Valarie Brown-Klingelhoefer Elected Kiwanis Trustee
The Arroyo Seco resident will serve a three-year term on the Kiwanis International board beginning October 1, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Philanthropy
Valarie Brown-Klingelhoefer was elected trustee of Kiwanis International during the 2026 Kiwanis International Convention in Manila, Philippines. Her three-year term began October 1, 2026.
Why it matters
The election places a California-based Kiwanis leader on the international board that governs the service organization's work. Her prior leadership in the California-Nevada-Hawaii District gives her experience directly relevant to the role.
Brown-Klingelhoefer has served six nonconsecutive terms as lieutenant governor and governor of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District. Her Kiwanis Connects Show has helped generate more than $1 million in cash and in-kind support, though the stub does not state the vote tally in the trustee election.
The players
Kiwanis International
Kiwanis International is a global volunteer service organization whose clubs work on community projects worldwide.
Valarie Brown-Klingelhoefer
Valarie Brown-Klingelhoefer is a longtime Kiwanis leader from the Arroyo Seco area who has served as lieutenant governor and governor of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District.
The details
Brown-Klingelhoefer, who became a Kiwanis member in 2010, was elected by vote during the convention in Manila. She developed the Kiwanis Connects Show with Doc Val in May 2022, and she also serves as executive director of Gathering for Women, a Monterey County organization supporting women experiencing homelessness.
Timeline
May 2022: Brown-Klingelhoefer developed the Kiwanis Connects Show with Doc Val.
2010: Brown-Klingelhoefer became a Kiwanis member.
October 1, 2026: Her Kiwanis International trustee term began.
Philanthropy Context
Her election places a leader with California-Nevada-Hawaii District experience on the Kiwanis International board of trustees. The role carries governance responsibility for one of the largest volunteer service organizations in the world.
Readers interested in Kiwanis service projects can contact local clubs in California to learn about volunteer opportunities. The Kiwanis Connects Show remains a channel through which clubs and community partners can seek support.
The takeaway
Volunteer organizations rely on leaders who move between local clubs and international governance. Readers involved in local service groups can look to Brown-Klingelhoefer's path from club member to trustee as an example of how that progression works.
Further reading
Explore more in Philanthropy coverage across California.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Salinas Valley Tribune | Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield CA.
