announced
Jerry Rishe · Immigration (INS) Attorney
Schedule time to be announced
Jerry Rishe worked as an attorney in the private sector, capping his career as a trial attorney for Immigration and Naturalization Services. A true polymath, in retirement Jerry lectures on many subjects across the county. He talks about questionable cures and the bold, often dangerous world of self-experimentation — from electric belts and radium cures to miracle tonics — and what it teaches us about science, ethics, and risk.
▶Richard Lederer · Author, linguist, and speaker on the English language
Schedule time to be announced
Richard Lederer · Author, linguist, and speaker on the English language
Schedule time to be announced
Born in 1938, Richard Lederer is an American linguist, author, speaker, and teacher hailed as one of the nation's most prolific and popular commentators on the English language. The youngest of five children, he grew up in West Philadelphia, graduated from Haverford College, and earned an MA from Harvard and a PhD from the University of New Hampshire. A self-described "verbivore," he has written more than 60 books, including his best-selling Anguished English series, and co-founded NPR's "A Way With Words." Nicknamed "Attila the Pun" and "Conan the Grammarian," he was named International Punster of the Year in 1989. At StaRGazing 2027, in a program titled The Lighter Side of American History, he will share bloopers, puns, and presidential stinkers, illuminating the great American adventure.
▶Sally Westlake · Targeted Outreach Specialist in the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Schedule time to be announced
Sally Westlake · Targeted Outreach Specialist in the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Schedule time to be announced
Sally Westlake is a Targeted Outreach Specialist with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), the state regulator that protects consumers and oversees state-licensed financial institutions including banks, credit unions, debt collectors, nonbank mortgage lenders, student loan servicers, and money transmitters. As part of the DFPI's Targeted Outreach Team, she promotes financial literacy and helps students, older adults, veterans, and underserved communities understand their rights and avoid fraud. Her specialties include scam and fraud prevention, consumer financial education, investor education, financial elder abuse awareness, and Korean-language events. At StaRGazing 2027, she will present "Protect Yourself from Fraud," sharing how to spot the latest tricks scammers use—from phishing emails to fake investment opportunities—and offering key red flags and simple, practical steps to help attendees stay safe in today's digital world.
More speakers are being confirmed — check back soon. Want to present at StaRGazing 2027? Contact Jana.