Category: Past Speakers

Raine Bedsole
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Title: Inspiration for the New Federal Courthouse Art
In this week’s program, New Orleans-based artist, Raine Bedsole, will discuss public art in the context of the artworks created for the newly constructed Mobile Federal Courthouse. Stemming from her childhood in Mobile, nautical imagery and nature inspires her work, and her new sculpture, “Justitia”, named after the Roman goddess of law and order expresses the maritime nature of Mobile.
Born in Mobile, Alabama, Raine Bedsole is the daughter of Rotarians Ann Bedsole Holmes and the late Palmer Bedsole. She spent much of her childhood in coastal south Alabama and at her family’s farm on the Alabama River. These early experiences inspired a lifelong interest in nature’s forms and textures and continue to influence themes in her art. She received a Bachelor of Fine Art from Auburn University and a Masters of Fine Art from the San Francisco Art Institute, and moved to New Orleans twenty-eight years ago. Recent recognition includes feature footage of her work in the final two Twilight movies and grants for public art from the Joan Mitchell Foundation and the Jefferson Parish Public Art Initiative. Raine’s work is included in the collections of the New Orleans Museum of Art and the South Carolina Museum of Art, as well as many other public and private collections both nationally and internationally. She is represented by Callan Contemporary in New Orleans.

Rotary Club of Mobile
Program for November 29, 2018: Tom McGehee: “A Forgotten Statesman: John McDuffie, Jr.”
John McDuffie, Jr. (1883-1950) was a Monroe County native who served as a state legislator, congressman, and ultimately federal judge. Upon his election to congress in 1919 McDuffie was never defeated in a public election despite constant attacks by the owner of the Mobile Register, Frederick Ingate Thompson. He served as Minority Whip from 1929 until 1931 and was an outspoken critic of the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. In 1935 he resigned his congressional seat to accept the federal judgeship in Mobile where he would serve until his untimely death in 1950.
Tom McGehee has served as the Museum Director for Bellingrath Gardens and Home since January of 1994 and has been a member of the Rotary Club of Mobile since 2000. He has researched both Mobile and Monroe County history for three decades and is a great nephew of John McDuffie, Jr. He is married to Monroeville native Ceil Smith McGehee and has one daughter, Megan, who currently resides in Athens, Greece.

Rodney P. Rocconi, M.D.
Associate Director for Clinical Research
Professor and Chief, USA-MCI Division of Gynecologic Oncology
Dr. Rodney P. Rocconi currently serves as Professor & Chief of Gynecologic Oncology and as Associate Director for Clinical Research at the University of South Alabama Mitchell Cancer Institute. Dr. Rocconi completed his undergraduate education at the University of Mississippi at Oxford and received his medical training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has been a practicing gynecologic oncologist in Mobile since 2007 and has a productive research career credited with over 130 presentations at national meetings and over 100 publications.
His research interests include understanding the molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance in ovarian cancer stem cells, as well as genetic contributions of racial healthcare disparities in gynecologic malignancies. His research program is supported by multiple NIH/NCI and foundation grants. He has been recognized for his work as a recipient of the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation Ovarian Cancer Research Award, the Gynecologic Oncology Group Young Investigator Research Award, and invited Associate Member of the NCI Early Detection Research Network. These experiences have allowed him to serve in numerous national leadership roles in the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, NRG Oncology Cooperative Group, NCCN, as well as chair certain DOD Ovarian Cancer Research Program sections. In recognition of his accomplishments in oncology, he was selected to participate in the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Leadership Development Program.

Rod Cate Bio:
Rod Cate, partner at Hand Arendall Harrison Sale, LLC in Mobile. Practicing lawyer for 26 years. Married to Tamberly Cate, 3 children Cullen 24, Connor 23, and Corbit 20. Graduated from Davidson College with a BA in economics in 1988. Graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill with a JD/MBA in 1992.
Topic: When I was 15 years old, I broke my neck playing high school football. The injury left me paralyzed from the neck down. I plan to discuss my recovery and how my disability did not stop me from living an extraordinary life. I’ve recently self-published a book on Amazon entitled “Get Back Up,” A memoir on how to not allow a devastating life-changing event ruin you quest for a great life. That will be part of my discussion.

Bio: Bri Altier Ard is currently the Interim Director at the University of South Alabama, where her responsibilities include overseeing daily study abroad operations, advising study abroad students, managing the International Education Ambassador internship program, maintaining the study abroad program database, liaising with international and domestic partners, and more. Bri holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and a Master of Liberal Arts degree from Tulane University. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Philosophy in Instructional Design from the University of South Alabama.
Topic of conversation: Global Engagement at the University of South Alabama, including where we are, where we came from, and where we are going. In 2012-2013 academic year, USA had 62 students studying abroad. During the 2017-2018 academic year, USA had just under 300 students studying abroad. This almost 400% increase was due to many factors, including Global Engagement being included on USA’s strategic plan, collaboration across departments and colleges, increased scholarship opportunities, and increased student access by removing barriers. These actions have allowed for hundreds of USA students to see and experience the world