We offer a variety of events throughout the year, from lectures to happy hours and everything in-between.
Please join your fellow alumni at Filoli Gardens to help the horticulture department on a spring cleaning project. We will meet at the Visitors Center, get gardening gloves and chat with our guide about the beautiful landscape and property. Afterwards, please feel free to enjoy the grounds. Limited to 15.
Filoli Gardens
86 Cañada Road, Woodside
Questions please email Streicher, Megan
Host: Megan Streicher ‘05
Calling all Brown University alumni, friends and family! From 3pm on Saturday, February 21st take a break from the slopes and join us for some schnapps and bites at an après-ski gathering at the iconic KT-22 Bar in Palisades Tahoe. Whether you’re carving turns or enjoying the mountain air, this is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with fellow alums, share stories, and raise a glass to our shared Brunonian spirit. Palisades is also hosting a DJ so there will be music and festivities galore.
Hosted by Julian Baring '97, this casual afternoon meet-up promises warm camaraderie and spectacular mountain views. Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 21st from 3pm —stop by anytime and make memories that will last long after the snow melts. We can’t wait to see you there!
Our intent is to grab a section of tables outside on the KT Deck, however depending on the weather, if it’s snowy or nasty - we’ll reconvene somewhere inside the Olympic Lodge. Look for the Brown Club banner and please RSVP so that we know how many will join and how many snacks to provide to help recharge after a day on the mountain.
Host: Julian Baring '97
Join fellow alumni for a mid-peninsula brunch on February 15th, 2026. Each alumn can bring a guest; brunch limited to 10 people total, first-RSVPs first-serve! We will have a wait list, so if you initially RSVP for this event then can’t make it, please let the host know so we can accommodate those on the wait list!
Look for the Brown Club of Silicon Valley banner!
Host: Veronica A. Bettencourt ‘98
Why Silicon Chips Matter: Technology, Power, and the Next Global Rivalry
This lecture explores the fascinating history of silicon chips—and why these tiny pieces of technology now sit at the center of global power, economic growth, and geopolitics, including what many are calling Cold War 2.0: the United States vs. China.
Based on in-depth research conducted in 2025, this live presentation offers a clear, big-picture view of how chips evolved, why they matter far beyond computers, and how they are shaping the future of innovation, national security, and global competition.
No technical background is required. Complex ideas will be explained in plain language, with real-world examples that make the topic intuitive and engaging for everyone—while still offering meaningful insights for engineers and technologists.
The session will be highly interactive, with ample time for questions and discussion.
If you’ve ever wondered:
What exactly is a silicon chip?
Why does it matter so much?
How did it become central to the U.S.–China rivalry?
This lecture will connect the dots and make it all finally make sense.
Host: Naeem Zafar ‘81
MUST REGISTER NO LATER THAN JANUARY 18th!!!
Kick off the new year with your fellow Brown alumni at Eataly Valley Fair for a special "Perfectly Paired" tasting led by their Scuola chef. Whether you're a foodie or just looking to reconnect with local alumni, this sit-down experience offers the perfect blend of education and socializing.
Welcome Toast: Enjoy a glass of Prosecco as we begin the session.
"Perfectly Paired" Flash Class: During this 1-hour guided session, we will explore the regions of Italy through three unique olive oils, two balsamic vinaigrettes, house-made focaccia classica, and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP cheese.
Social Hour: After the class, stay to mingle with the group or explore the rest of the Eataly marketplace.
Registration Deadline: The deadline to register is the end of the day on January 18th, as we have to give the venue a final count of attendees in advance.
Waitlist: Space is limited. A waitlist will be available once we reach capacity or pass the Jan 18th deadline. Email the host Yudi Fu (yudi_fu@alumni.brown.edu) to be added to the waitlist.
Refund Policy: Refunds after January 18th will only be issued if we are able to fill your spot from the waitlist.
Parking: Westfield Valley Fair has multiple parking garages with the first 2 hours free.
Host: Yudi Fu '13
Join fellow alums and friends for a coffee break during the busy holiday season, after or before a visit to the Mountain View Farmers’ Market. Grab your favorite drinks, pastries, and produce at the Farmers’ Market or along the short stroll to our meeting place. Good spots to buy coffee to go include:
Red Rock
Paris Baguette
Look for the Brown Club of Silicon Valley banner!
