Meet the Prez: Catherine Soria

The Rotary Club of Yosemite recently bid farewell to our president, Steve Shackleton, who has gone on to Washington, DC. We now welcome Catherine Soria to fill his shoes. Catherine is principal at school in Yosemite Valley and married to our local dentist, Dale Soria. We subjected her to a few questions so that we can get to know here a little better.

New President Catherine Soria: Catherine Soria does banner exchange with visiting Rotarian

Can you tell us where you're from, and a little about your family.

I was born in Callicoon, NY (it is along the Delaware River near where my mother was born, Hancock and where my father was born, Long Eddy) and lived in Georgia, CA, Japan, New York and then back in CA. I was one of the oldest of seven children--six girls and one boy.

Dale and I have three children. Our oldest, Miguel is married to Kelly, then Elisa, our daughter and Orlando our youngest.

Can you tell us about your job?

When Dale took over the dental clinic in 1988, I was lucky enough to take a teaching job. I taught a 2nd-3rd combination for 10 years then combinations of 6-8 and 3-8 for the next 9 years. I took over as teaching principal three years ago and administrate and teach students who are at risk academically.

How long have you been in Rotary?

When I became principal, three years ago, I joined Rotary so I would be more visible within the park as the principal of the school. Claudia Welch invited me at a time when I was looking for more community involvement.

What would you like to see Yosemite Rotary do in the next couple of years?

Solidify our commitment to providing scholarships, help the local schools and come to consensus about how our group wants to contribute to Rotary International programs.

How have you seen the club change?

Because I began my Rotary membership when Steve Medley died, I have seen the club go from being lead by the President to being led by a core group of, how shall I say this, dedicated members. It fits with our approach to meetings and programs.

How long have you been in Yosemite?

We have been in Yosemite for 22 years.

What brought you to Yosemite for the first time?

Dale and I came to Yosemite in 1972 with friends to camp. Then we came again in 1976, when we hiked from Sonora Pass to Yosemite on a ten day trip. When we moved to Merced in 1977, because Dale took a job at a farm workers health clinic, we began to come to Yosemite for all or our vacations and I read everything I could find about the park and John Muir.

How did you end up living here? (By the way, as best I've worked out with my mouth stuffed with dental instruments, you and I are both here because our spouses went to Berkeley for grad school and then moved on to Yosemite)

Actually Dale and I were at Berkeley together where I completed my degree in history. He then went on to UCSF for dental school. Dale went on a trans Sierra ski trip with Dick Ewart and Michael Ross in 1985. Dick later recruited Dale when the previous dentist was ready to leave his practice here. We jumped at the chance to live in the valley and luckily a job opened at the school at the same time. On the day we decided to move here we had lunch at the Queen's table in the Ahwahnee dining room—when we asked each other if we really wanted to move here we just looked out the window at Yosemite Falls and said, "Who wouldn't?"

The funniest joke you can think of right now?

I only can think of one joke. There is a couple in their early 90's who are announcing to their friends that they are getting a divorce. When asked why they waited so long, they reply, "We had to wait for our children to die."

A favorite book?

To Kill a Mockingbird, Wind in the Willows,

The last book/movie that you really enjoyed?

Waterlogged (the book) As It Is in Heaven (movie)

What do you want to be when you grow up? 

Become a Japanese language/culture expert or just travel there a lot, learn how to translate a drawing into a garment with fidelity, be able to knit a garment from looking at a picture and make it fit without countless calculations, have the patience to read Proust.