The Kiwanis Club of La Cañada La Crescenta-AM recently hosted 2022-23 Kiwanis Cal-Nev-Ha (California, Nevada and Hawaii) District Governor Valarie Brown-Klingelhoefer speak at their weekly meeting.
Brown-Klingelhoefer is a former administrative director and dean for several colleges and universities, earning her doctorate degree in college student personnel administration.
Now retired from her professional life since 2016, she still finds the time to help manage a nonprofit organization that helps homeless women in Monterey County where she resides. As a four-time lieutenant governor and a member of nine Kiwanis Clubs, Brown-Klingelhoef has opened more than 40 new Kiwanis Clubs, and she continues to win over new members to this day.
During her term as district governor, she built up interest in Kiwanis through modern technology, including social media, Zoom and a Kiwanis podcast. The Riverside native’s vision for Kiwanis and her positive, can-do attitude are reflected in her theme for the year, “Smile.”
Brought up in a military family and living around the world, her father was quite strict and said she could only dress in black as he felt women should not be calling attention to themselves. However, while in England, she saw the Queen dressed head to toe in purple. From then on, she decided it was acceptable to wear vibrant colors, and, naturally, purple is her favorite. Brown-Klingelhoef calls herself a wife, a “bonus mom,” daughter, volunteer and a Kiwanian for life.
First published in the September 28 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
