Lectures
ALL is pleased to present short form lectures of interest to our learning community and will announce them as presenters are confirmed.
If you are interested in making a presentation or have a suggestion, please contact mmyenokida@gmail.com
September
Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
$20 for members and non-members
Description
Everyone has an opinion about the housing crisis, but few people understand how the housing system actually works. Why do home prices and rents keep rising? Does building more housing make homes more affordable? Why do some communities struggle with homelessness while others face shortages of workers because people can't afford to live there? And why do well-intentioned solutions often spark passionate disagreement?
In this engaging and interactive presentation, housing advocate and community leader Kerri Burnside untangles the complex web of economics, public policy, development, infrastructure, demographics, and community priorities that shape the places we live. Rather than arguing for a single solution, this session explores how the housing system functions, why different groups experience the crisis in different ways, and what current research tells us about the opportunities and limitations of today's most debated housing policies. Whether you're a homeowner, renter, business owner, student, or simply curious about one of the defining issues of our time, you'll leave with a clearer understanding of how housing works, and why creating affordable, thriving communities is far more complex than it first appears.
Lecturer: Kerri Burnside
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Kerri Burnside is a housing advocate, community organizer, and nonprofit leader who has spent several years working to improve housing stability in Whatcom County. She serves as President of the Future Homebuyers Organization, represents community interests on the Whatcom County Housing Advisory Committee, and has worked alongside local and statewide organizations on housing policy, tenant protections, affordable homeownership, and housing affordability.
Drawing on experience in community organizing, public policy, and local government, Burnside brings a practical, research-based perspective to the complex issues shaping today's housing market. Her work focuses on helping communities better understand the interconnected factors influencing housing affordability and identifying collaborative solutions that strengthen neighborhoods while expanding housing opportunities.
Registration
November
Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. – noon
Thursday, November 12, 2026
$20 for members and non-members
Description
This presentation will offer a practical, balanced look at how artificial intelligence is beginning to affect health care delivery in our local community. We will discuss where AI is already being used, what benefits clinicians and patients may experience, and what concerns remain around accuracy, privacy, trust, and the human side of medicine. The goal is not to predict a science fiction future, but to help participants better understand the real changes taking place now and the questions patients should be asking.
Lecturer: Dr. Michael Geist
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Dr. Michael Geist follows up on his presentation in our AI series. He is an internal medicine physician with PeaceHealth Medical Group in Bellingham and serves as Associate Chief Medical Information Officer for Ambulatory Care at PeaceHealth. He has practiced internal medicine for 28 years, including both clinic-based care and hospital care at St. Joseph Medical Center.
Dr. Geist is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Washington Medical Center. Throughout his career, he has been involved in bringing information technology into clinical practice, beginning with Madrona Medical Group and continuing with PeaceHealth. He helped lead the selection and implementation of Epic, PeaceHealth’s ambulatory electronic health record, and continues to work with clinical, operational, technology, compliance, coding, and education teams to improve how digital tools support patient care.
His current work includes improving the online patient experience, supporting better management of patient messages, helping clinicians and staff use the electronic health record more effectively, and evaluating the safe and practical use of AI and ambient listening tools in health care.