Just stop by to mingle and perhaps play the outdoor games on the mall.
Host: Carol Rhoads ‘70
RSVP HERE (space is limited to 10 people, but please email Yaruksa if the event is full!)
Come join your fellow Brown alumni neighbors for an evening of giving back! We’ll be volunteering at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley on Wednesday, November 12th from 6-8 pm at the Cypress Center located at 4001 N First St, San Jose, CA 95134.
Space is limited, so be sure to sign up ASAP!
Sign up to join our group HERE
https://shfb.tfaforms.net/202?GID=a0WQo00000KvLDtMAN
You may need the BCSV group reservation ID when signing up: GR-35678
BCSV will be helping SHFB at their main warehouse as a “food sort volunteer” with essential food distribution activities such as verifying, sorting, labeling, repacking, and preparing food items for delivery to feed thousands of people in the community.
A few additional details:
1. BCSV will meet at 5:45 pm in front of the building.
2. Volunteer Orientation begins promptly at 6:00 pm.
3. Wear closed-toed shoes. Long pants and long-sleeve shirts are highly recommended but not required. Sleeveless shirts and sandals are not permitted.
4. Jewelry is discouraged. Lockers are available for your valuables.
5. Masks are optional.
6. Parking is located in the lot in front of the building. There is additional overflow parking BEHIND the Momentus building. Follow the parking signs. Click to view a parking map.
Volunteers are critical to SHFB operations! If you can’t attend the event after registering, please cancel your registration directly with SHFB and notify the BCSV host. This will allow someone else to fill your spot. Registration will close EOB on November 5th.
Hosted by: Yaruska Ordinola ‘23
RSVP HERE (space is limited to 10 people, but please email Yaruksa if the event is full!)
America is infamous for its complex and expensive health care system that fails to satisfy most consumers, control costs, and improve health outcomes. The health insurance industry plays a central yet poorly understood role as the financial intermediary between payors and providers of health care.
Join us for an enlightening lecture with alumni speaker, Jacob Asher, M.D. '78, as he demystifies this opaque industry. Drawing from his unique career as both a provider and a physician executive, Dr. Asher will offer an insider's perspective on the business model of health plans.
This is your chance to gain a clearer understanding of a system that impacts us all. We encourage you to submit questions in advance so Dr. Asher can address topics that matter most to you.
Host: Carol Rhoads '70
Join your fellow Brown alumni for a 4.8 mi, 905 ft elevation hike at Crystal Springs and Dean Trail. We will meet at theZwierlein Parking Lot at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 19. Please bring plenty of water and hiking boots for this trail with elevation change!
Host: Veronica A. Bettencourt '98
Please note this event is contingent on weather conditions, including air quality, wildfire risk and heavy rain. Any necessary cancellation will be communicated ahead of time to those who RSVP for the event. Assume the hike is proceeding as scheduled unless you hear from the host otherwise.
Please join us for a fireside chat with Lindsay Nickel, class of ’13 and extraordinary endurance athlete.
In what promises to be an entertaining and interactive conversation, Lindsay looks forward to sharing her life path and ethos, and how endurance sports have shaped the way she approaches business and growth.
Lindsay has medaled in triathlons, including “Ironman” competitions. She has trekked the Everest high passes and was the runner-up in a weeklong rickshaw race across India. Before recently returning to the Bay Area, Lindsay spent 8 years working and living in Asia including in Bangkok, where she participated in Brown alumni events.
While at Brown Lindsay captained the women’s basketball team. She is a recipient of the Joslin Award and the Harriet Sheridan Leadership Award. Lindsay was also a Royce fellow in South Africa, where she investigated sport as a means for delivering HIV prevention and health education to youths in local townships.
Host: Jonathan Gentin '86
Please join your fellow alums for a volunteer event in the horticultural department at Filoli Gardens. Children welcome. We will meet at the Visitors Center.
Filoli is nestled on a slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounded by more than 23,000 acres of the protected Peninsula watershed. Today, Filoli’s mission is to connect our rich history with a vibrant future through beauty, nature, and shared stories.
For any questions please contact: meganstreicher@alumni.brown.edu
86 Cañada Road
Woodside, CA 94062
Host: Megan Streicher '05
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