Toastmasters

The Toastmasters International organization has played a major role in my life since 2010. I joined Toastmasters in September of that year because I sought a social outlet after my ex and I moved to Washington state from Florida. He and I were both working at home for the first time, and I feared we would drive each other nuts if at least one of us didn’t have a social outlet. I knew about Toastmasters and used to recommend it to my business-communication students. What I didn’t know was that Toastmasters places at least as much emphasis on leadership as it does on communication, and the leadership path was what I unexpectedly undertook. Starting as a club officer in my home club, Colville Toastmasters, I got some attention for the newsletter I created and was tapped into district leadership in 2012. I served two years as District Public Relations Officer (now called Public Relations Manager) and then entered the district “Trio,” the top three leaders in the district, through which I progressed into the top position, District Director. In 2014, I had also attained the highest designation in Toastmasters, Distinguished Toastmaster.

PS: As you have probably guessed, using Toastmasters as a social outlet to improve my marriage was moot since the marriage failed six years later.

Here I’m sharing highlights of my Toastmasters experience and reflecting on the valuable competencies I have polished as a result of my leadership journey.

Toastmasters Leadership and Accomplishments

Immediate Past District Director and Past District Director, 2017-present

Named Volunteer of the Year, 2017-2018
Chaired Training event and Annual Awards ceremony, Oct. 2018
Chaired 2018 conference.
Chaired Nominating Committee (District Leadership Committee)
Served as Area Director
Served as a a sponsor of a new club, Well Spokane.
Served on successful campaigns of International Director Region 1 Mary Morrison and Second Vice President Margaret Page.
Chair International Director campaign of Monnica Rose, 2019-2020.

District Director, 2016-2017

Created online system designed to capture information for Moments of Truth, Club Success Plan, and Area Club Visit report.
Delivered weekly video podcasts.
Stepped up recognition efforts.
Supported Program Quality Director’s vision for enhanced training.
Secured 2 large donations for prison clubs.

Program Quality Director, 2015-2016

Trained 77 percent of club officers in first round of officer training.
Conceptualized and executed multi-district summit meeting about prison clubs. Initiated Facebook group for prison-club volunteers worldwide.
Requested and attained for district $14,000 contribution for prison clubs from private donor.
Successfully initiated district’s first successful December officer training, along with Speech Contest Boot Camp.
Oversaw synergy between Faculty Club, the district-wide advanced club whose mission is to train trainers, and officer training, thus providing quality trainers for TLIs and more.
Initiated incentives for education awards, leadership, and training.
Refreshed “Ask Me About Toastmasters” word-of-mouth membership campaign and education-recognition program aimed at retention.
Oversaw successful Fall 2015 Conference and launch of Spring 2016 Conference, as well as Fall 2015 speech-contest season.
Enhanced presence of clubs in Spokane, North Idaho, Tri-Cities, and Yakima on MeetUp and recruited MeetUp reps from each club.
Served as primary author of District Success Plan.
Developed Leadership Pipeline.

Lieutenant Governor Marketing, 2014-2015

Planted seeds for 20 new clubs. some of which chartered in the following year.
Ensured that clubs renewed with at least 8 members during renewal periods.
Launched “Ask Me About Toastmasters” word-of-mouth membership campaign.
Conceptualized and executed launch of The Faculty Club advanced club for training members to give TLI presentations and other trainings.
Launched district Speakers Bureau.
Initiated education-recognition program aimed at retention.
Play key role in International Director and International Officer visits to district.

Additional highlights of Toastmasters Experience:

Top education-award earner district-wide, with 8 awards, for 2014-2015.
Two terms as District Public-Relations Officer, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014
Division C Governor, Aug. 2013-June 2014
Conference Education Chair, Coeur d’Alene, Fall 2014
Conference Registration Consultant, Wenatchee, Fall 2013, and Pasco, Spring 2014
Conference Registration Chair, Moscow, Spring 2013
Conference Publicity and Registration Chair, Spokane, Fall 2012
Conference Education Chair, Pendleton, Spring 2012
Sponsor, Fairchild Toastmasters [chartered 6-23-14]
VP Education, Faculty Club, 2015-2016
Secretary, Colville Toastmasters, 2015-2016, 2014-2015
President, Colville Toastmasters, 2013-2014 [President’s Distinguished that year]
Vice President/Public Relations Colville Toastmasters [President’s Distinguished every year since 2011-2012], Jan. 2011-June 2013
Re-established District newsletter.
Created District Facebook group.
Built District MeetUp presence.
Developed District publicity plan.
Attained numerous media placements for District news items.
Oversaw 3 district publicity campaigns annually, including open houses, communication/leadership workshops, and Speechcraft.
Initiated District’s first online registration system for conferences.
Supported conference publicity efforts.
Developed District-wide media outreach list.
Oversaw enhancement of District Web site, including resources and photo galleries.
Conducted audit of community-club Web presence and educated clubs on importance of Web presence and online findability.
Developed collection of club publicity resources.
Created model for employer outreach.
Documented numerous District events with photos.
Attained $3,000 radio grant.
Developed and presented innovative job-seeker-targeted modification to Speechcraft curriculum in partnership with WorkSource.