I am honored and humbled to accept the role of District Governor for the year 2025-2026 where we will Unite for Good. I have had the pleasure of serving under two phenomenal District Governors before me – Joyce Graff and Elliott Rittenberg – and I will be working collaboratively with Penny Hamel and Jack Colamaria, both of whom are also strong leaders that I know will build our District up as they follow me in this role. Joyce has done great things over the past year as she has shown us the Magic of Rotary, and I know Penny will do an amazing job in the year following me. It's a group effort, not an individual task. The same applies at the club level as it does at the District level.
COLLABORATION. This is my main focal point for the upcoming year. While we have been drilled about Membership for decades, I want to refrain from pushing the “M” word across the district as we don't want just numbers, we want Rotarians. As we look across our district into our clubs, we have many “members” but few “Rotarians”. Everyone talks about growing membership, but what if I told you the key isn't recruiting harder, it's collaborating smarter? When clubs join forces – when we partner with schools, nonprofits, and businesses – we: tap into new networks, show prospective members that we're part of something bigger, and we create the kind of buzz that gets people asking: “Wait, what is Rotary? And how do I get involved?” More people = More Impact.
Nobody joins Rotary because they saw a flyer. They join because they see the impact, meet passionate members, and feel invited into something meaningful. Collaboration = Attraction. When we work together, our events are bigger, louder and more fun. Community partners bring their people – and they see how awesome our people are. It's like dating (I'm not judging), but if you are always home alone watching Netflix, nobody sees how amazing you are. But if you're out there, doing good with others – people notice. Who knows, you might find a relationship, too! When we collaborate,
Let's also remember something important: We say “Service Above Self” – but sometimes we also need Service Above Ego. Collaboration humbles us in the best way. When clubs stop competing and start connecting, when the district stops being a mystery and starts being a resource, when nonprofits and businesses stop seeing us as “that group that meets at the diner on Thursdays” and start seeing us as true partners, THAT is where the magic happens.
DISEASE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT: I hold several things close to my heart and one of them is Mental Health. Having experienced several friends succumb to their struggles with Mental Health have made me focus on Suicide Prevention initiatives and resources for preventing mental health conditions. Eliminating the stigma for individuals is something you will always see me involved with, especially within Veterans organizations.
Another close area to me is Rotary's commitment to eradicate Polio. I have high goals of having 100 Polio Plus Society members across our district. An annual donation of $100 will be extremely beneficial to help our organization provide the resources to help eliminate Polio in two remaining countries in the world. We are SO close! I absolutely hate being cold. BUT, as I stated at the District Installation, if we get 200 Polio Plus Society Members this Rotary year, I will do a Polar Plunge. You could make your donation here.
ACCESSIBILITY: With my educational background in Deaf Studies and Sign Language Interpreting, access is another important area for me. We need to make sure our clubs are accessible—not just physically, but culturally and socially. We need to reflect the diverse demographics in our communities. That means looking at our clubs through the lens of people who might have different educational backgrounds, economic challenges, disabilities, cultural differences, or life experiences.
GENERATIONAL MIX: Let’s be honest: Rotary has been historically viewed as an organization that caters to a very specific demographic—middle-aged, predominantly white, often male professionals. But in order for Rotary to truly reflect the world we live in today, we need to embrace generational and demographic diversity—and I’m not just talking about younger members, but also about different age groups contributing to our mission.
When I talk about generational differences, I’m not just referring to age, but to what each generation brings to the table. The Millennials and Gen Z—the younger generations—are looking for purpose, impact, and transparency. They want to know that their time, energy, and resources are being used for something that matters. They want to collaborate, they want to create, and they want to solve big problems. So, let’s give them the space to lead, to experiment, and to push boundaries.
On the other hand, the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers—many of whom have been with Rotary for decades—bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and institutional memory. They know how to manage and sustain long-term projects. Their mentorship and wisdom are invaluable. They understand the importance of building relationships and keeping them strong, even through tough times. We can learn so much from their legacy of service.
And we need to ensure our clubs are a safe and welcoming space for everyone, regardless of background, culture, race, gender, or age. Diversity is our strength, and I want to see every club embrace the richness of different perspectives, because each generation has its own unique lens on what “doing good” looks like. This diversity of thought will be our greatest asset moving forward.
Yours in Rotary,
Johnny Ahern
District Governor 2025 - 2026
Assistant Governors for 2025-2026:
Chair: Jack Colamaria, District Governor Nominee (DGN)
- Bo Daley: The Brookfields, College of the Holy Cross Rotaract
- Diana Nestorova: Changemakers of Central MA, Concord, Weston & Wayland, World Disability Advocacy
- Elliott Rittenberg: Blackstone Valley, Clinton, Fitchburg, Montachusett Area
- Jim Fusco: Athol-Orange, Leominster, Wachusett Area, Groton-Pepperell
- Jim Pope: Billerica, Dracut, Merrimack Valley
- Karen Fusco: Fitchburg East, Acton/Boxboro, Ayer/Harvard/Shirley/Devens
- Katya Portnaya: Natick, Needham, Westwood
- Mark Messina: Newton, Waltham, Watertown
- Mary Foerster: Lowell, Marlborough, Tyngsboro/Dunstable
- Patti McCarthy: Shrewsbury, Westborough, Worcester
- Ron Faccenda: Franklin, Southbridge, Sturbridge
- Sandra Coker: Framingham, Milford, Southborough
- Sharon Spaulding: Bedford, Chelmsford, Littleton
- Susan Wilkinson: B.U. Sargent Rotaract, Brookline, Hudson
- Victor Tom: Brandeis University Rotaract, MassBay Community College Rotaract, MIT Rotaract
- Jack Colamaria: Charles River, Northborough, Neponset Valley Sunrise
- Clifford Rober: Nashoba Valley, Westford
