Category: Past Speakers

Commander Dan Straub grew up in Womelsdorf, PA, graduated from Conrad Weiser High School, and joined the Navy in 1983. CDR Straub earned his Bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University, a Master’s degree from Boston University, and a PhD from Naval Postgraduate School.
After boot camp and follow-on advanced electronics training, he reported to his first ship, the USS MANITOWOC (LST-1180) home-ported in Little Creek, VA. As a Fire Control Technician, he operated and maintained the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. He was promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 1991.
After commissioning as an Ensign at Penn State in 1996, Commander Straub’s first assignment as an officer was as First Lieutenant in charge of Deck Department on USS FORD (FFG 54), home-ported in Everett, WA. Following FORD, he was transferred to USS ARCTIC (AOE 8), home-ported in Earle, NJ, where he served his second division officer tour as Damage Control Assistant.
After his first two division officer tours, he was transferred to Boston University as an NROTC Assistant Professor, teaching basic and advanced navigation. While at BU, he earned his Master’s degree in International Relations. Following his tour at BU NROTC, he was assigned to USS SHOUP (DDG 86), home-ported in Everett, WA, as Weapons Officer and Combat Systems Officer.
Following his Department Head tours, he served as Executive Officer, Afloat Training Group, Pacific Northwest, charged with operational and combat training for seven U.S. Navy ships and 15 U. S. Coast Guard Cutters. After his position as XO ATGPNW, he attended Naval Postgraduate School as a Doctoral Candidate and earned his PhD in National Security Affairs, Security Studies.
Commander Straub’s most recent assignment was as Commanding Officer in USS INGRAHAM (FFG 61). While in command he executed a Combating-Transnational Organized Crime deployment in support of Operation Martillo, UNITAS, SIFOREX, & Fourth Fleet Theater Security Cooperation activities. Commander Straub is currently assigned as Commanding Officer of LCS Crew 208 “Paladins,” who will commission and assume command of the Navy’s newest warship, USS MONTGOMERY (LCS 8), in Mobile, Alabama.
Commander Straub has deployed to the Atlantic, Pacific, & Indian oceans, the Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, South China Sea, and Arabian Gulf, among other places. Commander Straub’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (7 Awards), Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 Awards), and various command and campaign awards. CDR Straub is married to Janet Hayes of Tabernacle, NJ, and they have two sons, Mark (23) & Sam (19)

Anna Katherine Ray is the Sponsorship and Community Outreach Chair for Girls on the Run South Alabama. In this position, she is tasked with harnessing the time, talent and treasure in our community in order to build a sustainable Girls on the Run Council in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Anna Katherine has called Mobile home since graduating from the University of Alabama, moving and meeting her husband Doug here 20 years ago. She is a wife, mother and owner of ARK Designs, a residential construction and design consulting firm. In her spare time she and her husband Doug and their two children enjoy traveling and outdoor and physical activities, especially those that involve the water.

Amanda Sibert
Amanda Sibert attended Auburn University and is the COO of The Kalifeh Media Group, a full service advertising agency in Mobile specializing in brand building. She is the executive board director of the Mobile Young Entrepreneurs and an active member in the community development of creative business professionals.

Johnny Gwin loves his many lives. One life is being the Creative Director and Partner at Hummingbird Ideas Digital Advertising & Design Studio. Another life is learning to be the Content Creator at Deep Fried Studios, a podcast creation and media production studio dedicated to creating the most compelling and entertaining podcasts possible. And embarking on another life, Johnny is just co-founded and launched Mobile’s newest creative Downtown Co-working Club called – Container Yard.
After 15 years of his love affair with advertising and design, he, met the much smarter, taller and prettier Stacy Wellborn and luckily for Johnny, she cautiously agreed to marry him.
Johnny’s new career purpose is to successfully combine creativity, art, commerce, and the power of the entrepreneurial spirit. He believes everyone has an amazing story to share and that we can all be creative thinkers. Currently, when he is not hosting the Fan of Podcast podcast, Crusader of Cool and Pulpit To Pew, Johnny is working on a Joe Cain children’s book and – Infinite Pilgrim. Infinite Pilgrim is a book and a podcast that explores the freedom of not being a guru but explores the joy of always striving to be one.

