Our mission
San Joaquin Valley Town Hall is a non-profit organization that is run by an all-volunteer board of directors. Our mission is to bring nationally and internationally renowned, thought-provoking speakers who inform, educate, and entertain our audience! We hope you’ll join us as we begin our 74th year of service to the Valley.
How to contact us
By phone:
559.444.2180
By mail:
San Joaquin Valley Town Hall
P.O. Box 5149
Fresno, CA 93755-5149
By email:
Our Board of Directors and Area Representatives
San Joaquin Valley Town Hall is managed and maintained by a 25-member board of directors. The board is complemented by our Area Representatives, a dedicated group of volunteer supporters that provides a vital link between Town Hall and Valley communities.
List of Board of Directors and Area Representatives
Our history
In January of 1938, the San Joaquin Chapter of the League of Western Writers brought Dr. Alan Rappaport’s Town Hall Forum series to Fresno. The series, which was already established in twenty other U.S. cities, consisted of seven morning and six evening lectures. The lectures were so well received that a second series was scheduled for the fall of the same year.
The lecture series continued under the direction of Dr. Rappaport for eight seasons. At that time, the San Joaquin Valley Town Hall of Fresno was formed to produce the lecture series independently. The first series of six morning lectures began in October of 1946, and that format continues to this day.
Over the years, Town Hall has hosted almost 500 speakers who have provided stimulating, intellectual entertainment. Some speakers of note include Margaret Mead, Bennett Cerf, Agnes DeMille, James Michener, Gore Vidal, Maya Angelou, Ray Bradbury, Condoleezza Rice, Henry Kissinger, and Chet Huntley. In the future, Town Hall will continue to work hard to bring you speakers who will enlighten and entertain. Full story