Friday, March 27, 2026 at North Beach Restaurant: Mandara Meyers, Executive Director of the States Project

Mandara Meyers, Executive Director of the States Project https://statesproject.org/about-us/

is our guest speaker this Friday, March 27. Mandara has driven the strategy and expansion of The States Project's electoral and governance work since 2020, positioning TSP as the largest outside funder of state legislative campaigns to advance policy goals including paid family leave, climate action, and education funding. It is not considered nonpartisan, as it funds and works to elect Democratic majorities. Previously, Mandara worked as a government relations attorney, developed hundreds of state and local political leaders, and led a foundation focused on leadership. Swarthmore College and the University of Pennsylvania Law School alumna, Mandara started her career as a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs. Mandara will be introduced by Seminarian Dan Riley.

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RSVP TO ATTEND any upcoming seminar. To assist the kitchen staff with planning for our Friday lunchtime meetings, please notify DENNIS WHEATLEY at dennis@triticum.com NO LATER THAN MID-DAY ON the WEDNESDAY BEFORE EVERY SEMINAR if you plan to attend and indicate if you’ll be bringing a guest. Dennis DOES NOT need to know if you are not attending BUT if Seminarians have made a reservation and subsequently need to cancel, please inform Dennis. Reminder: If members do not make a reservation for lunch with Dennis Wheatley in advance, and if there are too many people at the main table, chair Ryken will ask them to move to the smaller rear table, the so called “kids’ table.”  

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UPCOMING SEMINARS:

Friday, April 3 will see Josh Fryday, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, as Sac Sem’s guest. Josh, a Democrat, is past mayor of the City of Novato and is currently a member of Gov. Newsom’s cabinet as Chair of the Governor’s Office of Community Service and Engagement. https://serve.ca.gov/josh-fryday-bio/  The U.S. Navy veteran will be introduced by Seminarian and past State Assemblymember Dion Aroner. 

On Friday, April 10 U.C. Davis professor and author Ethan Scheiner will be Sac Sem’s guest. https://ps.ucdavis.edu/people/ethan-scheiner Prof. Scheiner will discuss the (often overlooked) connection between politics and sports—both in the U.S. and internationally—since the modern Olympic Games began in 1896. Scheiner is Professor and Co-Chair of the Department of Political Science at U.C. Davis, where he teaches and writes on the intersection of politics and sports. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, Stars and Stripes, Politico, and The Daily Beast. His latest book, Freedom to Win: A Cold War Story of the Courageous Hockey Team That Fought the Soviets for the Soul of Its People—And Olympic Gold, was featured in the Wall Street Journal 2023 Holiday Gift Guide and was a finalist for the 2024 Northern California Book Awards. He’ll be introduced by chair Greg Ryken.

On Friday, April 17 our guest is Micheal Smith, Consul General of the Ireland for the Western United States. https://www.ireland.ie/en/usa/sanfrancisco/about/consul-general/ Micheál is from County Armagh in Northern Ireland. Prior to moving to San Francisco, Micheál was Director of Global Ireland in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) where he led efforts on widening and deepening Ireland's international influence and amplifying Ireland as a place to visit, live, do business, invest, study, innovate and enjoy, as set out in the Government’s Global Ireland 2025. He started his career as an Economic Analyst in the Department of Communications and Energy based in Dublin before taking up a First Secretary role in the Embassy of Ireland in Singapore, with Asia-wide economic responsibilities. Speakers Chair Brian Chase will introduce the CG.

April 24 is tentatively set for a Sac Sem roundtable as is Friday, May 1.

Marc Levine, a past member of the California State Assembly from the Marin-Southern Sonoma 12^th Assembly District will be Sac Sem’s guest on Friday, May 8. Marc is currently Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL). https://www.adl.org/ Central Pacific Region (Northern California, Utah and Hawaii). Fighting the growing threat of antisemitism from both the political far right and far left is ADL’s assignment. He will be introduced by Seminarian Bruce Raful.

Friday, May 15 will see Counsel General of Nepal Lakshuman Khanal, as our guest speaker. Nepal has had a consulate in San Francisco only since July 1, 2025. Brian Chase will have the introductory honors. https://sf.nepalconsulate.gov.np/pages/introduction-1/

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OTHER THOUGHTS: “When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out.” Erma Brombeck