BARRY CAVAN
District Governor
District 6880
Rotary Club of Montgomery-Sunrise, AL
Barry began his Rotary relationship in the mid 1970’s when joining the Montgomery Rotary Club. In 1995 he helped charter the Montgomery Sunrise Rotary Club. Over his many years in Rotary, Barry served his club and district. He has served on all the clubs committees and was president of the Club in 2007-08. As chairman of the fund raising committee, he created the Commitment to Service Roast and Recognition Event and was Chairman of the event its first 6 years. This event is now in its12th year .He is a charter member of the Montgomery Sunrise Foundation and served as its first chairman. He was awarded the District 6880 Outstanding Club President in 2007-08.
On a district level he worked district wide with the Interact Clubs. Barry has served as Assistant Governor and Governors Aid. He has chaired the District Simplified Grants Committee and District Grants sub-committee chair, District Governor Nominee and District Governor Elect. He attended Rotary Leadership Institute, multiple PETS, Training the Trainers, Visioning, and the emerging Leaders’ Summit and several Rotary Zone 30 & 31 Institutes. Barry is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and he and Joan are members of the Bequest Society.
A native Floridian, Barry moved to Alabama in 1966. Barry began his first career with Easter Seals Alabama in 1973. He was named President and CEO of Easter Seals Alabama and Executive Vice President of the Alabama Society for Crippled Children and Adults, Inc. in 1986. He retired after 31 years. His second carrier began in 2006 as the Director of Catholic Social Services Montgomery. He retired from Catholic Social Services in August, 2015.
Barry is an active member of St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church. He has served his parish on the Pastoral Council having served as its Chairman. He has chaired the Catholic Charities Drive for his parish and spoke annually at various parishes for this appeal. He has also served on the St. Bede School Board.
Barry married the former Joan Walker of Montgomery. They have three daughters Kathleen, an Audiologist working with Auburn University; Kristin, Project Manager-Clinical Operations, Becton Dickinson; and Kelly, Director of Marketing, Power Tools Division TechTronic Industries of North America. They have two granddaughters – Emma and Anna and three grandsons Cavan, Luke and Jack (John Bradford)
Mr. Cavan served on multiple boards dealing with senior housing, FEMA and the food bank.

Hayley Van Antwerp, Executive Director, Innovation PortAL
Hayley Van Antwerp is the Executive Director of Innovation PortAL. The Innovation PortAL is a small business incubator / accelerator designed to encourage the successful development of entrepreneurial businesses on the Gulf Coast.
Hayley’s started her career in equity research sales in New York City. Transitioned to management consulting and provided technology strategy consulting to a number of well-known banks and broker/dealers. Several years and many frequent flier miles later, she decided to leave management consulting for a favorite client, Merrill Lynch (now known as Merrill Lynch/Bank of America). While at Merrill Lynch/Bank of America, Hayley worked in a myriad of technology strategy positions in the corporate risk management and global information security spaces. Most recently she managed domestic and international teams of associates specializing in technical solutions for acquisition & divestiture activity.
Hayley moved from New York City nearly three years ago when her husband received a job opportunity in Mobile. She has been working remotely for Merrill Lynch/Bank of America until she recently resigned to pursue the opportunity to become the Executive Director of Innovation PortAL.
Hayley is passionate about economic development, especially here in Mobile. She has been volunteering in her spare time for nearly a year to help create Innovation PortAL. Hayley is involved in our community in a number of ways. She is a board member of Mobile Museum of Art and the University of South Alabama’s Melton Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Hayley is also member of Providence Hospital Foundation’s Young Professional’s group and has been recognized by Mobile Bay Monthly’s 40 under 40 program.
Hayley is a cum laude graduate of Vanderbilt University. She and her husband Bragg have four children — Thomas, 5; Emory, 4; Charles, 1; and Henry, a canine, 7.

Pam Patterson
Pam, originally from Birmingham, graduated from Briarwood Christian School and the University of Alabama Birmingham. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Alabama with Master’s Degrees in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Currently, she serves as the Assistant Director of Field Services for the K-6 Education Program at the University of South Alabama where she recently was honored with the Excellence in Clinical Supervision Award by the College of Education. In addition, Pam is an educational consultant specializing in Six Traits of Writing and Talents Unlimited, a national model for developing and enriching creative and critical thinking. For twenty-three years, prior to accepting the position of Executive Director for Distinguished Young Women, Pam and her husband, Eric, volunteered in various capacities for Distinguished Young Women. Since retiring twelve years ago from the Mobile County Public School System, she has served as a judge for state programs, a member of the Travel Support Team, and for eight years, as the Chairman of National Finals. In January of 2014, she was named the Interim Executive Director for Distinguished Young Women and then in October she was selected to serve in that position permanently. Pam also volunteers in the Music Ministry at Spring Hill Baptist Church, working with various choral groups and playing handbells and serves on various leadership committees there. She is involved with the Light of the Village, an organization governed by Volunteers of America and has worked to assist in coordinating their annual fundraiser, “A Night in the Light”. As Executive Director of Distinguished Young Women, she has worked with the University of South Alabama to establish a relationship with the Mobile Public School System in which the National Field Director for Distinguished Young Women and she work with students in the high school signature academies and the elementary schools to promote positive life-skills acquisition through a variety of workshops and activities aimed at encouraging students to “Be Your Best Self”, broadening the scope of the national outreach of Distinguished Young Women. She and Eric are the proud parents of two sons, Benjamin and Jonathan, and four grandchildren.