Every year in the fall, CGJA holds an Annual Conference/Membership Meeting at a different location. The conference provides an opportunity for members and civil grand jurors to meet and discuss experiences, ask questions, and otherwise engage in activities to enhance everyone’s understanding of the civil grand jury system in order to contribute to CGJA’s role in protecting and enhancing California’s county civil grand jury system.

The 2025 CGJA Annual Conference was held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton – San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County on October 26 and 27, 2025. The theme for this years’ conference was Civil Grand Juries: The Cornerstone of Transparency and Accountability. See below for a link to the slide set that was presented by Dr.Khosmood in his keynote address, Understanding Artificial Intelligence. Festivities included a dinner on the evening of October 26 where the attendees socialized and renewed acquaintances before and during dinner.

There was a silent auction where many interesting items were bid upon and sold to the highest bidder. We are pleased to announce the silent auction generated $2,200 in profit and in combination with donations that accompanied registration this year, netted $5,000 that will be used to reduce conference registration fees in 2026.

The 2026 Annual Conference is planned for Sacramento on November 1 and 2, 2026. We look forward to putting together an agenda and event sessions that will make this an exciting event to attend. Look for more details in the Spring of 2026.

Civil Grand Jurors’ Association of California
42nd Annual Conference and Membership Meeting
Civil Grand Juries:  Cornerstone of Transparency and Accountability
October 26-27, 2025
Embassy Suites, San Luis Obispo, California

Sunday, October 26, 2025

SLO North and Center Ballroom

1:00 – 1:15 PM:    Conference and silent auction opens:  Pledge of Allegiance and opening remarks
Lloyd Bell, Annual Conference Chair 

1:15 – 2:15 PM:     Keynote Address:  Understanding Artificial Intelligence
Dr. Foaad Khosmood, Professor, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

2:15 – 2:30 PM:    CGJA President’s Report on CGJA Activities and the State of the Association
Gary Cooper, CGJA President 

2:30 – 2:55 PM:    Election results
Lou Panetta, Chair, Nominations-Elections Committee  

Swearing in Officers and Directors
The Honorable Tana Coates, Assistant Presiding Judge, San Luis Obispo County Superior Court 

2:55 – 3:10 PM:    Presentation of Best Report Award
Barbara Sommer,  Chair, Excellence in Reporting Subcommittee

3:10-3:25 PM: Break 

3:25 – 3:55 PM:    Breakout sessions (three different topics from which to choose)
Moderator:  Juliana Jones

Breakout session #1 

1. Ask the Trainer Live! – led by Marsha Caranci (Shasta) and Jon Tonsing (Yuba) 
2. Strategies for Recruiting Grand Jurors – led by Juliana Jones, (Mono)
3. Harnessing Social Media – led by Lou Panetta, (Monterey)

3:55 – 4:00 PM:    Move to breakout session #2

4:00 – 4:30 PM:    Breakout session #2

1. Ask the Trainer Live! – led by Richard Rogers (Santa Barbara) and Karen Jahr (Shasta)
2. Writing Effective Press Releases and Op Eds – led by Dorothy Schlitz (San Luis Obispo and Molly Schneider (Shasta)
3. What’s Your Chapter’s Purpose – led by Nancy Welts (San Luis Obispo) and Tom Mastre (Monterey)

4:30 – 4:45 PM:    Stretch break; reassemble in SLO North and Center Ballroom 

4:45 – 5:15 PM:    Report out from session leaders

5:15 – 5:30 PM:    Wrap up by breakout session Moderator, Juliana Jones

5:30 PM:    CGJA Annual Conference recesses

6:30 PM:    CGJA Annual Conference Dinner

SLO South Ballroom

Angelo Rolando Service Award presentation
Barbara Sommer, Awards Committee

8:00 PM:    Silent Auction closes

Live Auction commences

Monday, October 27, 2025

SLO North and Center Ballroom

9:00 – 9:10 AM:    CGJA Annual Conference resumes
Lloyd Bell, Annual Conference Chair 

9:10 – 9:55 AM:    Panel Discussion:  Chapter Relations and Chapters – Growing Stronger Together
Led by Sharon Debenedetti (Sonoma), with Marsha Caranci (Shasta), and Martha Saldana-Wolf (Solano) – Members of the Chapter Relations Subcommittee

9:55 – 10:10 AM:   Q&A with MCRC Chapter Relations Subcommittee

10:10 – 10:25 AM:  Break 

10:25 – 11:15 AM:    Everything You Wanted to Know About CGJA But Were Afraid to Ask: Last minute updates from Committee Chairs and the Grand Jury Effectiveness Workgroup
Roving Reporter: Lou Panetta, Chair Technology Committee

11:15 – 11:30 AM:    Member comments and Q&A
Gary Cooper, CGJA President

11:30 AM – Noon:   Conference wrap up and closing remarks
Gary Cooper, CGJA President