Speakers

Artificial Intelligence: Do Not Be Afraid. Knowledge is Power.

Samson Marcos Tse is a software engineer who has spent his whole life in California and still managed to move constantly: raised on computers, he has called San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco home, collecting traffic complaints and tech jobs in every one of them.

He was there for the last AI rush, building systems at IBM Watson, and he is here for the current one, leading engineering efforts at Unity Technologies, where he helped build the Unity Rewards platform used by players around the world. Along the way he has cofounded a startup, designed backend systems that process billions of transactions a day, taught kids to code, and built games purely for the fun of it, proof that a decade in the industry has not entirely ruined his sense of play.

Samson describes himself as an AI expert, but not an expert on AI, a distinction he promises to explain. A dedicated Rotarian who has led numerous service projects across his community, he believes technology belongs to everyone willing to learn it. His message is simple: do not be afraid. Knowledge is power.

Building Bridges Through Rotary

In conjunction with San Diego Climate Week, and Rotary Clubs in the U.S. and Mexico, Steve will showcase inspiring initiatives including the Tijuana River Project, Pollinators Without Borders and other cross-border environmental efforts.

About Steve Bender

Steve Bender is a global sustainability leader and strategic advisor with decades of experience building partnerships, launching environmental initiatives, and helping organizations grow in ways that are both responsible and resilient.

He is the CEO of Sea 2 Sky Solutions, an international consulting firm focused on sustainable innovation and collaboration; the head of Newport Homes, where he leads work in green building, affordable housing, and sustainable building design; and the CEO of The 7 Seas Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the world's oceans. Steve also serves as Global Head of Strategic Partnerships and Revenue Growth at EarthX.

Steve serves as Chairman of the Board of the United States Green Chamber of Commerce. As a founding director of both the U.S. Green Chamber and the California Green Chamber, he is widely recognized for bringing business, government, and nonprofit leaders together around shared sustainability goals, always with a focus on making sustainability work for business.

His conservation and civic leadership include serving as President of the Rotary Club of Newport Beach, The Rotary Global Service Club, as well as Director of the Environmental and Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) for Western North America, supporting environmental projects across more than 1,700 Rotary clubs. He also serves on the Rotary Climate Action Team and is a former President of the Newport Bay Conservancy.

Steve is the founder of Rebuild Ukraine Green, an initiative working with international partners to support post-conflict recovery in Ukraine. In collaboration with Rotary, Steve also focuses on funding landmine removal from agricultural regions and supporting a prosthetic hand program to help civilians injured by the conflict regain mobility and independence.

A certified Master Diver with a lifelong love of the ocean, Steve works closely with businesses, governments, NGOs, and international organizations to turn sustainability goals into practical, measurable, and lasting impact.

By popular demand, Eduardo Velasquez returns to LJGT Rotary.

Eduardo Velasquez, Vice President of the San Diego Regional EDC, will share San Diego's Economic Outlook 2027 and a look at what may be ahead for the region.