Spring 2026 Lecture Series & Excursion

When	The series begins Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Where	The WellCome OM Center 4260 Lake in the Woods Drive Spring Hill, FL
Cost	$90 Lectures begin promptly at 10:00 AM and last for 2 hours. There is a 15-minute intermission.
How to Register	Print the registration form below and mail it with your check for $90 payable to Academia Hernando, Inc. and mail to: Ramona Des Lauriers 15417 Sonora Dr. Brooksville, FL 34604 Important: The Registration Form must be included with your check. Your cancelled check is your receipt.

Enjoy an engaging armchair tour, with many of the instructor’s personal photos of this intriguing South American country. Peru is home to some of the earth’s driest deserts, highest mountains, and wettest tropical rainforests and is one of the most bio-diverse places on our planet. The source of the powerful, 4,000 mile long Amazon River is in Peru.

Presenter Bio: Michael Hayes

Michael Hayes, with a BS from Purdue University and an MBA from Lehigh University, spent more than 40 years in the food industry at companies including Kraft Foods and ConAgra Foods. He has been an OLLI-USF instructor for the past 4 years and recently received an OLLI Award of Excellence. As a Baby Boomer, he specializes in pop culture courses. With his collection of original Beatles vinyl from the era, he feels fortunate that his teenage years coincided with the Beatles’ peak popularity, 1964 – 1970.

The planet Mars is one of the most unique objects in the night sky, appearing as a red light and has enticed human curiosity for millennia. Starting with telescopes developed by Galileo humans started to explore this planet. In the 20th Century, using rockets and unmanned vehicles, Mars has become the target of an incredible adventure of exploration by machine, and eventually, by humans. We will explore how and what we’ve learned about Mars, and delve into the future.

Presenter Bio: Paul Sutton

Paul Robert Sutton is a Senior Technology Resources Specialist at St. Petersburg College, where he has taught Survey of Game Development and supported the integration of technology into academic programs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of South Florida and has been an avid video and electronic game player for more than 45 years, bringing both historical insight and practical experience to his work.

History is Paul’s lifelong passion, with a particular emphasis on World War II. In addition to historical studies, he closely examines the development of technology and its influence on society, education, and interactive media, drawing connections between historical events and modern digital experiences.

75 years ago, the iconic Peter Gunn Theme brought the talents of Henry Mancini to the world’s attention for his nomination for a first Emmy and two Grammys. It was only the beginning of a monumental career that brought an unprecedented 72 Grammy and 18 Oscar nominations. Whether writing, arranging, conducting or concertizing the likes of Mr. Lucky, The Pink Panther, Charade, Moon River, The Baby Elephant Walk, and Days of Wine and Roses, Mancini transformed both small and large screen events, characters and emotions with timeless musical foundation. It is no wonder we continue to celebrate his musical majesty in this centennial year of his birth.

Presenter Bio: Joy Katzen-Guthrie

Joy’s worship services, concerts, and 13 published recordings are dedicated to joy, healing, and creativity. She has served as Music Director and composer/pianist/vocalist for Unity of Today from 1995 to 2005, Unity of Palm Harbor from 2005 to 2024, and has been a frequent guest worship and music leader for Unity and other congregations throughout Florida and beyond. A Jewish congregational Cantorial Leader and Artist/Scholar in Residence since 1985, she has served on the High Holy Day and part-time pulpits of Florida Reform and Conservative congregations, in addition to guest worship and concert appearances. Since 2021, she has been an accompanist and music specialist for Temple Ahavat Shalom of Palm Harbor, and since 2019, a programmer/host of Tampa Bay’s longtime (44 years) community radio broadcast, The Sunday Simcha on WMNF 88.5 FM. For 25 years (since 1999) Joy has been an instructor for Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel) and OLLI—Osher Lifelong Learning Programs for Eckerd College of St. Petersburg (She is the longest-serving member of Eckerd’s lifelong learning team) in addition to other learning series for decades.

Since 2020, Joy has served the Palm Harbor Historical Society and Museum as Administrative Associate/Programmer, producing the museum’s monthly virtual and on-site historical and cultural programs, bringing presenters to the museum, and promoting the museum and its programs through social networks, the museum website, and news/video platforms.

Between 2000 and 2008, Joy served as a Scholar in Residence for Jewish Heritage Tours to China and Turkey, and developed heritage tours to Cuba, Alaska, Argentina, and Australia/New Zealand. A contributing writer to the Encyclopedia Judaica, she has had her photographs published globally.

When dinosaurs ruled the rest of North America, Florida was still deep underwater, but it had its own enormous sea monsters. Then, when we finally emerged from the sea, giant land creatures roamed-mammoths, lions, tigers, and even Florida rhinoceroses! Learn more about these critters and what led to their extinction some 12,000 years ago, and the wonderful creatures that replaced them that you can see today.

Presenter Bio: Don Philpott

Don Philpott brings more than 50 years of experience as an award-winning writer, journalist, marketing consultant, and public relations professional, along with a lifelong passion for conservation and environmental advocacy.

