Rotary Youth Exchange Committee (RYEC)
Come meet the people who are actually running District 5110 Rotary Youth Exchange - a dynamic 15-member committee of dedicated individuals who are responsible for all things Rotary Youth Exchange - recruitment, orientation, training and support and training for both Inbound and Outbound exchange students, both long-term and short-term exchange, and identifying and supporting host families.
Bruce Abernethy (Chair RYEC, Rotary Club of Greater Bend, YEO)
Bruce Abernethy has been in Rotary since 2009 and served as a host family twice (students from France and Denmark), exchange parent once (daughter to Denmark), Interact Club Advisor, and Club President. He currently serves as Youth Exchange Officer (YEO) for Rotary Club of Greater Bend and Chair of District 5110 Rotary Youth Exchange Committee. His favorite thing about Rotary Youth Exchange is seeing how exchange students grow in confidence and maturity during their year in the US and abroad.
Bellah Stephan-Solomon (Rotary Club of Port Orford, YEO)
Bellah’s commitment to international exchange began as a teenager in the 1980s when her family first hosted a student from Belgium. That formative experience sparked a lifelong dedication to advancing global peace, cross-cultural understanding, and international goodwill. Over the years, Bellah and her family have hosted 15 inbound Rotary Youth Exchange students and actively supported outbound scholars as they embarked on transformational journeys abroad.
An active Rotarian and community leader, Bellah serves as the local Rotary Youth Exchange Officer (YEO), Director of Youth Services, and Interact Club Advisor. In these roles, she works closely with students, host families, and local clubs to ensure a safe, enriching, and well-supported exchange experience compliant with Rotary’s highest standards of youth protection and mentorship.
With more than 30 years of experience in youth development and international program coordination, Bellah brings extensive expertise to our Rotary Youth Exchange Committee. Trained in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, she is a dedicated advocate for global citizenship, empowering young leaders to serve as dynamic cultural ambassadors for their home countries and host communities.