Now a full-time writer and volunteer, Don has authored more than 250 books across a wide range of subjects and has published over 5,000 articles in newspapers and magazines worldwide.

Outside of his writing, Don volunteers extensively at Wekiwa Springs State Park, where he helps operate the nature center and leads interpretive programs. He is a Florida Master Gardener and a Certified Interpretive Guide. In 2023, he completed more than 30,000 volunteer hours with the Florida Park Service and was honored with the Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Award from President Biden.

April 30, 2026, will mark the 100th birthday of “The Main Street of America” – U.S. Route 66. This Chicago-to-Pacific route was one of the earliest numbered U.S. Highways and became the first completely paved transcontinental route. For decades, it served as a vital link for Americans traveling east and west until its decommissioning in the mid 1980’s. But the highway refused to die, and Route 66 associations sprang up in the states it passed through, all of them celebrating its impact on the formation of modern America. Known for its colorful, kitschy attractions, the roadway has been celebrated in stories and songs, especially for its important role during the Great Depression. It remains alive today by those who maintain the legacy of this storied “Mother Road,” the name bestowed upon it by John Steinbeck in his classic work The Grapes of Wrath.

Presenter Bio: Rick Kistner

Rick Kistner has been lecturing for Academia Hernando since 2017, though his teaching career spans nearly five decades. A native of Pittsburgh, he has served on the faculty of colleges in Ohio and Kansas. He holds a B.A. in Urban Studies and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Dayton.

After a 30-year career in Criminal Justice Administration, Rick transitioned into lifelong learning education, lecturing for Boston’s Elder Hostel Program and Eckerd College’s OLLI classes. He also presents regularly for the Center for Life Enrichment in North Carolina, Ocala’s Master the Possibilities program, and other lifelong learning organizations. To date, he has delivered nearly 600 presentations on a wide range of topics.

In addition to his academic work, Rick is a performer with over 50 years of experience as a stage actor. His work was featured by Charles Osgood on CBS This Morning. Rick and his wife Karen, married for nearly 52 years, have been residents of Largo since 1993 and happily enjoy spoiling their four grandchildren.

Matthew will discuss his growth from beekeeping as a hobby to a full-time commercial business. There will be a hands-on demonstration of equipment and basic bee biology, plus tips on becoming a beekeeper. He will cover the honey supply chain, imports that harm farmers, how to support American beekeepers, and the value of pollinators.

Presenter Bio: Matthew Beck

Bio to come.

A melodic look at the 100-year-plus legacy of George and Ira Gershwin, celebrating their Broadway and Hollywood hits with stories, songs, and video clips. From the early 1920’s until George’s untimely passing, these songwriting brothers had dozens and dozens of hits that are still performed today. From the Man I Love to They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Biding My Time to Someone to Watch Over Me …their songs topped the charts in the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and beyond.

Presenter Bio: Jason Fortner

Jason Fortner has worn many hats in the worlds of theatre and education. He currently serves as Artistic Director of Clearwater’s Francis Wilson Playhouse, a beloved center for local theatre since 1930.

As a director, Jason has directed more than 500 productions across Florida, California, New Jersey, Idaho, and beyond. As a writer and producer, he has created shows and live events internationally, including three seasons with Club Med resorts in South Florida, The Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Crested Butte, and Cancun. His work also includes the creation of corporate events in countries such as England, France, Mexico, Italy, and Spain.

As an educator, Jason has lectured thousands of entertainment-focused classes for Road Scholar, Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, and other lifelong learning organizations. He is delighted to return to speak with the members of Academia Hernando.

The 60’s were a decade of profound change in America. The 60’s were packed with challenges to traditional values and how we viewed ourselves and others. It was an exciting decade and a painful one at times. Topics we may explore are the Space Race, the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the JFK Assassination, 60’s Pop Culture, 60’s TV, Feminism, Civil Rights, the MLK Assassination, the Vietnam War, LBJ and the Great Society, Woodstock, and Politics.

Presenter Bio: James Goeb

James Goeb was born and raised in the Midwest before relocating to Florida, where he earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of South Florida. He enjoyed a 39-year career as a high school social science teacher, teaching primarily American and World History, with a particular specialization in World War II.

James founded the Hillsborough County Holocaust Studies program and taught the elective course for 25 years, helping generations of students gain a deeper understanding of this critical period in history.

Since retiring, he has traveled extensively throughout Europe, visiting historic sites including Normandy, Dachau, Auschwitz, and other significant locations connected to his field of study. He currently works part-time at the Tampa Bay History Center, lectures for both TBHC and Academia Hernando, and teaches for USF’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).

Join Us for a Day Trip to the Salvador Dalí Museum!

Step into a world of surrealism and wonder on our guided bus trip to the iconic Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. Home to the largest collection of Dalí’s work outside of Europe, this stunning waterfront museum offers an unforgettable journey through the mind of one of the 20th century’s most imaginative artists. Marvel at melting clocks, dreamlike landscapes, and monumental masterpieces — all brought to life by knowledgeable guides who make the experience engaging for art lovers and first-timers alike. Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today!